Kids who aren't exposed to the soul-crushing institution that is school, will learn things on their own.
This seems too good to be true.
Please note that I don't overestimate the quality of school system (I was a teacher and then I quit, because I felt the system is hopeless), and I also do not underestimate natural curiosity, especially of a child that has intelligent parents, so is naturally exposed to talk about interesting topics. Here are my two pieces of evidence:
Montessori education is based on giving children great freedom, and only providing them interesting learning tools. Are you saying that removing those tools would make education even more efficient?
Internet is full of distractions. Many people on LW suffer from procrastination (see, we even have a special word for "spending all your time on internet, accomplishing nothing"). I thank Bayes for not having internet access when I was of school age. Today many children play online games all day long. What makes you think that a child will be able to resist all that?
I'm friends with an incredibly smart kid. He's 14, but has been put up three grades in school at one point. He does all the obvious enrichment things which are available in the relatively small Australian city he lives in.
His life experience has been pretty unusual. He doesn't really know what it's like to be challenged in school. All his friends are way older than he is. (Once, I asked him how being constantly around people older than him made him feel. He replied, "Concerned for my future.")
He doesn't know anyone like him, which I think is a shame: he'd probably get along very well with them.
Does anyone know any similar kid geniuses? If so, can I give them my friend's details?
Thanks.