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"It used to be that education was something people did for themselves. Parents or a teacher would help children learn what they wanted to learn, when they were

by s73ver 9y ago

"It used to be that education was something people did for themselves. Parents or a teacher would help children learn what they wanted to learn, when they were ready to learn it. Modern schooling forces children to learn on the teacher's schedule." Yeah, but back in that day, you only got education if your parents had the time and knowledge to do it, or the wealth to hire private tutors.

AnimalMuppet 9y ago
Not once the children learn to read. After that, all it took was a library or, now, the internet. That is, that's all it takes if the child values learning. If not, well, plenty of children manage not to learn in schools, too.
- cmontella 9y ago
  I don't know how wise it is for a child (without having learned the value/practice of critical thinking yet) to gain foundational knowledge on the Internet of all places. > if the child values learning Big if there. Kids aren't really the ones who understand the value of learning. Give a kid with the ability to read the Internet and say "have at it" will probably not result in an educated child.
  - watwut 9y ago
    Why? What is wrong with taking all your politics and history lessons from 4chan?
- JoshTriplett 9y ago
  > That is, that's all it takes if the child values learning. If not, well, plenty of children manage not to learn in schools, too. It's also entirely possible to take a child that values learning and drive that out of them through discouragement and disincentive, something schools are often quite good at. On the flip side, it's entirely possible to encourage a child to value learning. But that's something that tends to happen early, far before school, and even if present, may or may not survive contact with school.
  - AnimalMuppet 9y ago
    > On the flip side, it's entirely possible to encourage a child to value learning. But that's something that tends to happen early, far before school... A good teacher can do it, at least for some children. Teachers that good are rare, though.
- pyrale 9y ago
  Provided the children could acquire good litteracy, provided there was an easily available library and children had access to it, provided the children had free time available, etc. All of these were and still are statistically predicted by children's origins.

by s73ver 9y ago

AnimalMuppet 9y ago

Not once the children learn to read. After that, all it took was a library or, now, the internet. That is, that's all it takes if the child values learning. If not, well, plenty of children manage not to learn in schools, too.

cmontella 9y ago
I don't know how wise it is for a child (without having learned the value/practice of critical thinking yet) to gain foundational knowledge on the Internet of all places. > if the child values learning Big if there. Kids aren't really the ones who understand the value of learning. Give a kid with the ability to read the Internet and say "have at it" will probably not result in an educated child.
- watwut 9y ago
  Why? What is wrong with taking all your politics and history lessons from 4chan?
JoshTriplett 9y ago
> That is, that's all it takes if the child values learning. If not, well, plenty of children manage not to learn in schools, too. It's also entirely possible to take a child that values learning and drive that out of them through discouragement and disincentive, something schools are often quite good at. On the flip side, it's entirely possible to encourage a child to value learning. But that's something that tends to happen early, far before school, and even if present, may or may not survive contact with school.
- AnimalMuppet 9y ago
  > On the flip side, it's entirely possible to encourage a child to value learning. But that's something that tends to happen early, far before school... A good teacher can do it, at least for some children. Teachers that good are rare, though.
pyrale 9y ago
Provided the children could acquire good litteracy, provided there was an easily available library and children had access to it, provided the children had free time available, etc. All of these were and still are statistically predicted by children's origins.