Sunday, January 30, 2011

Cancun Jan 11 Terracotta Soldiers

   Near the Island of Mujeras, MX There is  underwater Terracotta soldiers, I will write about soon. PICS coming!!!!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Third Grade Arithmetic that BACKFIRED FORWARD

          Third Grade Arithmetic that BACKFIRED FORWARD

   When you first start grade three you are just coming out of second grade. It seems like your still thought of as a first grader, and if you flunk  you're a big first grader. By the time third grade is ending you want to be older, so if someone older ask what grade you are in you say "going into fourth".
   Third grade math is addition, subtraction and multiplication and division (long-hand). Homework in long hand division is time consuming. The end of third grade is late May, at least at St Richards and long hand division would interrupt going to Archer Park and playing baseball.
   If I did not do my homework  I couldn't go out and play. Ma was making sure I did my homework. Guess to many missed asignments.Her not knowing my assignment except for chronologically in the math book, I devised a way to get out of doing long hand division. It was to pick the wrong assignment. I could pick homework from ahead in the math book deemed easier
   Walla!!! I found addition of fractions in the back. It looks simple enough! I added top and bottom and I was done with ten question in five minutes. I would show my ma and be out playing baseball as soon as she approved it.
  Ma checked my math home work and I found out it was all wrong. Verne sat me down and taught me fractions until exhausted. It took three days. Two of the days were weekends. By Mondays I could do fractions in my sleep. I could even divide fractions. I turned in  the assignment and proved I really did the work to my teacher Mrs. Lewis (Golly Green Giant) and it was counted for my assignment.
   I can still feel how my head hurt learning fractions. I always emulated to my father and this was the first time my mother really spent time with me, (other than womb) that I remember. Being slick and trying to pass one off on Verne didn't work.
   The same reason I needed my home work checked was the same reason toward the second half of fourth grade I was not called on when I raised my hand when the teacher Ms. Farrell asked if anyone knew how to do fractions. I was considered a very good student, plus Ms. Farrell and I were not on the best terms. Plus she was nuts!!! NUTSS!!!
   With all the best and brightest students getting a crack at the fractions on the chalk board and failing, me holding my arm up with my other arm I  was finally given a shot. I worked the chalk board as if I were a tenured teacher. I did addition then multiplication and division of fractions, and to Ms. Farrell's astonishment I got them all correct. I found out that we did not need to know fractions until fifth grade.
   The end of third grade seemed a lifetime away, for I was on my way into fifth. It made me happy to know my mother. It made me proud I was first in my class in fractions, at least until middle of sixth grade. Although considered a slow learner I could learn and learn well.
   in sixth grade I  won the science fair and that included competing against eighth graders. I attribute this to realizeing it takes me more time to prepare and learn for me than most, but when I learn something I know it inside and out.     THANKS MA !!!