The challenges that gifted people face

One of my articles: "The challenges that gifted people face", has been published, today, in The Star, Malaysia's largest circulation English daily newspaper, (at 1.286 million readers during the week and 1.175 million readers on Sunday).

Please find the link here: http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2012/9/2/education/11921793&sec=education

Let me have your thoughts below upon reading the article.

Thank you.

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.

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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.

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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.) 

Homeschooling rights in Malaysia.

In Malaysia, homeschooling is, essentially, illegal for Malaysians, unless the child has special needs. By this, they generally mean, impaired in some way. Though, of course, one could try to interpret giftedness as a special need...(though I don't know if they would allow that).

Anyway, recently there has been some articles in the Malaysian newspapers regarding homeschooling, in Malaysia. These articles mentioned the fact that it was illegal and did not, in my opinion, give full consideration to the impact of homeschooling regulation on the life choices of Malaysian citizens. So, I wrote a letter to the New Straits Times to point out an effect of banning homeschooling on emigration patterns. I waited and waited and waited...but they didn't publish it.

Today, however, the New Straits Times has published another letter, on homeschooling, which explicitly calls for greater regulation and control of homeschooling. So, what do we have here: my letter which calls for the legalization of homeschooling and the right of all to be homeschooled, is NOT published, but a letter which emphasises the burden of homeschooling and urges further controls IS published. Here we have a clear case of only publishing views in agreement with, perhaps, the outlook of the paper itself or the government of Malaysia, as it presently is. There is not the entertainment of a plurality of viewpoints - which is most healthy, whenever important decisions concerning the fate of a nation are to be made. Failure to look widely, at the fullest range of options, is often reason for failure of the endeavour itself. I believe that Malaysia is making just that kind of mistake, in its approach to considering the homeschooling issue.

After the New Straits Times declined to publish my letter, I sent it to the Star. They, too, have not published it. I find this interesting, since the Star have published two of my previous letters. Thus, it is appears, in this instance, that it is the VIEWS I express that are not considered desirable, thus, must be muffled.

Malaysia's newspapers may not wish to publish my letter...but the wonderful world of blogs and search engines, allows me to do so myself. Thus, I have pasted the letter below, so that, at least, some people in Malaysia, might have the chance to read it, and consider its viewpoint.

Thank you for reading.

Don’t lose Malaysia’s gifted: legalize homeschooling.

Some of your readers may have heard of my son, Ainan Celeste Cawley, the scientific child prodigy, aged 10, studying at HELP University College. What they may not have heard, however, is why we left Singapore, where he was born, to come to Malaysia. In a word it largely came down to homeschooling. Quite simply, Singapore wouldn’t allow us to homeschool him, so we left.

We strove for three years, to get suitable educational provision for Ainan once he revealed a precocious talent for and interest in science, in particular Chemistry. It was very hard to get the educational system to respond adequately in Singapore. It took us, for instance, almost two years to secure regular laboratory classes for him, in Chemistry, at a Polytechnic. It should not have taken more than two weeks, in a responsive educational environment. In other respects, the school system was not meeting his needs – they were teaching way below where he was in the sciences and could be in the other subjects, given the opportunity. So, we asked to be allowed to homeschool him. The only reply we ever received from the tellingly named “Compulsory Education Unit” was a note saying: “We will revert to you shortly”. They never did. It was the only kind of letter they ever responded with, despite repeated attempts to secure a decision. Finally, I spoke to the woman in charge and she would only say: “I cannot give you an answer”.

Once Ainan’s laboratory classes came to an end, there was no further educational provision for him, in Sinagpore – and the system had refused to allow him to be homeschooled, so we were not allowed to provide for him, ourselves. Given the dead end we faced, in Singapore, we looked overseas and found what he needed in Malaysia, very quickly. So we emigrated.

Now the lesson here, for Malaysia, is clear. If Malaysia does NOT allow homeschooling, it will lose its most gifted students, if they cannot find what they need here and are not allowed to be provided for at home. They will go overseas. Ironically, as foreigners, they would be allowed to be homeschooled in Singapore. Thus, Malaysia, may lose its gifted students to Singapore, if it doesn’t allow them to be homeschooled here.

The answer is obvious: every parent should have the right to homeschool their child, if they feel the child’s needs cannot be met in a standardized schooling situation. The educational system should also help in whatever way it can, by, for instance, allowing homeschooled children to join in with extra-curricular activities at a school. If Malaysia does this, it will ensure that its brightest children do not have to leave for more flexible shores, to secure an education. Surely that is in the best interests of Malaysia as a nation?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
I do not know why Malaysia's newspapers wouldn't publish my letter - or at least the main ones which I tried (perhaps I should try others?) However, I know this: I do hope that some, at least, of my future letters are published, since the last three attempts have not met with any success. As an outside observer, I am equipped to see things which may not be clear to locals, who have no comparisons to make. Thus, I have insights to contribute, which could help Malaysia, in its continued development. I only hope to be allowed to share those insights and not have them silenced, relatively speaking, by being restricted to a blog that most people will never know about.

