Prodigies and their parents

It is remarkable how many people are willing to form an opinion on something, without knowing anything about it. Such is the case in the matter of prodigy. So many people have an opinion on it, but so few have actual experience of it. Had they experience of it, they would not think as they do and speak as they have - for experience would show them the error of their thinking.

Why do I write? Well, there are some remarkably ill-informed articles on the internet - actually from mainstream media. One article I came across (which I am not going to give a link to, so as not to further its readership), expresses the view that parents of prodigies push their children into being prodigious. Now, anyone who has actually ever been a parent would know that that is absolutely impossible. It cannot be achieved. No amount of determination on the part of a parent is going to turn a typical child into a prodigy. It simply cannot be done. Prodigious accomplishment requires so much native gift of such a refined nature that it cannot be inculcated by the effort of parental will. It is either there, or it isn't. Prodigy is rather like savant, in this respect. In neither case is it possible to create the state of mind that is prodigy or savant, by effort of will, or hard work. Either the child is a savant, or a prodigy, or the child is not. Anyone who had ever become acquainted with either type of child, personally, would know the impossibility of manufacturing that state of mind. It simply cannot be done.

Despite this self-evident fact that prodigy is a special developmental state that cannot be reproduced at will, there are journalists who insist on pushing the view that the parent of such a child has somehow pushed their child into that state. That is a really unhelpful view - for it furthers the misunderstanding that such parents face daily.

Prodigy is an emergent property of the child. It comes from the child. It does not come from without the child. The parent, observing the emerging prodigiousness of the child, has a great responsibility to ensure that that child receives the opportunities appropriate to their gift. This can be rather difficult. It is common for the parent to be met with incredulity and incomprehension when they try to explain their child's needs. Such stonewalling by the academic and social environment can only be worsened by those who retail the view that the child has been pushed into prodigiousness. It is a very damaging lie promulgated by people who know nothing of prodigy, personally.

The growth potential of a prodigy is immense. If they are supported the potential results of their intellectual growth can be very significant indeed. Many intellectual giants began life as prodigies. Such children need every support they can get: they do not need to be told that they are the result of "pushy parents". This is simply not so.

Sure, there are pushy parents in this world - but they don't create prodigies by being pushy. Pushy parents will create stressed children upon whom too high expectations have been laid. That, however, is a different issue. The parent of a prodigy is a different case. That is the parent of a child with very special abilities and very special needs. Such parents should be supported in their efforts to support their child - not thwarted by a society that doesn't understand.

If you are the parent of a prodigious child, you will often receive incomprehension over the origin of your child's gifts. Many will think of you as a "pushy parent". Know this, however: anyone who has experience of such children will know otherwise - that the child is prodigious, because that is the nature of the child. So, not everyone will misunderstand. Any parent of such a child will know the truth. Anyone who reads the words of such a parent - like me - will also know the truth. In time, perhaps, it will be common knowledge - and that will be a great day for prodigies and their parents.

(If you would like to read of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and no months, and Tiarnan, seventeen months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted children and gifted adults in general. Thanks.)

Starting at NUS High

Today, Ainan did his first class at NUS High, in Chemistry.

There is no doubt that Ainan is the youngest student there has ever been at the National University of Singapore High School for Mathematics and Science. Ainan, however, has cultivated an interesting age-blindness.

I asked him:

"How old are the other students in your class?"

He was quiet a moment, then said: "I don't know."

In a way, it seemed he was deciding not to let himself know. By not seeing their age, perhaps he was hoping that they wouldn't see his age - and therefore he would fit in, better. It is an interesting stance on the issue. I feel he doesn't want to get into a conscious awareness of the age issue. He prefers just to focus on the content of the class.

He enjoyed the class and was in a positive mood afterwards, though he did note that the level wasn't as high as he felt he could manage. We will see how the place shapes up over time. It may be that they always lag behind his actual level - or it may be that they will catch up at some point. This is, I feel, always a problem in matching a child of particular gifts with an educational system. Sometimes the system may not respond rapidly enough to the child's changing needs. This is one I will have to watch to see how they adjust, over time.

At least, now, though, he is actually studying science formally. Today was his first theoretical science class. All that he has previously achieved has been outside the context of a school: it has all been homestudy with a book, and with his Dad. We will have to see if NUS High School will bring anything new to the table for him. My hope is that he will learn things there that I could not have taught him myself - but I am not sure if that is a realistic hope. It would be good to think that they could add some unique value to the situation. I will just have to wait and see.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and no months, Tiarnan, seventeen months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Tiarnan and the meaning of art

A few days ago, Tiarnan was hurtling about the house, as he likes to do, when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He pointed at a little green badge and said: "Kuda". This is Malay for horse.

There, on the badge was a rather confused line drawing. It was of a male rider, drawn over a horse, about a centimetre tall. It wasn't a very good work of art for the lines of the man became confused with the lines of the horse. An adult would know what was meant to be represented (if only from the name of a riding school on the badge), but it was a surprise that a seventeen month old baby could work it out - for it was not at all clear.

