Science Forums 2

[TheBigDog]

Originally Posted by MagnetMan

The only way one can teach a three year old to read is via rote indoctrination. In this way whatever original style of grammatical construction that child might have expressed if its mind had not already been mechnaically processed is lost.
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You might want to think a little more deeper about this before you get your kid automated and purhaps crush forever originality that might be there. I have proved that conventional wisdom is wrong - that late reading is not repressive - but exactly the reverse.

You can believe this all you want. And you can point to your own methods of educating your children as evidence. But it is absolutely untrue. Children can learn very impressive things at a very early age. Reading is just one of them. The billions of examples in history that do not fall into your model must be aboritions - rather than the other way around. Besides, I want my kids to learn correct english and grammar. They can be creative with it after they have proven mastery of the essentials. My wife and I determine the essentials for our kids. I am allowed to hold them to higher standards than the school system, much to their chagrin.

When given advice opposite to what you are preaching you take it as an insult. How should I take your advice to me? How should I consider your arrogant presumption that I have not contemplated the education of my children? I am confident that teaching #4 to read when he want to read is the best thing for him. I remember my own experience, the experience of my older children, the studying on the topic I have done, the observations I have made through a lifetime. All of them add up to encouraging his impulse to learn to read at any time he appears to be willing.

Originally Posted by MagnetMan

The group is small indeed. But the results have been 100% conclusive despite all and sundry telling me I would end up with illiterate idiots twenty years ago.

Congratulations.

Originally Posted by MagnetMan

The implimentation of a compulsory national school system was necessary during the era of nation building and the need for a uniformly literate work force able to build up our national industries and man the mass poduction lines. But that mechanical era is over. We need a vastly more creative and orginal mind on the planet today.

You are far removed from the reality I see every day. We are in a service economy. Feeding that supply chain of services requires expertise at all levels. Life is a competition. Education prepares you to win in the battle for better jobs. It can also help you win in the battle to "build a better mousetrap". The world needs ditch diggers too. If that is all a person is willing or capable to accell to, that is what they get. We are adding life changing technologies every day. But we are not changing people or ambition - they remain the same.

Originally Posted by MagnetMan

I do not know if the self-motivating system I developed for my kids is the best one around. I do know that it takes dual brain development into account and also instills a profound sense of moral self-policing. So its a start at the very least.

The very least I expected from this science forum was some constructuive criticism - not derrision.

If you don't know if it the best, then why do you preach it as the only alternative? You come off so arrogant that you are unbearable. Constructive critisizm? You have been getting it since you got here. You arrogantly brush it off as misguided old fashioed brainwashed preachings, or ignore it when it hits a raw nerve. It turns into derrison because you are a troll trying to pedal your wares and you have absolutly no intention of actually debating anything.

Originally Posted by MagnetMan

As it stands the current state system produces only 1% of straight A students. 40% drop out entirely before graduation, and of the mediocre rest, many cheat at examainations. What a waste of potential genius. These are stark realities that are bothering tens of thousands of parents who have already withdrawn their kids from the system.

What is your point, aside from preaching innaccurate statistics?

Originally Posted by MagnetMan

Thanks for the compliment. But the only unique input from the parents has been because we care about their education more than most. The kids imprinted genius and striving for personal excellence surfaced under their own steam under the right encouragement.

Again, congratulations. But because this has worked for you does not mean that it should be recommended to the general public. I was a show one time about a snake charmer in India. He had a King Cobra that he treated like a housepet. It roamed freely around the house and the yard. He hand fer it. In the show it was crawwling around on the laps of his small children. He was convinced that this was the normal way of things, and that it was important for his children to develop that relationship with snakes. They may turn out to be fine snake charmers like their father. Should I get a King Cobra for my house because it appeared to be working for him? That is why your experience with your 8 kids is insufficient to establish a model for all humanity, or to make broad judgements about every other method of education in the world.

Now, once again I will pose this question...

Originally Posted by TheBigDog

Hypothetical: Your vision of the future has come into being. There has been a majority mass conciousness change of the imperitive to share instead of want. We are a majority of planetary stewards. How do you deal with the dissodents? What is your solution to the minority who are not prepared to willingly comply with the new world order?

How long will you evade this question? What is so troubling about trying to answer it?

Bill