Multiplication Madness

Third grade sucks.

Okay, so maybe just my opinion but seriously the way the teachers are "choosing" to roll out the curriculum is ridiculous.

I used to teach third grade.  I am familiar with the standards.  All summer long, I have been coaching Eva on multiplication facts.  To prepare her.  We had our 0's,1's,2's, 5's, 10's and 11's down.

Hey.  That's a lot for summer vaca. 

The first week of school, she came home with multiplication homework.

The second week, as in day 4 of school, she brought home homework with multiplication and division, and all six symbols (X, . , *, -, \, .\.) on one page!

Seriously?

My little girl was lost.

WTF?  How about mastering one concept before introducing another?

So needless to say, we have had rough homework afternoons here at the house.  

I try to help.  Eva shuts down.  She's done, by that time of the day, and prone to just guessing and saying stupid shit to get it over with. 

It has become madness.

We need to remember the big picture, and keep perspective.  

Times two.

Doodle butt

School has begun.

We are all busy, trying to nail down our routines.

Doodlebugs has informed me that Dylan gets to take DoodlyButt (the bear) home this weekend.

Yay!

 
 And...Dylan has to journal and photo all the adventures that take place this weekend.


Double Yay!

I totally want to strap the bear to a bar stool and photograph him.

But instead, he goes to gymnastics, and then a pool party.  And the peluche kind of hangs with us all weekend.

Dylan loves his babies, so this was like heaven for him.

We camp out and bike ride,  but other than that, our adventures kept us close to home. 

Doodle butt didn't seem to mind.