Ignore this thread!

[Renai]

Congratulations.  Staying on top of this is a challenge.  I make sure to check the thread regularly for fear of being left behind.

 

 

 

 

 

Do you ever wonder if anyone out there in the lesser parts of the Forum looks at our thread, considers jumping in, but is just too daunted by volume of our history?

 

I started to check yesterday, but then Gymnast had soccer practice and there was a fiasco trying to find a ride for dd16 to go to worship team practice. I got tired. #life

[Renai]

I am here.  Cue the band.

 

I'm still looking for an appropriate song.

[texasmama]

Now they called in the police helicopter and there are cops with assault rifles in the parking lot and a road block. We are safe, though. We've been told the fugitive is armed.

[JoJosMom]

Did you notice how uncharacteristically polite I was in my answer?  I think I deserve halo points for that. 

 

[JoJosMom]

There's not a car with 3rd row seating we want instead of a minivan is there?

 

$10,000

50,000-80,000 miles

No heavy repairs

Convienent family car

 

Toyota Sequoia.

 

They're horrendously expensive, though.

[Renai]

Now they called in the police helicopter and there are cops with assault rifles in the parking lot and a road block. We are safe, though. We've been told the fugitive is armed.

 

Wow, woman. Too much open gym drama. I think it is attracted to your hair. Is there a detention facility nearby?

 

This reminds me of the time I got off the school bus to go home, only to be rerouted to another street because there was a fugitive loose and the SWAT team was everywhere. This was right off the army base. I was only worried because I needed to know where they rerouted all the little kids because my sister was due to have arrived at the babysitter who was also on our road and they had everyone on lockdown. They directed me to a neighbor on another street I didn't know, but apparently had all the kids. It was crazy. It was even crazier seeing all the SWAT guys with their assault rifles hugging the hills behind our backyard. They did catch the guy.

[JoJosMom]

I'm stuck with my boys at open gym on police lock down. No joke. We are locked in the building because a bad guy is on the loose.

 

I think open gym is above my pay grade.

 

:scared:

 

I think I'm done with open gym, Tex.  Please stop.

[Susan in TN]

Now they called in the police helicopter and there are cops with assault rifles in the parking lot and a road block. We are safe, though. We've been told the fugitive is armed.

Oh good lord. They clearly need the assistance of the ENBB (Elephant Ninja Bazooka Brigade). And a boat load of duct tape.

 

I'll fire up the stealth helicopter.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Susan in TN

[sweetpea3829]

Now they called in the police helicopter and there are cops with assault rifles in the parking lot and a road block. We are safe, though. We've been told the fugitive is armed.

Geez! Was it your open gym last week that resulted in dad on son fisticuffs?

 

Might want to consider a different open gym!

 

Praying for a safe resolution for all involved.

[JoJosMom]

Wow, woman. Too much open gym drama. I think it is attracted to your hair. Is there a detention facility nearby?

 

This reminds me of the time I got off the school bus to go home, only to be rerouted to another street because there was a fugitive loose and the SWAT team was everywhere. This was right off the army base. I was only worried because I needed to know where they rerouted all the little kids because my sister was due to have arrived at the babysitter who was also on our road and they had everyone on lockdown. They directed me to a neighbor on another street I didn't know, but apparently had all the kids. It was crazy. It was even crazier seeing all the SWAT guys with their assault rifles hugging the hills behind our backyard. They did catch the guy.

 

Okay.  Renai makes a good point.

 

Either give up open gym, Tex, or get your head shaved.

[JoJosMom]

Oh good lord. They clearly need the assistance of the ENBB (Elephant Ninja Bazooka Brigade). And a boat load of duct tape.

 

I'll fire up the stealth helicopter.

 

Ummm, I think I'll need to back the Elephants with Duct Tape with my bazooka.

 

[sweetpea3829]

Toyota Sequoia.

 

They're horrendously expensive, though.

 

Same with the Nissan Armada. Nice truck...big bill.

 

We have friends with a Sequoia. Actually, two different friends. One is a single guy (or was when he bought it). The other is a family that owns a vineyard.

[Renai]

I should clarify, the hair comment and detention facility comment were in no way related.  :huh:

[Slache]

I want a vineyard! Does that come with the car or is it separate?

