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These are great questions and ones we're beginning to explore. For instance, suppose the frontal cortex of a precious 8-year-old looks more like that of a ten-y

by robg 17y ago

These are great questions and ones we're beginning to explore. For instance, suppose the frontal cortex of a precious 8-year-old looks more like that of a ten-year-old. They could have simply developed faster but will regress to the mean by the end of maturation (early twenties). Or they could continue to be more advanced for their age. Conversely, I'm more interested by the kids who are "delayed" in their cortical development. Those are the kids that get shunted into remedial programs and stigmatized throughout their schooling. It's perhaps an undeserved regressive cycle rather than the progressive one in the case of gifted kids. One thought I can't shake: Imagine a day where kids are sorted into classrooms, and subjects, based on the state of their brain development. Of course, there's a simplifying assumption in there that it's a passive process of cortical development. Still, we can do so much better than sorting kids based on age and IQ.

SapphireSun 17y ago
The thing I have noticed as I watch my friends and family is just how much their personality and mental acuity changes with environmental factors and new interests. I think the vast majority of these tests are laughable because they provide a snapshot without measuring any derivatives (not that you could easily). It's like trying to play the stock market by only looking at current prices. I can see how you might want to do that to pick out kids that are probably teachable, but the downside is that everyone else is penalized despite their current level. I know in college there were several times when I wasn't ready to be taught something, but a year or two later I was. How could we do it better? The only option I can think of that would solve many problems adequately would be to fund all the students so they can seek out a teacher that is right for their level. Too bad that's a pipe dream.
oc 17y ago
> For instance, suppose the frontal cortex of a precious 8-year-old looks more like that of a ten-year-old. Precocious.
- robg 17y ago
  Of course, thanks. The failure of spell checkers to evaluate context. Some day though!

by robg 17y ago

SapphireSun 17y ago

The thing I have noticed as I watch my friends and family is just how much their personality and mental acuity changes with environmental factors and new interests. I think the vast majority of these tests are laughable because they provide a snapshot without measuring any derivatives (not that you could easily). It's like trying to play the stock market by only looking at current prices. I can see how you might want to do that to pick out kids that are probably teachable, but the downside is that everyone else is penalized despite their current level. I know in college there were several times when I wasn't ready to be taught something, but a year or two later I was. How could we do it better? The only option I can think of that would solve many problems adequately would be to fund all the students so they can seek out a teacher that is right for their level. Too bad that's a pipe dream.

oc 17y ago

> For instance, suppose the frontal cortex of a precious 8-year-old looks more like that of a ten-year-old. Precocious.

robg 17y ago
Of course, thanks. The failure of spell checkers to evaluate context. Some day though!