Each of us fails from time to time. If we are wise, we accept these failures as a   36  part of the learning process. But all too often as parents and teachers we   37  this same right to our children.

When I see a child   38  from this kind of pressure, I think of Donnie.

Donnie was my youngest third-grader. His   39  of failure kept him from classroom games that other children enjoyed. He   40  answered questions — he was afraid he might be wrong. I tried my best to build his   41 . But nothing changed until midterm, when Mary Anne, a student teacher, was assigned to our classroom. She was young and pretty, and she loved children. My pupils, Donnie included, all   42  her very much.

One morning, we were working on math problems at the chalkboard. Donnie had   43  the problems with pains-taking tidiness. Pleased with his progress, I   44  the children with Mary Anne and went for art materials. When I returned, Donnie was in   45 . He’d missed the third problem.

My student teacher looked at me in despair. Suddenly her face   46 . From the desk we shared, she got a container filled with pencils.