[sweetpea3829]

I want a vineyard! Does that come with the car or is it separate?

 

LOL! Well look at it this way....if you own a vineyard, you can probably afford a nice new Sequoia!

[JoJosMom]

LOL! Well look at it this way....if you own a vineyard, you can probably afford a nice new Sequoia!

 

NO, SLASH.  Do NOT look at brand new Sequoias.  I am Old and have seen many scary things, and those prices terrify ME.  If you must, peek at the used ones.  But even those are too scary for me. :huh:

[JoJosMom]

And where's Ellie?

 

It's too early for Disneyland.

[JoJosMom]

If ever I post a "selfie" with a weird duck face, please just shoot me.  I would not like to live in an asylum.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you.

[Slache]

NO, SLASH.  Do NOT look at brand new Sequoias.  I am Old and have seen many scary things, and those prices terrify ME.  If you must, peek at the used ones.  But even those are too scary for me. :huh:

I peeked. I cannot afford. I like the Odyssey more anyway.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Tex has not told you that she got to go home.  Just so you know. 

[hornblower]

we did not come back with ratties but that's only because we've setted on young babies and they're not weaned. We cuddled them & snuggled them & smooshed them & returned them to mom. They need a couple more weeks & then they'll be ours :) 

 

[Renai]

we did not come back with ratties but that's only because we've setted on young babies and they're not weaned. We cuddled them & snuggled them & smooshed them & returned them to mom. They need a couple more weeks & then they'll be ours :) 

 

 

 

How many?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm really tired. 

[Renai]

I'm really tired. 

 

Yeah. We should probably go to bed now.

[Renai]

My older cat loves me because I protect her from adhd kitten.

[Slache]

My older cat loves me because I protect her from adhd kitten.

We have one dog and she's hated me since I became pregnant with John. I used to be the favorite.

[Renai]

We have one dog and she's hated me since I became pregnant with John. I used to be the favorite.

 

Aw  :sad:

[KrissiK]

Now they called in the police helicopter and there are cops with assault rifles in the parking lot and a road block. We are safe, though. We've been told the fugitive is armed.

Tex.... I just don't know what to say.

[hornblower]

How many?

 

Two boys, to hopefully keep Keith company. 

 

Our other cage has 5 (2 boys, 3 spayed girls).  They're in a giant double critter nation cage & the original plan (when we agreed to take Keith from dd's friend from work, who rescued him from a deadbeat roommate) was to try to intro Keith to them, but we discovered Keith needs either a single level cage or a very modified ramped habitat. He falls over walking on flat ground so I can't have him swinging from high hammocks...  

 

So we will end up with a mischief of 8. 

 

[hornblower]

Tex has not told you that she got to go home.  Just so you know. 

thx for letting us know!

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would love to have a day curled up with the old Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. 

[sweetpea3829]

I would love to have a day curled up with the old Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books.

Lol, I was just looking for these!

[Another Lynn]

Good Wednesday morning! 

 

Sweet pea, I totally agree with you that MUS makes double digit multiplication overly difficult.  That was the beginning of the end for us with MUS.  The long division at the end of Delta finished us off (about 7 or 8 years ago).  I don't mean that to discourage you from MUS, but sometime after that I realized that sometimes the "how" needs to be learned (over and over and over again) before the "why."  The multiple ways to learn a process in an attempt to foster conceptual learning was confusing here. 

[Openhearted]

Good Morning!

 

It is Wednesday. Hump day.

 

I'm in a mood. Don't know what kind yet, but I don't think it is good. I slept terribly. I bet I was up every hour.

 

Coffee.

[sweetpea3829]

Good Wednesday morning!

 

Sweet pea, I totally agree with you that MUS makes double digit multiplication overly difficult. That was the beginning of the end for us with MUS. The long division at the end of Delta finished us off (about 7 or 8 years ago). I don't mean that to discourage you from MUS, but sometime after that I realized that sometimes the "how" needs to be learned (over and over and over again) before the "why." The multiple ways to learn a process in an attempt to foster conceptual learning was confusing here.

I've heard this about Delta before.

