This article was taken from the October 2011 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother roared the case for strict parenting, but is tough love the best way to prepare a child for the future? Richard Gerver, an award-winning former school head and a government adviser, takes a different view. Here he gives a lesson in how to teach children to be free thinkers.
1. REMEMBER THAT FAILURE IS AN OPTION "Resist the urge to stop your child from failing," says Gerver. "One of the most important skills of free thinking is the ability to take risks, and we have to encourage children to feel making mistakes is a positive thing."
This doesn't mean being reckless, obviously, but taking a step back may help your child take giant leaps forward. "People who have made great discoveries will tell you it came through a process of mistakes."
2. ALWAYS QUESTION EVERYTHING
Turn the tables and be the one to ask them the dumb questions. "Look for opportunities to get your child to stimulate their thinking," says Gerver. "In the supermarket, ask them why the ice cream is not kept on the shelves." Your quizzing also provides a great role model, explains Gerver. "It says to your child that it's OK to ask stupid questions. One of the greatest skills of a free thinker is to ask difficult questions."
3. CHANGE YOUR SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
When choosing schools, forget obsessing over Ofsted reports. "It's not necessarily best to go on aspects such as academic outcomes," says Gerver. "Parents need to be less pressured by conventions in society -- such as, my child must read by this age."
Gerver points to OECD reports that suggest countries with the best-developing education systems are moving away from "knowledge-based systems" to those that focus on creativity.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
