Comments on: False start http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/2009/03/23/false-start/ Daily commentary from Civitas researchers Sun, 19 Feb 2012 03:11:17 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: ian josephs http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/2009/03/23/false-start/comment-page-1/#comment-791 ian josephs Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:21:56 +0000 http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/?p=824#comment-791 Peter I also (thanks to my mother) could read before I went to school.I certainly felt no pain sitting through lessons aimed at non readers .On the contrary,I felt smug,conceited and superior ! Nothing admirable I agree but "pain" and "difficulty in fitting in ",not a bit of it I assure you ! Peter I also (thanks to my mother) could read before I went to school.I certainly felt no pain sitting through lessons aimed at non readers .On the contrary,I felt smug,conceited and superior ! Nothing admirable I agree but “pain” and “difficulty in fitting in “,not a bit of it I assure you !

]]> By: ian josephs http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/2009/03/23/false-start/comment-page-1/#comment-782 ian josephs Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:32:47 +0000 http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/?p=824#comment-782 Forced schooling at 4 when most of Europe starts at 6 with better results shows once again the eagerness of the State to intrude early in controlling the lives of its citizens.Foced early schooling is yet another attack on the family to compliment the childsnatching followed by adoption for "risk of emotional abuse" and similar trivialities; Taxing couples who stay together,splitting up married couples if a father is suspected of merely smacking a child also demonstrate that the family is under attack and that the State' s influence over what wesay what we think,how we bring up our children is an ever present encroachment of our civil liberties; Forced schooling at 4 when most of Europe starts at 6 with better results shows once again the eagerness of the State to intrude early in controlling the lives of its citizens.Foced early schooling is yet another attack on the family to compliment the childsnatching followed by adoption for “risk of emotional abuse” and similar trivialities;
Taxing couples who stay together,splitting up married couples if a father is suspected of merely smacking a child also demonstrate that the family is under attack and that the State’ s influence over what wesay what we think,how we bring up our children is an ever present encroachment of our civil liberties;

]]> By: Peter Davey http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/2009/03/23/false-start/comment-page-1/#comment-779 Peter Davey Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:26:12 +0000 http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/?p=824#comment-779 I taught myself to read before starting school, which I did at the "normal" age of five. I can still remember the pain caused by sitting through lessons aimed at pupils with lower abilities than mine. In a system where pupils do not start formal education until six, where exactly do those children of the same type as myself - there are quite a few - fit in? "Where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise"? I taught myself to read before starting school, which I did at the “normal” age of five. I can still remember the pain caused by sitting through lessons aimed at pupils with lower abilities than mine.

In a system where pupils do not start formal education until six, where exactly do those children of the same type as myself – there are quite a few – fit in?

“Where ignorance is bliss ’tis folly to be wise”?

]]> By: William Haines http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/2009/03/23/false-start/comment-page-1/#comment-778 William Haines Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:34:04 +0000 http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/?p=824#comment-778 My children started primary school in Russia when they were 6 years old. By then their fine motor skills were well enough developed to be able to learn how to write elegantly instead of in a scrawl which they would have to improve later. They learnt how to read Russian in a year from a standing start as they are English. Again they were mature enough to learn quickly and able to concentrate more than if they had started earlier. Starting school too early leads to frustration in those not developed enough to keep up and a decline in self-esteem and early rejection of school and thus education. It is all so obvious really that one wonders why reports need to be commissioned. My children started primary school in Russia when they were 6 years old. By then their fine motor skills were well enough developed to be able to learn how to write elegantly instead of in a scrawl which they would have to improve later. They learnt how to read Russian in a year from a standing start as they are English. Again they were mature enough to learn quickly and able to concentrate more than if they had started earlier. Starting school too early leads to frustration in those not developed enough to keep up and a decline in self-esteem and early rejection of school and thus education. It is all so obvious really that one wonders why reports need to be commissioned.

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