Monday 30 May 2011

What is 'Make Me an Expert?'

If three is the magic number then four is better.  It seems to me that four is the number of intelligence - we have More 4, BBC 4, Radio 4, and my father once told me that if you read four books on one subject then you're an expert. 

I want to test this theory.  I propose to read 1 book a week, 4 books a month, thus making me an expert on a given topic in a month.  By the end of 2011 I should be an expert on 7 topics, by this time next year I will be an expert on 12 topics.

The logistics
Please note my use of the word 'topic' and not 'subject'.  I am not proposing that I could understand physics in a month, or even one branch of the topic, but I do think I can know a small part of it for example - a moon of Jupiter.

I am also not going to focus solely on topics that interest me, although they will be a part of it.  I already have a 2.1. degree in English Language from the University of Manchester as well being due to complete a Masters in Education this summer so I want to challenge myself with topics away from my current knowledge base (Dialect, the History of Language, Grammar, Semantics, Socio or Psycho linguistics, Language Acquisition, or Secondary Education).

But why?
Because I believe, as an educator, and as a human, that knowledge is power.  To be a good educator and an intelligent person I strongly believe that you should have a thirst for knowledge, a passion for learning and a hunger for wisdom... FEED ME SEYMOUR!