Are they serious?

Like most I sometimes shake my head at the decisions of well-meaning advisory committees. In an age where we are continually crowding the curriculum of our children's education this story explains how toddlers should have career counselling:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/797522/toddlers-should-get-career-counselling

Honestly! How many two year olds do you know who have their careers mapped out? Hubby says when he was younger he wanted to be a millionaire but the job was never offered. Can you imagine the advertisement in the career pages?:

"Wanted, millionaire, all on the job training provided along with a Rolls Royce, chauffeur and lots of money. No experience necessary. Apply to.."

Our governments (state and federal) seem to be intent on crowding the curriculum with so many subject areas that our children suffer in basic areas such as reading and maths. Mike is pre-compulsory schooling age, so thankfully I can concentrate on teaching reading and other things can take a back seat. To me, reading is so foundational to other learning that I have no problems with this. C. S. Lewis had this to say about crowding the curriculum:

"In those days a boy on the classical side officially did almost nothing but classics. I think this was wise; the greatest service we can do to education to-day is to teach fewer subjects. No one has time to do more than a very few things well before he is twenty, and when we force a boy to be a mediocrity in a dozen subjects we destroy his standards, perhaps for life."*

.

*C. S. Lewis Surprised by Joy Harper Collins 1998 pg 87