Maybe We Shouldn't Try So Hard to Teach

I was going over my 11-year-old son's science lesson with him as we were in the car today. He wasn't really getting it until I stopped trying to teach it to him. I only stopped because as we drove by a construction site filled with mounds of dirt, I began making humorous side comments on what a beautiful dirt building it was.

From the back seat Sofia (5) said the ants must really like it. Then Brosden and I did a Breaking News report of theft at the Mall of Dirt by suspects who appeared to be of a very small stature with six abnormally tiny legs. We all played off each other's comments until no one could get out another without laughing in the middle of it.

After we stopped I began thinking of what we were driving to get in the first place.

Out of the blue, Brosden said, "Oh! This is why scientists do research on lightening."

It seemed that the break in trying to learn actually allowed his brain to see the information I had been trying to get him to learn.

And it was fun. I think I'll keep trying it, allowing the humorous odd comments that come into our heads as we're trying to study to come out :-)