Comments for Tinkering School

Comment on Presenting at TEDU by zoe-claire

zoe-claire — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:57:42 +0000

too true this guy is hilarius!

Comment on Dangerism by Gary Ball

Gary Ball — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:39:21 +0000

I constantly get into disagreements about danger. I truly feel that we create stupid children when we eliminate every single dangerous activity. Children need to explore and learn their limits. Sometimes saying OW that hurt is the best way to learn. The little bumps and bruises they get while young is nothing compared to the major injuries they will avoid later. For example, when my 3 year old jumps off of the couch he learns how to roll with a fall. Later when he is 14 or 15 he will be less likely to jump off of the garage roof because he has experimented and knows his limits – he hopefully will know that a 12 foot drop is unrealistic. Now it is my job as a parent to ensure he knows to look for a clear area to land (from the couch of course).

Knives and powertools are only risky if used in a stupid way so lets expose our kids to danger in smart ways. Teach them to know and understand it but not to be afraid of it. As parents we sometimes need to just relax. As educators we should relax too, if we could just get rid of those damn insurance specialists. We are hamstrung by the fear of a lawsuit or a reprisal by the insurance industry. The minute we let the insurance industry run everything we are finished – and so are our kids/students.

Comment on Dangerism by Lenore Skenazy

Lenore Skenazy — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:06:32 +0000

“Dangerism” is a great concept and I’d love to think and hear more about it: Why is driving kids not considered dangerous (even though the #1 cause of death for kids is as passengers in car accidents), while walking to school is considered asking for trouble. I’d love to hear more examples of how we have “dangerized” formerly normal childhood activities. Go, Gever! — Lenore Skenazy, Free-Range Kids

Comment on Dangerism by Kevin H

Kevin H — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:26:59 +0000

Mr. Tulley, I enjoy reading your blog and perspective. I purchased your book because it sounded fun, and your thoughts on http://www.TED.com and your TinkeringSchool website resonate with me. Since the book came right before the New Year I made it my New Year’s resolution to document doing the activities with my family on my my blog. Thanks, we are enjoying learning and growing together.

Comment on Dangerism by Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:28:46 +0000

Gever, a great piece; I think it gets to the heart of the real cultural relativity of 'Risk'. I also like your framing of Risk vs. Benefit assessment, and think it very much echoes the framework playworkers in Adventure Playgrounds (at least in the UK) are encouraged to adopt. I wrote a little about it here: "What Really is Dangerous?"

Comment on Dangerism by tzf

tzf — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 07:19:22 +0000

One of the things I find fascinating about raising children is the differences in children that come from the same gene pools (their mom’s and mine). My own mother is overprotective of my children, having had some harrowing experiences in her own childhood, so she was shocked to learn that I was sending the two kids out to the local corner store, two blocks away, when Sayuri was 8 and Toshi was 6. A big part of it was that I know these kids, and I trust them, not so much to “be careful” but to be who they are. Sayuri is adventurous, wild, and very aware of her surroundings. Toshi’s more introverted, and has always been very cautious and detail-oriented. I knew that Sayuri’s confidence and awareness would get them across the streets and to their desitnation safely, and that Toshi’s caution would prevent them from doing anything too adventurous. I still don’t let them go out “solo”, but they’ve been ranging around the neighborhood together for a couple of years now, lately going down to the big parking lot to learn to ride their ripsticks where there’s a slope in this incredibly flat city. I’m still afraid to let Sayuri, now almost 11, go out by herself, because she’s just too damned beautiful and I’m afraid someone will steal her. I’ve seen the Megan’s Law web site for our city, and there’s bad people out there… but for now, the buddy system works for me.

Comment on New Tinkering School Announcement List is Up! by Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:02:12 +0000

My son, 9, is sure interested. I’ve been watching this site for some time – just waiting to introduce him to it!

Comment on New Tinkering School Announcement List is Up! by julianna

julianna — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:49:38 +0000

wow i was at the last tinkering school that would be very cool

Comment on Provocation: Where Are You? by Scott Anderson

Scott Anderson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:31:23 +0000

Very fun! I am at work, so looking around my “officle” I also can see that much around me is in English. In front of me I see a GoPass, which allows state employees to ride the bus, but it only refers to the website gotriangle.org, not specific enough. I look out onto the parking deck, and see that the majority of cars have NC plates. There is a semi-translucent wall between me and my office mate, and I notice that she has taped postcards on her side of the wall. Since she has posted the picture side out, I can read her address on the other side through the window… Raleigh, NC.

Comment on Five Great Things About This Picture by Kirsten

Kirsten — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:13:00 +0000

Your post get me so fired up, I love the whole concept of letting crazy, random play unlock our creativity and sense of fun. I just ordered potassium nitrate for my 12 year old. Yes, he could blow something up with it, but he wants to learn about how to make things smoke. Duh, who doesn’t????????