Math was never really my strong point, and working with exponents and equivalent ratios seemed so long ago! But when Mr. Sam asked me tackle 7th grade Math with Tyrone and Jordan, I decided to embrace the adventure and give it the ol’ college try. As it turns out, not only have I enjoyed the Math lessons, but much as I suspected, it has been a rich experience to stare down my insecurities in the presence of two gifted, thoughtful kids. There have been many evenings where I have commented, “yeah, this problem is sort of hard. But we can do it!” I have discovered that humility and perseverance are good traits to keep in one’s sights.
In between lessons on scientific notation and multiplicative inverses, I confess that my favorite moments on Tuesday evenings are learning about what really makes my kids tick. Tyrone, always sporting a mischievous grin, is usually bursting with news from home about his siblings, favorite video game, or last week’s birthday event. Jordan, who at first seems all business and quite serious, cares deeply about his school work (don’t tell his friends!) and is always quick with thoughtful observations and questions.
I realized early in the Fall that the annual Spelling Bee was an important event to both of my scholars and I was delighted to see the effort that Tyrone and Jordan made to prepare for it. Using lists of words on rumpled pages, tucked away in backpacks, we practiced spelling words in between math lessons. The pressure to do well was palpable (no matter how much you emphasize that doing your best is what counts) and when both kids made it to the REGIONAL bee, I felt so proud of both! I was even more impressed to walk into a competition setting that felt like the National Scripps Spelling bee on TV. I’m fairly certain I would have cracked under the pressure – but all of the scholars were troopers!
On a curriculum note, to encourage accountability towards individual goals (staying focused is often a challenge!) and Higher Achievement’s “culture fundamentals,” Tyrone, Jordan and I agreed on an incentive program to work towards prizes they pre-selected. Thus, I am happy to report that my knowledge of X-box video games, Bakudan, i-pods, and cell phone tricks has greatly increased (all items discussed as prizes.) We settled on “low key” items and the program seems to be providing some good motivation.
With a wink and a grin, I look forward to slopes, parabolas and any additional curves that Tyrone and Jordan will surely guide me through.
By Ms. Betsy Thomassen
No comments:
Post a Comment