Day 2, and already I'm having to email the teacher:

"DS9 told me that he didn't finish his math today because another student was copying his work, and he wanted to make sure that this student 'didn't have any answers to steal' so he left some of the worksheet blank. I don't know if you saw this or not, or just assumed that DS9 couldn't do the math. According to him, the math was easy but he didn't do it on purpose because he was being copied."

I hate public school.

(Just had to vent )

I had to fire off two emails today. One was about a bully... DD8 finally cracked last night and let us know what was going on there. The other was about our ongoing issue getting DD exposed to all the science and social studies she's missing while she's in her G/T pull-outs.

The first one yielded good responses. The second one, not so much.

Yeah, I really, really hate public school. At this point I'm starting to wonder what it is that they do right.

Also, it's apparent that "one of the best school districts in Louisiana" is a lot like being one of the nicest kids in juvie.

Snort! That's great.

I agree-- that's a perfect way of putting it.

LOL

So sorry. DS is in 2nd grade. He completed 4th grade math LAST year. On the first day of school they gave him the 2nd grade math final to "make sure" that he really understands 2nd grade math. How do you even talk to someone who thinks this way? Sharing in your frustration in the public schools.

We cant get acceleration for ds (now in 2nd grade). He has a MAP score last spring in math of 235. His math homework has been "explain 3+4 = 7 and how did you get to your answer"

I'm pretty sure DS5 will always fail these types of questions. His answer would be (while giving you his weirded out look) "I just KNOW it!"

Because it is. The same way I know if I jump off the roof I won't go up?

Experience has shown this to be TRUE maybe. Might be funny from a five year old.

DD's was this "are you INSANE?? Or STUPID beyond redemption??" look and an emphatic; "Why? BECAUSE IT IS, that's why."

Please go hug your DD for me. She's a total gem.

My ds's response to this kind of work is, "don't YOU know? I think babies know how to do this. My little brother does."

My DD would get mad and then yell "mom, i am not going to answer that question". She gets real angry when people ask her stupid questions.

After seeing three kids through early elementary and way way *way* tooooo toooo too many "explain how did you get your answer" math problems... this is the conversation that took place at our house last night when my 4th grader asked me to check her math homework.

Her first problem had her calculate the answer to a string of numbers that included addition/subtraction/multiplication etc, then asked them to do the same thing again but with the numbers in a different order. The strings were enclosed in large outlined boxes. DD just wrote the answer in for both strings, didn't show any work.

Me: "You got the right answer, but how did you get it? You didn't show your work."

DD: "What work?"

Me: "How you got the answer... you know... what part of the equation did you calculate first, then what did you add or multiply together..."

DD: "I did that all in my head."

Me: "That's great, and I know you're good at math problems, but doesn't your teacher want you to write down how you did your work?"

DD: "Nope! She said we can do our work in our head as long as we get the right answer."

Me, now flat on the floor, surrounded by kids attempting to revive me with smelling salts after I had passed out from the shock of an elementary school math problem where the student isn't expected to show their work and then write an essay on how they came up with their method of solving the problem.

OK, slight exaggeration on the smelling salts, but wow... totally odd response from a teacher after years of my kids having to write little essays to answer their math problems lol!

polarbear

oh, and usually after DS5's "I just KNOW IT!" also comes "You are just JOKING with me, RIGHT???" ... Can't wait till he says that to his teacher! lol

Love it.

DS11 used to write a standard essay on these in 1st and 2nd grade: How did you get your answer? "My brain gave it to me."

I vote for moomin's answer

*Snort*

I love this answer, so much.