Thursday, May 7, 2009

Getting realistic

DS's exams have started this week. So far he hasn't been much confident in the few papers this week. As for the papers next week, his teachers have already "forewarned" that they would not be easy.

As much as I would like him to achieve the earlier targets set for him, I think it is a wiser choice to be realistic. He probably can't achieve most of the targets, especially his languages.

I could sense his disappointment after he had seen his results from doing the Chinese assessments. Although I had gone through the 10 chapters to be tested in the exams with him, he was still getting just over 50% for the few "tests" in the assessment books. Before he took the tests, he was quite excited to see how much he could improve. He probably had assumed he would show some improvements after studying for the subject. But, after seeing the results, you could hear sighs of disappointment from him. Poor boy. Although I had reminded him that results would not be so evident in such a short period of time, his disappointment could not be brushed aside as easily. It was only natural. I hope he would not give up on the subject yet.

I guess, learning to accept harsh facts, but not beaten by them, is probably one important but yet difficult lesson he had to learn here. My job would be to help him go through this as smoothly as possible.