Teaching definitions...My way
Tonight my son (age 10) had to write 10 sentences using his spelling words. He HATES homework. After hemming, hawwing and trying to change the subject more than once I kept saying, "HOMEWORK!" At which point he'd drag along a few minutes before another diversion.
The third word was "Reveal". He says, "I know a great sentence. I will reveal your secret identity." This was complete with him walking across the room and pulling an imaginary mask off my head, and him making the Ta-DA! gesture.
I admired his sentence, and asked if he could simply tell me what the word meant. He could explain it in context, which is good. Ex: The map revealed where the treasure was. He then tried to go off on a tangent again. "Mom what if we found a treasure map, what would you do? (oh dear lord, rolling my eyes and thinking: Lather, Rinse, Repeat)
Finally I said, "If you don't sit down and do that homework I'm going to REVEAL how irritated I'm getting." He meekly went back to work.
A few minutes later: He asked me what "melancholy" meant (melancholy on a third grade spelling test?).. I defined it a being somewhat sad, or disappointed. Five minutes later he still hadn't written a sentence. I said icily, "You will be very MELANCHOLY if I have to put you on restriction for not doing your work!"
Meek, mild and diligent (for 30 seconds or so.. ugh!). The final word (praise the gods! the LAST word!) was "Sufficient". It was then after 9:00 pm. He should have long since been done with homework, showered, and ready for bed. I gritted my teeth through five more minutes of BS'ing before I said, conversationally, "You have SUFFICIENT time to finish that homework before I start planning how to hide your body! But ONLY if you get to work right NOW!"
He laughed and reminded me I'd go to jail if I killed him. I reminded him I'd have to be caught, and gave him our odd, and intentionally 'crazy eye' look. He laughed more ;) .. Oh yeah, you can tell I strike fear in his heart.. sigh
The third word was "Reveal". He says, "I know a great sentence. I will reveal your secret identity." This was complete with him walking across the room and pulling an imaginary mask off my head, and him making the Ta-DA! gesture.
I admired his sentence, and asked if he could simply tell me what the word meant. He could explain it in context, which is good. Ex: The map revealed where the treasure was. He then tried to go off on a tangent again. "Mom what if we found a treasure map, what would you do? (oh dear lord, rolling my eyes and thinking: Lather, Rinse, Repeat)
Finally I said, "If you don't sit down and do that homework I'm going to REVEAL how irritated I'm getting." He meekly went back to work.
A few minutes later: He asked me what "melancholy" meant (melancholy on a third grade spelling test?).. I defined it a being somewhat sad, or disappointed. Five minutes later he still hadn't written a sentence. I said icily, "You will be very MELANCHOLY if I have to put you on restriction for not doing your work!"
Meek, mild and diligent (for 30 seconds or so.. ugh!). The final word (praise the gods! the LAST word!) was "Sufficient". It was then after 9:00 pm. He should have long since been done with homework, showered, and ready for bed. I gritted my teeth through five more minutes of BS'ing before I said, conversationally, "You have SUFFICIENT time to finish that homework before I start planning how to hide your body! But ONLY if you get to work right NOW!"
He laughed and reminded me I'd go to jail if I killed him. I reminded him I'd have to be caught, and gave him our odd, and intentionally 'crazy eye' look. He laughed more ;) .. Oh yeah, you can tell I strike fear in his heart.. sigh
posted by Anonymous at
9:10 PM
1 Comments:
Rest assured that most every parent has lived through hours of trudging homework woa's....I swear, what could take 15 minutes sometimes, dragged into hours!!...I am thanful now that she deals with it herself at her age now lol.
By
Moon, at 6:06 PM
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