Working

Jake called to me as he was checking over his grades. Mom, what do I need for Honor Roll and High Honor  Roll? We took a look together at his grades: 3 - solid As, 2 - 88s and 1 - 78. Well, you'll probably get onto the honor roll, I told him, if there are no surprises, but to get on the High Honor Roll... push those 88s past 90 and that 78....  Mom, I can't get that grade up! There are only 2 exams a semester and we had them already!! But there's still a few weeks left of the semester, how can that be?? I know, he exclaimed, there is nothing I can do! We looked at how the exams are weighted in several of the classes vs. homework.

Well, get your other grades up as high as you can go... the goal is to get your average to 90 and above, okay? Mom, I looked up grades and their numbers. If I need to get an A- average to get into McGill, that means I need a minimum 3.75 GPA. Yeah, I told him, it's high. Look, you'll try your best and do the best you can. It's very competitive but there are many good schools and there are ways to distinguish yourself beyond just your grades.

He let out a big sigh. Okay.

I'm getting you an AP computer book. Soak up what Julie advises you like a sponge. You can do it

Watching hubby quiz Jake in Honors Bio, Jake's request. He had a 97 average going into his second exam and perfect scores on all his labs and homework, and then bombed on the second exam with a 65. He has 3 quizzes this week. Maybe if he gets all As on everything else, his teacher would drop the 65. Impossible!! Jake told me. You won't know until you ask Jake, and you can't reasonably ask unless you ace everything for the rest of the semester. And so here he is actively studying with hubby on opposite ends of a coach in my studio with occasional chatter and laughing between the two.

He works hard and is such a good kid! I'm so proud of him.