The Professor
Diamond Member
- Mar 4, 2011
- 16,752
- 25,010
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Unkotare, you started a thread about learning foreign languages, and the subject matter expanded into other areas. I made a comment about the importance of speed-reading and logic, and apparently I upset you greatly. Here is the link and a recap of what was said:
http://www.usmessageboard.com/education/312472-speaking-of-speaking-3.html#post7826732
The Professor:
“However, there are two subjects that should be taught in every school: The first one is is speed reading. This is one of the most fundamental courses of all. Speed readers can easily achieve reading speeds ten or more times faster than average. That means that with respects to printed information they can learn ten times more, not 10 percent more but ten times more, than others. Can you imagine where our country would be if most students knew 10 times more than they do now?”
Unkotare:
“Maybe you should take a course in logic and then reconsider your 'brilliant' speed reading idea.”
The Professor:
“I have taken courses in logic and speed reading. I am fully aware of the benefits of each. But if you cannot see the advantage of either, there is nothing for my to say.
“In public school, I took a course in plane geometry. In college (I have an MBA and JD) I also took courses on logic. I took a non-college course in speed reading which increased my reading speed to 3,000 word per minute, not a record, but not too shabby either (actually it is slightly above average for speed readers).
“OK, I am done with you and this thread.”
Unkotare:
“Wow, so the answer to improving education is to require courses that just happen to be exactly the ones you once took? What a coincidence.
“If you had actually learned something in that logic course you'd see what's wrong with your 'brilliant' idea. But, I guess you also took a speed retreating course...”
The Professor:
“I said I was done with you and this thread, but apparently you didn't understand. Would you care to meet me in the bull ring? “
Unkotare:
“Have you figured out yet why speed reading isn't the great secret to improving education?”
Regarding your last comment, I never said speed reading was "the great secret to improving education." You saw words I didn't type Speed reading has been around for decades (over half a century) so it is hardly a secret, and although it is not a cure-all there is no doubt that increased reading speeds and comprehension will improve the educational system. How much, I don't know. In my opinion this country needs to RE-focus on reading skills. Shamefully, many colleges today offer remedial reading courses to incoming students and I can assure you they didn't do this back in the 1960s. The focus should be on reading, and not just average reading skills. The emphasis should be on maximizing each student's capacity to read and comprehend.
I must apologize for one thing: I said, “Speed readers can easily achieve reading speeds ten or more times faster than average.” While trained speed readers can achieve such speeds, and even greater speeds, not everyone can attain this level. The average reading speed is about 300 WPM, and most people should be able to easily double and triple their speed.
Unkotare, I take issue with the following statement: “Wow, so the answer to improving education is to require courses that just happen to be exactly the ones you once took? What a coincidence.” That makes no sense. I don't want these courses taught simply because I took them. I want them taught because I know how important they are. Apparently you don't think the courses are necessary because you never took them. If you had taken them you would know their benefits. I believe in speed reading because I received the training, and without it I never would have been able to accomplish my educational objectives (an MBA and JD while working full time).
So far I have discussed only speed reading. After we debate this issue through, I will talk about the necessity of teaching logic. Those who cannot think logically are easily manipulated, and some of the greatest tragedies are the direct result of illogical thinking. I will talk about these things at another time but here's a teaser: in the early 1900s, tens of thousands of people in the United States lost their lives because the entire medical profession spent a decade looking for a non-existent microbial cause of a disease. Logic alone should have told them that microbes were not involved and the disease was not contagious. More on that later.
PS: If you Google “speed reading” you will see there are over 276,000,000 sites. I'll let you do your own research. I will give you one site, not the most technical, not the most statistically significant, but a good one nonetheless. Forbes reported a speed-reading test given by Staples. According to the test, the average speed reader read 5 times faster than the average man and 2 time faster than the average college professor.
Do You Read Fast Enough To Be Successful? - Forbes
Note: Forbes was wrong on the world record. which is around 28,000 WPM. I think they were referring to the record for reading a Harry Potter bock.
http://www.usmessageboard.com/education/312472-speaking-of-speaking-3.html#post7826732
The Professor:
“However, there are two subjects that should be taught in every school: The first one is is speed reading. This is one of the most fundamental courses of all. Speed readers can easily achieve reading speeds ten or more times faster than average. That means that with respects to printed information they can learn ten times more, not 10 percent more but ten times more, than others. Can you imagine where our country would be if most students knew 10 times more than they do now?”
Unkotare:
“Maybe you should take a course in logic and then reconsider your 'brilliant' speed reading idea.”
The Professor:
“I have taken courses in logic and speed reading. I am fully aware of the benefits of each. But if you cannot see the advantage of either, there is nothing for my to say.
“In public school, I took a course in plane geometry. In college (I have an MBA and JD) I also took courses on logic. I took a non-college course in speed reading which increased my reading speed to 3,000 word per minute, not a record, but not too shabby either (actually it is slightly above average for speed readers).
“OK, I am done with you and this thread.”
Unkotare:
“Wow, so the answer to improving education is to require courses that just happen to be exactly the ones you once took? What a coincidence.
“If you had actually learned something in that logic course you'd see what's wrong with your 'brilliant' idea. But, I guess you also took a speed retreating course...”
The Professor:
“I said I was done with you and this thread, but apparently you didn't understand. Would you care to meet me in the bull ring? “
Unkotare:
“Have you figured out yet why speed reading isn't the great secret to improving education?”
Regarding your last comment, I never said speed reading was "the great secret to improving education." You saw words I didn't type Speed reading has been around for decades (over half a century) so it is hardly a secret, and although it is not a cure-all there is no doubt that increased reading speeds and comprehension will improve the educational system. How much, I don't know. In my opinion this country needs to RE-focus on reading skills. Shamefully, many colleges today offer remedial reading courses to incoming students and I can assure you they didn't do this back in the 1960s. The focus should be on reading, and not just average reading skills. The emphasis should be on maximizing each student's capacity to read and comprehend.
I must apologize for one thing: I said, “Speed readers can easily achieve reading speeds ten or more times faster than average.” While trained speed readers can achieve such speeds, and even greater speeds, not everyone can attain this level. The average reading speed is about 300 WPM, and most people should be able to easily double and triple their speed.
Unkotare, I take issue with the following statement: “Wow, so the answer to improving education is to require courses that just happen to be exactly the ones you once took? What a coincidence.” That makes no sense. I don't want these courses taught simply because I took them. I want them taught because I know how important they are. Apparently you don't think the courses are necessary because you never took them. If you had taken them you would know their benefits. I believe in speed reading because I received the training, and without it I never would have been able to accomplish my educational objectives (an MBA and JD while working full time).
So far I have discussed only speed reading. After we debate this issue through, I will talk about the necessity of teaching logic. Those who cannot think logically are easily manipulated, and some of the greatest tragedies are the direct result of illogical thinking. I will talk about these things at another time but here's a teaser: in the early 1900s, tens of thousands of people in the United States lost their lives because the entire medical profession spent a decade looking for a non-existent microbial cause of a disease. Logic alone should have told them that microbes were not involved and the disease was not contagious. More on that later.
PS: If you Google “speed reading” you will see there are over 276,000,000 sites. I'll let you do your own research. I will give you one site, not the most technical, not the most statistically significant, but a good one nonetheless. Forbes reported a speed-reading test given by Staples. According to the test, the average speed reader read 5 times faster than the average man and 2 time faster than the average college professor.
Do You Read Fast Enough To Be Successful? - Forbes
Note: Forbes was wrong on the world record. which is around 28,000 WPM. I think they were referring to the record for reading a Harry Potter bock.
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