I can second that. I was an pretty good programmer as a kid. I'd go home and write whatever I could imagine on the old 286 box my parents had. I spent time in "

I can second that. I was an pretty good programmer as a kid. I'd go home and write whatever I could imagine on the old 286 box my parents had. I spent time in "gifted" programs at school, etc. However, I hated math. HATED it. Did so poorly in it through high school I ended up in college in basic algebra. It wasn't until college I found out I loved math and it was only because I got lucky and had a string of amazing professors. I suspect this is true for other subjects as well. I also hated exercise until I discovered what I liked doing. PE teachers ruined it for me. Runs were terrible because there was no cadence. Push ups were terrible because no one checked form. The entire exercise of pre-college education is a box checking effort to get you ready for the factory. Perhaps we simply need to stop having the unmotivated teach the motivated. This goes true for research professors forced to teach as well.