Tutoring

Well...I have taken on a new venture - as if I needed more to do - but I found that I love this.  I have a friend who has asked me to tutor their child in order to get them up to speed before school starts.  I am running a trial of a 'math camp' already with my children and my neighbors (more on that at a later date); so it is a natural fit for me.  The little boy started yesterday - and I must say - this was fun.  Don't ask me why - math was never my favorite subject when I was in school - but I really enjoy teaching it!!  I guess, since it was such a struggle for me to understand the "why" of math, my goal is to help my children (and now other kids too) see how it really fits into our life.  I also quickly realized, back in my waiting tables, college, young adult days, that I really needed mental math.  Business men and women on their lunch breaks do not want to wait while you figure out how much change they are due back (and their tips will reflect it if you hold them up).  Because of this - I am also trying to help children see how to quickly figure out math problems, by breaking them down into smaller pieces. 

I wish my 'Papa' (my grandfather) were still around...I had to be banished to a little study desk, on our enclosed back porch, when I was in the 3rd grade.  I had to study every night before dinner for about three weeks.  After dinner, Papa would use the multiplication flash cards.  It was not until I had them memorized, and passed each table of tests at school, that I was freed to play in my room again!!  Who would have guessed that I would be grateful for that?  (Oh the things I would take the time to thank him for if I still could...sniff, sniff.)

Because this is entirely new for me, I am creating my own program.  I would love to hear great ideas from anyone else doing this (or who may have tutored in the past).  Currently, I am working on things he should have mastered in his last year of school to ensure he has a good grasp of those things before moving on.  I have spoken with the administrators at his school to see what their goals are before entering the next grade.  To keep things fun, I am using some math games that help drill and teach the concepts we are working on.  We are also creating a math lapbook (thanks to my friend Lori for the inspiration)!  This is my first ever lapbook and I am really working on ideas for it...but I did come up with a few and all will emphasize the concepts he needs to have covered.  I've been wanting to try lapbooking and I think I am going to enjoy it.  I welcome great ideas though - so jump in with any comments you may have!

Anybody ever observed all of the numbers and potential for great math problems there are in the bible?  This passage alone, has four numbers and two descriptions of multiples (people and years) - fun stuff!

"Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.  In these lay a multitude of invalids - blind, lame, and paralyzed.  One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.  Whe Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be healed?"  The sick many answered Him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me."  Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk."  And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.  John 5:2-9