Sometimes Math Can Be Fun...

In addition to all the fun stuff we get to do during the week, we are also actually doing a little work!  But "work" is a funny word.  The attitude of the person doing the work determines how much "work" is actually involved.  Almost anything that sounds like work can be fun if you make an attempt to make it so.  (Okay, so probably not scrubbing the toilets and a long list of other stuff, but hear me out here!)

I don't think you could say math is my girl's favorite subject.  They don't dislike it, per se.  And they don't struggle with math at all.  I just don't think it thrills them.  Since I get to be the teacher this year, we are trying to make math fun.

We have a giant blackboard in our library downstairs and one cozy, reading chair.  Before homeschool, I used the chair only to listen to the girls practice piano in the afternoons.  But now that we do math lessons on the chalkboard, a friendly competition has broken out (read: big fights) over who gets to sit in it and who has to sit on the floor.

This week we stumbled upon the idea of competing to sit in the chair.  Two girls, two math problems on the board, whoever solves the problem correctly first gets to hightail it into the chair (which is often occupied by our Aussie Sheppard, Satchel, who thinks he is being homeschooled as well).  This resulted is speedy math solutions and peals of laughter.  For the time being, math is fun.  

Next up:  I'm eyeing that great big, bare driveway outside and a bucket of sidewalk chalk.  That might put a nice spin on our upcoming Algebra lesson.