Gifted Education Conference 2012, in The Star.

On Sunday, the Star newspaper, of Malaysia, published my article on the Gifted Education Conference 2012, held by the NAGCM (National Association for Gifted Children, Malaysia) and AISM (the Australian International School Malaysia). I was one of the presenters at the conference and spoke on the topic: "Should gifted children receive special educational provisions?" My answer, in brief, was yes.

The article can be found here:

http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2012/12/16/education/12391292&sec=education

Please comment with your thoughts, below. Thanks.

Posted by Valentine Cawley

(If you would like to support my continued writing of this blog and my ongoing campaign to raise awareness about giftedness and all issues pertaining to it, please donate, by clicking on the gold button to the left of the page.

To read about my fundraising campaign, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-in-support-of-my.html and here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-first-donation.html

If you would like to read any of our scientific research papers, there are links to some of them, here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/02/research-papers-by-valentine-cawley-and.html

If you would like to see an online summary of my academic achievements to date, please go here: http://www.getcited.org/mbrz/11136175To learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 7 and Tiarnan, 5, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html

I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

There is a review of my blog, on the respected The Kindle Report here:http://thekindlereport.blogspot.com/2010/09/boy-who-knew-too-much-child-prodigy.html

Please have a read, if you would like a critic's view of this blog. Thanks.

You can get my blog on your Kindle, for easy reading, wherever you are, by going to: http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Knew-Too-Much/dp/B0042P5LEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1284603792&sr=8-1

Please let all your fellow Kindlers know about my blog availability - and if you know my blog well enough, please be so kind as to write a thoughtful review of what you like about it. Thanks.

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Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is athttp://www.genghiscan.com/This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.) 

Singapore’s mentally destructive education system.

A few weeks ago, my son Ainan was clearly in reverie. He looked up at me, then, a question in his eyes.

“Can doing nothing for a long period hurt your brain?”

“ Yes.”

“ Then Singapore hurt my brain...for years I would get up early, go to a building, do nothing all day and come home late with no time to do anything else.”

I had to agree. Singapore had forced Ainan to go to Primary school, even though he had mastered O level standard work, already. It was a stupid act, of a stupid education system, guided by stupid people. They just wouldn’t let us home school him, despite us asking repeatedly. They seemed to feel a need to control his growing mind, to not let it be free to grow as we would guide it. Finally, of course, we escaped Singapore altogether. Our answer to their not giving us permission to home school him, was to emigrate from the country altogether.

What Singapore has never learnt, and probably never shall learn, is that you cannot constrict the people. You cannot force them into boxes in which they don’t belong. Any attempt to do so, will result in those people leaving the country. Singapore’s education system seems to have a wish to limit its children in certain ways, and constrain them into certain conventional, preordained categories of function. Anything which exceeds those norms, is not handled well – despite the existence of the “Gifted Branch”, of the Ministry of Education.

For several years, Singapore prevented Ainan’s mental growth, by placing him in a situation in which there was nothing to learn, quite literally nothing to learn. Primary school had nothing to offer Ainan – for he had already mastered its content, before he had even joined it. It was a complete waste of time. Ainan found it completely mind numbing. He was beyond bored in his Primary school. The only respite was the chance to play with his friends. Other than that, the school had nothing to offer him at all. It was completely switching his mind off. Yet, the system would not let us free him of it. They forced him to be there against his will and against his best interests. They were interested, it seemed, primarily in two things: control and observation. The Gifted Branch had a huge file on Ainan containing reports which had come from everyone in the education system who had contact with him. Thus, his school was not a school at all. It was an observation chamber, a surveillance system – a means to monitor this unusual young child – for what reasons, was never declared. They were not there however, and were never there, to actually help him grow intellectually. They were there, it seemed at times, to hamper him, in every way they could. They could not have behaved more obstructively had they been specifically instructed to obstruct him – which perhaps they had, given some of the things they did, which did not make any sense, unless their purposes were obstructive.

Singapore is a place for the average person. If a child is born, on that tiny island, who surpasses intellectual norms, in any significant way, they are likely to find the system less than completely understanding of the situation. Singapore did its best to frustrate Ainan’s development, in any way it could. The only significant provisions we secured for him, were arranged by ourselves and not by the “Gifted Branch”. Had we done nothing and let the system take care of Ainan, they would have completely destroyed his developing mind – for as Ainan suspected, doing nothing harms the mind.