 

I'm actually a pretty big critic of MUS overall, but it was the only thing that was working for DD and got us to a point where she at least could do the process of adding and subtracting. Prior, she literally had no clue what to do for the most simplest of math procedures. But....she also had no clue how the numbers even related to one another. I thought we'd done a pretty good job of remedying that until yesterday, when she couldn't understand why 20 could not possibly be the answer to 40×10.

 

 

And she was SO hung up on that. I haven't told her the shortcut for multiplying by multiples of 10, because it's yet another shortcut to remember and I was hoping she'd discover that on her own...but she has literally zero ability to make conceptual leaps like that.

 

So now I'm back to the drawing board. I was already planning on using MM to begin to develop her conceptual understanding of math. But I think we may have to switch solely to it for awhile.

 

Sometimes I wonder if she would do better in the school. But then I think of the two kids we know of that struggle like her and how hard it is for them to have their needs met in the classroom.

[Susan in TN]

Good Morning!

 

We have a full day of lessons and hopefully I can sneak over to the library to grab the books that are waiting for me. I am on a Cynthia Rylant kick these days.

[Another Lynn]

:grouphug:  Dawn

 

Sweetpea, I know what you mean - about math, classroom and all.  For the one of mine who struggles with math, CLE and Saxon have been really helpful because of the repetition.  However, I would not push Saxon on anyone.  CLE - maybe.  Unfortunately, neither were the answer to truly improving her number sense - they just allowed us to have more success and less head-hitting-the-wall.  I think having a couple things you can switch back and forth between is a good idea.  No matter what you use, the steady, everyday work of one on one is definitely going to help more than a classroom.   :grouphug: 

 

I took dh to airport, came back and went back to bed.   :svengo:   Now, I'm having second breakfast and second coffee.  #itsahobbitday  Unfortunately, still need first shower, and quick!   :leaving:  

[Openhearted]

I thought y'all might like to see this. It aired on our local PBS station and is an excerpt of the marching band performance at Indy. Dd16 can be spotted if you look closely. She is playing the flute. I will remove the link in a day or so.

Edited April 9, 2016 by Openhearted

[JoJosMom]

:zombiechase:

 

Coffee.

[Critterfixer]

Old cat is up and about today, walking from room to room to stare at people through her ugly eye. So I think she feels better, even though the eye is still pretty sore.

[Critterfixer]

 

 

My daughter is pretty significantly dyscalculic and she is just entering double digit multiplication in MUS. And it isn't going well. And of course it won't because how can it when she still doesn't have her multiplication facts memorized? She has to skip count for most fact families. 

My two don't have dyscalcula, and double digit multiplication took many, many, many months of work for them to be moderately comfortable with it. Ditto with multiplication tables. I had the entire top of our schoolroom wall papered with tables that they used for close to four years. Whenever they got stuck, they could just look up. That was such a help to them, knowing that they did have the option of finding the answer if they couldn't come up with it on their own. Completely took the scary out. 

No tables up now, but they still have a sheet of them (courtesy of CLE) should they need it. I haven't seen them need to use it in about a year and a half now.

 

I remember being so discouraged looking at all the work some kids were doing (MM, Singapore, etc) and feeling that somehow my kids were just foolish in some way. I no longer think that it is abnormal for any child to require over-practice, sometimes very significant over-practice, to get comfortable using a skill. Doesn't matter if you get the why of it. Doesn't take away the need to practice until your pencil breaks. Some of the areas that I have found to require excess practice are multiplication, double digit multiplication, all fraction operations (but anything with mixed numbers really needs excess work) and long division. I found that factoring polynomials in algebra is another one of those rinse and repeat kind of things, too.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Neither of my teens have their multiplication facts totally memorized.  But they can figure it out.  I even have trouble sometimes.  :leaving:  All of us have drilled and drilled and drilled for years.

 

#visualspatiallearners

 

#mathnonconformists. 

 

Edited to say that apparently I don't have my spelling down either. 

Edited April 6, 2016 by Jean in Newcastle

[texasmama]

I would love to have a day curled up with the old Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. 

 

I have the entire set.  You can have the bottom bunk of ds13's room (comfy double bed).  The gut kneading cat will keep you company.  I will bring you meals every so often.  There is a bathroom right next door.

