That terrible day. That terrible day when a parent realizes their high school kid isn't among the intellectual elites of their class. Happens every year, usually about eleven school days in, after the first test or quiz. Kids have been flying along with their peers, their social network since elementary school. And they crash headlong into reality, into the wall of a true Advanced Placement college level course. Natural talent isn't enough. Being upper middle class and white is not enough.
Stages of Parental Reaction...
1.) Shock
2.) My kid just needs to "tweak" his study habits a bit.
3.) Tutoring. Tutoring is the answer!
4.) The teacher is being completely unreasonable!
5.) "Mr. White is deliberately crushing my son's spirit."
6.) Transfer request
Honestly #'s 3 through 5 don't happen very often, very rarely in fact. Usually they quietly transfer in the night to an on-level World History course. By #5 is an actual quote from a parent four years ago.
It happens to all of us sometime or another. That day when we realize the competition is fierce and it's time to stop lollygagging. Sobering but instructive and hopefully lifechanging for the good.
