I was so thrilled today, though, when I was able to B and her friend with their math! I sat down and looked at it and it instantly clicked. That never happens!They are in fifth grade math hasn't been terribly easy. Right now, they are covering double digit division. I learned how to divide when I was in elementary school, and like most people, I can do simple problems. But I don't ever recall learning to divide using a 2 digit number.
When I told B this yesterday, she was appalled.
"What?!?," she gasped. "You never learned 2 digit division?"
"No, I didn't," I replied.
She walked away with her mouth agape and shaking her head.
I was elated when I saw I was able to help B's friend with her math homework, even though it was double digit division. For the most part, I think this whole "Common Core" curriculum, or whatever they're calling it now, is for the birds, save for one thing. Had I learned the technique of rounding up or down to divide, I bet I wouldn't have turned my pencils into Mommy Pencils and Baby Pencils. I would have been more focused on the lesson at hand and less on having the Mommy take the Baby to the park (see? These are the things I remember).
I am always blown away by how much my daughters love school, especially since I so greatly did not. Looking at them now, I often wonder- Had I had their teachers or this curriculum, would I have enjoyed it more? I don't know, but I can say with upmost certainty that had someone told me back then that as an adult I'd love school and would miss learning, I never would have believed it.
