Using what he described as the “Socratic method” for chess, posing questions his girls must answer instead of telling them to remember a presolved solution, he was using the right method to encourage the expansion of their memory and understanding.

Finally, László was entirely against coercing learning. Self-discipline, motivation, and commitment, he felt, must come from the girls themselves. He explained, “One thing is certain: one can never achieve serious pedagogical results, especially at a high level, through coercion.”16 He also felt that “one of the most important educational tasks is

However, it is important to keep in mind as László insisted that “play is not the opposite of work” and “a child does not need play separate from work, but meaningful action,” adding “learning presents them with more enjoyment than a sterile game.”13 Play and work combined in the Polgárs’ approach to learning, with no rigid boundary between them.

The obsession into chess, therefore, was clearly something fostered, rather than imposed. At the same time, their participation in the experiment wasn’t exactly voluntary. László had dreamed up his goal of raising geniuses before knowing whether his children would consent to the program, so it was not a case of each daughter discovering for herself

László argued the opposite, that it is a normal, mediocre education that often leads to unhappiness.

was strongly against the idea. “Women are able to achieve results similar, in fields of intellectual

The message of this book isn’t that you should drop out of school to learn on your own but that you should take control over your own learning, wherever that may be. Another reason to pursue formal education is that it creates a learning environment that may be beneficial.

pursuing aggressive ultralearning projects is often the surer way to enjoy learning more,

Being self-directed is about who is making decisions, not about whether other people are involved.