Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Beginning Math, With Reluctance


Math is not my strongest subject.  God paired me with a math-smart husband, though, so I guess there is hope for my home-schooled children!  


Jeshurun is finishing up Kindergarten this Friday, and I am ecstatic!  Ecstatic, and in denial at the same time.  Our third year of teaching him at home is coming to an end, but because it is the kindergarten year, it feels more official and...coming too...fast!  


As we wrap up geography, Bible, history, reading, social studies and our underwater basket-weaving course (what?), I mean, Sling-Shots 101 (that's more like it)...I am finally coming to peace with the fact that I have to actually start teaching math.  Help me, Jesus.  


We've been doing "easy" math on our own - learning to count to 100, count downs (mainly in these forms, "Let's see if you can make your bed in 20 seconds!" or "Can you flush the toilet, turn off the light and race me to the door in 15 seconds?"  I'm sneaky).  We've been writing our numbers, separating colors and groups of things, blah, blah, blah.  But, as first grade rolls around here soon, we'll be doing workbooks and manipulatives and more formal (ie: loathe-worthy) math study.  Pray for me.


My awesome friend, Steph, just lent me these books/CDs:




I popped them in the CD player on the way home, opened up the workbook and handed it to Jeshurun.  He was glued.  For 20 minutes.  He even wanted me to play the rest when we got home!  The next day, I let him listen to the other CD while I procrastinated worked on the internet.  He was glued again and was asking for more!  Thank you, Steph.  


But, I do have to say, these songs (which are really just math facts sung over and over again - put to music) are slightly...annoying.  But, what is a mother's sanity worth these days?  Especially when a CD is luring my son into the world of math facts, and I don't have to!  I even found myself humming the tunes yesterday and today, and quickly tried to rid my brain of the repetitive songs!  


You know what they say...



And they were right!  Click here to check 'em out!


But, thanks to a little auditory torture, Run and Huy actually had FUN reviewing what they learned.  And, that's really all that matters.  I want them to have a running chance at this whole math thing.  Check out these smiles!


Huy is such an Asian.  Check out those hands!



And then, of course...being boys, they had to end their study session with some good ole fort building!  What good are flashcards if you can't use them for stuff like this?




Happy last week of Kindergarten!  

How do/did you make math fun (or, at least, tolerable)?

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