I've heard this about Delta before.

 

I'm actually a pretty big critic of MUS overall, but it was the only thing that was working for DD and got us to a point where she at least could do the process of adding and subtracting. Prior, she literally had no clue what to do for the most simplest of math procedures. But....she also had no clue how the numbers even related to one another. I thought we'd done a pretty good job of remedying that until yesterday, when she couldn't understand why 20 could not possibly be the answer to 40×10.

 

 

And she was SO hung up on that. I haven't told her the shortcut for multiplying by multiples of 10, because it's yet another shortcut to remember and I was hoping she'd discover that on her own...but she has literally zero ability to make conceptual leaps like that.

 

So now I'm back to the drawing board. I was already planning on using MM to begin to develop her conceptual understanding of math. But I think we may have to switch solely to it for awhile.

 

Sometimes I wonder if she would do better in the school. But then I think of the two kids we know of that struggle like her and how hard it is for them to have their needs met in the classroom.

CLE has been magical around here.  Conceptual is irrelevant if the kid can't perform the operations.  The conceptual may come later.  For me, it came in adulthood.  Like in my 40's.

 

:grouphug:  Dawn

 

Sweetpea, I know what you mean - about math, classroom and all.  For the one of mine who struggles with math, CLE and Saxon have been really helpful because of the repetition.  However, I would not push Saxon on anyone.  CLE - maybe.  Unfortunately, neither were the answer to truly improving her number sense - they just allowed us to have more success and less head-hitting-the-wall.  I think having a couple things you can switch back and forth between is a good idea.  No matter what you use, the steady, everyday work of one on one is definitely going to help more than a classroom.   :grouphug:

 

I took dh to airport, came back and went back to bed.   :svengo:   Now, I'm having second breakfast and second coffee.  #itsahobbitday  Unfortunately, still need first shower, and quick!   :leaving:  

CLE has been the answer for little dd.  She no longer cries with math.

 

My two don't have dyscalcula, and double digit multiplication took many, many, many months of work for them to be moderately comfortable with it. Ditto with multiplication tables. I had the entire top of our schoolroom wall papered with tables that they used for close to four years. Whenever they got stuck, they could just look up. That was such a help to them, knowing that they did have the option of finding the answer if they couldn't come up with it on their own. Completely took the scary out. 

No tables up now, but they still have a sheet of them (courtesy of CLE) should they need it. I haven't seen them need to use it in about a year and a half now.

 

I remember being so discouraged looking at all the work some kids were doing (MM, Singapore, etc) and feeling that somehow my kids were just foolish in some way. I no longer think that it is abnormal for any child to require over-practice, sometimes very significant over-practice, to get comfortable using a skill. Doesn't matter if you get the why of it. Doesn't take away the need to practice until your pencil breaks. Some of the areas that I have found to require excess practice are multiplication, double digit multiplication, all fraction operations (but anything with mixed numbers really needs excess work) and long division. I found that factoring polynomials in algebra is another one of those rinse and repeat kind of things, too.

I agree completely.  I love the chart provided by CLE.  Worth its weight in gold.

[Critterfixer]

 

 

 I even have trouble sometimes.  

Sevens and eights get me. Rather than try to learn tricks, I simply figure my way from the square when I need to.

And I don't have any excuses. 

[texasmama]

I sound like a commercial for CLE.  I was a Singapore proponent for about 8 years until little dd cried every day and didn't understand it.  It was great for my boys.  Little dd is not dyscalculic (IMO) but she is heavily humanities-gifted, as is her mama.  I pulled her out of SM 4A a couple of months into this school year and put her into CLE 3 to back up and review.  I hate Saxon.  I love CLE.  It is the perfect balance of new material, drill, and review.  And the little "light units" are small, approachable, lightweight worktexts.  

 

I still love Singapore, and I owe Singapore for a conceptual understanding of math for myself and for a great foundation for my mathy boys.  But CLE is it for little dd.  I will ride that wave until I can outsource her math to a qualified professional like Jann.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

I have the entire set.  You can have the bottom bunk of ds13's room (comfy double bed).  The gut kneading cat will keep you company.  I will bring you meals every so often.  There is a bathroom right next door.

