patience

First day with kids.

I'm worn out already.

I don't know how anyone teaches Kindergarten all day, every day.

I've actually had pretty much nothing to do with math today, but we do seem to need some problem-solving on how to get everyone through the lunch line before the end of the day. There's a lot for the little ones to take in on the first day: Follow the line. No, follow the line. You get a choice of entree--do you want chicken or pizza? No, you can't have both. Nope, no changing your mind now. Now serve your own fruits and veggies--yes, you have to have some. Now punch in your PIN sloowly, painstaking--oops, start over. Now sit at THIS table. Okay, next! You can see how it takes a long time to get everyone through, so what time should we attempt to start the other lunches? Hint: I'm just now getting a chance to sit down and check my e-mail.

Today's next task (one actually related to my job!) is making up a math challenge for this month, and making a display to publicize it. I have really good prizes this time, so I hope people play.

a reason to learn decimals

I took Friday off to relax between the insanity of Stay-At-Home-Mom Summer 2009 and another rowdy school year. I took the light rail downtown to get a pedicure and a haircut. As I was sitting there, dryers humming and music playing around me, the daycare provider called. Figuring she could always call my husband, I let it go to voicemail.

As it turns out, she hadn't understood my directions on how to give my twins Tylenol for their teething. I'd written: Dosage: 1.2 mL (one and a half droppers).

The dropper is labeled 0.4 and 0.8, which add up to 1.2 mL. "I didn't know which number to use," she said. So she gave them each 0.4 mL, which is like me taking half a pill for my own aches and pains: not nearly enough.

I'm not trying to put her down at all. She's wonderful and patient with the boys, and she tried to interpret what could definitely have been clearer directions. Most important, she was careful not to overdose.

But she could also stand a decimal review.

it's september

I think I'm glad school is starting, but I'm not sure I'm ready. We've moved to a new building. We have new teachers and teachers new to their grade levels. We're trying to figure out what materials will work for our kids. The books and supplies are scattered to the winds--and simultaneously in everyone's way.

And I'm supposed to help everybody figure it out.

But I'm excited about making math accessible to everyone. I want this to be a fun, creative year--yes, with math.