There He Goes Again

I've said it before and I'll say it again, but (and I've said this before also) I'm not interested in rereading all my previous essays to make sure I'm not repeating myself.ⁱ One of the joys of aging is that we say the same things over and over. (My wife has heard some of my thoughts and stories ad nauseam, but wedded bliss also has a down side. She knows that, and she usually suffers in silence.) That, of course, is not the only reason I cover the same territory more than once, but my life up until now isn't changing and whatever I've thought I've thought, and whatever I've read is read, so all I have are the resulting views, even if I don't know where particular ones came from. It all forms part of my past experience, which is the major source of my current ideas. And it's well known, and has been for a long time, that there is nothing new under the sun. So if you've heard this before, remember that its repetition is better than the sun burning out.

I have some recommendations for parents. In my infinite wisdom I've lectured them before about how to raise their children, but I want to add to it. It's about education. Although I spent most of my career in medicine in academic settings, I'm not a professional educator. I've never taken courses in how it's done. I've relied on the enjoyment of my subject (Radiology) and the irritating ability I have to needle my students. And to make them think for themselves. And they catch on because they are learning the subject since they want to – they're well beyond the age of compulsory education but they're in the process of learning a trade.

In any case the subject of interest – childhood education – has piqued my interest because of the fact that I'm aging. Never having studied the subject, and having neither basic knowledge of it nor experience in it, I can be completely objective. Lacking the tools of the trade and a life devoted to childhood education, I won't be bothered by subjectivity. I'm purely a dilettante, but so, I suspect, are some of the “experts” who write books and make wise recommendations on the subject. If they can do it, so can I. Judge for yourself.

There seem to be some subjects that I tend to forget as the years pass, areas of interest to me in which I know basic concepts but not all of the ones I've learned more recently. All sorts of memory aids are available, in terms of advice about how to remember and, especially, a plethora of herbal products that their promoters claim will make your brain younger.

And that's just what I need – a younger brain. I need a brain with fewer vascular plaques and more neural connections. I have quite a few, and they've served me well, but some of them don't seem to be working as efficiently as they were in the past. It's not a unique experience, but it is an aggravating one. Some of it may have been avoidable and some inevitable. And I cannot discount the contribution of aptitude to acquisition of knowledge, nor aging as a reason for its loss, but there is certainly a contribution to learning that is based on the input of facts and skills at an age when the brain is prepared to receive it.

And that's what I want to discuss. It's well known that children learn fast – faster than us adults. Which leads to the obvious lesson. The earlier you start to educate your children the better the result will be. It's become an industry – partly sensible, but too much of it is without merit. And too much of it involves parental pressure rather than presence and encouragement.

It is undeniable that professionals are better prepared to conduct educational programs at all levels, but the competition for seats in the “best” schools, and early registration in order get a place for children, is not the way to go. And pressure on children to get high grades is little more than a form of bullying. That's not to suggest that doing well isn't desirable, but too often approval is withheld by parents seeking perfection. (On the other hand, rewarding everyone for everything, including just showing up, limits the value of merited praise.)

Additionally there have been gimmicks. One of the most famous and popular of the commercial entries into the market has been “Baby Einstein.” It is claimed to heighten a baby's understanding of the world around him by the use of classical music. It's alleged that the stimulation that the music provides will lead to an improved vocabulary. And because a parent can “educate” his child without any personal involvement or expense of time it's popular.

However it doesn't improve vocabulary. What seems to help with vocabulary is vocabulary. Surprise. Not a list of vocabulary words read to a baby, but talking and reading and an honest show of affection. Attention and concern (especially by a parent) are necessary. Babies learn a lot, and they learn fast, but they can only learn what we teach them. Perhaps those exposed to Baby Einstein will wind up with increased ability in music, but that wasn't the goal.

Language is skill that babies are best prepared to learn. So childhood is the best time for them to learn it. Even more than one language – preferably separating one from another. As we age we lose the ability to do so. Polyglots usually start young, even if they don't finish their education in the subject until much later. In the meantime they've learned how to learn. They may not be aware of that. It may simply be the development of certain neural pathways, but it's there. And they learn from others, whether parents, teachers, or peers. Language, especially, may be learned on the street from friends. Interaction is important, so recordings aren't likely to achieve very much. Perhaps in the future that interaction will be provided by computer applications, but for now we need people. A machine, however, cannot replace a loving parent or teacher or a friend.

There are, of course, some areas of study that flourish even without parental or societal reinforcement. A genius, after all, is a genius. Math, physics, chess, and some other theoretical subjects (even music) are often beyond the grasp of parents. But encouragement and concern are not. And love is not.

There are no gimmicks. There are inborn abilities and there is love. It's less expensive and far more efficacious than what they're hawking, and what zealous parents are buying. But it takes time and it takes true concern. Sadly that's too high a price for some.

December 6, 2016

I     I'll try not to repeat this idea too often in future essays, but trust me. I'll forget.