> [1] Think about all the useless things kids can be good at. Did they have to rationalize why they should learn them?
reply'It's fun' is a pretty compelling reason for both kids and adults to learn certain things, but you can't just decide what's fun and what isn't. Maths rarely gets to have that reason (and when it does, it applies to people for whom this entire problem isn't relevant).
I'm not opposed to trying to make learning anything fun. At a larger scale, though, if that's the primary strategy, you'll barely move the needle.
reply> Focus on (positive) emotions. Give kids incentives.
replyI taught at an English-immersion high school in Shanghai.
It's worth remarking that the boy at the top of the class in each grade was dating the girl at the top of the class.
Are you suggesting that in that culture boys/girls did not value the other party unless they were academically similar...?
replyI can believe it, but I don't know if it's true. Obviously not true in the US.
I'm suggesting that in Chinese culture, academic success is an effective way to impress girls.
replyOr ... for them to impress guys?
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