December 2 with Kaitlynn

Thursday:  I drove up Jesse's driveway at 4pm this afternoon just in time to see "the pumpkin toss". You see, behind where Jesse lives there is a very deep and quite huge gorge (not well photographed) ... Jesse decided the wildlife might enjoy and help to decompose the two pumpkins he and Kaity decorated for Halloween. So ... D-O-W-N they went!

Nice "bowling" stance, Jes!

Kaity and I then drove over to my house. On the way, Kaity told me all about her school day and about the math she is learning. I don't recall her ever being so excited about LEARNING. Yes! 

It was decided that "Miss Kaitlynn" would conduct a math lesson for her students: Paco, Oscar, and Blueberry. We printed out a work sheet off my computer so that the students could work on their 2's multiplication table.

Once the students had their work finished, Miss Kaitlynn checked it and graded each paper. I did not photograph each worksheet of each student. Paco was the only one who received an "A" because he got all of his problems correctly figured. Poor Oscar had just the opposite--he made the mistake of adding his numbers instead of multiplying. Blueberry did a little bit better than Oscar, but not much. Miss Kaitlynn had her "phone" with her and used the calculator on it in order to double-check everyone's work. However, this is the same Miss Kaitlynn who boasted all the way to my house that she had memorized her 2's and 3's time tables. Ah ... but that's okay!

Our last "problem" of the day was written on the white board by our esteemed teacher. I DID take a picture of it because I was rather astounded at the method Kaity used to figure the answer to a simple 9 x 2 problem. Here it is:

Kaity told me this was the EXACT problem their teacher explained to them that very afternoon! She also told me, in no uncertain terms, that her teacher NEVER made any mistakes and that EVERYTHING her teacher says is TRUE. Would you like to hear Kaity's explanation of her "work" on the decyphering of the above problem? Here we go--hold on to your hat! In Kaity's words:

"You see ... you take the 9 and break it down to 5 + 4 and then underneath, you multiply 9 x 5 and add THAT number to 9 x 4 and then you have the correct answer, grandma." 

You can see how we did that below the equation. Kaity asked for my help, so I supplied the answers to 9 x 5 plus 9 x 4 (45 + 36) and we came up with the very INCORRECT answer to our 9 x 2 multiplication problem. The answer turned out to be EIGHTY-ONE. 

I kept a very straight face (I did!) as I told Kaity that this was not the correct answer. I said it as quietly and as UNcombative as possible. Kaity was shocked. SHOCKED. She repeated to me that her teacher NEVER EVER got an answer wrong, and I told her that I was glad her teacher was so smart. Kaity demanded that I agree with the 81 answer, but I just couldn't! Kaity took a picture of the white board to show to her teacher tomorrow. Afterall, this was the "EXACT" problem her teacher showed her that very day! She is going to "get back with me" Saturday about this issue. Kaity was VERY indignant. If her teacher tells her that her work was correct, Kaity told me I am going to have to admit MY mistake. Yikes. Good luck with that one, Kaity.

Anyway, our first hour together was very interactive and fun. We ate a nice meal together and then Kaity sat and played games on her phone the rest of our time together. Sigh. I requested she not bring her phone with her on Saturday ...