Lessons from "Outliers" to apply to homeschool

[stripe]

Having almost finished "Outliers," which I read after having seen it mentioned on here, I came away not sure what

 

I've searched around but haven't quite figured out exactly what others have extracted as being relevant to them from the book "Outliers"?

 

Given that we cannot change the generation (or month!) of our children's birth, our own ethnic background(s), or skin color, and most may be unwilling to change their home language, what do you think this book brings to bear on your own efforts to educate your children?

 

I am not exactly sure myself, except that it brought to mind Right Start's counting methods (although they're not really maintained) of two-ten-one, etc., and the contention that having loads of organized activities that supposedly typifies upper/middle class kids makes a child more assimilated to success than freely playing outside, a supposedly lower class activity [take that, Charlotte Mason critics who call her methods elitist!] -- that is, unless you want to be a litigation lawyer, since the entirely opposite social experience was responsible for that....What did you make of the discussions of intelligence -- did you find that "liberating"?

[RegGuheert]

Given that we cannot change the generation (or month!) of our children's birth, our own ethnic background(s), or skin color, and most may be unwilling to change their home language, what do you think this book brings to bear on your own efforts to educate your children?

Basically the thesis of the book was nurture over nature. The 10,000-hour rule, in particular, hit me. When he pointed out that *all* masters in the piano study had 10,000 hours of training and NONE of the masters had less than that (no prodigies), that was good support for his insights.

 

To me, the point is that if our kids want to become experts, then the key for them is to put in the hours. As homeschoolers, we have the ability to provide them with the time and opportunity to do just that.

[Happy]

Two things from the book hit me. The 10,000 hour rule first of all. Putting in TIME and effort is incredibly important to success in any field. There are no shortcuts to learning and implementing skills whether in sports or business. Teaching children to put in the hours with a musical instrument or perfecting a sport manuever or practicing a skill is a good thing.

 

The second thing that hit me was communication skills. Since my husband is a pilot we talked a lot about the examples in the last third of the book. Places where learning valuable communication skills would have saved lives kinda hits ya between the eyes. If you can teach your children to advocate respectfully and clearly for their point of view they will have learned an important life skill.

 

Time, effort, communication, and thinnking skills are what lift a person out of the economic, social, ethnic, and other 'born into' slots. It's all about learning, doing, and thinking.

 

I borrowed that book for a quick read. I'm feeling the need to actually own it now. Maybe Santa still has room in his sleigh....

[jg_puppy]

Basically the thesis of the book was nurture over nature. The 10,000-hour rule, in particular, hit me. When he pointed out that *all* masters in the piano study had 10,000 hours of training and NONE of the masters had less than that (no prodigies), that was good support for his insights.

 

To me, the point is that if our kids want to become experts, then the key for them is to put in the hours. As homeschoolers, we have the ability to provide them with the time and opportunity to do just that.

 

I have not finished the book, but so far that is what has stuck with me the most. My dd loves dance. She would love to become a professional dancer or a dance teacher. People think we are crazy for letting her take so many hours of dance a week. We were not doubting that for her many hours of dance a week is what she needs. After reading the book I can see where if she wants to get to the professional level she really needs many hours of hard work. Homeschooling allows her to get her school work done, hours of dance a week, and still have time for family and time to just be a kid.

 

Also I found the birthday chapter interesting. On my dd's dance team around half of the girls have birthdays April - June and auditions for the next year are in May. While I can't change my kids birthdays I did find the theory interesting.

 

Jan

Edited December 12, 2009 by jg_puppy

[jeri]

But I've read the previous two he wrote and enjoyed them too. I thought it was very interesting in how he looks back and sees that life is a not just one special instance, but a series of paths that all join to make us who we are today. I mean, I can look back and see some of these same paths in my life as well.

 

And yes, the 10,000 hour info was really fascinating! It's almost like it gives you something tangible to shoot for!

 

Jeri

[Margaret in GA]

Having almost finished "Outliers," which I read after having seen it mentioned on here, I came away not sure what

 

I've searched around but haven't quite figured out exactly what others have extracted as being relevant to them from the book "Outliers"?

 

Given that we cannot change the generation (or month!) of our children's birth, our own ethnic background(s), or skin color, and most may be unwilling to change their home language, what do you think this book brings to bear on your own efforts to educate your children?

 

I am not exactly sure myself, except that it brought to mind Right Start's counting methods (although they're not really maintained) of two-ten-one, etc., and the contention that having loads of organized activities that supposedly typifies upper/middle class kids makes a child more assimilated to success than freely playing outside, a supposedly lower class activity [take that, Charlotte Mason critics who call her methods elitist!] -- that is, unless you want to be a litigation lawyer, since the entirely opposite social experience was responsible for that....What did you make of the discussions of intelligence -- did you find that "liberating"?

