To the brink of collapse

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 52

NN has a math placement test on Saturday.  It really is NBD.... 6th grade math.  Who cares if it's regular, honors, Pre-algebra, Algebra.  It doesn't matter (really!!).  But we still want her to put her best foot forward.... be true to yourself.  Be excellent in all you do.  And leave nothing on the table.

Earlier tonight... it was my turn to study with her.  We borrowed a book from the library and started doing problems.  Apparently... Joyce would just do problem after problem with her until the section is done.  I looked at the problems... she knows it.  If she doesn't know it... she won't learn it now.  So I hit the proverbial clutch and switched gears.  42 problems... I gave her 21 minutes - 30 seconds per problem.  I said... if you don't know it... skip it.  Come back later.

She started welling up.  "I can't do this.  I'm going to fail!!"  Fine... 25 minutes.

She spends the first two minutes of her precious 25... numbering 1 - 42 on her paper.  (WHAT IS SHE DOING!!??!?)

She starts with problem 1  Reads it for 3 seconds... skip.  Moves to problem 2.... "What are they asking?!?!".... skip.  Does problem 3 -- does everything in her head without writing it down.  Her answer isn't in the list of 5.... skip.

By the time she gets to problem 12... she's balling.

"Why are you crying?"

"I can't do this!!"

Then I start philosophizing.  25 minutes... 42 problems.... that's roughly 30 seconds per problem.  Use those 30 seconds!  Write out the problems.  Draw pictures.  If you know it... and you don't see the answer... you made a stupid mistake.   Re-do it, quick!! If you take less than 30 seconds... bank it for a harder problem.  If you take more than 30 seconds... use the time you banked.

She refocused... and started plowing through it.  Problem after problem.  The 25 minutes ran out.  And we went back to the ones she skipped - about a dozen of them.  Given time... taking the pressure off... she did almost every single one.

Tonight... I don't think I could've taught her any more math.  What I needed to do...was push her to the brink of collapse.  But what doesn't kill you...makes you stronger.

25 minutes... 42 problems.  I looked at the instructions for Saturday's placement test? 90 minutes.... 30 problems.  Oops!!