Of course, if all my future letters are declined, the day will come when I stop writing them, to the local media. Then, of course, they will have lost a voice...and where is the gain in that? Every different perspective is valuable, if an intellectually rich society is desired. Of course, if sterile conformity is the goal, then I understand why such views might be rejected. I would urge Malaysia, however, to move towards accepting a plurality of views...and not learn from its southern neighbour's efforcement of but one way to think about the world.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 6 and Tiarnan, 4, this month, 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.

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 at http://www.genghiscan.com/

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

Welcome readers from Malaysia.

I note that hundreds of readers are arriving from Malaysia, today. Welcome.

Now, such a surge in readers usually means that an article has been printed somewhere: could you let me know where so that I might be able to secure a copy? Thanks...please just tell me in the comments below.

If you are new to my blog, you might be unaware that there is a guide. Please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html

On this page, you will find links to many of the posts, each with a brief description to help you with selection. Just scroll down until you find something you like.

I hope you enjoy reading and return to read again, soon. I update usually every day. This blog covers the doings of Ainan and my other two sons, as well as comment on life in Singapore and life in general.

Thank you.

(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.

IMDB is the Internet Movie Database for film and tv professionals.If you would like to look at my IMDb listing for which another fifteen credits are to be uploaded, (which will probably take several months before they are accepted) please go to: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3438598/ As I write, the listing is new and brief - however, by the time you read this it might have a dozen or a score of credits...so please do take a look. My son, Ainan Celeste Cawley, also has an IMDb listing. His is found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3305973/ My wife, Syahidah Osman Cawley, has a listing as well. Hers is found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3463926/

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

The mystery of the Singaporean numbers game

Numbers are strange things. Especially in Singapore. You look away for a second and they change. Yes: here, numbers have a life of their own.

What numbers am I referring to? Well, these particular changing numbers are the costs of taxis, as declared in newspapers. Now, you would have thought that it would be a simple matter to be straightforward as to the true state of affairs when it comes to the real cost of taxis. However, apparently not.

My thoughts have turned to this on seeing a mysterious change in headlines in Singapore's leading national daily. Today The Straits Times has an article in which the headlines refer to the "5% to 35%" increase in taxi fares. Now, that is strange, I thought to myself on seeing that, for I remembered some very different headlines of only a few weeks ago. Those were also in The Straits Times and spoke of a "10% to 49%" price increase. Have the taxi fares been changed again? No, they have not. What has changed is what the headlines are saying about the fares, the fares themselves remain the same, overpriced charges.

Now, what is the truth, here? Is it "5% to 35%" or "10% to 49%". Well, I would suggest that the truth is that both sets of figures are not true. Both are misleading.

Why do I say this? Well, let us look at one simple fact in isolation. Let us forget the forest of new and wonderful whizzbang surcharges that delight the world with their awful magnitude and mystifying complexity. Let us just look at one small change among the many changes. The flag down rate has gone up from $250 - oops, I mean, $2.50 - to $2.80. Is that a change of 5%? Nope. Is that a change of 10%? Nope. It is a change of 12%. So, if you take a cab at a time and place that has no extra surcharges and you get out of the cab immediately (after all it is too expensive to actually travel anywhere in one of them), you would pay an increase of 12% over the former fares. So, that makes it a real mystery how the 5% (or the 10%) was calculated because the smallest possible change - one that ignored all other charges and surcharges is, in itself, 12% for a journey of no distance.

What happens when one actually, foolishly (or naively) actually takes a cab these days? Well, horrible things, usually, things like extra mortgages and lifelong debts to loan sharks.

What happens is that you end up virtually paying for the taxi, itself. A recent case in point. Someone I know of, recently returned from a well-timed holiday in Indonesia (where taxis are very cheap indeed), which meant that he left when taxis were affordable and returned when they had become insanely overpriced. Rather innocently, therefore, he took a cab from the airport to his home. Can you guess how much this journey cost, in an island a little bigger than the average American shopping mall (well, approximately)? It cost him well over 60 (yes, over SIXTY) dollars to get home. Consider that figure for a moment. Is that a reasonable amount for a single journey in what is a really, really small island? Now, how much was he used to paying for this journey? Have a guess. Well, he expected a figure in the 20s. Yes. That is right, he expected to pay somewhere over 20 and under 30 dollars. He didn't. He paid over 60 dollars. Now, I ask you is more than a doubling in fare, equal to "35%" or "49%". No it isn't. The true figure for these changes can be over a 100% increase in fare.

I have my own experience. My wife and I took a cab to town one evening. Just once, mind. We learnt our lesson pretty quickly. The journey would normally have cost around $9.50 to $10. The metered fare came out to $20.50. That, again, is more than a 100% increase.

Apparently, the journalists who wrote those articles have never actually taken a cab, for any distance, in the new fare regime. Perhaps they just write what the PR for the taxi firms tells them to write. Because one thing is for sure: the headline price rises in the newspapers do NOT reflect the reality of the price changes on the ground, in the cabs of Singapore today.

So, it is a mystery to me why the numbers change in these articles. It is also a mystery to me why those numbers do not accurately reflect the actual experience of people who take the cabs. Perhaps they are using best case only estimates, based on taxi rides that would avoid most of the surcharges. These are not real world estimates therefore. They are a PR person's statements.