We saved Ainan from Singapore’s mandated destruction, by resisting the system and making our own arrangements. Life has turned out well for him, as a result. He is enjoying his courses at Taylor’s University and is learning many different things. We managed to secure him what he needed – but we did so only by escaping a system that was determined to do as little as possible for him.

Singapore doesn’t make great people. Singapore breaks great people. Great people threaten the essential mediocrity of the “system”. So the system does it best to thwart them. That, at least, is the impression of its purpose, operation and intent that we garnered, from our exposure to the “Gifted Branch”.

As I once asked a Gifted Branch officer, who was denying our requests for practical chemistry classes for Ainan. “What is the Gifted Branch for?”

She had no answer, but just sat in silence.

I asked the question again: “What is the Gifted Branch for?”

She didn’t answer me.

From our experience with them, I very much doubt that the true intent of the Gifted Branch is to nurture its gifted children to its best ability. However, the thick file they had on Ainan does indicate that another purpose seems more likely. The Gifted Branch appears to wish to monitor the gifted children, in Singapore...to keep tabs on them. So, if you want your child monitored, on a daily basis, by every educator they encounter, please contact the Gifted Branch, and become involved with them. If, however, you want your child to grow up free of total surveillance...have nothing to do with them, at all. You are not losing anything, because the Gifted Branch interventions are worthless, in our experience. All they will do is frustrate you in every way they can.

If you have a truly gifted child, Singapore will not provide for them. You will have to go elsewhere. Like we did...so, do so.

Posted by Valentine Cawley

(If you would like to support my continued writing of this blog and my ongoing campaign to raise awareness about giftedness and all issues pertaining to it, please donate, by clicking on the gold button to the left of the page.

To read about my fundraising campaign, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-in-support-of-my.html and here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-first-donation.html

If you would like to read any of our scientific research papers, there are links to some of them, here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/02/research-papers-by-valentine-cawley-and.html

If you would like to see an online summary of my academic achievements to date, please go here: http://www.getcited.org/mbrz/11136175To learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 7 and Tiarnan, 5, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html

I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

There is a review of my blog, on the respected The Kindle Report here:http://thekindlereport.blogspot.com/2010/09/boy-who-knew-too-much-child-prodigy.html

Please have a read, if you would like a critic's view of this blog. Thanks.

You can get my blog on your Kindle, for easy reading, wherever you are, by going to: http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Knew-Too-Much/dp/B0042P5LEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1284603792&sr=8-1

Please let all your fellow Kindlers know about my blog availability - and if you know my blog well enough, please be so kind as to write a thoughtful review of what you like about it. Thanks.

My Internet Movie Database listing is at:http://imdb.com/name/nm3438598/

Ainan's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3305973/

Syahidah's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3463926/

Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is athttp://www.genghiscan.com/This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.) 

The death of the individual.

People die in various ways. Most nowadays die of old age. Some, however, are killed, as children, by their education. I saw something recently that made me reflect how dangerous “education” can be. It was a simple thing really, something that most might overlook – but to me it was quite disturbing. It was a school art exhibition.

Now, you may be wondering why and how I could find a school art exhibition disturbing. It was, actually, more than disturbing – it was saddening too. What provoked me to feel so was the manner in which the works had been carried out, and the way in which the children had been taught. The works were all in the style of Paul Klee, the painter. There was, perhaps, the work of a dozen children, each absolutely indistinguishable from the next, because all sought to be imitations, as perfect as they could render, of the style of Paul Klee. There were other artists too, in this exhibit, who had been imitated and echoed. It was dispiriting. Each child had been taught to give up their instinctual creativity and in its stead, taught that they must copy to create art. Every child, in that school, under this particular teacher, had had their creativity extracted from them. Not a single piece had anything unique, special, or in fact, artistic about it. They were all slavish copies.

I should point out at this point, that this is not a criticism of Asian schooling, in particular, although Asian schools are just as guilty of this practice – for this school was an international school in Malaysia (I shall not name it). Thus, it is clear that the policy of encouraging students to copy, has crossed over into the international schools.

To teach a child that to create is to copy, is to kill something very fundamental to the mental health of the child. In a way, it kills all that is special about them. These children would be better off not having any art lessons at all. Being taught in this way, ensures, indeed absolutely guarantees that none of these children will become artists. True artists never copy – their art emerges from within them, and is not dependent on external models. None of these children had the outlook of an artist. They had the perspective of photocopiers.

It is hard to understand, for me, at least, how their teachers and their school can consider instruction in imitation, to be an art lesson. Art is not about imitation – true art, at least. Those who think art is about imitation haven’t really understood it.

