HowIGotHerePart1

For me, Kitchen Table Math—Picnic Table Math, in our case—began last June (2005) when our fourth grader, Christopher, came home with a 39 on his Unit 6 test in SRA Math.

A 39.

How does a person get a 39 in 4th grade math, I kept asking myself. An 80 or a 70, OK. Or, if you really learned nothing, maybe a 68 or a 66.

But 39? I'd never even seen a 39 on a test; it's not even listed as a possibility on any of the grading rubrics, all of which stop at 65, or maybe a 60 at worst.

A 39 is off the charts, only in the wrong direction.

That’s when I bought a used copy of SRA Math Explorations and Applications, Level 4 and set up shop on our picnic table outside the kitchen. I figured, OK, I’ll teach him the stuff he missed.

-- CatherineJohnson - 30 Apr 2005

Back to WebLog.

Comments