Mencius’ Mother Moved House Three Times
Legend says that the name of Mencius’ mother changed her residence three times on account of her concern for Mencius.
At first they lived near a cemetery, and the young Mencius amused himself with acting out the various scenes he observed at the tombs. “This is no place for my son”—she though and she moved to the Marketplace.
But the change was no improvement. The boy took to playing the part of a salesman, boasting about his wares, and bantering with customers.
His mother sought a new house, and found one close by a public school.
There her child’s attention was caught by the scholars, and he endeavored to imitate them. The mother was satisfied. “This,” she said, “is the proper place for my son.”
This parable is used to point out how important proper environment is to the upbringing of children. I've seen so many anecdotes and reports on how import environment is. The argument that nurture trumps nature.
What I've experienced is that it really does take both. Nature does play a part, think of it as the max ability that someone could reach. Nurture really controls the max ability that someone does reach.
Where people get in trouble is that they are counting on school, or college, to provide that nurturing environment. The best people are typically not teaching our kids, the best people are out running companies, and solving big problems(like getting us to Mars). The untypical teachers, the ones that are doing it because they believe they are making a difference, find these and more importantly try and be these to your kids. No one is going to care more about your kids education than you.
Another quote that I like is 'Education is the only product where the buyer and seller conspire together to cheat the buyer.' Parents want there kids to have more drive than they do, they forget how many years it took for them to build that drive. Teaching kids how they learn (not how you learn) and letting them know that they can figure anything out if they work at it seems to have the best results.
This parable is used to point out how important proper environment is to the upbringing of children. I've seen so many anecdotes and reports on how import environment is. The argument that nurture trumps nature.
What I've experienced is that it really does take both. Nature does play a part, think of it as the max ability that someone could reach. Nurture really controls the max ability that someone does reach.
Where people get in trouble is that they are counting on school, or college, to provide that nurturing environment. The best people are typically not teaching our kids, the best people are out running companies, and solving big problems(like getting us to Mars). The untypical teachers, the ones that are doing it because they believe they are making a difference, find these and more importantly try and be these to your kids. No one is going to care more about your kids education than you.
Another quote that I like is 'Education is the only product where the buyer and seller conspire together to cheat the buyer.' Parents want there kids to have more drive than they do, they forget how many years it took for them to build that drive. Teaching kids how they learn (not how you learn) and letting them know that they can figure anything out if they work at it seems to have the best results.
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