The First Church of the Wrath of Baby Jesus and Open Bar™

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

First midterm today. I have that nervous-excited thing going on, like a first date.

Also, I did exactly what I expressly told myself I was under no circumstances going to do last night, which is went to the Hoot for drinkin' and dancin'. Now I'm hung over.

[Placid Dingo]

Meeting with the boy's teachers was as expected. He is failing spectacularly due mostly to not trying. If he doesn't get the right answer immediately he just gives up.
Would rather rush and get stuff, like tests, over with instead of actually making sure the answers are right. He got a 46% on an open book, 10 question test that he had a whole hour to do for freakin' sakes!

So now on the search for free educational games that are of a way he might actually learn without realizing it. Are there any math/reading/science/social studies games that are fighting based? Or racing?

I wish I knew how to teach stuff.

This is especially a boy thing. It's typical in classrooms for the boy mentality to be achievement focussed. So getting the test DONE is the aim, not necessarily RIGHT.

My training was High School Japanese, so not so very relevant but what I could do with kids was to break down the work into little 'miniachievements'. When I get back to you I need you to have done THIS paragraph, which needs to included THIS, THIS and THIS.

One thing that may help depending on what his problems are, is to practice reading the question; in math especially (and again, in boys especially) a typical problem is browsing the question and writing the first thing that pops into their head. 'How many apples does James have is he takes 100 and Mary takes half and gives 5 back.' Pleanty of kids will just browse and say 'oh mary took half (50) and gave back 5 (45). Never mind that the question is asking about JAMES. Reading and comprehending the question witohut rushing into an answer is one thing that may be worth looking at.

Of course, none of these are universal rules, it all depends on him and what works, and sometimes you try a lot of thingsa before finding something that does.

[Demolition Squid]

Typing of the Dead combines zombies and spelling. I seem to remember it being pretty fun when I was a kid... though it might be a little dated now I guess?

That's the only one that comes to mind. A quick google search also threw up this webpage which looks like it might have some things which aren't horrible? http://www.zurinstitute.com/onlinegaming.html but some of them also aren't free...

[Sita]

It sounds to me that he needs to understand that giving up and rushing are not GOOD THINGS. Rather than finding a game that makes him learn, find something else that makes him work on his patience and let him know that taking his time and asking questions during class is okay. Perhaps making up your own flashcard game in which he is required to get so many answers right before he's allow to go play outside or play a game. Or have dessert even. He's allowed to ask questions, and allowed to look at books. Remind him that he's not allowed to leave or give up until YOU say so.

We've been trying to get him to understand this for years. He's already been held back once (he had to take 3rd grade twice) and is at risk of it again if things don't change.

We know he is capable of doing it. He just would rather be off building or shooting zombies or whatever that has more action and play than sitting and studying.

Get him in advanced classes. He's getting bored.

He's not an advanced kid. It's true that he's getting bored, but he gets bored anytime he isn't actively doing something.
That's one reason I'm trying to find some games for him. I think if it were possible to teach him while playing basketball or shooting at a target with his nerf guns.....hey that gives me an idea. Won't help for school but at home it's possible... *goes to find things to print up*

[Sita]

Meeting with the boy's teachers was as expected. He is failing spectacularly due mostly to not trying. If he doesn't get the right answer immediately he just gives up.
Would rather rush and get stuff, like tests, over with instead of actually making sure the answers are right. He got a 46% on an open book, 10 question test that he had a whole hour to do for freakin' sakes!

So now on the search for free educational games that are of a way he might actually learn without realizing it. Are there any math/reading/science/social studies games that are fighting based? Or racing?

I wish I knew how to teach stuff.

This is especially a boy thing. It's typical in classrooms for the boy mentality to be achievement focussed. So getting the test DONE is the aim, not necessarily RIGHT.

My training was High School Japanese, so not so very relevant but what I could do with kids was to break down the work into little 'miniachievements'. When I get back to you I need you to have done THIS paragraph, which needs to included THIS, THIS and THIS.

One thing that may help depending on what his problems are, is to practice reading the question; in math especially (and again, in boys especially) a typical problem is browsing the question and writing the first thing that pops into their head. 'How many apples does James have is he takes 100 and Mary takes half and gives 5 back.' Pleanty of kids will just browse and say 'oh mary took half (50) and gave back 5 (45). Never mind that the question is asking about JAMES. Reading and comprehending the question witohut rushing into an answer is one thing that may be worth looking at.

Of course, none of these are universal rules, it all depends on him and what works, and sometimes you try a lot of thingsa before finding something that does.

This is so much like my son. It's exactly what he does with both homework and tests.
Reading comprehension is another of the things that needs work. We hear that from his teachers every year.