All across Singapore, there are now empty cabs waiting for passengers, at all times of day. The only circumstance under which the fares would ever fall, is if those cabs stay empty. It is said, by Comfort PRs, that taxi drivers now earn 10% more. Perhaps they do. Perhaps they don't. Perhaps it is just PR. It doesn't matter. For even if it is true, it tells us one thing: a lot fewer people are taking cabs. You see, they should be earning a lot more than 10% more, since the true rise in prices is actually rather high. But they are not. Therefore, people are avoiding taxis. Fewer people take them. Most people are having to go to the inconvenience of finding less, well, convenient ways to travel.

It seems to me that if even fewer people took cabs, that eventually prices would fall back down again. We will see what people do.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and no months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and five months, and Tiarnan, twenty-two 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, 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.)

Traffic surge from the Netherlands, Austria, Germany

Yesterday, and today, have shown a significant increase in visitors from the Netherlands (about 900 visitors), Austria and Germany.

If you are visiting from any of these countries, could you please tell me how you heard about Ainan and this website. Was it a newspaper article, if so which one? If the article does not have an online version, could you scan it for me and mail it to me, please, for my records.

Your co-operation is much appreciated.

Thanks.

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

Celebrity sighting on a train

Today I had the strangest of experiences.

I was sitting on a train, as I rarely do, since I rarely take a train, when I found myself looking at the newspaper of the man sitting next to me. He was in his fifties, and Chinese. The newspaper was called the New Paper - a tabloid.

Perhaps it is not the best of manners, but there was nothing better to do, on the journey, than read his newspaper as he did. He appeared not to notice.

Then, he turned the page. I felt a tingle of surprise, because there, in the newspaper, was a picture of my son, Ainan, 7, taken by my wife (but available on the internet), next to a brief description of his record breaking feat, in passing an O level at only 7 years and 1 month. It was just a few lines.

Now, this is a newspaper that I didn't expect to cover Ainan, at all - since it only deals in "exclusives" - meaning their policy is to run stories that no-one else has. Yet, that didn't apply to Ainan since he had been on the front page of Berita Harian the day before (and mentioned in another article's first paragraph in an article about "Wonder Kids", in the Straits Times, the leading English language daily, the same day). Ainan's story was not exclusive - yet they had mentioned him.

A feeling of surreality came over me as this man began to read about my son. I studied him, as his eyes studied the few words written before him. His eyes lingered long over them, drinking them in, as if he had stumbled upon a wine of unexpected vintage. It felt so strange that I, Ainan's father, was sitting anonymously next to him, as he read of him. He then looked up from the single paragraph, at the photograph above. Again, his eyes spent long, too, too, long, on Ainan's face and then looked across at the board pictured alongside him, with his chemical equations, scrawled on it. He spent perhaps three minutes on an article that would only take about ten seconds to consume, at a normal reading pace. Then he looked away and read the other page - but, before he turned the page, he looked back, again, at my son's face.

I felt a peculiar warmth as I watched this display. I wanted to smile, but didn't: I just observed him.

All over Singapore, other people were reading of Ainan - and I walked among them, utterly unnoticed. What an odd experience.

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

Singapore Book of World Records

Today, Ainan, 7, is front page of the Berita Harian, Singapore's leading daily Malay newspaper.

The breaking news is that Ainan Celeste Cawley is, now, officially the youngest person ever to take an O level exam. The Singapore Book of Records, Singapore's answer to the Guiness Book of World Records, has officially recognized that it cannot find anyone younger than him, who has passed this level of examination, at anytime. It is an official record.

Ainan's record entry is entitled: "Youngest to attain an O level certificate" and will appear in the new edition of the Singapore Book of Records, in January 2008. Ainan was seven years and one month old when he sat the O level paper in January 2007.

For those who do not know, the O level Chemistry exam that Ainan took is at or above American High School graduation standard. Indeed, by observation of the first year courses at such Universities as Berkeley it is above first year University science courses that I have seen, in America. American Universities recruit O level students directly onto their courses.

So as to preserve the article, I am posting it down below.


Singapura : 22 Oktober 2007


Mudah cetak

BUKU REKOD S'PURA IKTIRAF BUDAK PINTAR

Oleh Halifi Hussin

BUDAK pintar yang lulus mata pelajaran Kimia dalam peperiksaan GCE 'O' tahun lalu pada usia tujuh tahun telah dinobatkan sebagai pelajar termuda Singapura yang berjaya berbuat demikian oleh Buku Rekod Singapura.

Ainan Celeste Cawley diberi pengiktirafan itu selepas mendapat Gred C bagi subjek tersebut, walaupun ketika itu dia baru berusia tujuh tahun satu bulan.

Rekod tersebut telah pun disiarkan dalam laman Internet Buku Rekod Singapura dan akan diterbitkan dalam bentuk buku Januari depan.

Dibentuk dalam 2004, Buku Rekod Singapura mempunya matlamat untuk memberi `peluang kepada warga Singapura mencatatkan rekod dunia.

Ainan merupakan anak kacukan keturunan Irish dan Melayu.
Kepintarannya dalam subjek Kimia mula disedari selepas dia sebelum ini berjaya menjawab buku latihan subjek tersebut, walaupun masih setahun jagung.

