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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
 Posted - 07/25/2009 : 19:37:13
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Magic does the trick for children's self-esteem
This is but one reason I love Richard Wiseman.
Magic tricks should be taught to every school pupil, researchers have concluded. Although not exactly in the Harry Potter league, tests have shown that teaching magic to children boosts their self-confidence and social skills.
The improvements seen in children were so marked that the research team from the University of Hertfordshire called for magic to be added to the national curriculum. Richard Wiseman, who led the study, said that the skills demanded by even simple tricks helped children in several ways.
Magic forced them to show self-discipline to master the tricks, problem-solving skills in identifying how tricks worked and likeable behaviour to entertain other people successfully.
The overall effect of the lessons, in which they had to learn and perform at least one trick in front of other pupils, was to enhance their self-esteem and confidence.
The study involved 60 pupils aged between 10 and 12 from two schools in Hertfordshire. They were given magic lessons during Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) lessons.
“Magic School was far more effective than the existing self-esteem and confidence lesson,” Professor Wiseman told the British Association conference in Liverpool… |
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2009 : 02:47:02 [Permalink]
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It can also become the foundation for a healthy skepticism.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2009 : 08:52:00 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by filthy
It can also become the foundation for a healthy skepticism.
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Oh, absolutely. I'm sure that's a part of Wiseman's thinking. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2009 : 09:58:51 [Permalink]
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Teaching stage magic tricks can be a dangerous exercise professionally, however.
For example, there was Jim Piculas, the Florida substitute teacher who was fired for "wizardry" last year for performing sleight of hand with a toothpick. Texas and Florida have programs to provide employment to their town idiots by putting them on school boards.
[Edit: Spelling; changed "an" to "can" in first sentence.] |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/26/2009 17:08:27 |
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Zebra
Skeptic Friend
USA
354 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2009 : 15:03:06 [Permalink]
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I really like the idea of teaching kids about magic. Interesting to hear/read that there's personal benefit, applicable to other areas, for kids from learning how to do it. Obviously the other aspect is kids learning how to evaluate skeptically & debunk, and how readily we can be fooled.
Originally posted by HalfMooner
Teaching stage magic tricks an be a dangerous exercise professionally, however.
For example, there was Jim Piculas, the Florida substitute teacher who was fired for "wizardry" last year for performing sleight of hand with a toothpick. Texas and Florida have programs to provide employment to their town idiots by putting them on school boards.
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Good lord. They've been watching too many Harry Potter movies.
The really good trick would be to make those school board members vanish into thin air!
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I think, you know, freedom means freedom for everyone* -Dick Cheney
*some restrictions may apply |
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Kids should be taught how to do magic
