education and American education. I found it true that students are not
encouraged to use their imaginations too much and pretty much do rote
lessons. He told me he has never written a story.
It works very well for math facts, but it throws them a real curve when
it comes to writing a "persuasive letter"
"I don't want to persuade anyone!!" " I don't know why I need to learn
this!"
I illustrated with "Well one day you will want a cell phone and I will
say why?"
And you will persuade me with..."Because...."
He informed me he will not want a cell phone (gotta write that one down)
It was a real struggle, but I think I illustrated the concept better
when the girls came begging frozen cooked chicken. I was chopping it
into the chicken and biscuit mixture and they wanted some. I asked "why,
should I give you some?"
I got some creative answers --"you are such a nice mommy" got a big
piece of chicken....anyway I glanced over at bigger brother and he was
observing closely.
After a bit (actually more than a bit) of a struggle he did manage to
write a persuasive letter...I do not look forward to creative writing
classes.
One day at a time.
defintely remind him he doesn't want a cell phone!
ReplyDeleteLove your post! When Aidan was in China, we were building skyscrapers out of Leg-Os and we had els jutting out of the side, etc., then he was putting one together in the lobby one day and our guide told him,no, no, and showed him how to build a perfect, and perfectly boring, rectangle. Cracked me up. I thought to myself, yeah, that's why Americans are the idea people-we literally think outside the box!
ReplyDeleteRuby