Bapanya, Encik Valentine Cawley, 39 tahun, yang merupakan ketua jabatan Bahasa Inggeris di Sekolah Linguaphone Education di sini, mendaftar anaknya dalam peperiksaan itu sebagai calon privet di British Council setelah mendapat tahu tentang kepintarannya.

Ditanya perasaannya tentang rekodnya itu, Ainan, anak sulung tiga beradik dengan tersipu-sipu menjawab: 'Saya gembira dan bangga.'

Ibu Ainan, Cik Syahidah Osman Cawley, 28 tahun, adalah seorang artis yang dapat melukis dengan kedua-dua belah tangannya.

Selain Ainan, pasangan tersebut mempunyai dua lagi anak - Fintan Nadym, empat tahun dan Tiarnan Hasyl, satu tahun.

Namun, bagi Ainan, pencapaiannya itu tidak berhenti setakat peringkat GCE 'O' sahaja.
Pelajar darjah dua yang menuntut di sebuah sekolah kawasan Bukit Timah itu kini mahu pula memecah rekod sebagai pelajar termuda yang lulus mata pelajaran Kimia peringkat GCE 'A'.
Encik Cawley berkata, persiapan telah pun bermula tetapi Ainan menghadapi hambatan sedikit kerana kurang latihan praktikal di makmal.

Namun, untuk mengatasi masalah itu, Raffles Institution (RI) dan Maktab Rendah Raffles (RJC) telah menawarkan Ainan peluang untuk melakukan kerja-kerja praktikal di makmal kimia mereka.

'Kami telah membuat persiapan seperti dahulu, iaitu belajar di rumah. Tetapi masalah sekarang adalah kekurangan latihan praktikal di makmal, namum kami yakin Ainan mampu mencapai kecemerlangan,' kata Encik Cawley.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and ten months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and three months, and Tiarnan, twenty 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, 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 birth of scepticism

The very young do not doubt, but, at some point, the first signs of scepticism creep into their minds. Ainan, 7, has already past that point.

Yesterday, Ainan came to me with a question: "Daddy, do you believe everything you read in the newspapers?"

"No, I don't. Sometimes they get the facts wrong."

"Me neither.", he began, more sure of himself now that he had found a fellow non-believer in the truth of all newspaper articles.

"You see, there is this girl, in the newspaper...", he began, quickly and quietly, in a rapid explanation of what he doubted and why.

The particular story is unimportant. What is important here is that he has begun to assert the primacy of his own judgments over the reports of others. To him, a news story is not to be accepted without question: it is to be judged against an internal set of criteria to determine its likelihood of truth.

Perhaps this is part of the process of becoming a scientist: the forming of independent opinions as to the truth of matters; the testing of information against what one knows and understands as well as, where it applies, experimentally.

I do not know when he formed this idea that newspapers were not to be trusted without examination. This is the first time he has mentioned this view to me - so it might have been resident in him for some time. It is, however, further evidence that the tendency to think for himself, in matters of science, has become more generalized: he is thinking for himself, in all areas - even in the simple reading of a newspaper.

(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, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Volksblad, South African Newspaper

Ainan, 7, was written of by the Volksblad newspaper, South Africa, on the 12th July 2007. I cannot read the article since it is in Afrikaans, but from what I can discern it is an article which begins by talking of Ainan but then cedes into an article about giftedness in general. It appears to ask some Professors to comment on what giftedness is.

The article is pasted below so as to preserve it. Thanks to Volksblad of News 24, for taking an interest in Ainan's story.

Dié seuntjie (7) sit onderwysers ore aanJul 12 2007 09:48:22:063PM - (SA) Amy Johnson

KAAPSTAD. – ’n Sewejarige seuntjie van Singapoer is die jongste kind ter wêreld wat die O-vlak chemie-eksamen met vlieënde vaandels geslaag het en is reeds besig om vir die A-vlak eksamen voor te berei.

Dié eksamen word gewoonlik deur 18-jariges afgelê.

Ainan Celeste Cawley word as ’n wonderkind beskou en is blykbaar die jongste wetenskaplike op rekord ter wêreld.

Ainan het op die ouderdom van ses maande begin stap. As kleuter het hy ’n groot belangstelling in wetenskap en kuns getoon en hy was ses jaar oud toe hy glo sy eerste wetenskaples aan ’n groep kinders by ’n skool in Singapoer aangebied het.

Sy pa, mnr. Valentine Cawley, was glo self ’n begaafde kind en meen hy kan ’n steunpilaar vir Ainan wees.

Ainan het skole in Londen en Singapoer bygewoon, maar volgens sy pa “is die standaard van die onderrig nie goed genoeg nie” en wil hulle hom nou by ’n universiteit inskryf.
Volgens ’n plaaslike opvoedkundige sielkundige, dr. S.T. Potgieter, is Ainan ’n “seldsame verskynsel”.

“Dit is nie iets wat gereeld voorkom nie, hy is ’n begaafde kind. Sy IK is hoër as 145. ’n ‘Gemiddelde mens’ se IK is tussen 90 en 110. Hierdie kinders het spesiale aandag nodig en die huidige skoolstelsel maak net voorsiening vir die gewone kind,” het Potgieter gesê.

