Homework has Changed

Mon, Wed and Friday this week are school days.

Tues and Thurs at home days with additional work to be done.

Tues I receive a text from T telling me that he:

a) does not understand the homework

b) cannot email his teacher as he did not have his Chromebook.

I wanted to know where the Chromebook was.

He had left it at home and I saw him leave without it.

Responded with he is a big boy and I am not responsible for ensuring he has what he needs.

I got back a grumpy I know but I can’t do this.

Told him that we would look at it when he arrived home.

As I was not working Wednesday I could stay up and help with the homework.

He arrives home and hauls out his red folder.

First up: Patterns (Math)

There is a pyramid with numbers in the bottom corners/blanks and one must figure out the numbers.

I admit I looked over it for about 30 seconds or so before my brain made the connection.

No matter what way I explained it T could not understand what I was doing.

Finally though I think that he understood.

Main problem he had: No one said it was math mom!

I chuckled a little and told him this was something we would have to work on.

Next Up: Root Words (ELA)

He was given roots i.e. graph/gram and had to find the words or the meaning.

Instagram

Photograph

I asked if he was suppose to be looking up the root meanings?

IDK is the most common line of response.

As we are going along he is beginning to understand.

Each answer must contain the ‘root’ word.

We get to -dict-

I cannot remember the first word but the meaning of the second word:

To say or command something forcefully.

First word to pop into my head: Edict

T looks at me as if I am making up words.

I told him that his teacher was going to know that I was helping him with his homework.

T laughed and said she should be able to figure out that I helped him with everything.

We did get through all 4 pages of work and were thrilled until T turned to the last page.

He was suppose to write a paper or something on the quote:

No one has the power to destroy your dreams unless you give it to them.

Agree/Disagree.

T says he disagrees but what did I think?

I said I agree.

He said so do I then.

I asked why?

He said I am just going to pretend that I did not see this page.

I could not fault him with that one.

It was 10:30 and I was not about to read and edit his work.

Told him he could do it in the morning.

Needless to say the paper did not get written yesterday a.m. before school.

Whether he has written it or not I am unsure.

I will have to assume I will either receive an email if he has not or he has done so and I can forget about it.

I am not sure about this additional task to add to my day.

I work 40 hours a week.

I am mom 24/7.

I am a chauffeur.

Chief Cook & Bottle Washer.

Maid service.

Cheerleader.

And now…..teacher.

One thing though as teacher I am not going to include learning on my own behalf.

If the ‘new’ math does not work for me I will be using ‘old’ math.

You know the one that was around for hundreds of years.

That no one had any issue with until-well-could someone please explain to me what the hell the point of new math is?

T does math in his head.

Like his mother.

Like his father.

We do not show our work with words.

We do show our work with numbers.

If the answer is the same who the heck cares how you got there as long as you got there.

Math is hard enough as it is why make it harder?

Have a totally awesome Thursday lovies.

©Nov. 19/20

Picture is my own

Math & T.V.

Last night T and me are working on his dreaded math extra work. But it is not so dreaded when it gets down to it. All they have to do is write out the steps to show how they arrive at answer. Same way I learned just longer and time wasting but who am I to argue with the great minds who came up with this ‘new’ math.

However not what this is about.

T did the 2nd question himself and he came slow close. It is when he transfers # over that he is losing something. The pencil he is using has thick lead maybe a finer clicker pencil will help. He did awesome job and even though we forgot some places he felt more confident. He even said ‘mom after this I will bring home more to work on.’ ‘Math?’ ‘Yes math. Hey mom can you teach me to type like you type? I mean I know how to type but it is hard on laptop.’ 

This here is the following reenactment of actual events. Names have not been changed to protect the innocent. No one was harmed in the making of this event. 

I looked over at him a little musically. 

‘Sure. But The keyboard layout is the same as the typewriter I used to teach myself on?’

‘A typewriter?’ T states at me like I have grown two more heads.

‘Um yes a typewriter. I took typing class because it was an easy A elective and as I wanted to be a writer I could not be typing two fingered. So I sat with my book and over the weekend taught myself to type. After that it was fine tuning finger placement.’

I showed him where my fingers were placed. Was told I did not know my finger names. Turns out Pointer Finger is a technical term. Who knew?

‘So mom if you didn’t have computers how did you watch t.v.?’

Well how the hell do I know? I told him there were big round things that bounced signals around.I have no idea what I am talking about so I am making large arm movements to distract him from the jibberish falling from my lips. 

‘And mom if there were no computers how did they make t.v. shows?’

‘They filmed them with a camera. Like today.’

‘But how did it get into your t.v.?’

I could only look at him. I have no idea what to say to him. He hugs me and takes off into his room while I sat there. Bemused and chuckling I am in for the adventure of a lifetime and we are just getting started.

March 7/19