Sunday, November 6, 2011

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell.

I realized the other day why educators had been on my mind. It is because I recently finished the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.  One of the chapters "Rice Paddies and Math Tests" was an interesting read on education systems around the world and one of the determining factors of a child's success- especially those that come from lower income families.

The author did a fabulous job at using real life stories to make his point. Gladwell used facts to present his case, but primarily used case examples which made the book all the more interesting to read. I would highly recommend this book to any parent, grandparent, or educator. Successful people aren't just born, they have been awarded opportunities and have taken advantage of them which later leads to their success. Does our current education system hurt or hinder the next generation? You decide, but after reading "Rice Paddies and Math Tests" you may find a valid argument that will hopefully lead to further discussions and research.

That being said, I do believe that what the world defines as success is often different than what God defines as success. But, we still want to raise children that make a difference and who use the talents and abilities that God has blessed them with to the absolute best of their ability. As the stories in this book will attest, it takes hard work and diligence to land at the top, it doesn't just "happen."

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