There have been a lot of articles written lately explaining the importance of being fluent with language (at least one), with numbers, even of knowing how to write (as oppose to texting). That many feel the inclination to write about this is telling enough. For me, this entire week has been spent fighting with people in ways that mirrors the above concerns: width (ancho) is not length (largo), carajo!! A flat board is not on edge! Up is not the direction gravity works↓! Disconnecting the hose from a nail gun is not the same as unplugging the compressor! (If the pressure is up, handling the nail gun to remove a stuck nail can still make you sorry you ever did). Look for the keys behind the clock does not mean being the thermometer! I know both are round, but one tells time! The other one doesn’t!! What’s going on? It seems that every Spanish speaking person in Denton and I are separated by a common language. Guillermo promises to have a student look into this for his PhD. Well, I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait. Forget cyclops numbers (101) and Mobius loops. I’m working on the simple stuff here: we’re talking 2 + 2. Dos más dos. The theory of up vs down. 21” ≠ 10”. Also, I gave up on explaining the difference between plumb and level. So maybe Jim is right: if people want to substitute level for plumb or use “France” as an adjective, as in “The France striker,” let them. It’s the way language goes. Anyhow, I’m calm now that I’ve had my gin and tonic double—very little tonic. Still, I’m beginning to think there is a window for fluency, when it comes to numeracy and handwriting, same as for learning a language or playing the piano. In other words, the younger you start the better and those that get started late have little hope of catching up.
But that’s not all. I now think there is a window for fluency in learning: I’m beginning to arrive at the notion that if you don’t learn to learn by the time you are, say thirteen, that window closes and then learning is really hard, if not impossible. Perhaps we should not be concerned with teaching kids anything in particular, only teach them to learn. Then the rest comes easy.