Math Study and Solo/Ensemble

Robert and I took part in a study this last year. They were looking at attitudes about math skill and learning. For the final phase of the study, I was supposed to teach Robert a new math concept he shouldn't have been exposed to in school (probability) and play a couple probability games with him.

Well, it turns out he already knew enough about probability to make my "teaching" pointless. I asked him if he learned it in school and he said it was from playing "Settlers of Catan" with me/us. I liked hearing that.

I don't know what the researchers will glean from the video of Robert and me rolling dice for 15 minutes, but they paid us handsomely for our time. Thank goodness Alice was able to stay with the little boys in the other room. I will need to compensate her for her time, too. When I made the appointment, I told them that I would have to bring my other children. The person on the phone assured me that other adults would be available to entertain my offspring while I participate in the study. The "other adults" pretty much threw crayons and some coloring sheets on the table and turned back to their screens. Alice to the rescue!! And she had a great time doing it until James decided he was truly too bored/cool/devious to sit around and wait any longer.

Checking out the Lower Level patio of the UIUC Psych Building. James accidentally scared a squirrel out of a garbage can and we observed that squirrels can scale brick walls with ease.

In other news...

Tonight was Alice's first Solo/Ensemble Competition. She was sooooooo nervous leading up to the actual event...many tears shed. She had practiced on her own, and with her flute teacher, and with her piano teacher (who doubled as her accompanist) and even in front of some family friends that I had invited over for her to practice with (that didn't go over so well emotionally with her, even though she did GREAT performance-wise).

Anyway, tonight was the night. She had to perform her pieces in front of a judge who graded her and offered advice. She performed one solo and one duet. And she. did. awesome. I have never heard her play so well. She said she had never played so well. What a delightful surprise to discover about herself! She was perfectly giddy when it was all over, abuzz with adrenaline.

The judge told her that her solo piece would be extremely difficult for a beginner: long, slow phrases are really, really tough when you haven't built up those breathing muscles yet. The judge was satisfied with what Alice was able to do with it, though, and praised her for working so hard on it.

Her duet got a little hairy in the middle when they sort of lost their place. Half a second of confusion, then they got back on track and finished it out. The judge confessed that was her favorite part about their whole performance...persistence, keeping their cool, resilience. Then she gave more advice on breath control and air volume. I wonder if swimmers and runners make better flutists with all their aerobic training. Though getting oxygen efficiently to your muscles is a totally different ballgame from blowing large quantities of air out of pursed lips.

But, I digress.

I was totally and completely impressed with Alice tonight. She can do hard things. I wish I had flowers to give her at the end. Next time, I will have flowers. Though she said tonight that she'll never sign up for this competition again...I have a sneaking suspicion she might change her mind...

On the brown couch...I'm on the bottom, then Alice, then Robert, then James, then fighting broke out.

That boy loves to snuggle. And Alice loves to accommodate him (as long as he plays nicely).