Prof. Hennie Steyn, verbonde aan die fakulteit opvoedkunde aan die Noordwes-universiteit, het gesê die gemeenskap moet hom soos ’n gewone kind met ’n spesifieke aanleg aanvaar.
Volgens Mensa se webwerf het begaafde kinders nie net intellektuele stimulering nodig nie, maar ook emosionele ondersteuning. Die ouers van ’n begaafde kind word aangeraai om die spesiale vermoëns van al hul kinders raak te sien en moet dit vermy om net die een te prys.
Cawley meen daar wag ’n blink toekoms op sy seun.

“Hy is op sy gelukkigste wanneer hy dink, leer en eksperimente uitvoer. Wetenskap is soos al die speelgoed in die wêreld wat saam gegooi is, en niks maak hom gelukkiger as om daarmee te speel nie.

“Dit is juis sy houding teenoor wetenskap wat eendag van hom ’n goeie wetenskaplike sal maak.”

News of Ainan in Venezuala?

Is there news in Venezuala? I ask because I have had an unusual number of visitors from venezuala in the past few hours.

If you are a visitor from Venezuala, I would appreciate it if you could tell me what has brought you to visit my site. Is it an article about Ainan you have read? Or was it just a friend spreading the word?

However you arrived here, welcome. There is plenty to read - so feel free to look around.

Thanks.

People Tonight, Philippine News

On Saturday, 16th May, 2007, People Tonight, a Philippino mass circulation newspaper, carried an article on Ainan. It has just appeared today on their website http://www.journal.com.ph/ in the miscellaneous section, though it may only be there for a day.


Child prodigy, 7, passes tough UK chemistry exam

THIS is one seven-year-old boy that would make both Asians and Europeans proud. Ainan Celeste Cawley, of Asian-Irish parentage, recently passed his Chemistry O Level exam from the London Edexcel Board, an exam normally taken by British 16-year-olds.

Considered a child prodigy and the youngest chemist on record worldwide, Ainan has been to school in both London and Singapore.

His father, Valentine, was educated at Cambridge University.

The exam that the younger Cawley passed, his father said, was a “rigorous one and at a level equal to or higher than American high school graduation.”

The father pointed out that “American universities recruit O level students directly onto their degree courses. It is still taken all over the world by former commonwealth countries as a benchmark academic exam.”

He disclosed that Ainan picked up a level textbook only on July 18, 2006, and took his exam six months later at the British Council in Singapore as a private examinee.

“Taking an exam alongside him were four rather surprised adult candidates. Ainan was just seven years and one month old when he took the examination,” the proud father said.

Walking at six months, as a toddler, Ainan would seek out science books in the library, showing a preference for dense texts with complicated illustrations of scientific matters. “These he would absorb quietly and comment on later,” the elder Cawley said.

By the time he was three or four, Ainan was interested in “hyper-dimensional shapes” and would draw their shadows in two dimensions as a form of “intellectual play,” he said. “Some of these shapes had hundreds of sides.

This was not a surprise to his mother, Syahidah Osman Cawley, an ambidextrous artist,” he added.

This interest in structure in the abstract developed into an interest in the structure of molecules as he discovered chemistry on the Internet. Through self-guided surfing, Ainan educated himself in science.

When he was six years old, he was given a chemistry book to look at on a whim. Ainan sat and read the text and indicated that he understood it.

His family gave him a chemistry test paper to do from the book and to everyone’s astonishment, he answered the questions correctly.

His father, Valentine, a former physicist, promptly presented him with a chemistry O level textbook.

For daily updates on Ainan, please read Valentine’s blog at www.scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com.

La Stampa, Italy

La Stampa is one of Italy's best known and most widely sold newspapers. It is published in Turin, but distributed throughout Europe. It is presently owned by the Fiat Group of Agnelli fame (or is it the other way around?).

On the 16th May 2007, La Stampa wrote an article about Ainan, placed in their Science section. It is written with the typical Italian passion and enthusiasm. I am copying these news articles here because some of the newspapers that have covered Ainan have already taken the resultant articles down: some sites keep them up for as little as a week, it seems. I thought it wise to preserve them, here, therefore.

Ainan il genio: a sette anniè un chimico professionista
Il piccolo Ainan, genio a sette anni

