Sunday, June 28, 2009

"WE are teaching THEM?!" (Buzan on Children's Thinking)

Tony Buzan did a Q&A with the crowd with resonated deeply with me, especially given the way my newborn daughter stares at her proud (and still somewhat dazed) parents:
  • Which group of people are the most inquisitive? Answer: Children
  • Who are the most enthusiastic? Children
  • The most persistent? Children
  • The most happy and enthusiastic? Children
  • The most eager to learn? Children
"And," he then cheekily asked, "WE'RE teaching THEM how to think??" The tragedy of the destruction of children's love for learning can be seen in the everyday:
  • Children love to run - we tell them to sit still
  • Children love to sing - we tell them to keep quiet and "Listen to me!"
  • Children love to look deeply into objects and people's eyes - we say, "Don't stare!"
  • Children love to touch anything and everything - we go, "Don't touch!"

No comments: