That's one of the hang-ups for a lot of us about math, I suspect. Things like history or science are more about memorizing and understanding (i.e., can seem a lot faster to master), whereas math is something you have to use in different ways (ex. various problems) to really know (slower).
Yes, very true for DD, and one reason she sees herself as bad at math.
So, after moving back out of algebra and into geometry, DD has gone back to not needing any HW help at all and getting As again. But honestly, I'm concerned. The struggle has been very real with the two units this year that were true algebra. I have always said that I could not really perceive DD's actual math ability because schoolwork in elementary was pretty easy, we didn't enrich, and it wasn't her area of interest. This year I think I'm getting more of a handle on it, and I just don't know about a double acceleration leading to calc BC junior year. She recently participated in a math olympiad-type contest (her class was required to) and scored just okay--pretty good, but I don't see great math talent from the score. I feel like we might have gotten on the wrong train. She probably CAN hack it in this progression, but it will likely be toil and tears, and she is a complex kid with other issues to handle. (OTOH, no other areas of academic struggle besides organization.) Many bright kids we know did not opt for this track, and I have wondered what they knew that we didn't.