From this, it is clear that Tiarnan is aware of the littlest things in his environment, which he is able to pick up at speed, even when moving around quite quickly. It is also clear that he understands the relationship between art and object; between the representation and the thing represented. He has long shown this understanding, but this is just one more example of him drawing that connection, with little information to go on.

(If you would like to more of Tiarnan, seventeen months, or his gifted brothers, Ainan Celeste Cawley, seven years and seven months, or Fintan, four years and no months, then please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Tiarnan and the colours of the world

Tiarnan, just turned seventeen months, seems to be absorbing information without us being quite aware of where his information comes from.

Yesterday, for instance, there was an intently coloured decoration beside me. I pointed it out to Tiarnan since that colour is rarely found in the environment: "Purple", I said, to him.

Since we seemed to be in the colour pointing business, Tiarnan had a most apt reply to my example. He leant over and looked behind him and pointed at a bag. "Red." he said. It was indeed, a red bag. Funny boy.

(If you would like to learn more of Tiarnan, seventeen months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, just turned four, or Ainan Celeste Cawley, seven years and seven months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted children and gifted adults in general. Thanks.)

Birthday of a Singapore Cowboy

Today is Fintan's fourth birthday. Yesterday, however, we celebrated it.

The party was held at Fintan's grandmother's house and guests included both relatives and friends from various backgrounds and races - including an American theologian!

The theme was Cowboys, since Fintan is rather fond of them. Thus Syahidah did her traditional thing and drew themed posters for the house: cowboy scenes, poster sheriffs, cactuses and general western landscapes. She also made up - or selected - a group of games for the kids centred around the Western theme: Sheriff's Badge (a game of pin the badge on the Sheriff, while blindfolded); Paint the cactus; Newspaper Quicksand; Shooting the cactus; Bean the Cowboy Hat; a Western Pinata Boot.

Although Fintan was not well on the day, he enjoyed himself surrounded by friends, getting involved in the games and being surprised by his presents.

It was almost impossible not to stop his fellow three and four year olds from opening his presents for him: their little hands piled in, the moment adults backed off. As it was, therefore, Fintan did not manage to get to open all of his presents himself. His friends were as eager as him to get inside.

When it came to the Pinata, everyone took turns to beat it - but the winner, in the sense of first to break in, was Ainan.

A queue of three and four year olds took turns to pin the badge on the Sheriff. They were all over the place. Ainan however, had his own method - and, although blindfolded, managed to get the badge exactly on target - not even off by a millimetre. It was quite an ingenious technique which he used - which I shan't describe lest I spoil the game or any variation, forever, for everyone. Let us just say that it worked well.

Both Tiarnan and Fintan found a favourite friend - a girl apiece (!) with whom they spent much of their time. Tiarnan, in particular, was very cute with his new friend, Chloe. It is clear that he is both socially adept, and socially at ease, in his little world.

Thank you to all who made their way to the party - and thanks also for the gifts, for Fintan. He much appreciates them.

HAPPY FOURTH BIRTHDAY FINTAN!

Encouraging and discouraging creativity

Singapore is a nation that talks of encouraging creativity in its people. There is a view of this small city state that, in the main, its people are not creative. There is fair justification for this view since it is not without foundation. Few Singaporeans stand out enough to be independent creators. Yet, there are some creative ones around. I just don't think they really have been getting the opportunities they needed to grow and prosper.

The government recognizes this situation and is trying to foster creativity - though how it will achieve this, I do not know. One thing it could do is to enable a child like Ainan to grow as he will, for he shows great creative promise: we will see what opportunities they offer him. From my point of view, it is a test case of the new cultural outlook, that creative minds are to be encouraged.

Not all signs, however, are good in this new world. Many old world thinkers remain. I heard a story about a Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (a leading Art university, here) lecturer speaking to his charges. His subject was the matter of what makes a great artist and he was trying to inculcate in them an understanding of how this was to be achieved and what they should set out to do to achieve it. It is quite sickening to consider his words and their repercussions. He said: "A great artist is a great imitator."

Think about that. He was urging his students to copy others in order to become "great". No artist of any merit does this. A true artist has their own viewpoint, style and even method. Their work is unique. This lecturer thought that great art was to be found in becoming like someone else.

If Singapore is serious about becoming a more creative nation, lecturers who hold views like this one should be fired. They have no place in education, at all. There is already a local tendency to copy others. It can be seen in every aspect of life, here. It mustn't be encouraged. It must be expunged. If this nation is to become more creative, then copying must be seen as a negative, socially unacceptable activity. It should be looked down upon - and even laughed at. Were that the new attitude to imitation, then, perhaps, a more creative world would develop here. There is no chance of a more creative culture as long as teachers are encouraging their students to copy. To do so is to discourage creativity.

Quite a few students study art here. Very few become artists. Perhaps the fault lies with what their lecturers are teaching. I rather hope it changes.

(If you would like to read of Ainan Celeste Cawley, seven years and six months, and his gifted brothers, Fintan, three and Tiarnan, seventeen months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)