Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her.
Urie BronfenbrennerRead
Turning on the television set can turn off the process that transforms children into people... It is primarily through observing, playing, and working with others older and younger than himself that a child discovers both what he can do and who he can become — that he develops both his ability and his identity.
Interpretation
Television can distract children from essential interactions that shape their identity and skills.
This quote emphasizes the importance of active engagement in a child's growth and development. Urie Bronfenbrenner suggests that while television can provide entertainment, it often detracts from vital experiences where children learn from their peers and elders. Through interaction and observation, children build their abilities and sense of self, highlighting that personal relationships and experiences are crucial for their overall development.
In practice
In a discussion about child development at a parenting workshop.
Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her.
Yeah, I'm a thrill seeker, but crikey, education's the most important thing.
That's the public-school system all over. They may kick you out, but they never let you down.
When you wish to instruct, be brief; that men's [children's] minds take in quickly what you say, learn its lesson, and retain it faithfully. Every word that is unnecessary only pours over the side of a brimming mind.
Woe to him who teaches men faster than they can learn.
In the long run, your human capital is your main base of competition. Your leading indicator of where you're going to be 20 years from now is how well you're doing in your education system.
It is essential to rear a generation at the very top of society that has all the qualities needed to lead and give the people the inspiration and the drive to make it succeed. In short, the elite.. Every society tries to produce this type. The British have special schools for them: the gifted and talented are sent to Eton and Harrow.
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