 

I am so there.  Honestly, I would cry with relief if I were able to take you up on this.  But I can't.  Because adult responsibilities. 

 

#realitybites

 

#sodoresponsibilities

[Susan in TN]

I clearly need to finish my coffee, and then get another cup.

 

A COFFEE DESPERATION BOOYAH!!

 

 

ITT presents: Math'n'Grammarville

*All Rights Reserved* Except for those to the tune and original lyrics, which are obviously held by Jimmy Buffet or whatever company it is that owns him, LOL. (Written primarily by ikslo and Critter)

 

Livin' on twaddle,

I was happy to dawdle,

Until Mom told me my work must be done.

Now here it is sunset,

And she won't let me drop it,

I'll be here all night and I never had fun!

 

Refrain:

Wasting away again in Math‘n’Grammarville

Hoping that there's a whole hour of art

Some people say that there is knowledge to gain

But I know, of it I want no part

 

It sure isn't pleasin',

All this logic and reason,

Gettin' shoved down my throat with these dusty old books!

When I could be skatin'

Building forts and be playin'

So I'm giving my teacher these disgusted looks!

 

Refrain:

Wasting away again in Math‘n’Grammarville

Hoping that there's a whole hour of art

Some people say that there is knowledge to gain

But you can’t force me to take part!

 

I've stalled and I've grumbled

Dropped my pencil and fumbled

Lost my place and my temper and spilled all the glue,

But Mom isn't buying,

All these tricks that I'm trying,

And I'll just have it all tomorrow to do.

 

Refrain:

Wasting away again in Math‘n’Grammarville

Hoping that there's a whole hour of art

Some people say that there is knowledge to gain

And so I must play the part

 

It sure isn't pleasin',

All this logic and reason,

Gettin' shoved down my throat with these dusty old books!

When I could be skatin'

Building forts and be playin'

So I'm giving my teacher these disgusted looks!

 

Wasting away again in Math-and-Grammarville

Hoping that there's a whole hour of art

Some people say that there is knowledge to gain

But I know, of it I want no part.

 

Livin' on twaddle,

I was happy to dawdle,

Until Mom told me my work must be done.

Now here it is sunset,

And she won't let me drop it,

I'll be here all night and I never had fun!

 

Refrain

 

I've stalled and I've grumbled

Dropped my pencil and fumbled

Lost my place and my temper and spilled all the glue,

But Mom isn't buying,

All these tricks that I'm trying,

And I'll just have it all tomorrow to do.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Susan in TN

[Critterfixer]

Honestly, I think so many things just come down to patience and practice. With a capital P for the patience end of it. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

My ds18 is a certified math genius.  I say this not to brag because it's not like any of us had anything to do with it - it's just a genetic quirk along with his Aspieness.  But to say that not knowing his math facts backwards and forwards does not negate his mathiness.  It does make him slow though.  But so does his low processing speeds - also certified.  Conceptually, he understands amazing things.  He just has a hard time getting it down on paper. 

 

He loved Singapore through middle school.

 

Dd on the other hand cried and cried and totally shut down with Singapore.  She's my Khan Academy girl and is doing very well with it.  She still hates math but she's doing ok. 

[hornblower]

My college honor roll in science/poss minor in maths kid - I wouldn't bet on her to give a correct times table answer. Esp in the 7s & 8s. 

Ds at home is the same.  I'm with Critterfixer. The chart was up on the wall & it was in their binder in the plastic pocket. 

Sweetpea - how about if you put the books away & play store.  Get money, get a good toy (or refurbished real from a business store) cash register and play store.  I want to buy one apple. No wait, two. No wait, I want a pie so I will take 6. How much will that be? 

Also spend time rolling coins. Offer the kids a trade in on all the loose coins they find in the car & couch  - ie. find all the nickles and dimes and I'll trade you it for larger denominations.  What 4 'tens' is will become much more real, kwim? 

Also a good balance scale, the one with all the little 1 g and 5 g and 10 g little weights. I'd prescribe weighing beads or beans etc (or just weighing the weights against other weights on the other side).  


And somewhere here I have a book written by a math PhD in which she admits that she was very late to memorize her times table....