“If not now, when? If not me, who?”
Jewish Proverb
Kittens that are between their third week and third month of life, kept in a room lined only with horizontal stripes will, as adults, have no trouble romping from table to floor. However, they will bump into the table and chair legs. They behave throughout their lives as if vertical objects do not exist.
White-crowned sparrow chicks must hear their species’ song between their tenth and fiftieth day of life. It is only during this critical period of time, that they can tape and store the parental songs in their brain — and be able to reproduce the song later in life.
These experiments — and there are others like them — tell us that learning in animals is subject to windows of opportunity, to particular times in a creature’s development when it is ready to learn specific things. Human learning too, is subject to windows of opportunity. Invasive research on humans is rare so, we most easily see this bit of reality by looking at unusual, tragic cases.
“Genie”
In 1970, in southern California, child welfare workers discovered a girl of thirteen who had not been spoken to by her parents since infancy. From the age of twenty months, when her family moved into her grandmother’s house, until she was thirteen — “Genie” (a pseudonym) lived in nearly total isolation. She was kept naked and restrained by a harness that her father had fashioned. She was left to sit on her potty seat day after day. She could move only her hands and feet. She had nothing to do; nothing to listen to. At night, she was put into a strait-jacket and caged in a cube that had wire-mesh sides and an overhead cover.
She was often hungry and was kept alive by a diet that consisted mostly of milk and baby food. If she made any noise, her father beat her. No one ever spoke to her; not her father, who barked and growled at her; not her mother, who was blind and dependent on her father; and not her brother, who followed her father’s instruction.
Discovery
At the time of her discovery, she weighed 59 pounds. She could not straighten her arms and legs. She did not know how to chew; and she did not make any sounds — she was eerily silent. Psychologists, physicians, and therapists were brought in to examine “Genie” during those first few months after her discovery. Many sophisticated and dedicated individuals struggled to teach “Genie” about the delights of discovering the world; and much to everyone’s surprise, “Genie” did learn ‘some’ speech. She learned isolated nouns, as toddlers do when they first start to talk. Then she started to put two words together (e.g. want milk). She even progressed to a three word string (e.g., small two cup; white clear box).
However, she never asked questions, despite many efforts to teach her to do so. Nor did she ever develop grammar — plurals, pronouns, passive and active verbs. Her speech remained much like a garbled telegram. No doubt, as brain specialists have documented, the brain had completed its last major organization and construction period of growth. Therefore, the schema necessary for the understanding of abstract language concepts was not in place. It was a miracle she learned as much as she did. She probably was very bright. But, her window of opportunity for the absorption of language had closed.
The Wild Child
A similar, more famous incident, occurred in 18th century France. Dramatized in the 1970 movie The Wild Child, this was a case of a “wild boy” discovered in the forest of Aveyron. The government ordered him brought to Paris, to be examined by the doctors in an institution for deaf-mutes. The boy did not talk. He came under the care of the physician Jean Itard, who also acted as the boy’s tutor. Itard left detailed records of this experience. Although the boy was not deaf, and despite Itard’s work, this child never learned to speak at all.
Myth
So the myth of Romulus and Remus, of children raised by wolves who go on to greatness as adults, remains only a myth. The idea of surviving childhood without any contact with other humans has long been an intriguing fantasy, but the reality of developmental windows of opportunity intervenes. This notion of windows of opportunity is not a vague image, not merely a metaphor. It is a hard, experimental reality. It touches all our lives, albeit, less dramatically than in the tragic cases I have described.
For our children, then, the issue is not whether or not they are using their brains. It’s clear that they are competent: mathematically, verbally, poetically, physically, dramatically, and so-on. Whether at school or afterwards, they are going to be enjoying multiple windows of opportunities — at that new high school; that yearned-for college; and that anticipated career. So please, pay attention. Be ever on the alert. When you have a chance to embrace an opportunity, remember your training and give it a big hug.
Challenge
My challenge to you all is:
- To take advantage of the windows which are open;
- Or even better — to open them for yourself;
- To have courage and take an academic risk, such as a class you may have to struggle in;
- To be forgiving of those who step on you emotionally and psychologically;
- And to take a moment to share your knowledge, your power, your gifts.
Think of “Genie” and her resilience and hold on to your own. Between tomorrow’s dream and yesterday’s regret is today’s opportunity. We live in a hectic, turbulent, often frustrating, and frequently discouraging world. No one denies that. However, you can be a part of a world that makes daily progress against disease; against social injustice; and against the darkness of ignorance.
I believe in a world of promise and of hope. And I see each of our children as an “opportunity” of fulfilling my hopes for a better and more peaceful tomorrow. I’m counting on all of you. Make it happen!
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Thank you.
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