CHILDHOOD RARITIES (Part One)

by Goolbai Gunasekera

The Press and Media have just finished a week of discussing the abused child, and it occurred to me that teachers occasionally have a pupil not easily categorized — the perfect student or the opposite type – the dreamy one. Such rarities are never discussed except in the Staff Room or else at Staff Meetings.

No one writes articles about them. No one wonders how this phenomenon comes about. A near-child genius or the alternate non-achiever does not command the same media attention as cases of child abuse these days. I will deal now with the first category – the ideal pupil.

Teachers gladly award prizes and write glowing remarks about such children in Report Cards. They greatly enjoy the pleasure of having such talent in their care. So I am going to discuss two cases of children who were outstanding from Baby Class to University Entrance Class and who managed the near impossible task of being a constant delight.

My first example is Saki (not her real name of course). She was brought to my special attention when she was in Grade Two and had constructed a lovely little cardboard and paper Christmas Creche for the class display.

“Are you sure she was not helped at home?” I asked in an undertone knowing parental aid was common.

`Everything was done in class,” I was assured.

Saki herself was a curly headed, cute child who loved to swim. A full time mother saw to it that she enjoyed this sport without being pushed. She was taking the lead in little playlets given at School Assembly and without trying she seemed to be doing lots of things and getting known by everyone.

At Asian International School tests are not held until the child is past Grade Three and it was no surprise that by Grade Four Saki was winning the Form Prizes along with TOO many others.

“Surely there MUST be someone else who can compete? I would ask her teachers.

“Not really,” they would answer desperately hunting for some competition. On principle I like to spread out prizes among the Juniors. One star means other talent is overlooked or hasn’t a chance. As the Principal I did not like that situation.

Saki took dnce classes. She shone at ballet, she took elocution classes. She had natural talent as an actress. As she proceeded up the school she began debating. She could argue the hind legs off a donkey. Academically she maintained a 90% average and began assuming school offices as a matter of course. house captaincy, club presidencies and without missing a beat head girl-ship of the school . She had no serious rival.

All this makes for arrogance would you not agree? Yet Saki was singularly free of pride in herself. She was confident but modest. And added to all this she was extremely attractive. You see what I mean about a childhood rarity?

A few years later along came her male counterpart. And yes. Among a plethora of talents he could even dance! A useful skill in an International School. His particular sport was basketball and he wound up with several National awards. Naturally he was head boy with little or no competition.

How do such children get to where they are? Is there some magical incantation that their parents recite over their cots that make them school achievers from birth? After considerable study of such children I have encountered after 50 odd years, as a teacher I have reached these conclusions.

Firstly, there is always a harmonious and friendly home atmosphere. Siblings are encouraged to get on well. Good parenting is a basic necessity. The child must feel totally secure in parental affection. The families producing such children almost ALWAYS had dinner together. I have found that these clever children gleaned much current information and general knowledge facts from chit chat over meals in a relaxed setting with parents.

Sometimes an only child can shine because he is the focus of parental attention and he responds to a semi-adult conversational and behavioural patterns at home. Strangely enough I also found that there was often a strong religious base in the homes of these outstanding children. For instance one of these rarities always came to school with holy ash on his forehead.

He told me he could not start a day without morning devotions. Parents generally trusted the school. They took teacher’s and Principal’s advice. Both the children I mention naturally had excellent university careers. One is a doctor and the other a CEO of her own company.

But to end this article, I have to say that the great trail blazers of the world did not shine at school. Einstein was an average student. So was Newton apparently. There is a new paradigm in the world now. SQ (Spiritual Quotient) is considered far more important than IQ. So while your children may be delighting you and their schools with their brilliant attainments right now, spare some time to ensure spiritual preparedness as being of equally high importance in the coming world.