<p>^^with all due respect, if I was studying a class of reactions I would have the same reaction written on the board with different elements as well. All that means is that he was studying that class of reactions that day. </p>
<p>As for the stick figures, I’d say he’s not an art prodigy but it doesn’t say anything about anything else.</p>
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<p>hahahaha Thank you, Jason. I’ve had my after-dinner laugh now. I’d say I’m done giving advice to Valentine.</p>
<p>I am replying to CPT’s email from 144. I am new, and do not know how to use quote. 
(Edited : Thanks to midmo for showing me how to use quote)</p>
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<p>I am speaking from experience, as I happen to be from that part of the world and have taken both O and A levels, so I know the system well. This is what a student need to do, to fulful the academic requirements of entering a Univeristy, about 20 years ago.</p>
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<li><p>At the age of 16, students normally take 8 different GCE O level subjects (stands for General Certificate of Examination, Ordinary Level). It is not uncommon for elite schools, like Raffles Institution, to have 20+ kids having 8 "A"s for GCE “O” level in 8 different subjects. Clearly a single “C” in 1 subject is nowhere near a certficate.</p></li>
<li><p>After the exam, students need to study for another 2 additional more years. At age 18, they typically take 4 GCE A level subjects (stands for General Certificate of Examination, Advance level) together with 1 or 2 languages. Good universities in the region like NUS needs a As and Bs in 4 subjects at GCE “A” level to satisfy the academic requirement. The universities also require practical lab experience for entrance. "C"s and "D"s may barely allow entry but you will still need at least 4 GCE “A” level subjects and a pass in GP (General Paper, ie English)</p></li>
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<p>BTW from my recollection, GCE “A” level chemistry is slightly easier than the AP Chemistry exam from Collegeboard that my son is taking. GCE “O” level chemistry is not even near AP level.</p>
<p>So, age aside, trying to get a kid into college by using the grades from 1 GCE “O” level subject is totally insufficient (even if the kid get a “A” grade) under the British examination system. So the father is trying to use the fact that Ainan is only 7 year old to circumvent the entry requirements, or to ask for a much much lower entry requirement.</p>
<p>Jason, to do the quote box, copy and paste the desired quote. Then, at the beginning of the quote, type [ quote ] and at the end of the passage, type [ /quote] except DO NOT leave the spaces in between the square brackets and the letters. So, at the start, type “square bracketquotesquarebracket” and at the end type “squarebracketbackslashquotesquarebracket” with no spaces anywhere.</p>
<p>Clear as mud. </p>
<p>And welcome.</p>
<p>I note an upsurge in hosility on this site. It is saddening to note.</p>
<p>Firstly, the photograph of Ainan at the blackboard was taken when he had just turned six. It is not a recent photograph. We caught him doodling equations on the board. It was one of our first indications that he had developed an interest in Chemistry, so we took a photograph. It is not a posed photo. It is a snapshot of his development at this time.</p>
<p>This was before we bought him any Chemistry books or taught him anything.</p>
<p>Secondly, all the statements about his development are true and were witnessed by a large and extended family, as he grew up. There are many people to attest to his development.</p>
<p>Quite simply, those who criticize such statements really have no idea of what a prodigious child is capable of. </p>
<p>As for the press releases: there are some out there…but they number 3 in total. That is all. Some of those were submitted to multiple sites. Other sites picked them up and multiplied their presence on the internet. Anyone who knows anything about the internet knows that anything on the net gets widely replicated and duplicated.</p>
<p>There are, in addition, many thousands of sites that reference Ainan or myself. These are independent sites that have nothing to do with us. They make their own stories and references without reference to us: just like this one is doing.</p>
<p>Online press releases are a very common means of putting out a communication these days. Companies and individuals of all kinds, use them. It seems that the protesters are not familiar with this development. They are also free, in most cases - not “Self-Paid”, as stated.</p>
<p>The writer who correctly understood watch to mean clock, is correct. That is a translation error by a German journalist. The clock was a large wall clock.</p>
<p>There are any number of incorrect assumptions about the abilities of children at different ages in these posts. Yes, an average child could not do these things. But that does not mean that there aren’t children who can. History has examples of children who can do truly unusual things. They are called prodigies, for a reason.</p>
<p>In time, it will become evident that all that I have stated is just as stated. </p>
<p>I did not tell the press that I was “a child prodigy” myself, by the way. I was asked about my childhood by a journalist and I just told her what I did as a child. The resulting description was her own choice of words. In her opinion, it was a fair description.</p>
<p>O level is taken at 16 - but it is at or above American grade 12, because it is used by American universities to recruit directly onto their courses. Marking is much more stringent than on American courses and his result is a respectable one.</p>
<p>He is now ready for A level. That is College level material in American terms. He is ready therefore for further study in that area. </p>
<p>It is very tiring to hear people express opinions of Ainan who have no direct knowledge of him at all. I even wonder why anyone would do that. You know nothing whereof you speak. I wouldn’t presume to know another’s child or ability or level of understanding - so it mystifies me why so many here on this board do so, of Ainan.</p>
<p>It is very strange. However, it does help me in evaluating where Ainan might be welcomed for future study - and where he might not. Some places are friendly to people who are trying to make a contribution to society. Some places are not. Thank you for providing me this information.</p>
<p>I read a paper, once, that stated that only about 20 child prodigies had ever been studied in the whole history of science. Very little is known about them, therefore.</p>
<p>I thought that by describing what our family witnessed with reference to Ainan we might increase understanding of this phenomenon.</p>
<p>However, what I see instead is people casting doubt on our description and basically calling us liars. I am rather saddened by this.</p>
