Happiest day of my life in DD's academic career was the day that she beamed from ear to ear after earning a B+ in second-semester Geometry. Truly. That felt awesome to her precisely because she had to battle back from a disastrous first midterm, on which she earned a humiliating 67%.
Exactly! My DS took his Honors Geometry class this summer and came back with a 64% on his first test. He never felt he deserved his 4.0 because he didn't work hard at it. He had no skills in preparing for a test on challenging material. He was shaken by it at first but it was the best experience for him in the end. He said at the end of the summmer he felt he earned his grade and his accelerated placement this year. He has never felt he deserved his higher placements because he does not work hard like his friends to earn them in his mind. He spends his morning at our high school and the afternoon in the middle school. His experience being pushed and challenging has made his transition go smoothly. He walked into that High School surrounded by kids years older than him confident with his head held high. The experience taught him sooooo much! He is more confident in his ability to recover from mistakes, he has learn some strong study skills, and has really learned to how to learn from his mistakes.
IMHO, we all need to know how to get up when we fall. Our kids need those skills and experiences to be prepared for life. I have no regrets about pushing and challenging him this year. It was long over due for us.
