unrealistic expectations
So my oldest boy was required by his accelerated program at school to participate in the science fair. He had no choice. If he was to stay in S.C.O.R.E then he had to be in the fair. He wasn't overly happy about it. This boy is my 11 year old. He is a strange creature...
This boy started reading when he was about 2 or so. I was trying to teach his sister and he just sort of watched over her shoulder. He picks up on things fairly quickly, he is the most mature out of the 4 (been acting years over his age for a long time) even though he is also the most clumsy. (That topic could take up an whole separate journal entry. The thing this boy trips over I swear) He doesn't have the best deductive reasoning and it can take him a few minutes to figure out the why of things if he is in trouble. Him being in trouble is rare and at times I think he forgets he can get in trouble. Usually when he does something wrong it's very wrong and I don't see how he could have thought it was ok. He has little temper but when he finally gets mad he just sort of snaps. The thing about 11 yr old A as we will call him, (All my boys names starts with A and no it wasn't planned.) is that he expects to be perfect in most academic circles. He feels almost superior to other children I think sometimes. He will say something like, "It's ok mom he is only doing his best." or some such thing like that. What 11 year old says stuff like that? Still, I do have a strange point to all of this story.
The science fair
I don't think he was prepared properly. I am not sure he actually took the effort to make sure he had all the materials. There was a parent involvement form that *I* never saw. I didn't know there was supposed to be 'parent involvement' and apparently neither did he. Also he was supposed to journal his progress and present it with his tri-board and ramp. A chose to do an experiment in friction. It was a good idea. Well first he was going to prove that different types of cheese molded differently. But then he forgot to mold his cheese until 6 days before the fair. So suddenly we were doing friction. Long story short he did not win. His feelings were crushed and he cried quietly when he didn't think anyone was looking. Now this kid didn't bother to get all of his materals, didn't really care enough to mold his cheese and switched up mid way, slapped a few things together in a couple of days and really thought that no one there would have something better than him. After talking to him for a while he explained to me that he didn't understand all that went into a science fair and he would do better. I do have to admit that I didn't get him all of his materials when he asked for them so I do take a bit of responsibility there. Still this kid has been on honor rolls and presidents lists, won awards and cried when he didn't win like how dare I not get something.
When I was a kid I avoided the science fair like the plague. I didn't like being in positions were other people had to come and think about me or judge me or look at me for too long in any way.
This boy started reading when he was about 2 or so. I was trying to teach his sister and he just sort of watched over her shoulder. He picks up on things fairly quickly, he is the most mature out of the 4 (been acting years over his age for a long time) even though he is also the most clumsy. (That topic could take up an whole separate journal entry. The thing this boy trips over I swear) He doesn't have the best deductive reasoning and it can take him a few minutes to figure out the why of things if he is in trouble. Him being in trouble is rare and at times I think he forgets he can get in trouble. Usually when he does something wrong it's very wrong and I don't see how he could have thought it was ok. He has little temper but when he finally gets mad he just sort of snaps. The thing about 11 yr old A as we will call him, (All my boys names starts with A and no it wasn't planned.) is that he expects to be perfect in most academic circles. He feels almost superior to other children I think sometimes. He will say something like, "It's ok mom he is only doing his best." or some such thing like that. What 11 year old says stuff like that? Still, I do have a strange point to all of this story.
The science fair
I don't think he was prepared properly. I am not sure he actually took the effort to make sure he had all the materials. There was a parent involvement form that *I* never saw. I didn't know there was supposed to be 'parent involvement' and apparently neither did he. Also he was supposed to journal his progress and present it with his tri-board and ramp. A chose to do an experiment in friction. It was a good idea. Well first he was going to prove that different types of cheese molded differently. But then he forgot to mold his cheese until 6 days before the fair. So suddenly we were doing friction. Long story short he did not win. His feelings were crushed and he cried quietly when he didn't think anyone was looking. Now this kid didn't bother to get all of his materals, didn't really care enough to mold his cheese and switched up mid way, slapped a few things together in a couple of days and really thought that no one there would have something better than him. After talking to him for a while he explained to me that he didn't understand all that went into a science fair and he would do better. I do have to admit that I didn't get him all of his materials when he asked for them so I do take a bit of responsibility there. Still this kid has been on honor rolls and presidents lists, won awards and cried when he didn't win like how dare I not get something.
When I was a kid I avoided the science fair like the plague. I didn't like being in positions were other people had to come and think about me or judge me or look at me for too long in any way.