(Don't worry mom and dad, 50% of students fail a course there.)
It was a good life lesson to try as hard as I could and still fail. That had never happened to me before college and I think everyone needs that lesson. I probably know more about science than 99.999999% of the general public but I still sometimes feel self doubt when the kids ask me science questions because of those failures.
Yes, a degree in engineering from Caltech and I worry I can't answer 4 year old science questions correctly.
I almost failed optics. I find this ironic because I love photography, which is all optics. But... I *almost* failed optics. I didn't fail.
It rained all weekend here. Miserable cold rain. Sunday we were all hanging out in the second floor bonus when the sun poked through the clouds despite the heavy rain. I told the boys to come downstairs because when the sun comes out and it's still raining, it makes a rainbow. We looked in our backyard:
We could see a whole rainbow from end to end, proving yet again science is pretty freaking cool.
Alex quietly observed it while Nate shouted and yelled and wanted to call people to tell them about it. That sums up their personalities perfectly.
8 comments:
Could the placement of the rainbow be any more perfect looking over your backyard?
I failed a class too (shh). And don't really think I know that much science.
“It was a good life lesson to try as hard as I could and still fail.”
I was always a believer that failure is a good life lesson. It works for me. If I come out less than the best I work really hard until I am the best. For one of my children this is not the case. Failure crushes and self esteem becomes so low that she will never try again. It is debilitating. Being a mom really teaches you that we are all different. Don’t expect that both of your boys will be the kind who rally from failure. I wish I knew what to do with the other learning-personality style. I see these differences in my students as well.
I think you have a significant number issue with your "99.999999%" I'd like to see your work.
Ah the "almost-failed" class. In vet school you couldn't fail any classes, and you were allowed exactly one class with a less-than-C grade. I came *this* close with Virology sophomore year. I still remember getting the Dreaded Letter informing me that if I didn't pass the next test there might be a lil' problem. Yes, they send you a letter after one failed test. Awful moment, great lesson - b/c I studied REALLY hard for that test and still couldn't quite grasp the subject matter.
Awesome rainbow pic.
I am so glad I went to school for gerontology. Would have failed all classes if I had been into science!
Regarding photography: I am so intimidated by all the terms, phrases, vocab and simply cannot for the life of me remember all the little numers and letters especially when people start throwing in f-stops and /. This is why I am an experiencial learner....looking forward to preschool next year, as I am really hoping to take a photography class while F and J are in school. Simply no way to do that now.
Not sure why I wrote all that-guess your comment on optics triggered it, because my brain was saying "optics? What is optics?! Like the curved glass in glasses?!?"
I think I will stick to confussed older people!
I also think that you need to fail sometimes as a life lesson. Like you, I also failed at things for the first time in college (university here) and it CRUSHED me - I wish now I would have failed a test or two at school instead of at university.
ANyway, wanted to say with photography, like Krissy, I'm also intimidated by all those technical terms! Oy!
GORGEOUS rainbow and love how your boys' personalities shine through.
Didn't everybody fail a class or two at Caltech? I did. Graduated with a horrible GPA, but it was still worth it.
Me too. I failed a class in grad school--Molecular Biology--I got a C, which is failing. You must maintain a B average or you lose your funding (tuition and stipend). I was informed that if I didn't get an A the next semester, I would be kicked out. I got 2 As the next semester. The whole experience was a good lesson though.
Love the rainbow--we had a great one the other day too--it was breathtaking.
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