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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 29. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Toph on February 19, 2005, at 22:43:37
In reply to Re: I know I'm late to this thread, but, posted by sunny10 on February 18, 2005, at 12:32:52
>
> And, Toph? I went to boarding school AND Montessori (mwah!!)
>
> -sunny10Is that like: only learning if you want to followed by being made to learn? I was actually a teacher's assistant, I believe it was in the Paleolithic ere, in a Montessouri school once. Do you remember the pink tower, sunny?
Oh, and Mwah back.
Posted by Toph on February 19, 2005, at 22:43:37
In reply to Re: I'm late to school » sunny10, posted by Toph on February 18, 2005, at 16:17:33
I realize Bob that this is not administrative but indulge me one last post:
Posted by alexandra_k on February 19, 2005, at 22:43:37
In reply to ^^ late to school sunny ^^, posted by Toph on February 18, 2005, at 16:42:50
Wow. I went on a hunt to find the familiar plastic rods of my youth and wow. I wish I was a kid again...
Posted by Toph on February 19, 2005, at 22:43:59
In reply to Re: ^^ late to school sunny ^^ » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on February 18, 2005, at 17:23:33
> I wish I was a kid again...
>
So, that's why you are so damn smart, alex. Maria M. would be so proud.Oh, by the way, smartie pants, its, "If I WERE a kid again..." : ) Toph
(Sorry Bob, I lied).
Posted by alexandra_k on February 19, 2005, at 22:43:59
In reply to Re: school » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on February 19, 2005, at 8:04:50
> Oh, by the way, smartie pants, its, "If I WERE a kid again..." : )
Hmm. What kinda toys did you have?????
Posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 1:16:42
In reply to Re: school » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on February 19, 2005, at 19:08:45
I remembered these coloured plastic (sometimes wooden) rods we had when I was at primary (elementary) school.
The ones were white little cubes.
The twos were blue? 2x as long as the white ones.
The threes were black?
Dunno.
I used to think numbers in colours but the associations are gone now.
But I remember the 10's were orange.
Yup. The 10's were orange
Posted by Toph on February 20, 2005, at 8:04:22
In reply to Re: school, posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 1:16:42
I went to traditional American kindergarten, which was mostly play, you know finger painting and such. I must have been happy judging from photographs, theres one of me with the entire class and everyone's parents must have received the memo because they are wearing really nice clothes, and then there's me smiling away in a coyboy hat, vest and a silver badge pinned on my chest. It wasn't all good, I remember (actually I have no recollection) that Davie Robertson pushed me off of the jungle gym causing me to fall 20 feet to the asphalt (before some genius thought it best to use wood chips). Now that I think of it, I'm going to use this excuse from now on when I get blocked.
Getting back to Maria, she developed her techniques from work with developmentally disabled kids, if I recall correctly, and then found them effective with other children. As an assistant teacher I thought it was a bit ridgid. Tasks were succesful if done a certain way. A child was redirected if he pretended that a block for the pink tower was imagined to be a truck, for example. When I had to supervise recess the kids seemed inordinately kinetic, free from the constraints of the Monessori method. But then maybe they got it from Mr. _____ who liked playing with the kids so much.
After all, it seems to me that good education has less to do with technique and curriculum as it does with good teachers. I have posted about some of my experiences with good and bad ones in the past. alex, what percentage of your superior (in my opinion) intellect do you suppose is attributable to fortunate genes, fine teachers, or hard work?
Toph
Posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 13:12:08
In reply to Re: school » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on February 20, 2005, at 8:04:22
... and the 9's were brown. I swear the 9's were brown.
> that Davie Robertson pushed me off of the jungle gym causing me to fall 20 feet to the asphalt (before some genius thought it best to use wood chips). Now that I think of it, I'm going to use this excuse from now on when I get blocked.
he he, tis worth a try :-)
> Tasks were succesful if done a certain way. A child was redirected if he pretended that a block for the pink tower was imagined to be a truck, for example.Yeah, I wondered.
I have to say I am not a fan of 'free learning' or the idea that kids should do just whatever they want and that after a while they will want to do stuff they need to learn. I mean, what kid *wants* to memorize their times table? What kid *wants* to work on increasing their attention span? I dare say a middle ground is to be had between *making* them do stuff and letting them do whatever they want.
> After all, it seems to me that good education has less to do with technique and curriculum as it does with good teachers.
Yup. Just like many a therapist (well ok so maybe not that many) is able to transcend what is (IMO) a bad theory.
>I have posted about some of my experiences with good and bad ones in the past. alex, what percentage of your superior (in my opinion) intellect do you suppose is attributable to fortunate genes, fine teachers, or hard work?
Oh ha ha.
Seriously though, people do have trouble working out why it is that I am not a borderline idiot. There is one thing that I will always be thankful to my mother for: she taught me to read. She read to me ever since I can remember and she would read me simple kids books too and move her finger along the page to the word she was reading. I was reading by 4 and that is all thanks to her.
And once you can read you just need to be thrown the odd book every now and then...
But I did go to a pretty good (pretty small) school for the first 4 years. That gave me a good head start on the public school system. (Bout 2 or 3 years worth to tell you the truth).
So then I got to be lazy till my university enterance year. (thats why I can't do math - math is cumulative and I couldn't be bothered since well before I started High School). Just scraped entry to uni. Not till there that I discovered a whole world of reading and writing...
Posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 13:27:21
In reply to Re: school » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 13:12:08
Posted by Toph on February 20, 2005, at 15:57:11
In reply to Re: school » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 13:12:08
>> alex, what percentage of your superior (in my opinion) intellect do you suppose is attributable to fortunate genes, fine teachers, or hard work?
