Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Are you smarter than a 4th grader?


Obviously, I'm not. *sigh*

My daughter brought home math homework the other day and said she left a paper at school that was supposed to help her with the homework. I told her to get her book out and I would help her. I thought to myself, "How hard could this be?" Surely I can do 4th grade math!
Well when she opened to the page I was hoping she wasn't noticing the wave of nauseousness coming over me.
It was geometry of some sort. Squares and square roots. Measurements. Math problems in the form of paragraphs. I was breaking out into cold sweats, could she tell?

You: "Aren't you going to school to be a teacher??"

Me: *blank stare*

Ok. I took calculus in college for heaven's sake! It was 10 years ago, mind you, but still....shouldn't I know how to do 4th grade math????
I did learn last semester in my "teaching math" class that 4th grade is the year that students start to fear math, so maybe this is why I'm freaking out!?!

Please will someone out there tell me I'm not the only one who can't help their child with their homework??? HA! :))

UPDATE:
I calmed down and actually read the section she was on and was able to help her. I figured out the sheet she left at school was grid paper. We slapped some squares down on paper and got 'er done. (Read that last sentence as country as you can.)

Oh, and don't be scared to have your child in my classroom one day! HA! I think my next class I take will be a refresher math class, do they teach 4th grade math in college????
I assure you that before I try to "teach" math I will know what I'm doing. Hopefully.

6 comments:

Dimple Queen said...

SO glad you are back...I thought we were going to have to send out a search committee or something!!! LOLOL Anyway, don't feel too bad about the math...I was in a special ed. workshop just Monday and the guy there had his doctorate and he was telling us that just the other day his son (a 5th grader) came home with some math and he was completely lost on how to do it!!! The truth of the matter is, they teach us how to do somethings in each grade that might carry on to the next, but we end up loosing it within a year or two! We ALL have to take refresher courses in EVERYTHING! You are not alone!!!

Glad your back!

Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife said...

LOL...Elijah brought home his math last night too...

Wanted me to tell him how to figure out how long the sides of a square were if the area was 49 feet.

Whatever?

I guessed 7, but only because he told me to guess 7.

Whose homework was it anyway? :))

Love ya!

Becky said...

Sheeeee's Back!!! Yay!

Everyday my son comes home with that infernal math homework. But I get to refer him to his father who is a Middle School teacher, lol. My husband is well aware that math has never been my strongest subject.

Cheryl said...

I am terrible at math. Tommy always had to help our two kids or they would be in big trouble! I was wondering where you were. I missed you. Is that a picture of Brother Luke? I think they favor so much! Have a nice weekend friend! God Bless!

Weelo said...

Thank you Brooke!
Now when I sit down and TRY to help
my 5th grader with math, instead of feeling like a complete and total loser, I will think of you, not feel so alone, and smile!

Missy said...

Ok, you are a hoot, and you definitely need to blog more than like once a week, ok?