I Am NOT Smarter Than a 5th Grader

I had been going in to Andy's math class--5th grade--to help out a bit and to see what he was doing so that I could help him at home better.  The class has been learning fractions.  I know how to do fractions.  I know what the numerator is and the denominator is. I can simplify, add, multiply, and I think divide them.  I do have a hard time drawing pictures of them sometimes though.  However, I cannot explain how to do them very well.

Today was simplifying improper fractions.  so if you have a fraction of 12/3,  the answer is 4. But how to explain that to 5th graders is not easy.  Especially when they are required to draw pictures too.  Well I was confusing the kids when they asked for help.  Most of them would write 1/4 instead of just 4.  And of course it was even more tricky with something like 8/7 which would be 1 1/7.   I told the teacher I was sorry but I think I confused them.

Later that day I got an email from him saying "Thanks but no thanks."  Not in those words, but he agreed that some of the kids told him they were confused so he said if I still want to come I can come in later and work on multiplication and division facts with some of the kids.  Ouch.

On a happier note, here is something I can do--

Janessa and I have been "redoing" her room.  My little girl has outgrown her cute polka-dot curtains and wall with big decal pastel polka-dots of varying colors--so cute.  So now on to zebra stripes.

I went to work with contact paper.

We bought the little garbage can and I used contact paper and paint to make the bookcase match.

 I also put the zebra contact paper over the outlet and light switch covers.

I found a pair of pillow cases for about $5, and then used under-wonder to iron on some ribbon.  One square pillow and one regular pillow case.  (Cheaper than fabric).  

She couldn't find a zebra bedspread she liked so she picked turquoise and white.

Also used ribbon to "dress up" some pictures. 

We are in the process of making a few wall hangings to finish things up.  Oh, and still deciding about curtains.  It has been a fun project.