Blog

Notes on rigor, learning and the first five years.

Essays from the Presto founders on verifiable learning, rigor and how children build foundational skills.

The importance of verifiable learning

Why early training in verifiable domains like math, programming and chess matters more, not less, in the age of AI.
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How to raise the bar for rigor

Raising children who approach AI with proper skepticism starts with experiencing a real bar for rigor, and with early, real consequences.
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Why acceleration is important

As gameable credentials lose signal, genuine early understanding compounds, and acceleration should be about substance rather than grades.
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Explaining Reggio, Montessori, and “Academic” Philosophies

A quantitative lens on preschool philosophies: who chooses the objective, what the reward function is, and how closely training matches the test.
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The Case for Aristocratic Tutoring: Eliminating Waste

Classrooms waste learning time through disruption and waiting. Progressing on demonstrated competence keeps children learning at the right level.
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Sources of Happiness in a Post-Economic World

If AI does the economically valuable work, children will still seek competence, achievement, respect and belonging. Education should prepare them for that.
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