High School Physics Suggestions Please

Amen!  @anniepeter you did a wonderful job of expressing just what I was thinking earlier but was too shy to add to the discussion. 

I am intimidated by the parents who are fueling a very rigorous, agressive high school math and science education (actually most who feel this way start in middle school) because it makes it seem like anything “the rest of us” might be doing is somehow less effective or advantageous than their approach.  I can’t tell you how many times I leave this forum or one of our local groups and think “well, I hope my kids have a chance in life!” based on my comparing this more rigorous path in math and science with ours. 

But it’s hogwash!  😉  And you said it so well … we are lighting fires, there is no end to how long they may burn or how brightly.  We know our children.  We can tell their strengths and their tendencies best.  Yes.  But to not lay the feast at their feet because they aren’t going to eat it all and more … seems not so CMy.  Perhaps that is what is missing from some comments – the simple disclaimer that this is what worked for their child because their child is clearly heading for a math and science future?  It’s important to have balance on SCM and I applaud your comments.  It makes me remember to add mine more often too. 

I guess I feel a bit touchy about this because I was so discouraged from studying math and science because I didn’t show a clear talent in either.  What a shame!  I am an avid math and science reader now and love both subjects enough to do what it takes to understand what I’m interested in learning.  Oh, but what I might have been had these two fields not been dominated by the “you can do it “right” or you must not try” types!