Challenge

Recently, when someone noticed that my 6 year old is doing fractions (with horror, I might add), she told me it's really beyond him.  She continued to make assumptions "He'd only be in 1st grade if he was in school, right?" um no, kindergarten.She went so far as to rip a piece of paper in half and say "This is the kind of fractions they do at his level.

It put my insides through the ringer. Anger, defensiveness, and doubt. Lots of doubt.

Anger: Why do you think he's not capable? Who are you to judge what my son is or is not capable of.  Or to judge his level. It was exactly because I knew he was too ahead of Kindergarten that I knew sending him to public school would not make for a good fit.
Realizing I didn't want to be so confrontational, Defensive stepped in.

Defensive: I've worked hard at finding a curriculum he likes and let him go at his own pace.
Defensive was met with woman looking away and shrugging acquiescence.

Which brought in Doubt. Oh my good friend Doubt. AM I pushing? Does he really NOT understand fractions? I'll admit doubt had a little trouble swallowing this as we are on Chapter 22, but not so much that I didn't skip book work in favor of an oral review during which I made him tell me everything he knows. I hope this came off more as conversation than interrogation, but I don't think it's likely. I am looking to live in the balance between challenging and realistic. I should thank this woman for her rude reaction, because after I sorted it all out. I'm feeling we're right where we should be.

10 things I've learned in Year 1

1. I have a lot to learn.
2. I've forgotten so much of what I learned in elementary school. I turned out just fine. I didn't miss it until I tried to pass this important knowledge down. I am capable.
3. If I've forgotten most of this information and still did ok, I won't ruin anyone by missing it in the first place.  Relax
4. I love learning. When I love learning, they love learning (or they roll their eyes and wonder why I find something so interesting, not everything grabs them.) Interests
5. I love my kids and spending time with them.All day, not the crumbs of frustrated, exhausted, lumps at the end of a long day. Contentment
6. I could be out socializing my kids every day of the week at fun activities. In fact I often am. Fun
7. Community college doesn't expect more of you than high school. Realistic Expectations
8. It's harder than it looks, but not as hard as you think. Ambition
9. There's no right way or wrong way, just different ways. Tolerance (I'll admit sometimes this comes with a dose of judgement, but I'm working on it, I really really am)
10. Facts, figures, ideas, come without any teaching at all. It comes without lessons, it comes without nags. it comes without curriculum, grades, or bookbags. Then I thought of something I hadn't before. What if Learning doesn't come from a school? What if Learning, perhaps, means a little bit more?

Hopefully next year I'll have some insight into time management and how to challenge without pushing.