I think the real problem is that, with gifted kids as with any other type of kids, one size does NOT fit all. Some gifted kids do great with very rigorous programs. Some do terrible. Some are some combination (John Stuart Mill had a nervous breakdown in his teens after a VERY fast track education, but he recovered). Einstein went through what was then a normal education, although he hated it, froma ll accounts, and he did OK I have also seen very gifted kids who burn out.
Peter Peter L. Flom, PhD Assistant Director, Statistics and Data Analysis Core Center for Drug Use and HIV Research National Development and Research Institutes 71 W. 23rd St www.peterflom.com New York, NY 10010 (212) 845-4485 (voice) (917) 438-0894 (fax) >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 05/19/04 11:47 AM >>> Herman: > If a 20 month old can do that, this is strong evidence > of giftedness right there, and that child should be > considered for much faster and more rigorous education. I'm not an instructor of any sort; however, my 2 cents on this last statement based on my own experiences with the educational system... Just because someone is "smart" doesn't imply they should be educated "faster". I think "fast" education is just the problem -- far too much unrelated "stuff" at the expense of a detailed understanding of just a few important concepts is the problem. IMO, understanding can't be rushed, no matter how smart one is. I would have been much "smarter" or "well-informed" if we spent more time in school reading good books, writing book reports, and doing math, rather than splitting up our days into 5-10 different subjects that all demanded an entirely different set of skills. This not only makes it hard to keep up, but I suspect promotes ADD (attention deficit disorder). I would have, for example, preferred having just two subjects -- one that is directed towards "grammar/reading", and one devoted to "arithmetic" skills -- like in the early days of education. This would give us a solid 3-4 hour block of time per subject per day and I think that makes a huge difference (compared to 1 hour of each subject, with no time to really think or ask questions that may come up after prolonged thinking). In that respect, I think homeschooling offers many advantages -- you can learn what you want to learn when you want to (or are ready to) learn it. . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . ================================================================= . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . =================================================================