I have some advice: if your child ever comes home with an artwork in the style of or manner of a famous artist, please withdraw them from the art class. They will learn nothing there, they will, in fact, unlearn their innate creativity. Art lessons like that, will turn your child into a derivative clone. They are better off with no art lessons at all, if all they are teaching is the art of the plagiarist.

Sometimes the best education, is no education at all. It might be hard to accept that, in this world of high pressure schooling and home tutors. However, it might be worth your time to have a good look at the way your children are being taught. Are they learning to copy or create? If the former, no school, would be better than that kind of school.

(If you would like to support my continued writing of this blog and my ongoing campaign to raise awareness about giftedness and all issues pertaining to it, please donate, by clicking on the gold button to the left of the page.

To read about my fundraising campaign, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-in-support-of-my.htmland here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-first-donation.html

If you would like to read any of our scientific research papers, there are links to some of them, here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/02/research-papers-by-valentine-cawley-and.html

If you would like to see an online summary of my academic achievements to date, please go here: http://www.getcited.org/mbrz/11136175

To learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 7 and Tiarnan, 5, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html

I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

There is a review of my blog, on the respected The Kindle Report here:http://thekindlereport.blogspot.com/2010/09/boy-who-knew-too-much-child-prodigy.html

Please have a read, if you would like a critic's view of this blog. Thanks.

You can get my blog on your Kindle, for easy reading, wherever you are, by going to: http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Knew-Too-Much/dp/B0042P5LEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1284603792&sr=8-1

Please let all your fellow Kindlers know about my blog availability - and if you know my blog well enough, please be so kind as to write a thoughtful review of what you like about it. Thanks.

My Internet Movie Database listing is at:http://imdb.com/name/nm3438598/

Ainan's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3305973/

Syahidah's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3463926/

Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is athttp://www.genghiscan.com/

This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.)

Did you hear?

Sometimes conversations are strange affairs. They can change one's perspective on life.

Today, while in Singapore, I was engaged in conversation with a very enthusiastic homeschooler. She was really happy that her kids had "never been to school". She spoke of how "free" they were and of how "they actually got to sleep." (For those who don't know, sleep is frowned on for Singapore's children, since they have to get up at about 5.30 am to go to school. Great stuff.)

Then the conversation took an unexpected turn.

"Have you heard about that boy, who is gifted in physics and chemistry?", she began, as if about to broach a matter of some seriousness.

"Yes. I think so." After all, I am his Dad.

"Well, they wouldn't let him homeschool." She frowned at this. "...and now he lives in Malaysia."

I sort of nodded sympathetically.

"It is very sad.", she said, with what seemed like genuine feeling.

Somehow, I didn't feel like telling her quite how I knew the boy she spoke of. It felt better that way. I didn't want to colour her reactions or her feelings, by letting her know. It was better, instead, to observe her genuine sadness that Ainan should have had to leave Singapore because he had not been free, here, to pursue an education to his liking and needs.

It did feel odd, however, to be spoken of, as if she knew of us - and yet, she didn't know me, at all. She didn't even know she was speaking to the boy in question's father. I was just an attentive listener, to her, a sympathetic ear. I can only imagine her surprise if she had known just who I was.

It was good, though, to see that she was sympathetic to Ainan's situation. She understood the need to go elsewhere, to find a more fitting educational environment - and she sided with him, not with the "system".

This encounter has made me aware that our family story has become one shared and related by people in the region. It is a matter to be discussed and reflected on. It was heartening to hear, quite innocently, from this lady, that some, at least, side with us, over the issue. Her words of empathetic support are all the more valuable, in that she had no idea who she was saying them to.

Thanks to that Singaporean homeschooler.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 6, or Tiarnan, exactly 4, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, College, University, HELP University College, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Computer Programming, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, prodigy, genie, bambino, kind.

We are the founders of Genghis Can, a copywriting, editing and proofreading agency that handles all kinds of work, including technical and scientific material. http://www.genghiscan.com/ Thanks.

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This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.)

A curiously personalized personal computer.

Ainan's computer does things my computer doesn't. Furthermore, it isn't because he has bought software I haven't got - it is because Ainan has made his computer behave that way.

Somehow, he has taught himself how to programme certain aspects of his computer. Making particular entries brings up unique message boxes, with comic messages in them (written by Ainan). One popular programme launch button has even been booby trapped so that pressing it shuts the computer down. Ainan thinks this is hilarious, since anyone, but him, who uses his computer is likely to run into that and various other problems. Ainan has made his computer quirky. It has a personality all of its own, with a set of responses that no other computer has.

