confession

Feb. 21, 2007 - Confession ...
Lots of times 'school' stuff around here just looks like school at any middle of the road public school ... too many years of influence in my habits, too many years of training brainwashing.
Yesterday was the exception ... and more was learned than just adding fractions.
AJ loves to help me cook. I love to have him in the kitchen with me, but often just run off without him when he gets sidetracked. Yesterday, I gathered the ingredients for his favorite snack crackers ... provided him with the recipe ... the baking dish ... paper towel ... taught him to set the fancy/shmancy controls on the stove ... provided hot pads ... asked if there were questions ... and left the kitchen. He did everything perfectly (not a surprise to me, but a confidence builder for him) ... then came the time for him to put things into the oven. And the biggest lesson began ... sometimes it's okay to a) ask for help or b)adjust the tactics if you find that they aren't working. Instead, half the product ended up on the floor! Frustration had to be worked through and a mess had to be cleaned (by him). This morning he wanted to tackle muffins ... unlike many moms, I don't have those ingredients on hand regularly ... so maybe more than the look of learning will need to change around here.