Another spinoff poll: do you think ANY parent, given the desire, can do it well?

[Rosie_0801]

Rosie, this is a tad off topic, but you could you explain why you could teach Latin concurrently with Arabic, but not French? I'm curious what I'm missing about the study of Latin.

 

As far as I see, French is a living language and to know French, you need to be able to read, write, speak, listen and know culture. Despite "Living Latin," listening and speaking are not as important as reading and writing. We don't have to keep up to date in Latin speaking culture, because the Romans are history.

 

So for me, it is extremely important to reinforce the message to my children that they can do *anything* they want to do... if they have the desire to put in the work to do it. ;)

I don't know about that. "You can do anything" is one of those Great Myths, as far as I'm concerned. "You can do anything if you are willing to work that hard" is certainly an improvement, but really, no amount of singing lessons are going to allow some people to win American Idol ;) I figure some things are worth working hard for, other things require SO MUCH hard work that you ought to take it as a hint that you should focus your efforts elsewhere. But that's just my opinion :)

 

I am realizing more and more that it just honestly doesn't matter how well educated my children are - there will always be a glass ceiling on their upward mobility because they were born into a middle class family. Sure, if a middle class kid is exceptionally (and I mean really, *really* exceptionally smart) that ceiling might not be there - that situation isn't my reality, so I don't know.

 

But, part of the education of the elite isn't academic. It is very much "how to move in upper circles" and "how to project the aura that you belong there".

 

That's certainly true. We have "connections" that would allow for our kids to try that path, but we have no intentions of telling them about it. We're not looking for upward social mobility (dh has been there, done that and found it really boring,) but global mobility. Of course, that might depend on the right connections too and I'm too lower class to know it ;) I'm also too lower class to find enough value in that sort of thing to try social climbing. Heheh, I'm too lazy to wax my legs most of the time, let alone dress for dinner! And make small talk? :svengo: I think languages could allow my kids to move out of the local middle class and into the global middle class, if that makes sense. Or maybe I'm living in my own ideas here and that really doesn't exist. Even if my kids decide to go into admin, it'd be wonderful if, when they got sick of doing admin in our town, they could apply to go do admin in Nairobi or Geneva and have a reasonable chance of getting the job. It's still admin, but it's mobile admin.

 

sorry so long -

Don't be!

 

Rosie - I doubt that all UN employees learned 3 languages in childhood. T So, we aren't necessarily stunting our kids if we only give them two languages (our native one and one more).

I imagine a lot of European kids learn that many languages, but you're right, there are so many kids around who don't learn their mother tongue well, there is no need to feel we're stunting ours if we achieve at least that!

 

But of course, if you have the time and money to pursue it, it won't hurt to add more!

 

Yeah, well. You gotta learn something, don't ya? ;)

 

Rosie

[MelanieM]

As far as I see, French is a living language and to know French, you need to be able to read, write, speak, listen and know culture. Despite "Living Latin," listening and speaking are not as important as reading and writing. We don't have to keep up to date in Latin speaking culture, because the Romans are history.

 

Ah yes, that makes sense. Thanks for expanding on your thought for me!

 

 

I don't know about that. "You can do anything" is one of those Great Myths, as far as I'm concerned. "You can do anything if you are willing to work that hard" is certainly an improvement, but really, no amount of singing lessons are going to allow some people to win American Idol ;) I figure some things are worth working hard for, other things require SO MUCH hard work that you ought to take it as a hint that you should focus your efforts elsewhere. But that's just my opinion :)

 

 

I actually think talent has very little to do with it. There are lots and lots and lots of super talented singers that are not famous, and lots of average (at best) singers that are. Even with American Idol, one of their super famous contestents was that dude that couldn't sing at all -- people loved him because of his determination and personality, and he became a bit of a cult sensation.

 

But my personal world view on that is summed up nicely by this Henry Ford quote: "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." Expectation is a powerful thing!