Even after all these years, in his company, Ainan still manages to surprise me. He has never had a single computer programming lesson. He has never been to a computer class. Yet, he has taught himself, from online files, how to get his computer to behave in a personalized manner. He is programming the responses he wants from it.

As I watch him teach himself things no-one has ever ventured to teach him and master them with what seems effortless ease, I come to the conclusion that, if every child was like Ainan, schools would be entirely superfluous. A child like Ainan doesn't need a school to learn anything - they just need books (or the internet equivalent) and their own innate curiosity.

I am reminded that, when Ainan was six, he taught himself Chemistry, from the internet. Here he is, then, again, teaching himself some programming skills - also from the internet.

A resourceful child needs only a net connection (or a well-stocked library) to educate themselves. I don't see in what way schools are superior to the process I observe in Ainan. At his age, school would not yet even have started to teach Chemistry or programming - yet Ainan is quite able to learn these things on his own, already. School, perhaps, only has utility for those unable to teach themselves. Those who are, however, are probably hampered, rather than enabled by the requirements of school.

To date, almost everything Ainan knows has been learnt at home - much of it by himself. School plays little part in his education.

Back to the topic in hand: mercifully, he has not, yet, booby trapped my computer with any quirky behaviour - but I rather enjoy watching the things that his does, when one tries to interact with it in a normal way.

It is good to see him add another area of skill to his repertoire. He seems to be laying down all the key skills he would need to be scientifically and technically proficient, as an adult - and he is making the selections himself.

By the time, he reaches the age when schools actually begin teaching the skills he is acquiring, he will already be expert in all of them. It would almost be funny, if it wasn't so sad. You see, schools should really allow kids like Ainan to develop when they want to - and not put them on a "go-slow" programme, which would bore them.

Luckily, Ainan has his own solution: it is called an internet connection, a pile of books and lots of curiosity.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, five years exactly, and Tiarnan, twenty-eight 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, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind.

We are the founders of Genghis Can, a copywriting, editing and proofreading agency, that handles all kinds of work, including technical and scientific material. If you need such services, or know someone who does, please go to: http://www.genghiscan.com/ Thanks.

This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. Use Only with Permission. Thank you.)

What is said and what is done.

There is a difference between what is said and what is done. This is perhaps most noticeable, in some societies, in the utterances and actions of politicians.

A recent example were the parting words of Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the departing Minister of Education, in Singapore. He said: "Treat the brightest kids as the country's precious resources. Groom them, but more importantly, instil humility in them by making them aware of their weaknesses." and "You don't need a whole load of individuals in any society to do something exceptional but we need more of them in Singapore - people who want to break barriers essentially."

I found his words particularly interesting set against what we have seen of the actions and inactions (more to the point) of the education system with regards to our son, Ainan, who shows great scientific gift and promise. Despite his promise, however, it has been hard to secure what we have needed for him, here, in Singapore. If the State's actions were actually consonant with Tharman's words, it would have been easy to get his needs met. Over the past year and a half we found the Gifted Education branch ineffective at best, obstructive at worst. They did not seem to have Ainan's education at heart at all. We were left wondering why they even existed. That is why we gave up on them in the end.

Long-term readers will also know of our difficulties in securing homeschooling permission (still not given). In all, the state response to Ainan has been poor. There is, however, a promising development which I cannot speak of just yet - but it has taken too long to arrange: it should have taken a week, not a year and a half.

I would say, therefore, that Singapore's Ministers say the appropriate things with regards to gifted children - but I would say, from personal experience, that Singapore is not actually doing those things. It talks, but it doesn't act. The result, sadly, for Singapore, is that gifted children leave Singapore because they are unable to find a suitable education here. That is the reality which Tharman's fine words obscures.

If Singapore's inactions costs them a single genius, that is worth more than ten thousand imported scholars from China, in terms of what that one person could really do, given the chance to develop properly. As I have posted, in the past, though, the real focus does not seem to be on grooming local talent - but more on recruiting overseas talent to compensate for the outflow of frustrated local talent, who cannot get what they need here.

I hope that the incoming Education Minister listens to what Tharman has said, and actually makes a system that is truly supportive of the aspirations of its most gifted students. They could start by allowing us to homeschool Ainan.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and four months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and nine months, and Tiarnan, twenty-six 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, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind, niño, gênio criança, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Homeschooling in Singapore and the USA: a comparison

Without knowing how common homeschooling is, elsewhere, it is not possible to assess the Singaporean situation, fully. So, how common is homeschooling in the United States?

