Homeschooling A Subject You Don’t Know Well?

I am no Math Genius, let’s just put it that way.

In the eighth grade I was an eager student who had never been in a bit of trouble. Then I met Mrs. Richards of Mason Junior High School and everything changed.

The first time that fractions were seriously introduced I was immediately lost. After class I went to ask Mrs. Richards a question about the homework. She snapped at me with a cold eye and told me I wouldn’t have to ask questions if I paid attention in class.

I went home that day and told my mother I needed help with fractions. She looked back at me like I’d asked her to design a rocket ship.

The next day at school I asked Mrs. Richards again to help me understand the worksheet. She flatly refused and said that I should have got some help at home.

And so it went. I didn’t understand the work so the work didn’t get done. The class moved ahead and I sat woeful at my desk day after day, getting farther and farther behind.

A straight A student in every other class, I flunked eight grade math. Which promptly landed me in remedial math in the ninth grade. I took no math classes in tenth and I dropped out of school in the eleventh.

Which confirms.. I’m no Math Genius.

So here I am homeschooling my son. From the beginning I told him that I’d help him as far as I could with math but that he couldn’t count on that extending past the eighth grade After that he found help with other homeschoolers and their parents.

Now he’s seventeen and in the home stretch. He has Algebra right now and Geometry coming soon. We don’t have any homeschooling friends where we live now and his Father who could help is not terribly accessible.

What to do? What to do?

I had a moment of brilliance this week and hired a seventeen year old high school student to act as an Algebra Coach. I offered her $10 an hour for three sessions a week until the course work was done.

My son’s reaction to this idea was somewhat negative (he he) but after the first session he has been converted. They got a lot done and it looks like he’ll progress pretty fast with her help.

I encourage you Homeschoolin’ Mamas out there, don’t hesitate to call in an ‘expert’ in those areas where your own skills run shallow.

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