from Paul Graham | by Paul Graham

10 yo is preparing for a standardized test. He got a big encyclopedia of science from the school library that he reads during breaks. With great reluctance I had to tell him that science is not "on the test" and he should read dumb test-prep guides instead.

Right there is the suckage of so-called "aptitude" tests. They're meant to be something you can't prepare for. After all, how could preparing increase your aptitude? But you always can. So ambitious kids spend their time learning test-taking skills instead of actual knowledge.

I did at least give him the math test-prep guide. That comes the closest to actually teaching something.