Well, Dr. Patricia Lines wrote a paper, found on the Discovery Institute site, that estimates that, in 2001-2002 there were up to 1,320,000 homeschooled children in America. The growth rate for the years 1995 to 1998 was noted to be 11 per cent, year on year - so there could be many more such children by now. Even at these figures, however, we can see how rare homeschooling is in Singapore, with its 280 homeschooled children.

As a ratio of population, the homeschooled children in America in 2001 to 2002 constituted about 1 in 227 or so. In Singapore, that figure is 1 in 16,428.

Apparently, 2 to 3 per cent of American children are homeschooled. Virtually none are, in Singapore. From the figures above, one can see that homeschooling is more than 72 times more common in America, than in Singapore.

Singapore has a long way to go before it can honestly speak of a homeschooling trend. If one were to look at the situation, impartially, with a global perspective, one could say, without doubt that there is almost no homeschooling at all happening in Singapore. The freedoms that would make it possible for homeschooling to be common, are not readily given. Until they are, homeschooling will remain a rare, mostly expatriate phenomenon in Singapore.

One big step towards making homeschool more likely for Singapore's children would be changing the name of the government department responsible for it from "Compulsory Education Unit" to virtually anything else. How about "The homeschooling unit" or "The Alternative Education Unit". Such names would inspire greater confidence in the positive intentions of the unit in question. As it is, the very name of the unit says you haven't got much hope of being allowed to homeschool.

I haven't got any figures to hand at this moment, but I would be very surprised if anywhere else in the world could challenge Singapore for the rarity of homeschooling. Singapore is probably "no.1" in not allowing children to homeschool. However, I don't think this is a "no.1" to be proud of. Parental choice is always a good idea in such important matters. You see, the parent is much more likely to know what is best for their children than the state. That appears to have been overlooked along the way.

If any of you are thinking of homeschooling your children in Singapore, I wish you luck. It is not an easy path to get permission. A year and a half into seeking it, we are still being fobbed off.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and four months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and nine months, and Tiarnan, twenty-six 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, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind, niño, gênio criança, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Homeschooling "on the rise" in Singapore

I was heartened by the headline above in the Straits Times - until, that is, I actually read the article.

Have a guess how many primary school children are actually homeschooling in Singapore? (Including all the expatriates who have the automatic right to homeschool, unlike locals.) Factor into your calculation that the population of Singapore is around 4.6 million people.

Well, the true figure is about 280. That is right, less than 300 children are being homeschooled, in Singapore. Apparently, this almost vanishingly small number is regarded as a trend, by the article writer.

The question is, of course, why are so few Singaporeans being homeschooled? The answer is the same one we have received, so far, to date: permission, while it can be given in theory, is difficult to obtain in practice.

We don't have to go far to come to an understanding why so few people receive permission to homeschool. The official Ministry of Education position is, according to the Straits Times: "...as far as possible, Singaporean children should attend national schools to learn a common set of core values, knowledge and skills". Underlying this seems to be the view that homeschooled children might not share these "core values" - hence getting permission for it, is not easy.

I don't know if our experience of trying to homeschool our son, Ainan, is typical or not. I can only say that it hasn't been easy. I have been trying to get permission for homeschooling for one and a half years. We have got nowhere so far. I have written many, many times to the curiously named "Compulsory Education Unit" that is in charge of homeschooling, but the only replies I have ever received are: "We will revert to you shortly". That is fine, except they never revert at all. Six months will pass - and then I write again, only to receive the same reply: "We will revert to you shortly". Only they don't....this procedure may be repeated ad nauseam.

One day I even called up the executive responsible for answering my mails, who wasn't doing so. She would only say: "I can't give you an answer".

Well, there you are then. No wonder there are only 280 homeschooling children in Singapore. I wonder how many of them are, in fact, the children of expatriates? You see such children don't need permission. What I would like to know is how many Singaporean children have ever been given permission to homeschool? Are there, in fact, any at all? We don't know. We only know that we are still waiting for that famous reply to revert - after one and a half years.

The odd thing about all of this is that anyone who really feels strongly about homeschooling will find that almost any other country of the world would give automatic permission to homeschool, to anyone who sought it. Virtually alone in all the world, is Singapore concerned about a "common set of core values". Most other countries are satisfied to offer a diversity of educational opportunities to their people. They are not scared of diversity.

