Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to re:Mary you are a fair nicer person than I. Barry gets my respect when he gives me respect.

Just practical
Mary Anne — (archived)

My sister-in-law has her undergraduate degree in early childhood education. She designs phone systems and trains adults in their use now. She says that, when she trains, a lot of that undergraduate work is invaluable, because grown-ups are taller, more sophisticated versions of the preschoolers they once were.

I too work with children (and teens). They tend to model their behavior on that of the biggest person in the room. The words don't matter if the actions aren't there. All I'm suggesting is that the people who want to get their ideas across need to be the biggest people in the room, metaphorically speaking.

I'm not a space specialist by a long shot. I come here to learn. My tolerance level for bickering is very high because of the kind of work I do. One can't say the same for all other adults. It's interesting to listen to an argument conducted in an intellectually engaged way about things related to space science. It makes space science look like it's being worked on by serious people who can be trusted with money. The exchange of insults is playground behavior, and is emblematic of the reason so many adults don't want children in the workplace.

If there is to be name-calling, let it be on the side you're not on. People are smart enough to see who is engaging in intellectual debate and who is saying "Liar liar pants on fire," even when they don't have the vocabulary or the background to understand all of the debating points. After a while, resisting the name-calling battle will yield positive results. Not with the name-caller (though you never know), but with the other kids on the playground.

Regards--
Mary Anne

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