Math Continued

Continuing on math journey, I intentionally find and purchase board games and card games that utilize mathematics concepts.  Some days I just set these games out for the kids to discover and play, and other days I am more intentional.  I create time and space for us to play these games.  Amazon is a great place to find games, but I have found searching for games at thrift stores has been extremely successful.  I find a game for $2 with all its pieces to bring home.  We may play it once or twice before deciding it is not for us and donating it back, but most times these games become tried and true favorites.  

The bonus of thrift shopping provides the opportunity to use the living math discussed last week.  We can use our cash to find treasures or pieces for a project or desired experiment. 

Math

Math could be the most dreaded subject in homeschool circles.  It seems so systematic, precise, and in need of a guide.  My mind flounders between wanting to just unschool and discover math naturally to desiring a guide with a daily math activity and lesson.  I figure I can't be the only one with this problem and with kids who get bored to tears with worksheets and structured daily math. So I thought I would share some of my approaches.  

For today I want to share that any daily living math happening around our home, I involve our kids.  This includes typical things like baking, gardening, and cooking.  But we have some extensive hobbies so the kids work at sighting-in their bows, archery targets, sewing, knitting, quilting, fly-tying, football, baseball, hunting...
Anytime a mathematical obstacle presents itself, we work together to solve it or I hand it off to them to work on. This creates a mathematically minded person who is a natural problem solver.

Best Learning

Our dog has fostered some of the best learning in our home over the six years she has been with us.  Yes, we got her our 2nd year homeschooling and since then she has been there for every project, game, and read aloud.  Although that is not why she is the best helper in learning.  

Scout, our family do has taught each of us patience, compassion, and joy.  Both kids have at some point taken on the task of training her in different areas and being the please-er that she is they each enjoyed success.  Always ready for a snuggle, she is the best to read with on any given day.  Since she can not care for herself, responsibility for walks, food, water, and clean up detail has fallen to the kids.  This taught them to care for others and the huge responsibility a pet can be in a family.

 My son loves hunting with Scout.  These moments have created a special bond and love between them that allows this tough boy to feel compassion.  When she was injured on a hunt by stepping in a badger whole and fracturing her back leg, he was the first to seek treatment, keep her calm, and follow the vet's directions to the letter.

 I am thankful we chose to add this sweet dog to our family and all that she has taught us along the way and all the future learning she will facilitate in the future.