I know a bunch of homeschoolers read my blog periodically, so I'm hoping you'll weigh in on this. I need some wisdom.
My 3rd grader is a difficult child. He has been since the day he was born. He loves learning science and history and art/art history, but he really dislikes math and he refuses to write anything in any subject. Every day is just more and more of a struggle, and I often end up in tears. He balks at the simplest things (example: on Easter, we had 18 eggs. I asked him how many he and his two brothers would each get. Instead of thinking about it and answering 6, he growled and ran out of the room). At least once a day, he ends up crying or angry about something I'm asking him to do.
He's been like this since preschool, when we were doing very informal learning. I am afraid I'm not getting the information through to him that he's going to need to move on. I should add, however, that his reading skills and comprehension are excellent, and he reads all the time.
So here is my dilemma. I am already 90% sure that I will not re-enroll him in the charter school because it seems to me that it is too much structure for him, if that makes sense (I will be re-enrolling my younger son, though). But I have previously used other curriculum with him with no better success. So should I buy some other math curriculum and hope it works out? Or would it be better for me and him to enroll him in Christian school next year?
I only want what's best for him. I don't want him to think I've given up on him by sending him to a private school instead of keeping him at home. But I don't want his education to suffer because of my feeling that I must do it myself. I really do feel like no one else could teach him as well as I can, but when I'm not succeeding is that really true?
And don't even get me started on the writing. He doesn't ever want to write anything. He won't even dictate to me. Everyone tells me this is normal for an eight year old, but when does it become a problem? I am at a loss.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
My 3rd grader hates - HATES - writing. We also have the burst into tear moments with math. She also says she hates math yet tests at 9th grade level.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry this is so difficult at times. I've noticed that my kids push buttons with me they would never DREAM of pushing with anyone else. All I do for my girl is to back off when things get too stressful. We take a break and let it go for awhile - then come back to it in a calmer frame of mind. As for writing I have her do small compositions - nothing major at all - and practice 1 or 2 pages of handwriting per day. She was excited about cursive but now that's worn off. :-(
With math - we do that first to get it out of the way. Any type of math game she likes. Also - we used Times Tables the Fun Way to learn the times tables to supplement the math curriculum. She also liked creating the times tables. She likes that. Making charts and tables.
Just a note on Times Tables the Fun Way - I never could remember the 8's. After doing Times Tables the Fun Way I now know my 8's!! LOL! I'm 42. It also had several tricks for the 9's - one of which I had never heard of and that I now use instead of the trick I had learned as a child.
You will figure out what is best for your child. They don't go happily along with this all of the time. Whether you put him in school or continue homeschooling - you will be having these struggles with him over the dining room table with homework. Trust yourself and possibly have him brainstorm with you. Ask him if he has any ideas. The practice of doing math first in the day was my daughter's idea.
I wish I had some wisdom to offer..sounds very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteHolly-
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. It is possible he has a learning disorder. I'm looking into that now. He is extremely smart, but has always had issues.
Monica-
Thanks for the recommendation on the Times Tables book. I will look for it. I've tried doing math first and it just casts a negative mood on the whole day. He tests well in math, also, he just doesn't want to do it.