Russell Coker <russell@coker.com.au> wrote:
"How to think" would mean logical analysis of arguments etc and the "debates" about the environment provides many good examples where young children can see the flaws in arguments.
True. Those skills are important to cultivate in so far as this can be done. I would argue that they're essential to civic responsibilities: if someone can't understand and assess the arguments made in the media by politicians, political commentators, researchers and others, then it's very difficult to engage meaningfully in public discussion or to make an informed vote at election time. The same skills are of course useful in many aspects of life, from decisions about health, family and relationships to managing the demands and opportunities of a career.
If "normal" in this case means anything like most schools then it's not helpful in developing social skills unless you are preparing kids for prison life.
My school experience was much better than that, despite difficulties at times. There were opportunities for social engagement, but I'm not sure that they developed my social skills as such; I would credit those, such as they are, to growing up in a supportive family environment, and later having the opportunity to study and collaborate with highly successful people (successful, that is, both intellectually and socially, among other dimensions). I've heard it argued that computing technology, as a profession, tends to attract people with undeveloped social skills (leaving aside autism, which is a different matter entirely). I've never encountered actual data to confirm or dispute this claim, and most of the people I know in the technology profession are very socially adept. However, they're also in roles that would be problematic for anyone with undeveloped social skills, for example standards committees and leadership responsibilities in organizations and research departments. Of course there are the exceptions, and I've met a number of those; but I'm not sure whether there are more of them in technology than in other fields (especially other intellectual pursuits). I'm sure there are technical jobs which are not highly collaborative and perhaps better suited to those for whom social interaction is more of a problem.