................... Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Have any of you kind and gentle sorts found a way to allow children to express their creativity, while not losing your sanity or having school take all day?> Today Abeka math asked that the student draw the number of objects, so for 6 they are supposed to make 6 objects, etc. He is drawing six very fancy detailed robots. Therefore, this one part of this one lesson has already taken him 15 minutes... So would it be reasonable to say, okay you can draw robots, but for the rest of the page please just make circles? Or should I just go do the laundry and come back when my son returns from his creative spree? Maybe he would like formal lessons more if I would let him just be who he is? On the other hand maybe it would take all day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Today Abeka math asked that the student draw the number of objects, so for 6 they are supposed to make 6 objects, etc. He is drawing six very fancy detailed robots. Therefore, this one part of this one lesson has already taken him 15 minutes... My 8yo did the exact same thing! I made the kiddo stop, gently, but it was still enough to turn him off from schoolwork for years. Let him take the time! Don't repeat my mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcjlkplus3 Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 remind him that it will take longer that way, if he still wants to do it, let him (he knows now that he will be doing math longer and now it is his choice) and go get laundry done, or dishes, or whatever as long as he actually keeps working while you are:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 the first one in robots and it took 15 minutes for one tiny thing. However, he was happy as a clam. Then I made him only draw circles and the whole math lesson went downhill from there, even ending up with me yelling at him... Guess I'll keep praying that God would allow me to let my children be who He made them, as long as they are not sinning or forming BAD habits. But, being inconvenient for me is not sin, or a bad habit! ugh. I'm so controlling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 the first one in robots and it took 15 minutes for one tiny thing. However, he was happy as a clam. Then I made him only draw circles and the whole math lesson went downhill from there, even ending up with me yelling at him... That's exactly what happened to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 My 8yo did the exact same thing! I made the kiddo stop, gently, but it was still enough to turn him off from schoolwork for years. Let him take the time! Don't repeat my mistake. :iagree: Did the same thing with ds. I finally have gotten my ds back to enjoying school for the most part. We flow with the creativity otherwise all the wheels stop. Of course, I'm have a similar style so we mesh well. Here's my favorite video on creativity in the education. It's long, about 15 minutes, but so worth watching if you or your dc are creative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristen in NC Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Oh my. I've been there so many times. I am such a "finish this so I can check off this box" kind of person and my son does not fit that mold. I am learning, so slowly to let him be himself. Boy is it hard though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jami Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 My middle child is my artist. She'd spend HOURS coloring the tiny pictures in her Explode the Code books if I let her. I usually ask that she finish the main work and leave the fancying up for after her lessons. With the robot-drawing lesson, I might have put that section aside, done our other work, and then let that be the last thing for the school-time. Then it wouldn't matter if the child spent more time on it, only choosing to use up playtime or wait on lunch. I have two children working together though, which means they need to both move ahead on work so that we can do the next thing in a timely way. One can't take twice as long on a section as the other (unless it's genuinely harder material for him/her). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 At that age....I say let him go for it! When older, much older, I limit time spent on that sort of thing to when I am doing read alouds, or their own free time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele B Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 My dd uses about 8 crayons to color in each square on her saxon math! Michele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Of course, I'm have a similar style so we mesh well. Here's my favorite video on creativity in the education. It's long, about 15 minutes, but so worth watching if you or your dc are creative. Fascinating video. I'm so glad you posted this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.