They have been a welcome change of pace for a little girl who (like har mom) would rather read anything other than a page of math facts.
The stories are so engaging and have helped spark an interest in numbers beyond just counting to see if Monkey Man got more chocolate chips.
Iddy Biddy is only 6 and I vividly remember spending my entire Christmas vacation at 6 doing a packet of 75 math worksheets that evidently I didn't do in class-we had flip up desk lids and I would read instead. The teacher never mentioned it to my parents -just sent home a letter and a huge manila envelope full of worksheets the day before Christmas break. I don't have many early memories but I remember crying a lot that Christmas. Frankly Ive been dreading moving beyond the counting stage.
Six is so young and just holding a pencil long enough and in control enough to complete a page of 25 problems on each side would bring dd to tears before we even got to all the math facts. The state standards say I have to teach this stuff but regardless of what the neighbor kids are doing I do not have to use the state methods!
This approach is just the gentle introduction we both needed to jump into math. She has surprised me with how much she has learned and how quickly and nary a workbook in sight!
Thank you Elizabeth and Katherine for making this coming Christmas a lovely learning season for Iddy Biddy and me too!
Of course Iddy couldn't pass up a chance to craft- evidently our Math Gnomes needed babies!
She asked me to post them up to show the Grandparents.