>
...There is one thing that I will always be thankful to my mother for: she taught me to read. She read to me ever since I can remember and she would read me simple kids books too and move her finger along the page to the word she was reading. I was reading by 4 and that is all thanks to her.
> And once you can read you just need to be thrown the odd book every now and then...
> But I did go to a pretty good (pretty small) school for the first 4 years. That gave me a good head start on the public school system. (Bout 2 or 3 years worth to tell you the truth)...So my quess is you're saying 30%, 30%, 40%?
About the reading part, I envy you so. I never read well. I hated reading out loud then and now. If ever I had ADD it was reading. My step-daughter devours books. She read them all night while I'm lucky to get through a chapter before I conk out. I did well in university by going to every class and taking notes. Imagine my horror when the first book assigned freshman year was Milton's Paradise Lost written in prehistoric english. Maybe I'm dyslexic. Everybody thinks my thinking is backwards anyway.
Posted by Toph on February 20, 2005, at 16:17:16
In reply to Re: but what sort of toys did you have????? - Toph (nm), posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 13:27:21
Let's see, I remember:
1) a Howdy Doody marionette
2) Davey Crocket coonskin cap and musket
3) a horse on springs you could rock back and forth while watching the Mickey Mouse Club
4) ice skates designed to torment kids with flat feet (Judy Miekle used to steal my hat and laugh hysterically as I futilely pursued her, I really hated dumb girls, all girls were dumb).
5) a hamster named Nicky who I'm certain my brother poisoned just because of a squeeky wheel.
6) sets-sets were cool. you got a plastice terrain sheet, abunch of soldiers, tanks and cannon, and you fought the blue grey German guys who actually had WMD.
7) I got a microscope to look at protazoa in pond water, cells of all kinds, fly parts, and sperm (I had it in my closet near my hidden Playboys and well, they say most discovery is mere happenstance).
7) Models, I liked to build models. Mostly, (OK, Freudians) I built horror figures, Frankenstein, the Phantom, the Hunchback, the Mummy. Oh and I built a working replica of the guillotine. Sick, very sick indeed.
Posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 18:41:49
In reply to Re: school, posted by Toph on February 20, 2005, at 15:57:11
> fortunate genes, fine teachers, or hard work?
> So my quess is you're saying 30%, 30%, 40%?
I dunno. My parents aren't terribly smart. I had good teachers for my first few years and then not so good ones. (Except my teacher the last year of primary). I worked hard for those first four years and then I slacked off completely. So I just don't know.
When I got to uni it was hard work. But I was rewarded for it which just encouraged me to work even harder. So I don't know. I don't like percentages (math yuk).
Posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 18:45:05
In reply to toys » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on February 20, 2005, at 16:17:16
> 6) sets-sets were cool. you got a plastice terrain sheet, abunch of soldiers, tanks and cannon, and you fought the blue grey German guys who actually had WMD.
I haven't heard of that. But terrain sheets...
I used to get into fighting fantasy gamebooks (Steve Jackson and Ian Livingston) and they did a few games as well (simple D&D rules). They were pretty cool.I loved Lego :-)
> 7) I got a microscope to look at protazoa in pond water, cells of all kinds, fly parts, and sperm (I had it in my closet near my hidden Playboys and well, they say most discovery is mere happenstance).
Ha ha! I always wanted a chemistry set.. Never got one though :-(
> 7) Models, I liked to build models. Mostly, (OK, Freudians) I built horror figures, Frankenstein, the Phantom, the Hunchback, the Mummy. Oh and I built a working replica of the guillotine. Sick, very sick indeed.
Na, thats cool. I used to collect my little ponies.
Posted by Toph on February 20, 2005, at 20:26:35
In reply to Re: school » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 18:41:49
Posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 21:12:44
In reply to who cares anyway, you are real smart now (nm) » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on February 20, 2005, at 20:26:35
Must have been all that time you spent looking at your sperm :-)
Posted by Toph on February 21, 2005, at 8:56:07
In reply to Re: you are pretty smart too Toph :-), posted by alexandra_k on February 20, 2005, at 21:12:44
Posted by alexandra_k on February 21, 2005, at 15:11:50
In reply to Purely scientific inquiry, I assure you (nm) » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on February 21, 2005, at 8:56:07
Posted by Toph on February 21, 2005, at 19:04:22
In reply to Re: Did ya take it to the science fair???? (nm) » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on February 21, 2005, at 15:11:50
Posted by alexandra_k on February 21, 2005, at 20:54:48
In reply to They told me I couldn't come (nm) » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on February 21, 2005, at 19:04:22
Posted by Toph on February 21, 2005, at 22:05:03
In reply to And you didn't provide evidence to the contrary?? (nm) » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on February 21, 2005, at 20:54:48
Posted by alexandra_k on February 21, 2005, at 23:53:56
In reply to Was so upset, I couldn't get a grip (nm) » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on February 21, 2005, at 22:05:03
Posted by Toph on February 22, 2005, at 0:20:28
In reply to Aw Toph, thats what friends are for (nm) » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on February 21, 2005, at 23:53:56
Posted by alexandra_k on February 22, 2005, at 0:51:12
In reply to yes, alex, all young boys dream for a playmate (nm) » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on February 22, 2005, at 0:20:28
Posted by Toph on February 22, 2005, at 1:03:39
In reply to Re: or three... (nm) » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on February 22, 2005, at 0:51:12
Posted by alexandra_k on February 22, 2005, at 1:09:08
In reply to knock it off buster or I'll spank you inuendo (nm) » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on February 22, 2005, at 1:03:39
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