I have had one child say to me very clearly "I want to be forced to sit down and do school work, just like in a classroom", and the other who says to her "school is horrible, they force you to do things you don't want to do like maths, and tell you to hurry up and finish if you haven't and that you are too slow at doing things if you haven't finished". The former hasn't had any experience of school so doesn't actually know what this is like, the latter has and unfortunately this was part of his experience that affected him and created a negative outlook on things such as maths in particular, even though it's a year later! However, chalk and cheese! Easy to cater for both even so. We have been using worksheets and the computer a lot but am now wanting to move away from technology and have now purchased some work books starting with 'Targeting Handwriting 1" and the Primer series of Math u See (thanks Sue for that link). I at least like the look of math u see, we'll see how the others go, just looking at it, they know some of it already, but it has the addition of applying their knowledge too at the time. Will see how they like it.
Generally though, we find Family Math and learning in life in general works as it's naturally fun, they learn inadvertently, it's meaningful as it's embedded in the context of the here and now of their family life all the time, and there is no idea for the child who does not like being forced to do anything that it is 'maths' or a categorical subject (nb, this certainly does not mean that Timo is never forced to do anything! but we wouldn't force him to do something he found exceedingly boring ~ unless it's necessary chores or duties ~ or force him to learn or work at something he simply had no interest for, I think John Taylor Gatto talks about this in the book Dumbing us Down). The funny thing is that since trying the 'sit down school style' Timo is keen to do it too, and Caoimhe learns from what Timo does and his participation also, so the one resource works for both. The little guy naturally is interested in what they do whatever it is...
This morning has involved pitching a tent and a camping expedition, Timo reading out Fox in Sox to Caoimhe at breakfast, and playing and laughing with Mixed-up Animals. Timo is now making decorations for hos bedroom and a planet mobile in order from the sun to hang in his room. caoimhe is making huts with Lennox.
