In edu-terms, it was the beginning of metacognition, but I don’t want an edu-term just now.

Little kids, when they’re happy, think everything they do is great.

If they’re not happy they think they “stink.” “I stink at science” – a classic Christopherism.

We’ve spent the whole year battling Christopher over whether he did or did not know whatever it was he was supposed to be able to do on a test. He would insist he knew the material, we would insist he didn’t, he would insist he did, and invariably the dispute would end in tears and yelling. You hurt my feelings!

That was a moment, the beginning of skepticism and humility.

Little kids, when they’re happy, think everything they do is great.

In edu-terms, it was the beginning of metacognition, but I don’t want an edu-term.

Little kids, when they’re happy, think everything they do is great.

On Mother’s Day, Christopher suddenly looked at me and said, “Thank you for all the extra work you give me, that helps me succeed.”

When I was in grad school, one of my professors, who was a fairly well-known avant garde filmmaker, said that the beginning of maturity came when you stopped thinking you were a genius, but also stopped thinking you were nothing. He was talking about age 30, IIRC, but kids must make a similar discovery sometime in middle school.

6th grade is not easy.

If they’re not happy they think they “stink.” “I stink at science” – a classic Christopherism.

We’ve spent the whole year battling Christopher over whether he did or did not know whatever it was he was supposed to be able to do on a test. He would insist he knew something well enough to be tested, we would insist he didn’t, he would insist he did, and invariably the dispute would end in tears and yelling. You hurt my feelings!

If they’re not happy they think they “stink.” “I stink at science” – a classic Christopherism.

We’ve spent the whole year battling Christopher over whether he did or did not know whatever it was he was supposed to be able to do on a test. He would insist he knew something well enough to be tested, we would insist he didn’t, he would insist he did, and invariably the dispute would end in tears and yelling. You hurt my feelings!

That was a moment, the beginning of skepticism and humility.

He’d invented his own special way of studying, and he’d gotten a 92 on the test, and even though he'd done well he knew he'd have to try it out a few more times more before deciding it worked. He knew that he didn't know.

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

What he said next may have been the best part: “I don’t know if it works.”

Then there's Christopher. Christopher is fantastic. He’s happy, he's confident, he's in the best shape we've seen, I think. We’re glimpsing the person we hope he’ll be when he’s 16 or 17.

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

Jimmy has his Marra Award; Andrew is defeating digital timers at school. Better yet, Andrew and I have hit the +1 worksheets in KUMON. He's zooming.

A couple of weeks ago he came home with a 92 on a science test I hadn’t even known he was taking. His science teacher is very good, but still. A couple of months ago he wasn’t getting As on science tests without help from Ed or me.

6th grade isn’t easy.

When I was in grad school, one of the film professors, who was a fairly well-known avant garde filmmaker, said that the beginning of maturity came when you stopped thinking you were a genius, but also stopped thinking you were nothing.

6th grade is not easy.

Little kids, when they’re happy, think everything they do is great.

When I was in grad school, one of the film professors, who was a fairly well-known avant garde filmmaker, said that the beginning of maturity came when you stopped thinking you were a genius, but also stopped thinking you were nothing.

In edu-terms, it was the beginning of metacognition, but I don’t want an edu-term right now.

Little kids, when they’re happy, think everything they do is great.

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

What he said next may have been the best part: “I don’t know if it works.”

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

What he said next may have been the best part: “I don’t know if it works.”

If they’re not happy they think they “stink.” “I stink at science” – a classic Christopherism. It’s endearing.

We’ve spent the whole year battling Christopher over whether he did or did not know whatever it was he was supposed to know. He would insist he knew class material well enough to be tested, we would insist he didn’t, he would insist he did, and invariably the contest would end in tears and yelling. You hurt my feelings!

What he said next may have been the best part: “I don’t know if it works.”

He’d invented his own special way of studying, and he’d gotten a 92 on the test, and even though he'd done well he knew he'd have to try it out a few more times more before deciding it worked.

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

What he said next may have been the best part: “I don’t know if it works.”

Jimmy has his Marra Award; Andrew is defeating digital timers at school. Better yet, Andrew and I have hit the +1 worksheets in KUMON. He's zooming.

We’re glimpsing the person we hope he’ll be when he’s 16 or 17.

Then there's Christopher. Christopher is fantastic. He’s happy, he's confident, he's in the best shape we've seen him in, I think.

Then there's Christopher. Christopher is fantastic. He’s happy, he's confident, he's in the best shape we've seen him in, I think.

He’d invented his own special way of studying, and he’d gotten a 92 on the test, and even though he'd done well he knew he'd have to try it out a few more times more before deciding it worked.

When I was in grad school, one of the film professors, who was a fairly well-known avant garde filmmaker, said that the beginning of maturity came when you stopped thinking you were a genius, but also stopped thinking you were nothing.

In edu-terms, it’s the beginning of metacognition, but I don’t want an edu-term right now.

Little kids, when they’re happy, think everything they do is great. If they’re not happy they think they “stink.” “I stink at science” – a classic Christopherism. It’s endearing.

In edu-terms, it’s the beginning of metacognition, but I don’t want an edu-term right now.

Little kids, when they’re happy, think everything they do is great. If they’re not happy they think they “stink.” “I stink at science” – a classic Christopherism. It’s endearing.

In edu-terms, it’s the beginning of metacognition, but I don’t want an edu-term right now.

Little kids, when they’re happy, think everything they do is great. If they’re not happy they think they “stink.” “I stink at science” – a classic Christopherism. It’s endearing.

That was a moment, the beginning of humility and skepticism.

He’d invented his own special way of studying, he’d used it, he’d gotten a 92 on the test, and he had figured out that a correlation isn’t necessarily a cause.

What he said next may have been the best part: “I don’t know if it works.”

In edu-terms, it’s the beginning of metacognition, of course, but I don’t want an edu-word right now.

Jimmy has his Marra Award, and Andrew is defeating digital timers at school. Better yet, Andrew and I have hit the +1s worksheets in KUMON. He's zooming.

We’re glimpsing the person we hope he’ll be when he’s 16 or 17.

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

What he said next may have been the best part: “I don’t know if it works.”

We’re glimpsing the person we hope he’ll be when he’s 16 or 17.

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

Jimmy has his Marra Award, and Andrew is defeating digital timers at school. Better yet, Andrew and I have hit the +1s worksheets in KUMON. He's zooming.

We’re glimpsing the person we hope he’ll be when he’s 16 or 17.

And Christopher is fantastic. He’s happy, hardy, and confident.

And Christopher is fantastic. He’s happy, hardy, and confident.

And Christopher is fantastic. He’s happy, hardy, and confident.

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

What he said next may have been the best part: “I don’t know if it works.”

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

What he said next may have been the best part: “I don’t know if it works.”

We’re glimpsing the person we hope he’ll be when he’s 16 or 17.

Christopher studied for this test on his own. “I quizzed myself,” he said.

Jimmy has his Marra Award, and Andrew is defeating digital timers at school.

We’re glimpsing the person we hope he’ll be when he’s 16 or 17.

And Christopher is fantastic. He’s happy, he’s confident, he’s good.

And Christopher is fantastic. He’s happy, he’s confident, he’s good.

He’d invented his own special way of studying, he’d used it, he’d gotten a 92 on the test, and he had figured out that a correlation isn’t necessarily a cause.

When I was in grad school, one of the film professors, who was a fairly well-known avant garde filmmaker, said that the beginning of maturity came when you stopped thinking you were a genius, but also stopped thinking you were nothing.