HA/KS's Link
I beg to differ!!!!! WOW!!!!! I first thought the title was a misprint or a gag.
Intentionally so
He died penny less and depending on the kindness of his friends for a place to live. He was an engineer, an A&P mechanic. Had a master in computer sciences. Did not drive a car, rode everywhere on a bicycle. Think Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory TV program.
Had the ability to make huge amounts of money from his genius, but instead devoted his time to the Libertarian party and computer user groups. Never married, never dated, and that was probably his downfall as he needed someone in his life to tell him what to do.
Just hope this kid is not like my brother in law.
Terry
I hope this one is different. Reminds me of the guy that used to bum around in my home town who was a drop -out Genius from Harvard as well. It's More common than one would expect.
Being smart no more guarantees success than being big and strong guarantees athletic success.
One of my jobs as a facilitator of gifted education was to help students learn to work hard and have appropriate social skills.
But she didn't do it in eleven days!
It is quite unfortunate that many don't have the structure and resources of this encouragement and guidance. Perhaps there is now a better understanding/approach of the whole person / gifted student . Perhaps the leadership and guidance/institutions of these exceptional minds can now be trusted. I am skeptical . Not of you , mind you. I don't know enough to say either way. But , Human nature is not to be trusted.
Unless the leader is proven highly moral and actually of like intelligence to the student upcoming there is an inevitable pitfall, to mold the student into ones desired form. Thus the tendency to become an unaware extension of that instructor. This is not unnoticed by the student.
I'm not sure this can be avoided . The tendency of the brilliant / gifted student as described, is to try to trust the teacher until they cant be trusted and then it falls apart. Because they test more than they trust. Hence the need for far higher moral and adequate intellectual leadership and unfortunately they are not available. One part Psychiatrist one part teacher/trusted friend. It just doesn't work out like the Good will hunting movie, very often. Our instruction and personal attention must be exceptional and of a fully committed nature. That is not often found in any institution nor rewarded by the institution, generally speaking.
From my observation the psychological aspect / needs are not nurtured in gifted students/children , not often at least. Both, because the child is resistant and able to avoid the medicine by performance and imitation and because the nurturer is not able to overcome the obstacles of the task.
The teacher has to be willing to go all in for those particular people and be able to do so. That's an uncommon gift and sacrifice.
Hogwash! Do you really believe that? Yes, grades may come easier in some ways for the highly intelligent, but not in others. The rest of life is just as difficult as for anyone else (and often more so because of people who believe what you wrote).
"Unless the leader is ..... actually of like intelligence to the student"
More hogwash! All good teaching requires a level of intelligence, morality, and hard work. Your statement assumes that the student will be only able to learn what the teacher already knows or can do. It is the aim of every good teacher to ,prepare and motivate students to go far beyond what the teacher knows, has done, or can do - and beyond what the student thinks they can do.
The first time I met with gifted high school students I asked them to tell me a little about themselves and what they wanted to do in life. They were 4 high school sophomores. One was going to be an orthopedic surgeon, one a pediatric surgeon, one an anesthesiologist. The fourth kind of apologized for not being interested in medicine. Their interest was computers. They listed half a dozen programming languages that they had taught themselves than mentioned that they had also learned Greek and Japanese on their own to "help understand language syntax."
I looked them in the eye and said "I am not gifted and have never played anyone gifted on TV, but have been around the block more times than you have. Together we will make a great team." They accepted that and we did make a good team. I learned from them and they learned from me.
I agree that the gifted students often do not get what they need from the schools. Dedicated and moral teachers are key for all students, not just the gifted.
That's the point. It's easy for them. That level of genius is somewhat interested till they master the information which is remarkably fast. The teacher has little worth with that level of brilliance. ( Not the common "excellent student" that you may be talking about) with them I agree with you. Perhaps you misunderstand the level we are talking about.
I kid you not . My wife's child is that kind of brain. Several others that I have known are similar but may not be as unique. He absorbs the information with such ease that a book is enough . Then he is so masterful that he is invited to teach in the military-Nuclear program and MIT. This is someone that almost walked away from it for good , if not for emotional support and growth in the other aspects of life. Geniuses are special cases.
It was spelled out so clearly by those who wanted to harvest his ability when he was a child . Because there is such understanding of the truly gifted Geniuses often having this downside which prevents fulfilling their potential. It's not hogwash.
I have witnessed the same trend in several people who needed the same special support and tragic consequences when they do not. Many just don't connect with other humans very well but imitate well enough to pass ... Yet they can be empty of empathy or overly sensitive.
"I agree that the gifted students often do not get what they need from the schools. Dedicated and moral teachers are key for all students, not just the gifted."
I agree but the point is , the exceptionally gifted -genius -level student tends to suffer a condition that others don't. That is why they often do not perform as we would expect them too. As has been noted in the examples above. They need something more . Way more.
I worked with a kid who was the youngest ever accepted into a special program for such kids - at an Ivy League school. Skipped all of junior high and half of high school.
I worked with a different kid who maxed out the ACT (36) - in 7th grade.
Again the idea that it is "easy for them" is a big reason they don't prosper more often.
Added: I pointed to an entire wall of books in the classroom and told students that they could memorize all of them and that wouldn't mean that they were educated. Learning facts and information does not equate to knowledge, understanding, or success. What you are talking about is the ease with which most of these kids learn the factual information that others often struggle to learn and remember.
I took the ACT in '65 or '66. Back then, I think 15 was their highest score.
Do you know when they changed it and why?
"Your statement assumes that the student will be only able to learn what the teacher already knows or can do." That's not what I am saying at all. "The Student" we were talking about is the exception (Super brain ) not found in the company of several others as you describe. ( clearly we are talking about different animals)
The teacher needs to be able to keep up with the (Genius) student in the subject or the teacher quickly becomes the student. They don't need you on their "team"... The teacher also must have the ability to provide what that special student doesn't have . That is the developmental aspect ( moral training etc. ) that is often the missing aspect in gifted ( genius level) people. The ability to help where the genius is wanting requires a rare natural gift ( genius in its own art form) but a PhD in psychiatry wouldn't hurt.
The two teachers do not need to be in one person but that is the example I was getting at. Hope this clarifies . Sorry if it doesn't.
Does a track coach have to be able to run a 4 minute mile before his runners can do it?
Kyle, that's just what they told you to make you feel good:-). Looks like it worked, based on your success in multiple areas.
I knew someone here would say something like that.
When I was a kid, seemingly every year we had to take the "Iowa Basics" test. I always scored in the mid-high nineties on them.
As I recall, the ACT looked a lot like those Iowa Basics tests, so my guess is both tests are from the same company.
I'm sure you can find many supporting studies such as this . Vulnerabilities of highly gifted children - Davidson Institute www.davidsongifted.org/Search-Database/entry/A10065
If they baby their kids, the kids will never learn to be adventurous, to welcome challenges, and to take initiative.
At least twice a week when I'm out on my early morning hikes with my pup, I see moms sitting in their SUVs with teenage boys , waiting for the school bus.
Sometimes I feel like stopping and telling mommy she's ruining the kid's life by being over protective. I've never done that, but it's tempting.
You build confidence and self-esteem by achieving things, not by having your hand held and being told how wonderful you are!
Actually, as a result of the SAT thread here, I emailed then ACT folks yesterday out of curiousity, just to see if they could tell me what my score was.
If they can't find it, no big deal. I'm pretty sure I know what it was, +/- one point.