Comments on: Early Education Pitfalls http://thegreatofficeescape.com/the-dangers-of-early-education/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:26:49 +0000 hourly 1 By: Mike http://thegreatofficeescape.com/the-dangers-of-early-education/comment-page-1/#comment-159 Mike Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:07:07 +0000 http://thegreatofficeescape.com/the-dangers-of-early-education/#comment-159 There is probably a balance that could be achieved here. Some schools do this by encouraging kids to focus on their talents through extracurriculars and to be part of "honors clubs." The problem I see is that this happens when kids are already in high school, when the most formative years of childhood really occur much younger. I agree that there should be a couple of tracks that are options (as you say, specialization or general.) This way kids who don't yet know what they are really interested in could explore, while others who have strong natural talents in one area could specialize. These are just some thoughts. There is probably a balance that could be achieved here. Some schools do this by encouraging kids to focus on their talents through extracurriculars and to be part of “honors clubs.” The problem I see is that this happens when kids are already in high school, when the most formative years of childhood really occur much younger.

I agree that there should be a couple of tracks that are options (as you say, specialization or general.) This way kids who don’t yet know what they are really interested in could explore, while others who have strong natural talents in one area could specialize. These are just some thoughts.

]]> By: Elizabeth http://thegreatofficeescape.com/the-dangers-of-early-education/comment-page-1/#comment-157 Elizabeth Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:37:53 +0000 http://thegreatofficeescape.com/the-dangers-of-early-education/#comment-157 This sounds a little like the Spanish system, where you choose one of four general specializations for your last two years of high school, and then you choose your major when you apply to college. It's harder to change majors than in the states, you usually have to start from scratch, but that's less of a problem because tuition is much cheaper (I'm paying 400 euros for a half-time courseload -- for the year. Even when you take the exchange rate into account, that's still dirt cheap). However, for me, that system wouldn't have worked. In high school, I had no intention of majoring in math. I planned to study political science or international relations at college. However, when I got to college, I realized that I didn't like poli sci and international relations, and I did like college level math. If I had started to specialize at age 15, I wouldn't have gotten to experience college level math, and would probably have stuck with political science, not knowing how unhappy I was because I didn't have math to compare it to. I agree that it's important to encourage whatever talents or inclinations children show, especially if those talents won't be encouraged in school. However, I don't think that forcing kids to specialize in high school or earlier is the best way to achieve that. In high school, many people (like me) don't have the self-knowledge and the breadth of studies to know what is truly their calling. Maybe if, from high school, two tracks were offered; specialization, or general studies. But we already have that, in some form, with governor's schools, charter schools, and other focus high schools. Perhaps it's a question of publicity? This sounds a little like the Spanish system, where you choose one of four general specializations for your last two years of high school, and then you choose your major when you apply to college. It’s harder to change majors than in the states, you usually have to start from scratch, but that’s less of a problem because tuition is much cheaper (I’m paying 400 euros for a half-time courseload — for the year. Even when you take the exchange rate into account, that’s still dirt cheap). However, for me, that system wouldn’t have worked. In high school, I had no intention of majoring in math. I planned to study political science or international relations at college. However, when I got to college, I realized that I didn’t like poli sci and international relations, and I did like college level math. If I had started to specialize at age 15, I wouldn’t have gotten to experience college level math, and would probably have stuck with political science, not knowing how unhappy I was because I didn’t have math to compare it to.

I agree that it’s important to encourage whatever talents or inclinations children show, especially if those talents won’t be encouraged in school. However, I don’t think that forcing kids to specialize in high school or earlier is the best way to achieve that. In high school, many people (like me) don’t have the self-knowledge and the breadth of studies to know what is truly their calling. Maybe if, from high school, two tracks were offered; specialization, or general studies. But we already have that, in some form, with governor’s schools, charter schools, and other focus high schools. Perhaps it’s a question of publicity?

]]>