Storia di un bambino prodigio: ad appena due settimane di vita già scandiva qualche parola
SINGAPOREQuesta è la storia di Ainan Celeste, che ad appena due settimane di vita scandiva qualche parola, a quattro mesi gattonava, a 6 camminava e a 8 correva. È la storia di Ainan, probabilmente il bimbo più piccolo ad aver mai gattonato o essersi drizzato in piedi. Una storia straordinaria: a otto mesi Ainan riconosceva le lettere e a un anno parlava correntemente al punto che raccontò nel dettaglio il momento della sua nascita, dalla prospettiva di chi esce dal grembo di una madre. Oggi Ainan ha sette anni ed è il più giovane prodigio della storia: ha superato il GCE O Level (un esame di stato per ragazzi di 16 anni) in chimica, certificato da London Edexcel Board: è il chimico più giovane al mondo e l’unico prodigio in chimica mai conosciuto.Mezzo irlandese, mezzo malesiano, Ainan ha frequentato le scuole sia inglesi che singaporiane. Suo padre, Valentine Cawley, laureato Cambridge, un portentoso ma incolto talento per la musica (senza conosere le note, a 11 anni sapeva ripetere o fischiettare qualsiasi pezzo, compreso il Requiem di Mozart e la Passione di San Giovanni) ha sposato Syahidah Osman e da lei ha avuto tre figli, tutti bimbi-prodigio. Sulla sua esperienza, Valentine Cawley ha creato un blog, in cui racconta le vicenda di questa sua famiglia fuori dal normale. L’O Level è un tradizionale esame britannico solitamente affrontato da ragazzi di 16 anni: esame rinomato che equivale al diploma della ’high school’ americana, tanto che chi lo lo supera può accedere direttamente ai corsi di laurea delle università statunitensi. Nonostante non avesse mai preso in mano un libro di testo per l’O level prima del 18 luglio 2006, Ainan ha dato il suo O Level in chimica il 18 gennaio 2007, esattamente sei mesi dopo, presso il British Council, a Singapore, presentandosi come candidato privato. A dare l’esame insieme a lui, c’erano adulti piuttosto sorpresi. Ainan aveva sette anni compiuti da un mese quando ha superato l’esame. Intorno ai tre o quattro anni, Ainan era interessato alle forme iperdimensionali e disegnava le loro ombre come sorta di gioco intellettivo; alcune di queste forme avevano centinaia di lati.Fu allora che la madre, un’artista ambidestra, cominciò ad allertarsi. Dall’interesse per la struttura nell’astratto Ainan passò ad interessarsi alla struttura delle molecole, quando scoprì la chimica su internet. Navigando la rete da solo, si fece una cultura sulla scienza. E sei anni gli venne ragalato un libro di chimica da leggere per sfizio. Ma il piccolo genio lesse il libro tutto d’un fiato e fece notare che lo aveva anche capito. La famiglia gli fece fare un test preso dal manuale e, tra la sorpresa generale, Ainan rispose correttamente alle domande. Fu allora che il padre, Valentine Cawley, a suo tempo fisico, decise di fargli un libro di testo per l’O level in chimica. E adesso, quali saranno i prossimi passi per Ainan? Ha già finito il libro di testo per l’ A level e dovrebbe dare l’esame quest’anno. Per questo esame avrà bisogno di esperienza in laboratorio, dove non è mai entrato. Se ciò potrà essere organizzato egli darà l’ A-level, solitamente dato da ragazzi di 18 anni, per poi preseguire per un viaggio più lungo: l’università ed il mondo dello scienziato per la ricerca. E per chi voglia seguirne il cammino, gli aggiornamento sul sito www.scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com.

(If you would like to read more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and six months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, three, and Tiarnan, sixteen months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspotcom/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.)

La Vanguardia, Spain (Barcelona)

La Vanguardia is the most widely read newspaper in Catalunya, in which Barcelona is to be found. It is also one of the papers which covered Ainan in recent times. To preserve these articles I am going to copy and paste them, one by one, over the next few weeks, onto this blog - or at least those I can still find - since newspapers do not keep these articles active for long on their sites, in general.

Below is the article from La Vanguardia. It is dated the 22nd of May 2007. It refers to the fact that O level is sufficient to gain access to American universities.


Un niño prodigio de Singapur aprueba con siete años un examen de Química de nivel preuniversitario

22/05/2007 Actualizada a las 13:25
Madrid. (Europa Press).

- Ainan Celeste Cawley, un niño de Singapur de siete años de edad, ha aprobado un examen de Química del nivel 'O', que corresponde normalmente a jóvenes de 16 años de edad y que tanto en Estados Unidos como en los países de la Commonwealth sirve de referencia académica para acceder a la Universidad.

Seguir leyendo noticia
PALABRAS CLAVE
Singapur, Internet, Universidad, Commonwealth, Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, British Council, Londres, Madrid, Cambridge

