What do Steven Spielberg, Thomas Edison, Jane Goodall, and Elon Musk have in common? All have become famous for their inventions or creativity but they were “quirky” and “kind of different” from the average child at a very young age–and struggled with conventional education or learning.
Autism spokesperson Temple Grandin also is kind of different or “weird” as she would say — but shared some suggestions during Tuesday’s Landon lecture at Kansas State University. And she is concerned about the ways we are educating our young people today at a time we need them in a variety of different fields.
Grandin emphasized the importance of hard work and at an early age. As a young child she didn’t have speech until she was four, with all the symptoms of severe autism. But she had some advantages included an educated family and a mother who taught her how to read.
Grandin also talked about smart kids getting addicted to video games. She said we shouldn’t baby children with autism or other learning disabilities and we need to expose them to a variety of career interests with hands on projects.
McCain was filled to capacity for the 175th Landon Lecture by Dr. Grandin, who now serves as an animal science professor at Colorado State University. She is also a livestock industry expert on animal behavior.
When K-State Provost April Mason asked Grandin following the lecture about what she would tell educators, she suggested getting rid of algebra requirements –and not screening students based on just that ability. Grandin again suggested limiting video games, which she compares to the limited television viewing time she had as a child.
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