How was William James Sidis educated?

May 24, 2013 5:47 PM

What were Boris Sidis' child-rearing methods? Or how can one find anything on that topic? I understand some hypnotism was allegedly involved, but I can't find any solid journals studying the method. More broadly, how does one systematically nurture a love of learning?
posted by Smedleyman to Education (6 answers total)

I don't know about the Sidis family, but in response to your second question I'd recommend Richard Feynman's "What do you care what other people think?" His father taught him how to figure out interesting things in the world in a very natural and friendly and fun way, and that approach worked very well.
posted by steinwald at 6:45 PM on May 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

science and craft thoughts
posted by sebastienbailard at 7:11 PM on May 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

The prodigy is Amy Wallace's bio of him.
posted by brujita at 7:57 PM on May 24, 2013

Not sure William Sidis HAD a true love of learning. His parents decided before he was even born that they would raise a prodigy, and that's exactly the mold they *forced* their son to fit. For methods that would nurture a love of learning, I'd look elsewhere.
posted by easily confused at 2:30 AM on May 25, 2013

One nurtures a love of learning in children by relentlessly modeling that behavior.
posted by txmon at 7:47 AM on May 25, 2013 [1 favorite]

Boris Sidis wrote a book called Philistine and Genius on his thoughts on education. Though, it should be noted, that he later regretted his methods (Slate article on Sidis, Norbert Wiener, and the Tiger Mom). William Sidis' actual IQ is disputed, and I'm not sure he had a life full of a love for learning.
posted by bluefly at 10:05 AM on May 25, 2013 [1 favorite]