Comments on: Precocious 5 yr olds? http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 27 May 2012 00:15:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Tracy W http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-151027 Tracy W Sun, 09 Apr 2006 08:01:32 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-151027 My guess, based on my experience in working with databases, is that a certain number of times the data entry people forgot the first digit when entering the age. Or mistyped the age of birth. My guess, based on my experience in working with databases, is that a certain number of times the data entry people forgot the first digit when entering the age. Or mistyped the age of birth.

]]> By: david tiley http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150953 david tiley Fri, 07 Apr 2006 15:14:51 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150953 Not to mention the livestock. Sorry. Not to mention the livestock. Sorry.

]]> By: derrida derider http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150900 derrida derider Fri, 07 Apr 2006 01:28:42 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150900 Well, I went to a K-12 school in the Australian outback. And you're right - it did stick me with some kids (and teachers) I didn't like for a long while. Well, I went to a K-12 school in the Australian outback. And you’re right – it did stick me with some kids (and teachers) I didn’t like for a long while.

]]> By: harry b http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150849 harry b Thu, 06 Apr 2006 19:13:06 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150849 Well, cranky, I'm not so up on the history (to my embarrassment) so found that quite illluminating (but not especially cheering!) Well, cranky, I’m not so up on the history (to my embarrassment) so found that quite illluminating (but not especially cheering!)

]]> By: Cranky Observer http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150846 Cranky Observer Thu, 06 Apr 2006 18:59:10 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150846 > what was the name of the school > that Bismark was chancellor of Ha ha. I am sure you know the history of US urban school districts, and the sources of much of their structure and development, as well as I do. Or I could take you for a walk through my old grade school - much of the German design influence is still there underneath the touchy-feely 1990s rennovation. Cranky > what was the name of the school
> that Bismark was chancellor of

Ha ha. I am sure you know the history of US urban school districts, and the sources of much of their structure and development, as well as I do. Or I could take you for a walk through my old grade school – much of the German design influence is still there underneath the touchy-feely 1990s rennovation.

Cranky

]]> By: pdf23ds http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150844 pdf23ds Thu, 06 Apr 2006 18:46:24 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150844 "The disadvantage of 5-16/18 education, of course, is that kids can get stuck with others they really don’t like for a long period of time." I think this is already the case in the US, where most elementary/junior high schools are just subsets of a particular district high school. So you have a bigger class in high school, but all the people from kindergarten are still there with you. Of course, most people are more mobile than that, so it's probably not a huge issue. “The disadvantage of 5-16/18 education, of course, is that kids can get stuck with others they really don’t like for a long period of time.”

I think this is already the case in the US, where most elementary/junior high schools are just subsets of a particular district high school. So you have a bigger class in high school, but all the people from kindergarten are still there with you.

Of course, most people are more mobile than that, so it’s probably not a huge issue.

]]> By: dearieme http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150832 dearieme Thu, 06 Apr 2006 16:27:10 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150832 Central European School of Warfare, Provocation and Intimidation. Central European School of Warfare, Provocation and Intimidation.

]]> By: marcel http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150831 marcel Thu, 06 Apr 2006 16:21:29 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150831 Hey Cranky (9): what was the name of the school that Bismark was chancellor of? Hey Cranky (9): what was the name of the school that Bismark was chancellor of?

]]> By: Cranky Observer http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150826 Cranky Observer Thu, 06 Apr 2006 15:28:00 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150826 Hey, Chancellor Bismark decreed K-8 and 9-12 (or 9-10-vocational), so that is the way it Should Be! Anyway, two things to keep in mind: Kindergarten is not required in many US states and/or school districts, so that could skew your stats. And there are so many school districts in the US, each with their own policies and philosophies, that I am not sure simple statistics tell you much. Cranky Hey, Chancellor Bismark decreed K-8 and 9-12 (or 9-10-vocational), so that is the way it Should Be!

Anyway, two things to keep in mind: Kindergarten is not required in many US states and/or school districts, so that could skew your stats. And there are so many school districts in the US, each with their own policies and philosophies, that I am not sure simple statistics tell you much.

