How About a Homeschooling Post?

 I was doing math with Leena during our home school blocks, and I had put out playdoh for Choclo and Oob.

This is a kind of bribe, or at least a diversion from coming up with a really creative/destructive way to spend their time.

Imagine my surprise when I came back to find they were spelling words with it!

Meanwhile, Leena had hit a snag in long division.  We've all been there, right?  At a certain point you are absolutely convinced long division should be outlawed by the Geneva Convention.

When we get stuck on paper, I find it helpful to move outside.

We tried a few smaller division problems on the driveway.  We started concretely: I drew 20 stars and asked her to make groups of 4, then groups of 5, then groups of 2 and 10, using different colors of chalk to make the groups.  I've found that when we get stuck, it really helps to remind them physically of what we are doing, using things they already know.

We have been using Toad Haven's brilliant "story" for long division, so I used that as a bridge to the larger problems (written very large on the driveway!).  I like to write it large enough that they can use their feet to explain what is going on.

And she got it!  Math happy!!!