We will still try to secure homeschooling for our son - and perhaps our other children - in Singapore. We will see if we can make that total 281 or more.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and four months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and nine months, and Tiarnan, twenty-six 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, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Age limits and educational frustration

Ainan learns his most significant lessons at home. His scientific education has proceeded, from the beginning, at home, without any notable aid from the school system. His only teacher has been me.

Yet, at times I feel that he should have some variety. On seeing an advertisement by the ITE (Institute of Technical Education) offering maths courses for "Under 40 year olds", I duly applied on Ainan's behalf, being fairly sure that, as I am just 40 myself, that my son was assuredly under 40 himself. It was my thinking that he would benefit from having another place at which to learn, other than at home with me and a book.

After a couple of days, I received the reply. It stated that they would be unable to accept Ainan owing to the fact that he was under 16 years of age. As if by magic, a new age limit had been invented specifically to exclude Ainan, it seemed. They had advertised "under 40"...not "over 16".

I was disappointed, but not surprised. The sign of a nation with a future is the ability to make exceptions. We are still waiting for them to make an exception around here.

It looks like most of Ainan's real education will come from himself, myself and a lot of choice books. The institutions that are reputed to be responsible for educating him, don't seem too motivated to do so - at least not according to his needs.

The ITE adminstrator did offer one suggestion: that we seek private tuition. Well, Ainan has never had a private tutor - and the reason is the same reason most children don't have one: the one hundred dollars an hour that is typically charged by such tutors. When I see fees like that I just think of all the books that could be bought instead. Then I can tutor him myself, with a well-stocked library, to boot.

There should be no age limits where education is concerned: only ability limits. If you have the ability, you should have the access. Otherwise, the system is just hampering the development of its most able students. Is that of benefit to the nation?

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and one month, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and seven months, and Tiarnan, two years exactly, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Progress on homeschooling: Singapore.

Yesterday, we met the vice-Principal of Ainan's school, to have a chat about our request to homeschool.

As regular readers will know, we have come to the conclusion that Ainan would be best educated at home - for then the pace and subject matter could better meet his needs.

The VP spoke quietly, smiled frequently and tried to be helpful. He introduced us to the enormity of the administrative task that faced us. For us to stand a chance of being allowed to homeschool, we must submit a detailed plan of everything that would be taught, on a month by month basis, in every subject, for the entire period that we intend to homeschool. If you think about it, that is quite a significant presentation, given the number of subjects, the timescale, and the detailed planning required for each.

There were also requirements to be met in all areas: maths, science, languages, aesthetics and "national education". We are to make it clear that all areas will be met, to their satisfaction.

We would also have to include details of ourselves, as parents and home-teachers - in terms of our own educational background and what we could bring to the homeschooling situation.

So, our proposal would ostensibly be judged on two main issues: the detailed curriculum plan - and the substance, or otherwise, of our own educational background.

It will take some time to get all of this information together in a presentable fashion - and then we would have to wait, while they deliberated. I don't imagine that this is going to be a rapid procedure. Then again there is the little matter that I haven't managed to get a reply, from the "Compulsory Education Unit" (the Government department in charge of homeschooling permission) in seven months, of writing, other than: "We will revert to you shortly".

I will, however, sit down to write a detailed proposal. It may take weeks - but, in Singapore, permission for homeschooling is no trivial matter. It must, it seems, be worked at. So, work at it, I shall.

Here's hoping.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and nine months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and two months, and Tiarnan, nineteen 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, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Seeking a Chemistry Lab in Singapore

Long-term readers of my blog, or followers of Ainan's story, will know that Ainan has had a course in practical Chemistry at Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College. Careful readers will even know that it was for six sessions. That is good - and was helpful. However, what is not is that we have not had any practical experience for him since - and that was in May. We are still, therefore, looking for a Chemistry lab.

We have asked the educational services but they are not keen to provide for him: no lab has been made available. We have explained the reason for his need: that Chemistry is a practical science and Ainan is a practical boy who needs real experience to flesh out his learning - but they are not listening to us. He also needs it to prepare for his A level in Chemistry. Without it, passing would be very difficult indeed, given the marks apportioned to practical skills.

So, we are, after about a year and a half since we first alerted the Singaporean education system to Ainan's nature and needs, still waiting for an effective response that meets his needs. They have made it clear that, if Ainan is to be provided for, that we will have to do it ourselves.

I puzzle at this. Ainan is but one child in a whole nation who needs access to a lab at the age of seven. Surely one child is not too much of a burden on an educational system. Yet, it seems that it is. What we have been offered is way below his needs.

