At the beginning of the year we played a game of focus where kids (age 9-10) were to walk on a loopy track of hurdles with a bell in hand. Only a few kids could walk without making the bell sound. They did it with concentration and took long time. But one boy walked the entire track like a breeze in far less time. I decided to watch him over the year.
Later in the year, I had challenged the class to finish a woollen pouch, which required many hours of focused work. It took children a long time. However, this boy's pouch finished the earliest. And his pouch had a feel of like done by an expert - though this was the first time he had held the loom in hand. He went on to help others finish the pouch.
At the end of the year, I decided to test the class with the Bell-game one last time. Again this boy did it the fastest and with little efforts. He seem to have an exceptional and nearly inborn skill to manage manual and physical tasks. The boy stood head-and-shoulders above others.
I had nearly forgotten him, when the class-teacher mentioned that the boy has been detained (failed) for bad academic performance. What happens to him now ? During the normal proceedings of a class and the syllabus, activities such as above are rarely done. Had I not done these activities, I wouldn't have realized the exceptional skill this boy has. And this worries me.
Who are we to decide which qualities are worthy of graduating from a school ? Who are we to say, that 20 years from now, his physical skills are of no use but the academic skills are. Do we routinely fail exceptional children with our own view of academic standards ?
Later in the year, I had challenged the class to finish a woollen pouch, which required many hours of focused work. It took children a long time. However, this boy's pouch finished the earliest. And his pouch had a feel of like done by an expert - though this was the first time he had held the loom in hand. He went on to help others finish the pouch.
At the end of the year, I decided to test the class with the Bell-game one last time. Again this boy did it the fastest and with little efforts. He seem to have an exceptional and nearly inborn skill to manage manual and physical tasks. The boy stood head-and-shoulders above others.
I had nearly forgotten him, when the class-teacher mentioned that the boy has been detained (failed) for bad academic performance. What happens to him now ? During the normal proceedings of a class and the syllabus, activities such as above are rarely done. Had I not done these activities, I wouldn't have realized the exceptional skill this boy has. And this worries me.
Who are we to decide which qualities are worthy of graduating from a school ? Who are we to say, that 20 years from now, his physical skills are of no use but the academic skills are. Do we routinely fail exceptional children with our own view of academic standards ?
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