In an attempt to bring some semblance of sanity to this group and to
move away from Jabbers et al. I'd like to ask if anyone has any
thoughts about "Independent, self motivated, life-long learners"

We are told that this is what we should be producing. Has anybody had
any experience in this area.

How do we create such creatures, rather than exam-passing machines?
--
John G Davies

John G Davies wrote:

I am one, and at age 81 (and still learning, I'm not likely
to stop soon. I've thought about why love to learn, and why
I became a scientists, and concluded that I was born with a
high degree of curiousity about how htings work.

If I'm right, you would have to change genes as well as
social pressures. I think it is better to just identify and
encourage young people, and encourage them. They are
different from most, at an age where the social pressures
are to be like others. For me, the key was getting into on
of New York City's selective high schools (Brooklyn Tech),
where the "others" were much like me. Unfortunately,
schools like that are not common outside of New York.

In message <12gj4t6n8jvb7f8@corp.supernews.com>, Marvin
<physchem@cloud9.net> writes

I think that genes play a comparatively small part, compared with
society. If you look at the range of "functionally illiterate
individuals" in different countries.

The Far Eastern counties like Japan, Korea and China have much less of a
spread, than the England. We produce some of the highest academic
performers, but we have a large "underclass" of "functionally illiterate
individuals".

Far Eastern families see education as important and learning is a family
activity. Whereas many Westerners see learning as an individual thing -
"Go to your room and do your homework".

If you set up a system to identify kids as being life-long learners, as
distinct from powerful learners, or creative individuals, how many types
of school would you need. I went to a Secondary Commercial School and
learnt typing, book keeping, etc. Just because my Dad thought I'd be
able to get a job in one of the shipping or insurance companies in
Liverpool. Most of those skills are defunct as is much of the shipping
trade.
I'm now a science teacher, but my real love is language. Funny old
World.
--
John G Davies

In article <CL6YNGBkyQCFFw$L@altavia.demon.co.uk>,
John G Davies <butty@altavia.demon.co.uk> wrote:

Doing it to myself (abetted by family) and then to my daughter.


Emphasize learning over exams.

Have materials available on which, and with which, to do the
learning (books, rulers, paper, pencil, magnifying glasses, ...
trips to library, walks in parks, visits to museums, ...)

Learn the phrase "I don't know, let's find out" and then do.

Learn the phrase "What do _you_ think will happen?" and then
provide the needed (if any) assistance in carrying out the
experiment (even and especially if you know how it will turn out).

When your child shows you something that's interesting (to
them) agree that it's intersting (vs. telling them it's stupid).

Allow and encourage 'dilletante' level pursuit -- not
everything must be done to perfection or professionally.

In like vein, encourage trying things out -- even (especially)
unfamiliar ones, and ones that your child doesn't do very well.


--
Robert Grumbine http://www.radix.net/~bobg/ Science faqs and amateur activities notes and links.
Sagredo (Galileo Galilei) "You present these recondite matters with too much
evidence and ease; this great facility makes them less appreciated than they
would be had they been presented in a more abstruse manner." Two New Sciences