Fintan's knowledge of animals.

Fintan, five, likes animals. Though yet young, he seems to be developing somewhat of an expert's eye, where they are concerned.

A couple of days ago, the subject of snakes somehow came into conversation.

Fintan observed, to his mother, as if it had just come to him: "Mummy, an Anaconda is like a Python, in that both kill by constriction...but, you know, an Anaconda is amphibious."

She rather got the feel that he had pieced this one together himself, from information gathered at different times. It was delivered, not as an act of recall, but as an act of thoughtful observation - there was, in his voice, the air of a puzzle clicking into place.

It is a wonder where children's interests come from: why does Fintan like animals? Why does he seek to understand them? So, too, why did Ainan become interested in Chemistry at a similar age? What led him to such an arcane choice of subject matter for his consideration? I don't know the answers to these questions - but I do know this: it is ever a surprise to hear what Fintan knows about animals, just as it was with Ainan with regards to Physical Science.

At this stage, we cannot know if Fintan is going to develop his interest in animals beyond the level of a personal interest. We cannot know if he is going to be as interested in biological matters as Ainan is in physical matters. However, we can say this: they both came to a scientific interest of some kind, at about the same time, without any prompting from anyone else. Fintan chose his interest, just as Ainan chose his. We didn't do anything to guide him, or create the interest in him...it is emerging from within him.

Incidentally, Howard Gardner, of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences fame, suggested that there is a Naturalist intelligence, that determines the ability to make discriminations and have perceptions about the natural world. It would seem that Fintan has a fair measure of this, since, when very young, he was able to distinguish crocodiles and alligators from a brief flash on tv (a couple of years ago!)

We will see if this interest develops and persists. For now, I am enjoying watching his enthusiasm unfold.

(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.

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What kind of intelligence do you have?

You may have heard of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. First proposed in 1983, it suggested that rather than just one type of general intelligence, g, there were seven types of intelligence to be found in individuals, to varying degrees. These intelligences are: linguistic, logical-mathematical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, spatial, musical and bodily-kinesthetic. Later, in 1999, he added naturalistic intelligence (intelligence relating to understanding of the natural world). He is debating, still, whether there is also an existential intelligence. (The ability to ponder the deeper questions of life, death and everything).

Now, you may have wondered, sometimes, what your own particular profile of intelligences looked like. Well, now you can find out. I have stumbled on an online test to determine your individual profile of intelligences. It is called Rogers Indicator of Multiple Intelligences.

It is to be found at: http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=1343

Just do the test, honestly, and it will tell you what your predominant type of thinking is and score you on the relative strength of each area. In my own test, verbal skills and intrapersonal intelligence (knowing oneself) were scored at 100% and everything else was highly rated. This indicates that my intelligences are rounded and well-developed in general. Some people have one or two over-riding strengths, with relative weaknesses in other areas: everyone is different.

Apparently, my own strengths lend themselves well to being an author, a speaker, a poet, an entrepreneur, a philosopher, a psychologist and a teacher, among other things. (Those were the predominant strengths...there were others).

So, have fun with the test. Feel free to comment if you discover anything interesting.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and five months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and ten months, and Tiarnan, twenty-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, 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.)

A socially aware child: interpersonal intelligence

Fintan is a very socially aware child. In being so, he shows a generous degree of interpersonal intelligence. This is the intellectual function proposed as one of the multiple intelligences, by Howard Gardner - its counterpart is intrapersonal intelligence (knowing oneself).

A couple of weeks ago, it was a hot day. Syahidah and Fintan were in the Dempsey Road area of Singapore - which is a sheltered enclave of idiosyncratic shops and restaurants in low-lying buildings. They recall earlier times when Singapore had more space: it is popular with expats, perhaps for that very reason.

Fintan, four, and Syahidah were walking through the area, casting an eye into the shops that they passed. They had already been there some while and it was nearly time to go home. Suddenly, Syahidah said: "Let's go into the organic shop, Fintan."

They did so. Syahidah walked aimlessly around for a while, in its cool interior, then asked a shop assistant: "Do you have kale?"

"No."

Syahidah lingered in the shop with Fintan, until finally she left with him.

Fintan, four, was studying his mother very carefully. "Mummy, you didn't want anything in that shop did you? You just wanted to go in because of the aircon."

The funny thing is, he was right. Syahidah had just sought the relief of the aircon against the heat of the sunlit outside. She didn't really intend to buy kale, or anything else for that matter. Somehow, Fintan had divined this.

This is not the only time Fintan has seen through matters to their social truth. He often catches the real meaning of what is happening, to a surprising degree.

I think, of all the different ways a child can be smart, this particular one is among the most useful in the long run. After all, understanding people and their ways has implications for success in all areas of life.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and five months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and ten months, and Tiarnan, twenty-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, 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.)