Take your time...

today was a day of Examinations...
 examinations in mathematics...
and one rule that I have is
Children
TAKE
YOUR
TIME

I don't use a little timer...
my kids have time issues...
and test better when the clock is covered...
at least the two OLDER ones..
Buddy MAY turn out quite differently indeed...

One thing I love about the curriculum I use for math
is that the author says
quite emphatically
to TAKE YOUR TIME
and read the questions carefully...
and then...
read it again..
:)
my kind of book..

Why?
Because it's a good LIFE LESSON...
When doing my banking,
I take my time..
and go through double checking...
When doing any sort of home remodeling projects,
we think and think about our "problem"
and measure and remeasure
and make certain we are looking at it right...
and then buy,
and then measure twice BEFORE cutting..

WHY the rush?
Why race through math?
speed comes with confidence, and experience..
I would rather they went through Math slow and steady...
and really owned it,
becoming quicker with age and experience...
rather than rushing out fear of a timer...
That said they both are making remarkable strides,
and advancing rather quickly..
for kids who get to go...
so slow..

Exam days are quiet days..
and now that exams are over
Buddy is making noise gallore,
from singing, to his harmonica
just any ol' noise he can think of..

I have observed that Exam days
are hardest on HIM...
he always has someplace ELSE he'd
RATHER be..
and QUIET isn't the state of mood he's ever IN :)