How to teach my kid to think....

[annaz]

I think if an answer doesn't miraculously pop into dd's brain then its, "I don't get it". "I don't know." I tell her the answer isn't there and she needs to think about what the author is saying. But she's really, really lousy at it. Lousy at interpretation or anything where there isn't an answer in black and white.

In a story where you may have to interpret what they mean, almost always, her answers are wrong. Her answers are shallow and sometimes answers the questions with the same darn question, which I have to prod much further. We're getting into morals of the story and she really hasn't a clue. We did something today on good vs evil and the moral of the story. Several examples of the moral of the story were given. The question was, "What was the moral of this story?" She said, "good vs evil". Ugh. She's extremely literal. You tell her to do something and I'll be so frustrated and tell dh and then we laugh, because I suppose literally, it could be taken the way she took it.

Is this something that comes around the logic age? Like 5th grades and up? She's 10, but in 4th this year. I don't know if I should be frustrated or just relax and have it come in due time. I don't know if we're behind or if this is normal for this age. She reads like crazy and can tell you what happened. But interpreting what wasn't "said".... crikey! How do you teach them to think...think....think?

[arstephia]

Hi! Your post reminded me SO much of one I posted at the beginning of our school year with my own 10yo. I hunted it down because the ladies gave me some great input and Carrie chimed in with some excellent insight.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7447

BUT! I had forgotten all about our earlier struggles because that was back at like Unit 3. Today we are in Unit 28 and it is like night and day! Now we are able to discuss and really analyze and consider so many aspects of the reading, the poetry, etc. Like Carrie had said in my above link, she was used to a textbook mentality of just getting the answer. Yesterday when we were talking about the poem "Nest Eggs" she was able to answer every question with thoughtful answers and she completely got the picture of the poem and the significance of it. We really enjoyed this one since there are new mommy birds and nests being built. So much better than the "it's about birds, eggs, birds hatching and flying away", which is exactly what I would have gotten back in September. Also, on the advice of the ladies I did not veer off the schedule as I say in the thread that I might. I stuck with it as written and she has really grown into some independent and deeper thinking. The HOD method works so just stick with it!

[annaz]

Ha...as a quickie look to that link, I see I even responded.

DD can certainly talk a book to death and so enjoys it. She just can't interpret what's not literally said.

Leaving to go on reading it....but had to come back and post my chuckle.

[tnahid]

My DS 10 is a lot like your daughter! It can be so frustrating! I feel like I am talking to Tim the Tool Man, if you remember that show. He is like, "Huuuuuh?" LOL He is SO literal, but can be so silly too! He gets easily frustrated when he knows that he isn't answering what he should be. He will just start making up something trying to sound good. LOL Reminds of some other male species in my household that I know very well.....hmmmm....

My DS can talk a book to death too. All literal though...ALTHOUGH, a few nights ago, he was telling me about one the Narnia books he is reading and he said, "You know Aslan is kind of like Jesus, isn't he? And this battle between good and evil is like the battle we have too. Is that right, Mom?" AHHHH, now this was a JOY to hear! "Yes, son, you are right. That is so true." It did a mother's heart good.

[KTLM6]

My dd is slowly getting out of giving the literal answers too. She was so used to workbook mentality that she wanted to 'find' the answer instead of think things through. She still does it, but usually I just encourage her to think about it. That has become our cue that the answer isn't necessarily one that she can just look up and "fill in the blank". She is getting better at this. Deeper thinking takes time, and I'm giving it to her. She just turned 11 a month ago, so she's close in age to your dd. After years of ps and traditional methods, I thought maybe that is why my dd has struggled in this area. However, I am wondering if age isn't a factor too. LOL.