Assalamu alaikum and Hi there.
From time to time we hear from the news on smart kids that had passed high level exams whilst very young. These kids are considered to be more advanced than other children of their age with some having problems to adjust, which makes this piece of news an interesting read.
These blessed children are generally good in mathematical subjects and undoubtedly have great potential to succeed in their education. But is this all there is to it?
First of all, success in education does not equate success in life (which many parents often mistakenly believe). Here, 'smart' takes a bigger meaning; it is not merely the ability to reason, but also to plan, solve problems, be skillful, etc. In short, straight As in PMR, SPM or STPM or A-Levels does not necessarily mean one is smart.
My personal point of view is that each person is born with a different mix of intelligence, ie ways of thinking. This mix of intelligence is what makes all of us unique (and of course, is the root of the problems in the world, as different people think differently, want different things in life and thus have differing needs).
There are different areas of thinking which we use to make decisions based on the situations we are in. Among these which are common are logical thinking, critical thinking, lateral thinking, and emotive thinking.
Logical thinking is normally used to relate proof and evidence in establishing a fact. Hence, children with a high level of this intelligence may show the ability to accept logical reasoning.
Critical thinking normally relates to the intelligence in finding strengths and weaknesses (ie, scrutiny). The ability to counter argue and point out pros and cons of a suggestion are examples of such intelligence.
Lateral thinking on the other hand, is associated with problem solving. Children with high level of lateral thinking ability may show skills in games such as chess, scrabble and the like.
Last (of a truncated big list) is emotive thinking that relates to one's ability to empathize. Children showing high level of emotive thinking may portray overwhelming reaction to inputs, such as bedtime reading or television programs.
Understanding the many types of intelligence helps one to understand others. The ability to understand facilitates social integration, as one accepts that no one path to a solution is the most correct.
The understanding of the many types of intelligence also helps parents to recognise their children early so that for example, they do not make the mistake of focing their kids to read engineering at university and inevitably see their child drop away halfway (and bear the financial consequences).
All in all, success in life requires balance. For me, a smart 6 year-old is not one who can answer "What is 11 times 12?" in ten seconds through mental arithmetic; instead, he is one who can dish out a calculator and calculate the answer in half the time. But again, an equally smart kid would ask you, "What is the need for this?"
So then, is your kid smart?
From time to time we hear from the news on smart kids that had passed high level exams whilst very young. These kids are considered to be more advanced than other children of their age with some having problems to adjust, which makes this piece of news an interesting read.
These blessed children are generally good in mathematical subjects and undoubtedly have great potential to succeed in their education. But is this all there is to it?
First of all, success in education does not equate success in life (which many parents often mistakenly believe). Here, 'smart' takes a bigger meaning; it is not merely the ability to reason, but also to plan, solve problems, be skillful, etc. In short, straight As in PMR, SPM or STPM or A-Levels does not necessarily mean one is smart.
My personal point of view is that each person is born with a different mix of intelligence, ie ways of thinking. This mix of intelligence is what makes all of us unique (and of course, is the root of the problems in the world, as different people think differently, want different things in life and thus have differing needs).
There are different areas of thinking which we use to make decisions based on the situations we are in. Among these which are common are logical thinking, critical thinking, lateral thinking, and emotive thinking.
Logical thinking is normally used to relate proof and evidence in establishing a fact. Hence, children with a high level of this intelligence may show the ability to accept logical reasoning.
Critical thinking normally relates to the intelligence in finding strengths and weaknesses (ie, scrutiny). The ability to counter argue and point out pros and cons of a suggestion are examples of such intelligence.
Lateral thinking on the other hand, is associated with problem solving. Children with high level of lateral thinking ability may show skills in games such as chess, scrabble and the like.
Last (of a truncated big list) is emotive thinking that relates to one's ability to empathize. Children showing high level of emotive thinking may portray overwhelming reaction to inputs, such as bedtime reading or television programs.
Understanding the many types of intelligence helps one to understand others. The ability to understand facilitates social integration, as one accepts that no one path to a solution is the most correct.
The understanding of the many types of intelligence also helps parents to recognise their children early so that for example, they do not make the mistake of focing their kids to read engineering at university and inevitably see their child drop away halfway (and bear the financial consequences).
All in all, success in life requires balance. For me, a smart 6 year-old is not one who can answer "What is 11 times 12?" in ten seconds through mental arithmetic; instead, he is one who can dish out a calculator and calculate the answer in half the time. But again, an equally smart kid would ask you, "What is the need for this?"
So then, is your kid smart?
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