Ainan, mitad irlandés y mitad malayo, ya pronunciaba algunas palabras con apenas dos semanas de vida, gateaba a los cuatro meses, caminaba a los seis y ya corría con ocho meses, según informaron sus propios padres a través de su propia página de Internet.El niño, que ha asistido a escuelas de Londres y Singapur, obtuvo el nivel 'Ò en Química por el London Edexcel Board. En la actualidad, Ainan es el químico más joven mundialmente reconocido y se cree que es el único químico prodigio conocido en el mundo. Su padre, Valentine Cawley, es licenciado en Física por la Universidad de Cambridge.El Nivel 'O' es el examen al que tradicionalmente se presentan en Reino Unido los jóvenes de 16 años de edad. Según los padres, el nivel de este examen es similar o incluso superior a los exámenes de graduación preuniversitaria estadounidense, ya que las universidades norteamericanas suelen enviar a los estudiantes de niveles 'O' directamente a los cursos de titulación. En los países del Commonwealth el examen de nivel 'O' suele servir de referencia académica. Aunque nunca había leído un libro de texto de nivel 'O' antes del 18 de julio de 2006, Ainan se presentó al examen el pasado 18 de enero, exactamente seis meses después, en el British Council de Singapur. Junto a él había otros cuatro candidatos adultos. Ainan tenía sólo siete años y un mes de edad cuando se presentó al examen.Cuando era pequeño, Ainan buscaba libros de ciencias en la biblioteca de la casa, mostrando preferencia por textos difíciles con complicadas ilustraciones sobre temas científicos, los cuales absorbía calladamente para luego comentarlos.Hacia la edad de tres o cuatro años, Ainan estaba interesado en las formas híperdimensionales y dibujaba sus sombras en dos dimensiones a manera de juego intelectual. Algunas de estas formas tenían cientos de lados, lo cual no fue una sorpresa para su madre, Syahidah Osman Cawley, una artista ambidiestra. Este interés hacia las estructuras abstractas se desarrolló posteriormente en un interés por las estructuras de las moléculas a medida que fue descubriendo la Química en Internet. A través de la navegación por la red, según los padres, Ainan se educó a sí mismo en la ciencia.Cuando tenía seis años de edad recibió un libro de Química, y Ainan se sentó y leyó el texto, mostrando que lo entendía. Su familia le dio a resolver un examen de Química relacionado con el mismo libro y para el asombro de todos, Ainan contestó las preguntas correctamente. Su padre, Valentine Cawley, le dio inmediatamente un libro de texto de nivel 'O' en Química.De momento, según sus padres, el niño ya ha leído un libro de texto en nivel 'A' y se espera que se presente este mismo año a un examen de ese nivel. Para ello requiere de experiencia en laboratorio, lo cual de momento no ha sido posible. En caso de conseguirlo, el jovencísimo científico podría presentarse al examen, propio de jóvenes de 18 años, antes de lanzarse a objetivos mayores, como la Universidad y la investigación científica.

News in the Cancan, Romania

The Cancan is a dance, to most people but, to Romanians, it is "the leading first quality tabloid newspaper", according to its own description.

Now, Ainan's achievements have been covered in many newspapers, in many countries, but I was really quite surprised to discover, today, that the Romanian newspaper, Cancan, had somehow heard about Ainan and, using a photo available online, ran a story on him. It is quite sweet of them, to notice him!

For the few of you who may be able to read Romanian and to preserve it for posterity, I will post it below. I am not sure if they have got all the facts right, because I can't read it - but at least they tried. I think they got the age at which he would browse in libraries wrong by several years...he was much earlier than what I think they are saying.

It was published on the 25th of May 2007:

Geniu in chimie, la doar sapte ani

SIMPLU. Ainan rezolva imediat probleme de chimie care ii pun la grea incercare pe liceeni
Dana Arama (this was the caption to the photo which, unaccountably, won't paste here.)

Ainan Celeste Cawley are doar sapte ani, dar rezolva deja teste de chimie care se dau la examenele de colegiu. De curand, el a trecut cu brio un test la British Council din Singapore, unde a sustinut examenul de chimie alaturi de alti patru concurenti adulti. "Chimia e o stiinta minunata si nu mi se pare deloc grea", spune el, simplu. Ainan si-a manifestat interesul pentru stiinta care studiaza atomii, compozitia, structura si proprietatile substantelor inca de foarte mic. "La 3-4 ani, l-am gasit cotrobaind in biblioteca. Luase carti de stiinta, cu texte foarte greu de inteles chiar si pentru un adult. Le-a citit cu mare interes. Ulterior, a inceput sa comenteze ce citea cu tatal lui", a povestit mama lui Ainan, Syahidah Osman Cawley. Se pare ca micul geniu a mostenit pasiunea pentru stiintele exacte de la tatal lui, Valentine Cawley, licentiat in Fizica la Universitatea Cambridge. A dat toate raspunsurile corecte "El singur a cautat sa afle cat mai multe despre chimie de pe Internet. Cand i-am dat primele teste de rezolvat, foarte greu de rezolvat si pentru un adolescent de 16 ani, a dat toate raspunsurile corecte", a explicat mandru tatal baietelului, Valentine. Ainan, care e jumatate irlandez, jumatate malaezian, a fost un bebelus precoce. La doua saptamani, silabisea cuvinte, la patru luni mergea de-a busilea, la sase luni mergea in picioare, iar la opt luni putea deja sa alerge. Urmatoarele provocari ale micului geniu: sa rezolve testele de chimie pentru elevii de 18 ani, sa intre la universitate si sa se dedice apoi unei cariere stiintifice.

So, hello Romania!

Thank you to Dana Arama for taking the trouble to cover Ainan, in Romanian.

Welcome visitors from Spain.

I have noticed an upsurge in visitors to my blog from Spain. If there has been publication of any article on Ainan, in Spain, please let me know what it is. Thanks.

In the meantime, welcome to my family blog. I write much on giftedness, child prodigy, genius and education - and in particular of my scientific child prodigy son, Ainan Celeste Cawley and his gifted brothers.

There is much to read so feel free to look around and come again. I would also welcome your comments, though try to write them in English, please!

Thanks.

Tiarnan reacts to being in the news

On the 23rd March 2007, the Cawley family was front page news in the Straits Times, as many of you know. How did Tiarnan react?

