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If you have a child who struggles in some areas


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how on earth do you get school done with other kids?

 

My oldest struggles with math. I've had enough posts about that here so I don't want to rehash that. Bottom line is I must sit with this child for the entire math lesson and not take my attention off them or tons of mistakes start happening and we have to start right back at the beginning.

 

Well, that means that 45min- hour of my time is gone and I'm completely ignoring the others. Sigh.

 

My other is in grade 1 so there's really nothing that is done independently other than a bit of copywork for WWE and some math. Basically that hour is lost for all involved except my oldest and her math work.

 

Am I the only one in this situation? I don't really have an hour out of each day to just lose to the void that is grade 4 math. :tongue_smilie:

 

I know, this sounds harsh. I'm just frustrated that here we are and I'm not done core subjects with 2 children now instead of just one. Ugh.

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We don't have continual issues with anyone, but there are certainly times when one or more child is having trouble with a concept. When that happens, we move that subject to the evening when dh or I can work one-on-one with the child and have back-up for whatever else is going on. I just cannot slow down our school day (during the morning or afternoon) to spend an hour or more with one child. So we spend time doing it later or even on the weekend. It helps that child to know that I'm giving them my undivided time and attention, too, while not messing around with our school groove during the day!

Edited by 6packofun
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We don't have continual issues with anyone, but there are certainly times when one or more child is having trouble with a concept. When that happens, we move that subject to the evening when dh or I can work one-on-one with the child and have back-up for whatever else is going on. I just cannot slow down our school day (during the morning or afternoon) to spend an hour or more with one child. So we spend time doing it later or even on the weekend. It helps that child to know that I'm giving them my undivided time and attention, too, while not messing around with our school groove during the day!

 

Ah. There's a thought. Thanks. I'm feeling overwhelmed by how much time I lost this morning. It's not a good feeling. :tongue_smilie:

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Are there non-school things the 1st grader can do while you focus on the math for the 4th grader? Chores, load/unload the dishwasher for you, run laundry into/out of the various machines, that sort of thing?

 

Can you go over the lesson with your daughter, work a few problems together as an example, and then have her work the rest, circling and skipping those which frustrate her? Then come back to those in the evening or at the end of the school day, correct her math lesson, work through any corrections to problems she missed, and then work the skipped problems together?

 

Can you start her school day earlier OR move Math to the end of the day when the 1st grader is done? Is there any chore you can do at the table while you sit there, available for the 4th grader but still doing something with your time? Something that she knows it is okay to interrupt??

 

I have this same issue with one of mine -- we switched the 13 yr old to Teaching Textbooks (well, the 9 yr old, too) so that I'd not have to be involved but he'd get the teaching he needed. Turns out, the best way for us to do his math is for him to watch/read the lecture, then he and I work the practice problems (a set of 5) together, then he works the lesson problems (usually 20), doing the circle/skip as I explained. I sit right there, available to him during this, correct his work immediately and any that he skipped he goes over with Dad in the evening.

 

One other thought -- can you move math for the 4th grader to breakfast or lunch time? Let her eat and work (or eat first) and work on her math while everyone else eats. Then it's not a lost hour too much. We do that, as well. While I am working on math with the 7th grader, the 4th grader does his reading, reads his Bible and eats lunch (then plays if he is still done, or moves to his math); the K'er is allowed much coveted "room time" in his big brother's room during that hour and we start his school later on (he has usually eaten earlier as he wakes up much earlier).

 

It does take creativity, but there are ways to work it out. And it also does get better. Hang in there.

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