Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!bu-cs!purdue!i.cc.purdue.edu!k.cc.purdue.edu!l.cc.purdue.edu!cik
From: cik@l.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Student preparedness (you know...)
Summary: Or at least admit it, and leave them alone
Message-ID: <1070@l.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: 20 Dec 88 12:20:34 GMT
References: <15895@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <877@mcrware.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Statistics Department
Lines: 25

In article <877@mcrware.UUCP>, jejones@mcrware.UUCP (James Jones) writes:
< I'm sorry, but I can't agree.  By that reasoning, the master flute class that
< I once saw Jean-Pierre Rampal teach should have had me on stage--I can't play
< the flute worth a hoot--instead of the cream of the crop that was up there
< with him.  Geniuses, after all, can take care of themselves, right?

> I grew up in schools that seemed to share that notion, and the main thing I
> learned was how not to study.  College was a definite awakening.
> 
> I hope that schools disabuse themselves of the notion that they don't have
> to do anything special for the gifted, or can just ignore them in favor of
> trying to teach the least able.

If they cannot do something for the gifted, and many of them are in this
position, at least get them out of the class and provide an opportunity for
them to study by themselves.  Possibly in the humanities, the so-called
enrichment programs make sense (but I doubt it); in mathematics and the
sciences, only advancement at a very rapid pace makes any sense.

But even doing nothing but getting them out of the stupid classes is better
than what is being done now.
-- 
Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907
Phone: (317)494-6054
hrubin@l.cc.purdue.edu (Internet, bitnet, UUCP)