On 12/16/2010 11:42 PM, Wayne.B wrote:
On Thu, 16 Dec 2010 12:12:38 -0500,
wrote:

How do you teach clever?



I'm sure Paul can speak for himself on this, but...


I wish he would.


A good, solid liberal arts education, a wide, catholic reading list, and
rigorous Socratic methodology in the classroom will improve the
"cleverness" of students who want to learn and learn to think.

I understand your point but I've never thought of cleverness as
something that could be taught. Some people have it, some think they
have it and don't, and others could care less.

I remember to this day a number of my graduate level college classes
where the professors drove hard to sharpen the wits of his students.

How did that work out?



Would it not depend on how "clever" is being defined?

Clever, for example, can include terms like "quick-witted." You can help
students become more quick-witted. In fact, I think it reasonable to say
that teaching via the Socratic method helps students think on their
feet, as it were, and become more quick-witted and therefore, clever.

Wouldn't you agree?