Welcome back from the sin bin, Realist. It has obviously improved your temper, if not your reasoning.

Kevin Donnelly's article was about the primacy of reading skills in the teaching of children. He explained "that the reason many teachers are unable to teach literacy is because of inadequate teacher training and professional development." He goes on to point out that "many teachers and trainee teachers do not have a solid grounding in what constitutes effective literacy teaching."

Doesn't this sound any alarm bells? How can you blithely put your faith in a "[n]ational program for mothers for pre school age children" when we cannot even decide how to train professional teachers?

The simple fact is that mothers who care will teach their children to read, no matter what; no amount of "national programs" will get a mother who doesn't care to do the same.

The remainder of your comments make absolutely no sense to me in the context of teaching children to read.

>>a garbageman can become a millionaire by investing in property, and its proven concepts.<<

Problem is, if you teach everyone the same "rules" of property investment, there will be no mugs left for you to fleece, will there? It's a zero sum game; for every winner there is a loser.

>>Teachers are not good at [business], but dont be a narky person because you pay tax and others avoid it<<

That's a simply laughable notion. I thought you were referring to running a real business, and creating real wealth, not introducing the little tykes to tax evasion.

>>FYI, I finished school and went to university to study property, and now at 24 through acquired knowledge, retirement is already a choice for me now<<

Ah, that puts the rest of your comments in perspective. Nothing to do with teaching kids to read, though.

You remind me very much of a former business colleague who made a ton of money from share options, and concluded that having a big bank balance automatically gave him a brain. He wasn't shy in offering his half-baked ideas to all and sundry either.

So what is all this about Mothers being the ones to teach their preschoolers to read? Is teaching reading a gender specific task? How many of those who are actually criticising teachers have ever tried it themselves and if they have, how many have actually succeeded at it?

The teachers I know are generally hard working and caring and definitely underpaid. It seems to be a pretty tough job too me with all sorts of people feeling that they are qualified to dish out the criticism. Wouled you advise any young person to take up teaching these days - maybe they should take up property ( not that I was aware that that was any sort of career) Do you mean property development, property investment or what

No, you do not need to do property as a career, you can be a teacher, gardener etc and still achieve with property, as many do.

Now for you Pericles:

In response to national program comments:

It wont work? There are plenty of parents who if spoon fed this would put it to use. they dont have to be teachers or have a degree, they just need basics, charts, activities etc to work with their child on. Riducle if you like but i have not seen you put forward something superior.

"The remainder of your comments make absolutely no sense to me in the context of teaching children to read" have you been smoking something? These were in response to your comments, not in response to the article.

Now the next one:

"Problem is, if you teach everyone the same "rules" of property investment, there will be no mugs left for you to fleece, will there? It's a zero sum game; for every winner there is a loser"

You obviously have a wealth of knowledge on the subject, since you make rediculous statements like that. Property relies on supply and demand like most things, do you think if more people invested in property, demand for property would be down? No. And mugs to fleece? Was that an attempt at a personal attack on me? Doomsdayers like you who have an opinion on everything, appear to be intelligent yet ridicule others in an attempt to feel superior. I am intelligent enough to outperform many at my age, and the smartest people i have working for me. Funny that, do fall in this category?

(Continued)

For the record, every dollar i have made has been with honesty and integrity. My clients come first, at the expense of everything else (often myself) because our industry is changing, the internet means a client will come to you for all property in all areas, and you are as integral as a solicitor or accountant to them. You do not go very far if you are dishonest, especially in the high end where i am.

"That's a simply laughable notion. I thought you were referring to running a real business, and creating real wealth, not introducing the little tykes to tax evasion."

Missed my point again, and what is your experience in big business? Young people have a right to understand tax. They will be paying it for perhaps 40 years for goodness sake.

"You remind me very much of a former business colleague who made a ton of money from share options, and concluded that having a big bank balance automatically gave him a brain. He wasn't shy in offering his half-baked ideas to all and sundry either."

You seem very cynical and afraid Pericles. Fear has probably stopped you from taking any risks has it not? Well guess what, your intelligence is high and you can do anything, but you need to change your approach. Your children deserve to inherit knowledge from you, not your skepticism, or they will be working until the day they drop as you said, when they dont have to.

Intelligence is measured in direct proportion to success, sorry Pericles. Having the brain but not achieving is the biggest crime of all. Take a risk and you will conquer and be happy, i promise. Let me know if i can help.

Realist, it is very un-Australian to big-note yourself in this way, and you do yourself and your chosen trade no credit.

I shall ignore your arrogant presumptions as to my character, abilities and achievements, for the simple reason that you can have absolutely no idea of the status of any of them. There is a term for people who use every opportunity for self-promotion, and it is not in any way complimentary.

In case the point has been missed in our exchange of pleasantaries, I find the notions you put forward under the guise of contributing to the discussion on the importance of teaching our kids to read, to be facile in the extreme.

As far as your "national program" goes, there are many reading aids available in your local bookshop, without the need to spend taxpayers' money replacing them.

>>do you think if more people invested in property, demand for property would be down?<<

You are clearly too young to recall the meltdown of the Japanese economy. In March this year, the Financial Times reported that "residential real estate prices in central Tokyo rose by 0.9% in 2004. ...the first time in 17 years that residential real estate prices in central Tokyo have risen."

>>Young people have a right to understand tax. They will be paying it for perhaps 40 years for goodness sake.<<

There is a big difference between understanding the taxation system and following your advice to "understand how to reduce and nullify your tax. You should not be paying tax, or be paying very little".

Are you channelling Henry Kaye, by any chance? Maybe you are Henry Kaye?

>>Fear has probably stopped you from taking any risks has it not?<<

Yup, those are his tactics. You are a disciple, at the very least.

As I said, your ideas are jejune, but since it is clear that you only put them forward so that you could promote yourself, you did at least achieve something, even if only in your own eyes.

Have a great day.

Pericles,

Not interested in tit for tat. You have even pulled the big guns out, Un-Australian and big noter! Its Un Australian not to have a go Pericles, and to try to pull down others for having one. Not everyone is dishonest Pericles, i am sorry for your past experiences.

I put my cards on the table, i have given you my background to provide you an understanding of my insight. Unlike you, i am not afriad to do so.

Fair enough on your comments on my ideas. Perhaps we come from differing backgrounds, but in the country where i come from or for disadvantaged families little is available sometimes, and enormous benefit would come out of it IN MY OPINION. it is fair an justified for you do differ in opinion.

As for your 'insight' on the Japanese Real Estate market (FYI with a different system of ownership, legislation and underpinning economies), this has nothing to do with Australian property whatsoever.

I would advise to steer clear of comments on property in the future, i wont ask why you would point out that bizarre comment in this particular context. They are independant markets with absolutely no correlation with eachother. It is beyond ridiculous.

As for the Henry Kay comments, i dont know this person. I assume you are saying i am again a dodgy fleecer. Dodgy fleecers dont put cards on the table do they?

As for you saying i was trying to promote myself:

I promote property, not myself. I make nothing from schools teaching property principles at schools, as was my point.

Australian property principles have worked perfectly for 180 years, before you and i were born, and they will still be there when we are dead. This is about as sure a bet as you can get, as inflation, building costs and population growth ensure property cycles continue.

Do your own reading on it, that is the only way you will feel comfortable. But retirement can be a 10 year plan if you are aggresive and have the right financial structure. IF IT IS TO BE....