the return of maths

Maths was not super popular in this house. Od was tortured at school by this subject. She was an excellent bluffer and managed to con her way into the top set at school, even though her real understanding was minimal. By the time I deregistered her, she had no confidence in her ability at all.

Of course, I did the worst thing possible. I ignored the more experienced home educators around me who told me not to touch maths with a barge pole until Od started to show interest. Instead I walked around with my fingers in my ears singing "La la la, can't hear you," and proceeded to buy workbooks and force us both to endure 45 minutes of misery each day. This didn't last for too long and I think we're both grateful. It was going to turn into a race over who was committed first. (I was winning.)

To Od maths was dull, incomprehensible jibber jabber. She would actually cry at the sight of her little brother relishing a maths challenge.

"How can he like it Mummy? How?"

It brought up her inferiority complex all over again, and hit a raw nerve with me. I was never a maths genius at school (we've been here before, haven't we long term reader?) To spare you all I will tell the short version - my old teacher was too busy smoking illicit cigarettes out of the class window to do much teaching. Suited me fine aged 14 but not so fine as an adult who can barely add up.

We made a deal. We would learn together and it would be fun if it killed us.

We play a whole lot of board games and Top Trumps. The latest addition is Indiana Jones pictured above. The boys played too and Mb learnt to read the words: Courage, Cunning, Faith and Spirituality, all categories on the cards. Literacy and Maths all in one go - take that! Ka-Pow! See how exciting I made it there? Imagine how exhausting this can be....

But there has been an unexpected and HUGE break through. Od has started to ask to do maths, asked maths related questions and is even peeking inside her workbook, all by her own steam. Very proud.

Today she looked at converting fractions into decimals. What do you know? 10 minutes of frowning, 30 seconds of lip quivering and she got it.

I am taking this as a sign that the maths demon has left the building, and about time too.