Cranky

]]> By: harry b http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150822 harry b Thu, 06 Apr 2006 15:14:05 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150822 There are plenty of rural K-12 schools in the US, but I'd never before heard of them in the UK (well, it used to be common to have schools which went 5-13 or 14, but since 1944 I'd never heard of this). The nrom in the US is to have middle or junior high schools too, so that two transitions are built into a child's life. I think the case for k-12 could be pretty strong, and its surely worth experimenting with. nick s's point certainly captures one of the possible downsides. There are plenty of rural K-12 schools in the US, but I’d never before heard of them in the UK (well, it used to be common to have schools which went 5-13 or 14, but since 1944 I’d never heard of this). The nrom in the US is to have middle or junior high schools too, so that two transitions are built into a child’s life. I think the case for k-12 could be pretty strong, and its surely worth experimenting with. nick s’s point certainly captures one of the possible downsides.

]]> By: nick s http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150821 nick s Thu, 06 Apr 2006 14:54:09 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150821 <i>The all-through school gives families to opportunity to deal with just one establishment which is key to settling in whole families as quickly as possible.</i> Oh, that makes sense: it's the flip-side of the rationale behind the International Baccalaureate, which was created to ensure continuity for the children of diplomats and other international worker types who change school frequently. The disadvantage of 5-16/18 education, of course, is that kids can get stuck with others they <i>really don't like</i> for a long period of time. The all-through school gives families to opportunity to deal with just one establishment which is key to settling in whole families as quickly as possible.

Oh, that makes sense: it’s the flip-side of the rationale behind the International Baccalaureate, which was created to ensure continuity for the children of diplomats and other international worker types who change school frequently.

The disadvantage of 5-16/18 education, of course, is that kids can get stuck with others they really don’t like for a long period of time.

]]> By: harry b http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150815 harry b Thu, 06 Apr 2006 14:11:08 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150815 Thanks Matthew, all is now clear. Also, to me, it looks brilliant. Thanks Matthew, all is now clear. Also, to me, it looks brilliant.

]]> By: Matthew http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150810 Matthew Thu, 06 Apr 2006 13:16:22 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150810 Harry, if you look at the regional statistics the very young age groups are in only two regions, Northamptionshire and Sheffield. The Northamptonshire school is this one, which seems to be a new type of school. http://www.rm.com/BSF/Generic.asp?cref=GP346553 To quote that site: Why all-age? The whole ambitious project is designed to meet two needs specific to the locality. There is a large amount of new housing going up in Wootton Fields with a very mobile population. The all-through school gives families to opportunity to deal with just one establishment which is key to settling in whole families as quickly as possible. In addition, the site provides a centre for sports and learning for this whole new community. The principal, Tony Downing, believes that this will be an important model for the future, especially in new communities. Harry, if you look at the regional statistics the very young age groups are in only two regions, Northamptionshire and Sheffield. The Northamptonshire school is this one, which seems to be a new type of school.

http://www.rm.com/BSF/Generic.asp?cref=GP346553

To quote that site:

Why all-age?

The whole ambitious project is designed to meet two needs specific to the locality. There is a large amount of new housing going up in Wootton Fields with a very mobile population. The all-through school gives families to opportunity to deal with just one establishment which is key to settling in whole families as quickly as possible. In addition, the site provides a centre for sports and learning for this whole new community. The principal, Tony Downing, believes that this will be an important model for the future, especially in new communities.

]]> By: Ginger Yellow http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150809 Ginger Yellow Thu, 06 Apr 2006 13:09:28 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150809 A lot of British parents seem to think it's a good idea to rapidly push their children through the school system faster than usual, often to a baffling degree. The most spectacularly pointless example I can recall was a seven year old who took GCSE computer studies, achieving a C. Why not just wait at least a couple of years and get an A? A lot of British parents seem to think it’s a good idea to rapidly push their children through the school system faster than usual, often to a baffling degree. The most spectacularly pointless example I can recall was a seven year old who took GCSE computer studies, achieving a C. Why not just wait at least a couple of years and get an A?

]]> By: Matthew http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/comment-page-1/#comment-150807 Matthew Thu, 06 Apr 2006 12:47:13 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/04/06/precocious-5-yr-olds/#comment-150807 Oh sorry you mean the numbers are too high. I've just read the title. I imagine its where there only is one school? Oh sorry you mean the numbers are too high. I’ve just read the title. I imagine its where there only is one school?

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