John Holt
John Holt
afraid avoid brains child explore force pressures ways
If we continually try to force a child to do what he is afraid to do, he will become more timid, and will use his brains and energy, not to explore the unknown, but to find ways to avoid the pressures we put on him.
create fears manipulate
Even when we do not create children's fears, when they come to us with fears ready-made and built-in, we use their fears as handles to manipulate them and get them to do what we want
accepted comments forthright less
He has accepted that he may well have been less forthright in his comments if he had been aware.
banks financial help offer smaller
You know what you want and you go in and get it. If you need more time, explanation, help with your financial goals, these smaller banks can help you, but they may not be able to offer the Wal-Mart pricing.
compelling destroy learning love petty strong work
We destroy the love of learning in children, which is so strong when they are small, by encouraging and compelling them to work for petty and contemptible rewards.
knowledge learning love needed needs people senseless since teach turn whatever
Since we can't know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned.
amount bring interest pay shout slip threats
No use to shout at them to pay attention. If the situations, the materials, the problems before the child do not interest him, his attention will slip off to what does interest him, and no amount of exhortation of threats will bring it back.
children experience people themselves
People should be free to find or make for themselves the kinds of educational experience they want their children to have.