Typing of the Dead combines zombies and spelling. I seem to remember it being pretty fun when I was a kid... though it might be a little dated now I guess?

Would love to get that eventually. Would help with my typing too.

Have found a couple sites with online games. Some are even multiplayer so there is that competitive aspect he loves as well.

[Cain]

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[The Good Reverend Roger]

Crippled up on my left side.

Tripped over the dog, and slid down the stairs on my left collar bone and upper arm.  Made the 180 at the landing, kept going.  Nothing is busted, but my neck is stiff and my right arm has limited mobility (well, it has all the mobility, but with a hint of agony added in if I lift my elbow away from my ribs).

But don't worry; the fucking dog is fine.  He surfed me down the stairs, then stepped on my head getting off my back, then looked at me like I was weird, all laying on the floor in a heap like that.

[Don Coyote]

Crippled up on my left side.

Tripped over the dog, and slid down the stairs on my left collar bone and upper arm.  Made the 180 at the landing, kept going.  Nothing is busted, but my neck is stiff and my right arm has limited mobility (well, it has all the mobility, but with a hint of agony added in if I lift my elbow away from my ribs).

But don't worry; the fucking dog is fine.  He surfed me down the stairs, then stepped on my head getting off my back, then looked at me like I was weird, all laying on the floor in a heap like that.

You sure you ok?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Crippled up on my left side.

Tripped over the dog, and slid down the stairs on my left collar bone and upper arm.  Made the 180 at the landing, kept going.  Nothing is busted, but my neck is stiff and my right arm has limited mobility (well, it has all the mobility, but with a hint of agony added in if I lift my elbow away from my ribs).

But don't worry; the fucking dog is fine.  He surfed me down the stairs, then stepped on my head getting off my back, then looked at me like I was weird, all laying on the floor in a heap like that.

You sure you ok?

Yes.  I am made of tungsten and carbon steel. 

[Don Coyote]

Crippled up on my left side.

Tripped over the dog, and slid down the stairs on my left collar bone and upper arm.  Made the 180 at the landing, kept going.  Nothing is busted, but my neck is stiff and my right arm has limited mobility (well, it has all the mobility, but with a hint of agony added in if I lift my elbow away from my ribs).

But don't worry; the fucking dog is fine.  He surfed me down the stairs, then stepped on my head getting off my back, then looked at me like I was weird, all laying on the floor in a heap like that.

You sure you ok?

Yes.  I am made of tungsten and carbon steel.

Well the hell if your dog made of then?

[Cain]

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[The Good Reverend Roger]

Crippled up on my left side.

Tripped over the dog, and slid down the stairs on my left collar bone and upper arm.  Made the 180 at the landing, kept going.  Nothing is busted, but my neck is stiff and my right arm has limited mobility (well, it has all the mobility, but with a hint of agony added in if I lift my elbow away from my ribs).

But don't worry; the fucking dog is fine.  He surfed me down the stairs, then stepped on my head getting off my back, then looked at me like I was weird, all laying on the floor in a heap like that.

You sure you ok?

Yes.  I am made of tungsten and carbon steel.

Well the hell if your dog made of then?

Whatever it is, it's smart enough to ride the human to the bottom.

[Don Coyote]

Crippled up on my left side.

Tripped over the dog, and slid down the stairs on my left collar bone and upper arm.  Made the 180 at the landing, kept going.  Nothing is busted, but my neck is stiff and my right arm has limited mobility (well, it has all the mobility, but with a hint of agony added in if I lift my elbow away from my ribs).

But don't worry; the fucking dog is fine.  He surfed me down the stairs, then stepped on my head getting off my back, then looked at me like I was weird, all laying on the floor in a heap like that.

You sure you ok?

Yes.  I am made of tungsten and carbon steel.

Well the hell if your dog made of then?

Whatever it is, it's smart enough to ride the human to the bottom.

Further proof that dogs are superior mammals.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Crippled up on my left side.

Tripped over the dog, and slid down the stairs on my left collar bone and upper arm.  Made the 180 at the landing, kept going.  Nothing is busted, but my neck is stiff and my right arm has limited mobility (well, it has all the mobility, but with a hint of agony added in if I lift my elbow away from my ribs).

But don't worry; the fucking dog is fine.  He surfed me down the stairs, then stepped on my head getting off my back, then looked at me like I was weird, all laying on the floor in a heap like that.

You sure you ok?

Yes.  I am made of tungsten and carbon steel.

Well the hell if your dog made of then?

Whatever it is, it's smart enough to ride the human to the bottom.

Further proof that dogs are superior mammals.

Of course they are.  That's how they fooled us into taking care of them long after we needed them to keep critters out of the cave.

[Cain]

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