The Outliers

I am currently reading Malcolm Gladwell's latest book, Outliers, The Story of Success and even the first chapter is a doozy. I was one of those November children who started kindergarten as the youngest in the class, and Outliers starts out by illustrating the age based advantages given to those who are larger and more mature whether in athletics or in school. It helps me to understand why I didn't make the little league team, but it also helps me to better understand why school can be a crippling experience for some. It illustrates how even the very simple things like date of birth can have profound implications. We run grave risks of debilitating some even as we lift others.

How do we change that? I think schools like Clear Spring School are the answer. Smaller class sizes, more personal child centered learning, schools that allow for variation and individuality in child development.