He saw the paper on the breakfast table and looked rather surprisedly at the image of his brother, Ainan. He peered closer, then his eyes flicked across the page to me: "Dadda!", he said...then finally he saw himself and he looked at his mother and smiled bemusedly.

He seemed to understand that it was strange to be in the paper. He had seen this object every day for fourteen months of his life...and to see himself on it and his family, clearly struck him as unusual.

Oddly, when the next round of journalists were here, I saw him shaking his head to himself, with a big smile, obviously amused and bemused by what was going on. I think, somewhere inside him, he had made the connection between the presence of the journalists and the appearance in the newspaper. At least that is the tale of his facial expression.

He seems to be able to make connections between causally related events, very well, even if separated in time: an indication of both memory and intelligence, at work.

(If you would like to learn of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and four months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, three, or Tiarnan, fourteen 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.)

An encounter at a supermarket, Singapore

Yesterday, I took a trip to the supermarket. A ordinary thing to do, you might think. Yet, suddenly, it is not ordinary.

As I waited by the check out counter, a young man approached me - of Malay origin.

"Are you the Father?" he said, with a capital letter.

I knew which "Father" he must mean.

His hand waved uncertainly in the air in front of him, searching for words: "...of the boy who passed his O level?"

"Yes, I am."

"I was shocked when I read that..." he began, clearly looking even more shocked to have met me, a living, walking Front Page of A Newspaper. "Only seven." He said, as if he was explaining some deep matter of the Universe by this number - or more likely, posing one of the Universes greater mysteries.

"Yes." I agreed, "I was pretty shocked myself.", I found myself saying - which wasn't true at all. I hadn't been shocked in the least - it was what I expected. However, something in me thought that that is what he would have expected from me and so I conformed to his expectation to make him feel better about the world. Perhaps I shouldn't have - but it was meant as a kindness - a kind of empathic reaching out.

He nodded to himself, and held himself in that way that told me he was slightly breathless, struggling against speechlessness.

"Who taught him?" He continued, getting the Key Question out.

"I did."

"You did science in the past?" He probed, making probable connections.

"Yes...I was a physicist."

"But you taught him Chemistry..." he probed further, seeing some inconsistency.

"Yes, I re-learnt Chemistry so that I could teach him it."

He seemed at a loss as to how to continue, so I reached out my hand and shook his: "Nice to meet you." I said.

He kind of nodded, not knowing, perhaps, what to say.

Then I stepped back one or two steps, but something stopped me, something prompted me to a kindness of sorts: "What's your name?" I asked.

"Ashraf," he began, "I work here..." He looked me in the eyes, and repeated: "I work here."

I looked at him. He was in "plain clothes" - ordinary civilian attire, there being no uniform in sight, so I had no way of knowing whether this was true. Yet, he said it, so I accepted it. He must just be getting off work, I thought.

"Good...bye Ashraf!"

I left the store. I didn't look back, but it seems likely that I would have found his eyes upon me, had I done so.

It was a pleasant introduction to public recognition...and, to me, a surprising one. People really do read newspapers here - and pay attention to what is in them.

I wonder what is going to happen after today, with our family's appearance in the largest circulation newspaper in Singapore - The Sunday Times (of The Straits Times).

I will soon learn.

Best wishes all.

(If you would like to learn of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and four months, or his gifted siblings, Fintan, three and Tiarnan, fourteen 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.)

The Sunday Times, Singapore: read it tomorrow

The Sunday Times (of the Straits Times) are running another article on Ainan and the Cawley family tomorrow.

Obviously, I don't know what they are going to say - but I do know that the article will carry more depth than the ones that have already appeared in the Singaporean press. So, if you are interested in learning more of the Ainan story rush out and get yourself a copy of The Sunday Times, tomorrow.

I understand that we are probably to be found in the main section of the newspaper, somewhere.

Happy reading!

Reactions to Ainan in Singapore

As you will know, if you have read recent posts, Ainan, 7, has been featured in many Singaporean media, recently, two of them on the front page. What reactions has this provoked in people, here?

Well, the first signs of something different was when he went out with his mother. People pointed at him and cries of: "Are you Ainan?" could be heard. There was a general sense of delight at having met him.

At school, Ainan was cheered by the whole school at assembly. I think he was deeply touched by it all, being a sensitive boy, who picks up on the warmth surrounding him. A trip to the canteen, became a scene of much congratulation, as fellow pupils in his primary school approached to say that they had seen him in the papers.

If there is one word to describe the reaction so far it is: "embraced". Ainan has been embraced by those around him...appreciated, welcomed, well-received.

I hope it continues.

Three cheers for Ainan! Hip hip Hooray!

(If you would like to read more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and four months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, three, and Tiarnan, fourteen 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, adult genius, baby genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted adults, and gifted general. Thanks.)

Front page news, Singapore

Ainan, 7, is front page news today in Singapore. It is quite surreal to see our faces peering from the front cover of the leading dailies in Singapore.

Today, Ainan and parents are on the front cover of the Straits Times, the leading English daily, and the front cover of Berita Harian, the leading Malay daily. Yesterday, Ainan appeared in Shin Min, a leading Chinese evening daily paper. I was also heard on the radio, 95.8 FM, a Chinese channel discussing Ainan.

I wonder how people here are going to react. More later.