Eight Year Old Gets It

[Napoléon]

Bright kid... he will go far if the schools don't knock it out of him

Crazy isn't it, that in America, possibly the most technologically advanced country in the world, people are worried about the education system making children dumb.

[Diamond]

The more you tell us about your kids, the more awesome they seem. Tell him that he's got a rep point waiting, if he ever decides to join AF sometime in the future

Make that two, Alei!

[Erinome]

My kids go to the only STEM magnet elementary school in the county. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. They have computers at their desks starting in second grade, and not shitty ones either, brand new Macs. They all attend a 2 hour science lab block every day, and there is an enormous mural in the gymnasium with Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein prominently featured, to name a few. This is an inner-city, predominantly black school, and my kids are two of only about a dozen white children that attend. I moved out of the suburbs, and into this neighborhood at the urging of my friend, who is now a city councilman in this district.

No fucking fundy whack jobs are screwing with my kids' education as long as I'm on the case.

;-)

[Rev. Rye]

Bright kid... he will go far if the schools don't knock it out of him

Crazy isn't it, that in America, possibly the most technologically advanced country in the world, people are worried about the education system making children dumb.

You'd be surprised. This is probably one of the only developed nations on earth where creationism is taught as a valid alternative to evolution (at least in some states.)

[Napoléon]

You'd be surprised. This is probably one of the only developed nations on earth where creationism is taught as a valid alternative to evolution (at least in some states.)

Well yeah, that's pretty much my point.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

It blew me away. I knew he was smart, but to see how he is thinking for himself, in a critical manner, and using such astounding logic... it's enough to melt my heart. He told us that he told her he's an atheist because he doesn't lie, and he didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but he can only be

himself.


FANTASTIC!

Umm did your father's head explode?


(I'd be sending a letter of appreciation and support to that teacher)

[Cyberman]

He told his father that if he ever observes a god, he will then ask that question

Maybe I'm being pedantic but surely if he observed god then his question would already be answered...

Not necessarily, if I can be pedantic for a moment. I know that if I were to observe something that fits all the criteria of a god, that for me would still not be enough to convince me that it actually was a god. For all I know, it might be some super-advanced species of alien (the extraterrestrial kind). Or I could be having some powerfully intense and vivid mind-feck causing me to have the experience of meeting this 'god'.

I know I tend to cite this a lot, but there was a caller to The Atheist Experience talking about almost this very thing; essentially, if memory serves, he said that if he met such a being, then "if it's that powerful, I'd call it a god". To my mind there's a whole, vast range of options to explore before you get to "god".

---

@aleia: As I read your news, I could actually feel the pride you must be feeling. I can't express it in words, but clearly you must be doing something right as a parent to have raised such a bright lad. I can only wonder if our son might have turned out half as smart, or if I'd have had your parenting skills. I know I'll be forever grateful to my own parents for teaching me to think for myself. I hope this is a good sign for the coming generations.

[Justtristo]

This is proof we should be teaching elementary/primary school kids critical thinking, along with the basics of the scientific method. Imagine eventually an adult populace with those sort of mental faculties they would have used since childhood.

For example; within a couple of generations all religion would be extremely marginalized in society.

I am really just so proud of my son, and I wanted to share it with you all. He has learned the scientific method over the past week or so, and last night, while witnessing me have an argument with his father over religion (again), he said something totally profound.

We weren't really getting into it that badly, it's just that my son told his paternal grandmother that he is an atheist, which is something I do not condone, because it is my belief that he's to young (8) to know what he is yet. He griped about it, and I had just begun to defend when my son interrupted me.

He said that he is an atheist because the first step of the scientific method is to make an observation, and he's never observed god in any way. He went on to say that since the second step was to ask a question based upon what you've observed, he's logically decided that "Is there a god?" is not even a valid question, worth an answer. He told his father that if he ever observes a god, he will then ask that question, and use the rest of the scientific method to "draw a conclusion about a god".

It blew me away. I knew he was smart, but to see how he is thinking for himself, in a critical manner, and using such astounding logic... it's enough to melt my heart. He told us that he told her he's an atheist because he doesn't lie, and he didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but he can only be himself.

He's awesome. I'm humbled and honored that I have the extreme privilege of being his mom.

We both assured him that we love him no matter what. Of course, then his dad took me aside and accused me of "filling his head with atheist bullshit". I was too overwhelmed with pride to be angry.

I know I talk about my kids a lot, but they're my whole life, so I can't help it. I also hope that what I share about my kids will give others hope that the future generation isn't going to be nothing but drones.

[Erinome]

I don't know what it is I've done, really. I just spend time with them in conversation, I guess. I've never treated them like they're incapable of grasping broad concepts, and I've encouraged their questioning nature.

I always hated it when my parents said "because I said so!". I tell my kids why, and see it as a learning opportunity. Even if it's me telling them to clean their room, and they ask why, I always tell them something like, "It's unsanitary and unacceptable to have a messy room."

Sure, it would be easier to say "because I said so!", but what would they gain from that? I don't feel like I do anything that any parent couldn't do. It just takes patience.

I'm also pretty strict, but I do balance it with plenty of love, affection, and positive reinforcement. Our family motto is "Excellence is the only option", and I help them to achieve it by being heavily involved in everything they do. I'm in the PTO, I volunteer at their school two days a week, and have regular email conversations with their teachers. Some people say I'm a control freak, and I need to let them breathe, but I scoff at these remarks. I encourage their independence in all sorts of creative, age-appropriate ways, but I am on this planet to insure their success, until their ready to go off in the world without me.

I have one child who hasn't gotten off to a great start. My 4 year old daughter has been living with her illiterate father for 2 years, until recently. She came home telling me about how Jesus made all the bunnies, and all the trees, and sang "Jesus Loves Me". I'm not tripping on it, though. She's behind developmentally, and my focus is on getting her caught up on the basics before presenting her with hard facts about the realities of the universe.

Patience is key.

---

FANTASTIC!

Umm did your father's head explode?

Nearly...

(I'd be sending a letter of appreciation and support to that teacher)

Technically, they're not expected to memorize it until the third grade. I kinda forced him into memorizing it now, because I know he's capable, and I want him to be ahead.

I've also made him memorize the 5 oceans, 7 continents, and 8 planets of our solar system. I was going to make him memorize all 66 moons of Jupiter, but I figured we'd get to that later.



He's doing well, though, and his teachers are fantastic. He has science lab on Wednesdays with one of my college professors, which is awesome.

[Cyberman]

Though never having any kids of my own, I have had the experience of interacting if not actually raising those of other people, friends and family such as both my sister's kids (though Chris the eldest is 23 now and Rosie, his sister, recently turned 9). My approach has always been to treat them as though they were somewhat older then their actual age, if you see what I mean, instead of talking down to them. I feel it gives them a sense of feeling a little more grown-up and not as babyish as might otherwise be the case. Obviously, I'd never treat them in any way that wasn't age-appropriate, and I realise how unintentionally creepy that looks in plain text, but in mmy experience it seems to work. I'd hate to think it was forcing them to grow up but maybe it gives them some sense of direction? I don't know, I'm rambling now because my brain's falling asleep I think, after all it is ten to six in the morning and I haven't slept since about Monday. Anyway, I'd like to think that I'd have brought up our little Liam and Kirsty - the children we were supposed to be having - along the same lines.