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acropolis · 4 Jun 2006, 23:24

Couple things.

I don't really see 'go read some books' as being a good solution to the "bright kids" 'problem'. I read a lot when I was going through school, and I learned one thing: spelling (maybe a little contextual vocabulary). When I have questions in my research, it's usually possible to find the answer in a book, but it's usually 100 times faster just to ask my advisor/whoever (and the answer given will be much more likely to be phrased in a manner relevant to my specific situation).

When I went through school, obviously more attention was paid to the 'mediocres', but it's hard to argue with that. One central issue being: what good is it for a teacher to spend extra time with a specific student when that student is as intelligent or more so? I'm almost glad teachers spent so little time with me, as it turns out much of what they did tell me was inaccurate.

One answer to that issue is to take the bright kids away from the normal teachers and give them to a 'better' group of teachers. This will never happen, for two reasons: where do you get this group of teachers? In general, the upper level of society has better things to do than babysit your brats.* Secondly, because we live in a democracy, and people in general won't vote in favor of moving funding away from their kids, especially because that will also move smart kids away from their kids (and people tend to think (rightly?) that being surrounded by intelligent people will help make them smarter). And also because that is something the nazis and soviets would have done.

Anyway, as always I blame the parents, not the schools. If you think it is important for your child to learn something, then teach it to him. If I have a child that turns out to be exceptionally intelligent (and I don't really care if any do), then I will put them smack into a public school system, and (rightly) treat that school as a baby sitter (that has the added perk of teaching my child how to socialize properly), and take the responsibility of actual education onto myself. And I have no respect for any parent who would do otherwise, unless they happened to be much dumber than their gifted child.

* There are four situations I can reasonably imagine a very capable and intelligent person giving one-on-one time to your gifted child:
1. Your child is working in industry. The other person is his boss.
2. Grad school, advisor.
3. You are rich as ****ing hell, and paying the guy hundreds of thousands a year.
4. The "capable and intelligent" person is you.

4 Jun 2006, 23:24	#13
acropolis Vermin Supreme Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 3,280	Re: Equality Couple things. I don't really see 'go read some books' as being a good solution to the "bright kids" 'problem'. I read a lot when I was going through school, and I learned one thing: spelling (maybe a little contextual vocabulary). When I have questions in my research, it's usually possible to find the answer in a book, but it's usually 100 times faster just to ask my advisor/whoever (and the answer given will be much more likely to be phrased in a manner relevant to my specific situation). When I went through school, obviously more attention was paid to the 'mediocres', but it's hard to argue with that. One central issue being: what good is it for a teacher to spend extra time with a specific student when that student is as intelligent or more so? I'm almost glad teachers spent so little time with me, as it turns out much of what they did tell me was inaccurate. One answer to that issue is to take the bright kids away from the normal teachers and give them to a 'better' group of teachers. This will never happen, for two reasons: where do you get this group of teachers? In general, the upper level of society has better things to do than babysit your brats.* Secondly, because we live in a democracy, and people in general won't vote in favor of moving funding away from their kids, especially because that will also move smart kids away from their kids (and people tend to think (rightly?) that being surrounded by intelligent people will help make them smarter). And also because that is something the nazis and soviets would have done. Anyway, as always I blame the parents, not the schools. If you think it is important for your child to learn something, then teach it to him. If I have a child that turns out to be exceptionally intelligent (and I don't really care if any do), then I will put them smack into a public school system, and (rightly) treat that school as a baby sitter (that has the added perk of teaching my child how to socialize properly), and take the responsibility of actual education onto myself. And I have no respect for any parent who would do otherwise, unless they happened to be much dumber than their gifted child. * There are four situations I can reasonably imagine a very capable and intelligent person giving one-on-one time to your gifted child: 1. Your child is working in industry. The other person is his boss. 2. Grad school, advisor. 3. You are rich as ****ing hell, and paying the guy hundreds of thousands a year. 4. The "capable and intelligent" person is you.