Today I ...

did math problems where I had to add and subtract using different denominators. Then I got to read about galaxies, novas, nebulea, and other such science-y things.
This was all done in an effort to help the 11 year old with her homework. She, well, she struggles tremendously with her work. She still uses fingers to do basic addition. So all of her homework needs to be checked, then rechecked and sometimes checked again.
Tonight was probably her heaviest amount of homework since I have been the "temporary guardian." So basically I check all her work, and mark the incorrect ones. Most of her math she was able to correct well enough, but a few problems I needed to guide her along with. The science reading had 2 incorrect answers. So I circled the paragraphs with the answers and she was able to correct them.
This is all so wierd for me because no one really did that for me when I was in the 6th grade. I'm not even sure that anyone checked my homework earlier either.
Partly I feel badly for my sister. School was never that much of a struggle for me. School was never very hard. I could pass tests without studying, I could spit out papers at the last moment. And yet she struggles so greatly, and I really don't know how to help her that much with it. I'm just trying to be patient and with her and not make her feel that she is doing everything wrong, which, she isn't. :-( Sometimes I wish I could do more for her, but alas, all I have is this one week. Hopefully it will be enough. She was very happy today as she was only one of two who received an A on a worksheet. What a great confidence booster for her!