Wilson Tango Foxtrot

Ok. I know that these spelling tests are crazy and stressing everyone out but...

Last week an acquaintance's son told her he didn't need to study for the spelling test. He said he would get100 anyway. Upon further questioning it came out that a classmate was bringing a crib sheet and telling the boys next to him how to spell all of the words on the spelling test!!!

THIS IS FIRST GRADE, people! Cheating. In first grade. YIYKES. What have we come to?!?! Wilson Tango Foxtrot.

Last night homework took 1 1/2 hours. For 1 math worksheet and studying for the spelling test. The math worksheet took an hour. Why? Let me give you two examples:

There is a diagram of 9 10's. Ben correctly counts that the answer is 90. He writes 19 in the answer column. I write 16 on a piece of paper and as him to read the number. He correctly reads 16. I ask him to read his answer and he reads it as 90 (he wrote 19). I write down 17, 18, 19 and ask him to read them. He reads them correctly. I ask him to read his answer again. He reads 90. I ask him to compare the 19 he wrote with the 90 he read. He realizes his error. He writes 99. I tell him that is ninety nine (emphasizing the ninety). He has NO idea what to write. I write 60, 70, 80. He reads them correctly. I ask him how to write 90. He has no idea. I write 90 down and ask him to read it. He reads it correctly. I ask him to write it. He is confused for a minute and then, finally, write 09. I bite my lip to keep myself from screaming. I ask him to look at his 90 and at mine. Finally he writes 90.

10+x=17 . He counts up from 10 and writes down 17. I ask him to try again. He writes 10. I ask him to try again. He writes 6. I write down 11. I ask him what you need to add to 10 to make 11. He says 1. I point out the 1 in the 10's column and the one in the 1's column. I write down 12 and we go through the same exercise. I ask him what the answer is. He writes down 1. I write down 13, 14 and 15 and point out the 1 in the 10's column and the digit in the 1's column. I write each equation. Then I ask him to figure out the answer. He is puzzles. I put my finger over the 7 and ask what is in the 10's column. He says 1. Right. So I put my finger in the 1's column and he correctly reads 7. So I ask him to write down that number. He writes 107. I take a very slow and deep breath and we try again. Eventually we get the right answer. 7.

There are 22 problems on this worksheet. It takes us an hour to complete. After all this I don't have the heart to go and make him rewrite every single 6 which is written backwards.