My son Flipper is very much a kinesthetic learner.  He’s moderately gifted in math… he figured out counting backwards all by himself when he was not yet 3.  He understood the concept of multiplication when he was 5.  He is constantly surprising me with creative and original ways he comes up with to solve math problems outside of the standard algorithms.

And yet, math has always been a struggle for us.  I take much of the blame for this — as a mathlete myself, I leaped upon his obvious talent with vigour, with excitement… and with worksheets.  And with pressure.  And with impatience.

You can guess the result.

When I finally realized my mistake, we took a year off formal math completely, and in that year he made more concrete mathematical progress than ever before.  We do the CAT standardized tests at the end of each year.  For grades 1 and 2, he barely achieved grade level for math.  For grade 3, the year we did pretty much nothing — he rated at grade 5 math level.

Did I learn my lesson from that?  You would have thought so, but I had one more mistake to make.  I took this success as meaning that he was now ready to get back into formal math, and more rigorously so.  I invested in Saxon 5/4 and we dove into it, he was even eager about it.  At first.  But as you might expect from a hyperactive kinesthetic learner, who dislikes writing to boot, Saxon was not a good fit.  Within a few months, lessons had devolved into ultimatums from me and “It’s too haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard” from him.

We took another break.

Then last year, I found Teaching Textbooks. This innovative math program, specifically designed for homeschoolers, uses the computer extensively, the lectures are audio and visual and very friendly.  Flipper was keen once again!  He pre-tested into the grade 6 level, and completed the entire grade 6 in about 6 months with a 90% average.  He loved the course.  Together, we decided that he could skip grade 7 and go straight into their Pre-Algebra level.

Finally, my little mathlete was coming into his own.  He had only just turned 10 and he was going into grade 8 math.  If only I had had these advantages when I was his age, rather than being stuck in my regular classroom… what might I have accomplished… Living vicariously, anyone?

Well, if you’re thinking we were about due for another “mistake”, you’re thinking right.

It wasn’t that the Pre-Algebra material was too difficult.  In fact, the first dozen chapters are fairly simple review of concepts he’s already learned.  Rather, it was too dry.  This higher grade level did not use the computer as much or in the same way as the Grade 6 had.  The presentation was obviously aimed at the average (more mature) 13-year-old, rather than a hyperactive 10-year-old.  He grew quickly bored.  He was actually disappointed… he had expected to love it as much as he had loved the grade 6 program.

I had learned something from our previous mistakes, though.  This time, I did not get into ultimatums, pressure, threats, or even disappointment.  I finally recognized that the problem was not with him.  I just calmly accepted that this wasn’t the right program for him right now.    We put it away — we might use it later when he’s older.  And we switched to something else.

In fact, I was a bit excited.  After we had already committed to TT Pre-Algebra, I learned about RightStart Math.  Initially, I was just looking into it as a possible program to eventually use for my daughter.  But then I saw their Intermediate Math program and I immediately knew… THIS was the kind of program my hands-on fellow needed!  Rather than being based on lengthy worksheets of repetitive calculations, it is based on geometry, with all necessary math concepts being derived from geometric activities.  Students use a drawing board with T-square to draw complex figures, and have cool tiles with which they can build 3-dimensional figures.  Flipper loves building, and he loves drawing.  Here at last, was a math program built around his strengths, rather than working against his natural preferences!

When Pre-Algebra didn’t work out, I had a backup plan already in place.  And once again, he was excited about it.  I get to draw my math?  How cool is that?

In the end, we decided to back up one step and do Level E before doing the Intermediate level.  Even though, technically speaking, their Level E is “only” equivalent to Grade 4, the method is so different and so brilliant, that we decided Flipper would greatly benefit from some reinforcement of some basics which he didn’t seem to quite have truly mastered.  It uses lots of fun and useful manipulatives which I knew would satisfy his need to be constantly touching and twiddling.

Wow.  This marks a MAJOR change for me!  I’ve finally learned — at least I hope I have — the most important math lesson.  It’s not a race to see who finishes first.  It’s not a challenge to have a mathlete as accomplished as I was.  It’s about comprehension, it’s about mastery… but it’s also about the enjoyment of the mathematical process.  The fascination with the mysteries and the patterns within math.

I was good at math in part because I loved it so much.  What would I be teaching my son if I taught him to be good at math while despising every moment of it?  If he truly enjoys it instead, won’t proficiency come, sooner or later, simply because that’s what happens when children follow their own interests?  If “backing up” to a lower grade level means he’s going to enjoy it more, and understand it better, then in the long run he will have a higher level of math proficiency.  And that’s our goal… there’s no competition of “who has the most advanced 10-year-old” right now, though it can be easy to fall into that trap.  My job is to ensure that by the time our homeschooling is finished, whenever that might be, he is competent and confident and ready to enter the world, or the university, or wherever he goes.  How ‘advanced’ or ‘behind’ he was at any particular age along the way is utterly and completely irrelevant.

Before we did today’s math lesson, he asked me if there was a worksheet today.  Yes, there is.  Is it measuring? (He likes measuring).  No, it’s not measuring today.  Is it addition and subtraction stuff?  Yes, I answered honestly, it’s addition and subtraction stuff.  “Awww… okay… “  The lesson was on Magic Squares, and the worksheet had him first figuring out how they work, then constructing some of his own.  “I thought you said it was addition and subtraction!”  “Well, it is, isn’t it?”  “Oh yeah… I guess it is… Hey, this is more fun that I thought it would be!”

That says it all right there, doesn’t it?

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