 

I haven't read the entire book (flipped through it as my sister's house). What is the book saying about free tine vs. organized activities? That it is better or worse?

 

thanks!

Margaret

[Lady Q]

I found Outliers fascinating, but there's not much we can do to about our kids' birthdays now. :D The 10,000 practice hours was what stood out most for me, not as a homeschooling mom but as a writer.

 

~Rabia

[Donna]

I agree with many of the other posters that the 10,000 hours of practice really hit home for me. Having a dd who loves playing violin and is extremely talented...plays as well or better than kids twice her age, I have done a lot of reading on musical talent and thought about the requirements for success a lot.

 

People often assume that dd has some innate, inborn talent...asking where it came from or who in the family is musical (for us no one). I, however, see the time she puts into practice and playing her instrument. So, maybe she has some "natural" ability like a good ear (which may have been nurtured more than coming from nature) and an excellent memory for music she hears. I think the "real gift" is her love of playing and willingness to practice for hours every day. So, whenever someone asks about her playing, my first comment is that she loves to practice. The 10,000 hour rule put into words what I had been thinking a lot about so it made a lot of sense.

 

I also saw the birthday rule with my oldest son and sports but was able to work against it. Ds's birthday is in November and the cut off for the next age group has always been January so he always ended up wrestling against kids a year older than him, was never the oldest one in the age group. I still got him the best coaching I could find so now that he is almost in high school, (in 8th grade in PS for the first time) where he will be one of the oldest freshmen next year, his birthday will finally work to his advantage because all those January birthday kids are already in high school this year. Luckily for him, wrestling is not one of those sports where kids are tracked early by ability...since it is more an individual sport.

[Georgiana Daniels]

:D The 10,000 practice hours was what stood out most for me, not as a homeschooling mom but as a writer.

 

~Rabia

 

:iagree:

 

I haven't read the book, but I'd looked into this part after someone mentioned it. Since I'm only around 3000 hours or so, I can't complain :D

 

The same applies for my kids with singing (oldest) and gymnastics for the littles. I think it's important for them to see us also dedicated to putting hours and effort into the things that matter to us.

 

I must get this book--heard lots of good things.

[elegantlion]

:iagree:

 

I haven't read the book, but I'd looked into this part after someone mentioned it. Since I'm only around 3000 hours or so, I can't complain :D

 

The same applies for my kids with singing (oldest) and gymnastics for the littles. I think it's important for them to see us also dedicated to putting hours and effort into the things that matter to us.

 

I must get this book--heard lots of good things.

 

:iagree:as well. I've been back to writing seriously for about two years. So at the low end of one hour per day, I'm at about 730 hours. So if I want to be at 10k hours by the time ds graduates in 6 1/2 years I need to write 4 hours a day. :001_huh: Okay, maybe I'll be close.

 

I'm adding this to my list as well.

[TechWife]

This is not my night for requesting library books. Everything I want has a wait list. I'm 21st on the wait list for this one. The library system owns 20 copies. I think it will be a while!

[stripe]

I haven't read the entire book (flipped through it as my sister's house). What is the book saying about free tine vs. organized activities? That it is better or worse?

That there are two ways to raise kids. One is the rich people's way: chauffeur your kids to many different organized activities. The other is the poor people's way: let them scrub around in the neighborhood and have lots of free time. The organized activity way leads to a sort of preparation for organized encounters; the free time way leads to incoherence in the face of authority (I'm over simplifying, but this is the general idea). The rich kids learn to challenge rules and get their way (finagle the system to their advantage); the poor kids learn to follow rules, so when they need an exception, they are basically too meek and powerless to ask for it.

[Heather in Neverland]

That there are two ways to raise kids. One is the rich people's way: chauffeur your kids to many different organized activities. The other is the poor people's way: let them scrub around in the neighborhood and have lots of free time. The organized activity way leads to a sort of preparation for organized encounters; the free time way leads to incoherence in the face of authority (I'm over simplifying, but this is the general idea). The rich kids learn to challenge rules and get their way (finagle the system to their advantage); the poor kids learn to follow rules, so when they need an exception, they are basically too meek and powerless to ask for it.

 

What I have found after teaching in a very affluent district then teaching in an inner city district is that the poor kids are not meek and powerless but rather just assume that any attempts on their part to overcome will be shot down so why bother (a victim mentality of sorts). The rich kids just assume they will get their way (more of an entitlement mentality).