No doubt, many parents of gifted children face similar situations, with local education systems not making any exceptions to the robotic way in which they proceed. No doubt, my blog has many similarly frustrated readers. Yet, should it be this way? The truly gifted are few. It does not seem to me that, numerically, they would create too much strain on an educational system to meet their needs and provide for them, adequately. Yet, it seems that even one child is too many, to adequately provide for.

Our solution, therefore, is to go it alone - and so we have applied for homeschooling. We are still waiting. (It is seven months now since I first applied). At home, his needs will be much better met - but we still need that magical Chemistry lab.

Any suggestions, anyone?

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and nine months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and two months, and Tiarnan, nineteen 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, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

In Homeschooling Permission Limbo

We have applied, once more, for permission to homeschool Ainan. In Singapore, one is not automatically free to homeschool: permission must be sought from the Compulsory Education Unit of the Ministry of Education.

Seven months ago, I applied for permission and was told that I would hear from them soon - but I heard nothing. Recent events have led us to understand that we are unlikely to receive appropriate and adequate educational provision for Ainan from the Singapore public school system - despite our experiences of Raffles Insitution, Raffles College and NUS High School for Maths and Science. The provision is insufficient and now we understand that it is intentionally so. So, we are moved to ask for homeschooling once again.

I have written to them explaining that Ainan is not receiving suitable educational stimulation in school and that the educational authorities have made it clear that they are not going to provide for him. I have put the case for homeschooling to them - and I am now waiting for a reply.

I do understand from their first communication, however, that Ainan's school appears to be resistive to the suggestion. I wonder why since they are unable to provide for him?

At this stage, after giving them a year and a half to sort out their response to Ainan - and watching them respond only in the most minimal of ways - we are convinced and adamant that the only way forward is for us to educate him ourselves.

So, we are in a kind of limbo: the schooling system is not providing for Ainan - and the educational authorities have not yet given us permission to provide for him. For as long as this goes on, Ainan will be wasting his time in a school system unable to cope with his particular gifts. I hope this time does not last long.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and nine months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and two months, and Tiarnan, nineteen 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, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

The dilemma of the gifted child

The dilemma of the gifted child - at least for those who are more than moderately gifted - is whether to go to school or not. I will explain.

Today, I asked Ainan, 7, whether he learnt more at home, or at school.

He answered without hesitation: "At home."

Now, that is odd when you reflect on what school is supposed to be for. Ainan learns little at school: most of what he knows has been acquired via private, solitary study and reflection - or by interaction with his parents. Little of what he has learnt is owed to schooling. What, then, is school for?

School's primary stated purpose - that of education and the imparting of knowledge - fails where gifted children are concerned. Quite simply, many gifted children learn little in schools that do not meet their pace or academic needs. Such children often end up teaching themselves. That is not how it should be - but it is the way it is.

The only other purpose of school is the social one - that of providing friends of a similar age for the gifted child. Yet, this too, may fail in the case of a gifted child. Yes, the friends will be of a similar age - but, it is usually the case that few of these friends will be able to provide intellectual stimulation for the gifted child - they will not be able to relate at the gifted child's level - though the gifted child may learn to relate to them on another level.

So, this is the dilemma of the gifted child: to go to school and learn little, but have friends of the same age - or to stay at home, learn much but have lesser access (in many cases) to friends of the same age. Neither situation is perfect - but, the latter certainly has greater potential, than many schools have, for meeting the needs of a gifted child. Social situations are easier to provide, than it is to transform a school into a welcoming intellectual environment, for the gifted child.

Every parent of a gifted child has to make a decision between conventional schooling or homeschooling. The decision is not easy - for though better in certain ways, the demands of homeschooling can be great on the parent new to it.

Yet, into the mix must always be placed the observation of my son, Ainan, above - at least for him - home is where most learning takes place. Though it shouldn't be the case, it is the case - and that is something I need to think about in the months and years ahead. Perhaps you do, too.

(If you would like to read more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and eight months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and eight months, and Tiarnan, eighteen 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, genetics, left-handedness, College, University, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, gifted children and gifted adults in general. Thanks.)

A child prodigy's dearest wish

About three days ago, I asked Ainan: "How much do you want to be homeschooled?"

An answer was not forthcoming. There was just this silence that stretched on. I asked him again, "How much do you want to be homeschooled, in marks out of ten?"

Again he was silent, but there was much evidence of thought in his silence. What incidents, opinions, or circumstances he was reviewing in his mind, I cannot know...but that he was doing something of the kind was clear. A sense of sadness, or resignation, or both, seemed to overcome him.

