[OT] Mediocre Britain

[Timothy Miller]

On Aug 31, 2011, at 3:35 AM, Richmond Mathewson wrote:

> On 08/31/2011 12:32 PM, Keith Clarke wrote:
>> For any techniques to succeed requires a willingness  is that, participant have to closed minds (and the frequently associated clenched fists) can hold nothing value - just a tight grip on empty dogma that provides the ego with the illusion of certainty.
> 
> All these marvellous tools presuppose the above. And to have the above means starting with children when they are 4-5-6 and NOT cramping their precious minds with the Gradgrind school of FACTS, but letting them flower in an environment conducive to their arriving at conclusions by themselves.

*Everyone* has an opinion about how to increase intelligence, motivation or instructional success among school-aged children. No one actually knows how. According to the principle of supply and demand, these opinions have no value. There is an infinite supply of them and no particular demand.

These are not matters for casual speculation. These are questions that can be resolved by scientific research. At the moment, no one actually knows how to solve these problems.

Solutions might be devised. Hope springs eternal. Still, there's no reason to suppose a good answer even exists. 

Tim