Friday, February 24, 2017

Third Grade Math

I cried last night over third grade math.

Ugh. That sounds so stupid.

And it is. But then, so is third grade math. I mean, WHY can we not just teach children to subtract numbers the old fashioned way? Why must there be two different ways to subtract? If a child can do the problem and come up with the correct answers, why does it matter how she got that answer?

We were supposed to make ‘ballpark estimates’ of the answer then calculate the problem using both the ‘count up’ method and the ‘trade first’ method.

OMG.

O…M…G…

The stupid worksheet’s instructions said, “Have your child explain to you how to do the ‘count up’ method and the ‘trade first’ method and then prove their ballpark estimates using those methods on this following problem.”

Let me point out right here that my child has a hard time explaining to me what she had for breakfast this morning, she is NOT going to be explaining to me how do these stupid math problems using these insane methods.

I tried to google the methods and all I got was the explanation of simply borrowing from the tens to make the ones big enough to subtract and so on.

Olivia is in a typical classroom. She is doing the work that her typical peers are doing. However, when she brings home worksheets like this, it sure would help if she were allowed to bring home actual books explaining what we’re doing so I can help her!

And never fear, I did email her teacher (the sub) about this very thing this morning because the frustration level in our house last night due to THIRD FUCKING GRADE HOMEWORK was through the roof.

I did make sure to tell Olivia several times that this was not her fault, that she’s incredibly smart even if her homework is so very stupid. Yeah, I’m mother of the freaking year over here.

And Tom simply didn’t understand my angst and frustration over the homework.

When I suggested he have a seat and take a turn at helping her, though, he remembered something very important that needed to be done in the garage. Coward.

I’m beginning to rethink our division of labor in which he packs her lunch and I help with homework…I think I might be getting the shaft here.

2 comments:

Julie said...

Riley was a typical 3rd grader and I cried from math more than once and so did she. Ugh. Can Alyssa help since it's been considerably less time since she took 3rd grade math?

Tommie said...

Ha! Julie I did actually ask Alyssa to explain the 'trade up' method of math to me. She tried but even being only five years away from third grade math, she couldn't explain it. I think she might have blocked it from her memory, as one does when dealing with painful, useless things.