Scientism and Values.pdf - Ludwig von Mises Institute

198 Scientism and Values
'wisdom of the body' that enables children to make wise choices
in matters educational has led to direct demonstrations and a
whole theory of curriculum and method in education." The paper
(23) cited in Olson's book as a demonstration of the working of
this idea showed the self-selection group to be a little better in
a few attributes than the group taught in the traditional manner.
The differences were not so great that I would be convinced until
I saw the results of many more experiments.
In support of his views on seeking and self-selection Olson (14)
resorts once to a biological analogy, twice to infant growth, and
once to the activities of preschool children. Are these a sound
basis for making decisions about the management of schools?' Why
does he not present growth age curves which would permit me
to comp.are children schooled in a traditional way with those
schooled under the "wisdom of the body" idea? Ample evidence
of this sort would do much to convert the "wisdom of the body"
idea from a weak analogy with a biological concept into an educational
hypothesis.
Olson says that in order to be sure the seeking activity of the
student is satisfied to the full, the teacher must be sure to provide
the materials at the right time. This activity of the teacher is
called pacing. Pacing also "refers to the attitude which expects
from the child only that which he can yield at his stage of
maturity."
Some students of child development appear not to be impressed
by what they have seen of the permissive treatment of children in
schools which presumably gains support from the above ideas.
Their views contrast strongly with the ideas of "wisdom of the
body" and of seeking and pacing. Breckenridge and Vincent (3)
say:
It is in order to build a secure sense of being needed and useful
that children should learn to work. Our recent emphasis upon protecting
children from child labor, our urgent planning to fill children's
time with happiness and play, our progressive education emphasis
upon making learning quick and easy through proje,cts and