To understand Google, know that both Larry and Sergey were Montessori kids

[djbaxter]

Larry Page Wants to Return Google to Its Startup Roots
By Steven Levy, Wired
March 18, 2011

"You can?t understand Google,? vice president Marissa Mayer says, ?unless you know that both Larry and Sergey were Montessori kids.? She?s referring to schools based on the educational philosophy of Maria Montessori, an Italian physician born in 1870 who believed that children should be allowed the freedom to pursue their interests. ?In a Montessori school, you go paint because you have something to express or you just want to do it that afternoon, not because the teacher said so,? she says. ?This is baked into how Larry and Sergey approach problems. They?re always asking, why should it be like that? It?s the way their brains were programmed early on.?

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[C0ldf1re]

Wish I'd gone to a school like that!

 

[djbaxter]

Going to Montessori doesn't necessarily make you brilliant or rich.

 

[C0ldf1re]

I meant I wish I'd gone to a do-what-you-like school. I might have become a brilliant artist!

 

[djbaxter]

You can still become a brilliant artist if you work at it.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Ditto what minstrel said!

I never knew that's what a Montessori school was all about.
I thought it was a religious thing.

 

[djbaxter]

It's not really do-what-you-like but the philosophy is to make learning fun and encourage kids to learn by doing what interests them.

 

[C0ldf1re]

... make learning fun and encourage kids to learn by doing what interests them.

That's how internet games are better than school teachers at making kids computer literate.

 

[VictorEdson]

My cousin went to a Montessori school, and he's really creative in everything he does.

I think the idea behind it is awesome, and it seems to be really beneficial in bringing out the true person, instead of just cramming their head with...less educational stuff like a normal public school does.

If there were one here for my daughter, I'd put her in one as well.

Before you get defensive of my public school slam, I went to a public school and was BORED the whole time. It's the same curriculum over and over and over again. After 6th grade it was just 1 big recap of early American history, and the different parts the earth is made of.

 

[johnllino]

Going to Montessori doesn't necessarily make you brilliant or rich.

There are lots of successful people around us that came in not that popular school but enjoying financial freedom and stability. Its based on someone's attitude. If there's strong will it would not be impossible for you to reach for the stars.

 

[Peetr]

I guess the question is then: how does knowing that about Google help us achieve better SERPS? For instance it's no secret that Google seeks to provide the best results to users. That in turn means creating the best content and aiming to get it ranked and visible. Beyond that it's all academic. : P

Peetr

 

[C0ldf1re]

... That in turn means creating the best content and aiming to get it ranked and visible...

The point of SEO is to take your me-too marketing pitch that nobody reads, and persuade Google that your site has original and authoritative content that is already popular and respected. We just have to out-think those Monti boys!

 

[Peetr]

I agree that SEO is about faking popularity - but creating content that people might actually respond to positively helps! I guess I prefer a collaborative approach to a combative one.

Peetr

 

[C0ldf1re]

... but creating content that people might actually respond to positively helps!...

Oh, yes! (Perhaps I forgot that bit.)