>> without questioning it, and to obey authority figures without questioning them.
There isn't much debate in reading/writing/arithmetic.
>> It’s no wonder that many of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs and innovators either left school early (like Thomas Edison), or said they hated school and learned despite it, not because of it (like Albert Einstein).
We're using a genius and one of the most prolific inventors America ever saw to rationalize the idea that school is bad for kids? Not to mention they were in school so long ago.
>> even the “best students” (maybe especially them) often report that they are “burned out” by the schooling process.
I'd imagine being the best is quite a lot of work. I'd be burned out too.
There is a lot of debate in writing. Why is it taught exclusively in English classes? Why does academic writing focus mainly on literature until college, and even then, English is the equivalent as a writing major? PG wrote about this once [1], but it makes no sense.
Yeah, I got through my schooling long, long ago and that one is still a mystery to me.
I can tell you why there's a debate, though: different contexts have radically different standards for what constitutes good writing. If I attempted to publish some of the stuff I've written or seen written in research literature as a prose nonfiction article, I would be rightfully crucified for crimes against communication.
And yet, attempt to write clear, explanatory prose in a research context, and you will be called a sloppy amateur.
And in reading. Literary criticism is a big deal! And in math, for that matter. There is a great deal of math research taking place. To suggest that it's all settled and there's no room for debate is pretty silly of the GP.
>> There isn't much debate in reading/writing/arithmetic.
I'd say it's not even relevant whether there is much debate about whether what's being taught is correct. They're still being told what to do and to obey that person, rather than finding it out themselves, and we're killing their curiosity and creativity in the process.
>> We're using a genius and one of the most prolific inventors America ever saw to rationalize the idea that school is bad for kids? Not to mention they were in school so long ago.
Perhaps, if our school system was better, we'd have many more of such 'geniuses'?
>> I'd imagine being the best is quite a lot of work. I'd be burned out too.
Is this intended to take away from his points? If anything it confirms them.
There isn't much debate in reading/writing/arithmetic.
I think it's less about a debate and more about the answer to a student's question about "Why do we do X this way." being something other than "Because that's what I told you to do."
There isn't much debate in reading/writing/arithmetic.
>> It’s no wonder that many of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs and innovators either left school early (like Thomas Edison), or said they hated school and learned despite it, not because of it (like Albert Einstein).
We're using a genius and one of the most prolific inventors America ever saw to rationalize the idea that school is bad for kids? Not to mention they were in school so long ago.
>> even the “best students” (maybe especially them) often report that they are “burned out” by the schooling process.
I'd imagine being the best is quite a lot of work. I'd be burned out too.