Natural talent vs. self-teaching: a Kidsday poll

We asked the fifth- and sixth-graders in our school if they would rather have a natural talent or teach themselves. Here is what we found out:

Have a natural talent: 56

Teach myself: 28

We were very surprised by the outcome. We asked six of our classmates why they chose their answers.

One person who said natural talent explained it this way: “If you have natural talent it will always be with you, and if other people have to learn something you don’t because you naturally know it.”

A person who said teach yourself said, “I would have a talent I taught myself because I would be able to teach other people.” We agree with both and think they are great points. Which one would you rather have?

Brian Harvey’s sixth-grade class, Minnesauke Elementary School, East Setauket