Great Expectations?

Thursday, June 3rd: After standing in line outside the DMV office in the hot afternoon sun for almost an hour, my daughter and I decided to retreat to the cool confines of the main public library right across the street. We agreed that we'd come back to the DMV early tomorrow morning. In the library I sat in the Classics section on the second floor while my daughter searched for some linguistics books with the aid of one of the librarians. As I waited for my daughter to finish, I looked through the Charles Dickens' novels and found Great Expectations sitting there like a traffic signal beckoning me to re-explore not only my past but my daughter's future as well. I checked out Great Expectations and began the long, taxing journey of teaching and re-learning.

As I read about young Pip's trials and tribulations, I am reminded that the process of learning, discovery, and exploration is full of traps and deceptions, thrills and excitement, and ups and downs. As we get older we take for granted all that we have learned (and, in some cases, all that we have achieved), and we sometimes forget that the learning process should be celebrated and positively positioned. It's amazing how much I have forgotten about how I operate a car, or why I have certain tendencies or expectations when I'm driving.  

***

My daughter recently reached a milestone in her young life. Last Friday (June 4th), she received her learner's driving permit at the local DMV. We waited almost 3 hours in order for her to complete a 20 minute process - computer test, paperwork verification, and photograph. I'm glad to see that the DMV has moved into the 21st century in terms of customer service and technology (ha, ha).

My daughter told me that the test was absurdly easy (although the night before she was a little more than stressed about failing the test). Example:

You come to a traffic intersection and see a police office directing traffic. What do you do?

(A) Follow the directions of the officer.

(B) Ignore the officer and proceed through the intersection.

(C) Gun your engine and aim your car directly at the officer.

(Sorry, just made that one up.)

Now comes the hard part. She has to actually learn how to operate an automobile. My daughter can be very methodical and stubborn when it comes to learning. She is an excellent student, but she sometimes works too hard to make good grades. In other words, she's a perfectionist - much like her mother (and me) and, at times, a debilitating procrastinator (definitely like me) - who worries way too much about EVERYTHING. Add to this psychological mix the fact that she views herself as a stereotypical klutz who can't open the fridge door without creating a catastrophe of somewhat Biblical proportions, and you have the makings of a "student" who already has told herself that she will fail mightily.

I have told myself that I will need to be in "super-patient teacher" mode for this epic challenge. I actually believe my daughter can do it. It will take, however, a lot of understanding and stamina on both our parts.

Wish me luck.