Gwilym's homework

One of the great things about this language learning lark is that we are in it together, and that means I get to do something I have hardly ever done before - help Gwilym with his homework. It's a mixed blessing. For example:

1) We had to do some long divisions tonight. Now the French do them differently from the British, and I don't know the French way and Gwilym doesn't remember the British way! So I got the pastor to show me the French way tonight and I THINK I understand it....

2) Grammar. It just so happens that Gwilym's class is shadowing mine in grammar - so last week we were pondering the compliment of the direct object, and this week Gwilym has been doing just that self-same thing. This is both encouraging and humbling. After all, he is 10!

3) Conjugation. This is even more humbling. On Monday some of us were reflecting on the passe simple, and one girl, a French degree student, said "What's the point of learning that - you never have to use it, only be able to read it." That very night Gwilym had for homework a text wherein he had to put the verbs either in the imperfect or the passe simple. So I took it in to show the degree girl!

I don't know where I'd be without Gwilym's homework! (But I NEVER ask him whether we got it all right...)

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