Letters and Numbers

[ehowton]

I'm a unix system administrator by trade. I'm paid to troubleshoot and creatvely come up with solutions. This last week, however, I have had my toughest assignment yet. Teach a five year old to write letters and numbers. I'm just not equiped for this. No amount of patience, determination, brilliance, or creativlty have proven successful. Tools I use every day to solve problems just aren't applicable here. The letter "C" for example seems easy. But no amount of patience produces a written "C." Determination alone won't produce a written "C," nor will brilliance or creativity. Because us parents are required to follow the teacher's instuctions, I was filled with rage when the instructions for the number "8" were, "Draw an "S" and curve it back around." PRIOR TO LEARNING THE LETTER "S!" Speaking of "S" I cannot think of an eaiser letter to produce, yet this too has proved nearly impossible. We tried starting with a "C" to make the "S" but see comments above. I'm just not cut out for this.

Comments

[missamy84.livejournal.com]

How long have you been trying to teach him?

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Three days for me. Wife has been working with him every day since Kindergarten started...sometime in August. Half the people are telling us to have him tested (my wife was also dyslexic and struggled until it was identified in 3rd grade), the other half are telling us this is so very common amongst kids his age (I was reading and writing by the time I was 18 months old on the other hand...) So there we are.

My wife said the other day, "I have never loved you more than I love you right now." Whilst observing the extraordinary amount of patience I was practicing during homework with my son. However, as I mentioned above, patience alone does not produce written letters. Perhaps a slap in the head as my anonymous poster suggested will yield better results?

[missamy84.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I don't know if you're aware that I have 9 younger siblings and my mom taught all of us at home. My mom says there's no two kids alike when it comes to learning things. Some of my brothers were well into their school years before they could read and write. I on the other hand, was a fast learner in those areas. Mom says if she had it to do again, she wouldn't have even tried with a couple of my brothers until they were closer to 8 years old. I suppose that's not feasible a public school setting though.

I'm sure your kid will pick it up eventually. Kudos on having patience with him. A slap in the head might be a bit on the extreme side.

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your comments. I promise not to slap him in the head.

[schpydurx.livejournal.com]

good insight Amy.

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Good recovery Tom.

[schpydurx.livejournal.com]

wtf?