Again, I asked: "Ainan, I am your daddy...tell me, how much do you want to be homeschooled out of ten?"

His silence lay upon him, like a protective cloak. His quiet sadness seemed to deepen. Then, almost too quiet to hear, a single word emerged from his mouth: "Ten".

That was enough. He had said what preoccupied him. School was not for him.

I decided on a follow-up question. "Are you learning anything there?"

He just shook his head emphatically from side to side.

I didn't ask him anything more.

So, this is the situation as it stands. The school system is waking up to Ainan's gifts (though it has taken over a year for them to acknowledge him) and has decided that he is suitable for the Gifted Education Programme. The question is: is the Programme suitable for him? Will it meet his specific needs...or will it be another disappointment? Would it be better to homeschool and leave the formal education system entirely? All is presently up for consideration. I would first like to see what exactly will result from our meeting with the government representatives...and then, if that is not satisfactory, to embark on homeschooling, if permission is granted. If it is not granted and we are not satisfied with his education, we would simply leave Singapore for somewhere that would grant permission readily.

Perhaps a mixture of homeschooling and gifted provision could be achieved: if that is better than homeschooling alone. We will have to see. Presently, Ainan is enduring a slow death in mainstream education. He has to be saved from that, at least.

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

A letter to Parliament

In Singapore, the nomenclature for politicians is styled after Britain, which used to be its colonial ruler. Thus, the first rung of political power is the Member of Parliament, then above that are Ministers of various ranks, and the Prime Minister, at the top.

Ainan needs an educational provision out of the norm. We don't know quite where to get it but are trying several avenues simultaneously. One avenue is to write to the Ministry of Education to seek permission to homeschool - that is covered below in First Steps to Homeschooling. The other approach is to write to our local Member of Parliament (M.P.).

On the same day that we wrote to the Compulsory Education Unit, we also wrote to our local MP, who happens to be a Government Minister. The Compulsory Education Unit replied within three hours, our MP, though, has yet to reply.

Again, we will see how responsive Singapore is to the particular needs of its citizens. Ainan could do good things for Singapore science, one day. Let us see if Singapore will do anything to help him get there. If not, of course, there is always the whole wide world to go searching for what he needs, to advance. First, however, we will exhaust the local options, for that is the easiest to approach, initially. If those prove satisfactory, then we shall have succeeded on his behalf, but if they don't, then we will be forced to look elsewhere.

Ainan is developing fast, so we need to address his educational future very soon. That is why we are trying several approaches simultaneously, in the hope that at least one will improve his situation.

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

First steps to homeschooling

The laws regarding homeschooling vary from country to country all over the world. In some nations it is a matter of personal choice - such as in the UK and USA - but in others it is strictly prohibited, such as in Germany. It is interesting to note that in countries with a democratic present and past, homeschooling is permitted freely - but in countries with a fascist or totalitarian history, it is restricted. That might say something about the possible future of such countries, too. Anyway, let that be an aside which I won't follow further except to say that to restrict parents on how they bring up their children - and education is part of this - is one restriction of personal freedom, too far.

In Singapore, there are two sets of laws regarding homeschooling: one for expats and one for Singaporeans. Expats are allowed to do as they please with the schooling of their children. Singaporeans, on the other hand, are not. To be allowed to homeschool your child, if you are Singaporean, as my son Ainan is, (half-Malay, half-Irish), one must ask permission of the curiously named Compulsory Education Unit. It is up to this unit to decide whether you are permitted to home school your child. They state that you must satisfy the Ministry of Education that you will fulfil the "two main objectives of a Singaporean education" before you are allowed to homeschool the child. Interestingly, I could find no mention on that page, of what those objectives were.

Anyway, concerned, as we are that Ainan is not being suitably stimulated in school - for the physical sciences, for instance, which are Ainan's main focus, are not even taught in Singapore until Secondary School - we have contacted the Compulsory Education Unit. This seemed the best step forward since we can't really wait until he is 13 to get him a scientific education. That would be ridiculously stifling for him. Within about three hours of my email, I got a reply seeking further information. That was pretty prompt. Let us see how long it takes them to make a decision and what kind of decision it will be.

We are not quite ready to homeschool him, at this precise moment - but I thought it best to get the process underway since I have no idea how long it takes to secure permission - or what hoops we will be asked to jump through to win permission.

Incidentally, compulsory education is a serious business in Singapore, it being a criminal offence not to send a Singaporean child to school - unless special permission for exemption has been granted and alternative arrangements made, and approved.

I sent the email three days ago, let us see how quickly matters unfold.

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