What did you learn today?

One of the questions you'll often hear around our dinner table is "How was your day?"  Pretty basic, I know.  It's probably the most common among dinner table questions.  Often, Eric follows that up by asking, "What did you learn today?"  That question has never felt quite so threatening to me as it has lately, since we started homeschooling.

Sandra's usual response has been something to the effect of, "Nothing...it's still review."  While this is true to some extent, I am confident she's learning something new here and there.  It just doesn't feel like learning b/c it's not super challenging.  So here we are in week six of this little experiment and I'm second guessing myself...again.  I looked back over the math she'll be learning this year to discover it doesn't include multiplication.  What?!  She was doing beginning multiplication at the end of first grade last year.  Shouldn't she be learning that now?  Do I trust the curriculum I'm using...or do I switch to something else?  Granted, there are definitely new things she'll be learning in math and it's a different approach than they were taking at her school last year...but am I teaching the right things?  Are we on track?

So on Monday, a new math concept was introduced.  This has been the first time the rubber has really met the road for Sandra.  And for me.  She's never learned how to carry numbers...and she didn't get it right away.  We labored through it anyway; and though she began to understand the technique, she really didn't get the concept.  Until the next day.  Then by yesterday, she really began to understand.  You know how I know?  Because she was able to explain it to Eric during dinner when he asked if she learned anything new.  So rewarding for her.  So affirming for me.

Surrender.  Trust.  Obey.  Persevere.  These are only some of the things I'm continuing to learn.  Same song, different verse, I guess.