<p>Yet, the reaction shows one thing for sure: there really is a greater need to understand the issues around this - for they are not understood or appreciated.</p>
<p>Another interesting thing. I have only seen this kind of reaction twice. Both times it occurred on an American message board. </p>
<p>Does anyone doubt what savants can do? Nope. No-one. So why do some of you doubt what Ainan has done so far in his life?</p>
<p>Why all this argument about academic qualifications? Why all these efforts to diminish the accomplishment of a child who happens to be the youngest child on record, in the world, to have done such a thing as he has? Why all the pontificating from people who say they know what a qualification represents but don’t? </p>
<p>We went to a bookshop to look at College texts…but we couldn’t buy any of the American ones because they contained nothing that wasn’t in Ainan’s A level texts. They would have been a waste of money. So why all this nonsense in trying to diminish the A levels? American College texts don’t seem to contain any new information in relation to the A level. </p>
<p>University texts designed for Singaporean universities are stamped: “Not for sale in the US”…why? Because they contain a syllabus far beyond that taught in US universities at the Undergraduate level.</p>
<p>As for the person who said Ainan needs a “junior college”…he does not. He needs a University, shortly. He is already at A level - which is what Junior College does. </p>
<p>Do you know that the national television news of Singapore broadcast a piece on Ainan…now why do you think they would do that were they not fully satisfied with his nature? They are on the ground here in Singapore. They have full access to all the information about him. They know everything there is to know about him…and they made a news feature out of him, speaking quite plainly of his present academic status, needs and prodigious nature. </p>
<p>Apparently, strangers on this board, who know nothing about Ainan feel equipped to make a judgement that flys in the face of the one made by those who are close to him, know him well, and have full access to all information relating to him.</p>
<p>Someone is being arrogant, therefore - and it is not me. I just state the facts. Other people on this board are making a lot of hostile suppositions. I think that says a lot about them - and nothing at all about Ainan, or his family.</p>
<p>Ainan was born in the equatorial City state of Singapore. It is hot here, you know. He drank water, even as a little baby of two weeks old. He liked drinking water. Yes, he drank milk, too - but he had a preference for water when thirsty.</p>
<p>I think it odd that anyone would doubt that description. If someone was trying to lie to you they would have said “milk” - the expected word. That we say “water” should, in itself, be an indication that it is a simple statement of fact.</p>
<p>This board has begun to astonish me. Now, a baby is not even allowed to drink water on the equator. Apparently, drinking water is regarded as an impossibility. </p>
<p>Fantastic.</p>
<p>roflmao, midmo #162. I haven’t read through most of these posts because frankly, the entire focus is on this kid’s intellect with no mention of how his emotional well-being is addressed. How can a parent sum up their child in terms of numbers? It’s all about the numbers to them. Like I said previously, I feel so bad for this child. I think this family needs to receive NO more of the attention that they seem to desperately crave, and need to get on raising their CHILDREN.</p>
<p>Valentine, I have no doubt that you are a devoted and loving father. As someone well versed in the needs of profoundly gifted children though, I would say that what I have learned is perhaps the opposite of what you are seeking…but I will share it anyway.</p>
<p>A mind well developed and nurtured is an important thing. However, a spirit or emotional life which is not considered to be at least as important will come back to haunt you. There are many socially maladjusted and unhappy pushed gifted children. To me, the balance for your son will be most important. Relish in his playing ball, drawing with crayons, making silly jokes, dumping water by mistake, or palling around with friends, for some of these moments, silly as they sound, may mean more in the long run than his passing of the A or O levels. </p>
<p>Just my two cents.</p>
<p>Valentine:</p>
<p>Some of your claims are downright ludicrous, and I write as someone who is sympathetic to Ainan.</p>
<p>The “not for sale in the US” has nothing to do with college or high school. It has to do with copyrights laws. The same goes for books from the UK.<br>
I won’t go into your other arguments.</p>
<p>Please, take a chill pill.</p>
<p>Our first concern for our children is their emotional and social wellbeing and that is more than well addressed.</p>
<p>Most of their time is spent playing - in fact, almost all of it - with each other and with their friends. </p>
<p>I puzzle that people assume academic achievement excludes emotional and social development. The two may easily coexist.</p>
<p>The hostile people on this board will never be swayed by anything I write. Their hostility is a stance. It cannot be altered by words - so I won’t try any longer to show them the misperceptions their views are based on. It seems a tiring and pointless task to do so. I will, however, explain something further, for others.</p>
<p>We were receiving no proper response to Ainan’s academic needs, here, in Singapore, until we began to raise the issue publicly. Since then a number of things have been put in place. Each parent does what they have to do in the context in which they find themselves. We found ourselves in a completely unresponsive context that simply wasn’t providing what he so clearly needed. Only when we raised awareness somewhat did his needs start to be addressed.</p>
<p>Some people on this board are fortunate enough to live in areas where the needs of gifted children are more readily met. In such a context, there would be no need to raise awareness. But, if you are isolated and have no access to resources for your child and no hope of access, what do you do? Do you let your child whither away? Or do you take action?</p>
<p>We took action. It was the only effective action we could take at the time, and in the context we found ourselves in. It has brought Ainan access to some of the situations he needs to develop. I do not regret the positive outcomes that we have been given access to, for Ainan. I do, however, regret the way some people feel able to pronounce upon us, for having acted as we have. </p>
<p>Each of us, as parents, finds ourselves in a different parenting situation, with different parenting challenges. We have to find a way to meet those challenges in the society we find ourselves in. Our particular challenges, needed the particular solution we finally adopted - because nothing else was working, here. </p>
<p>Why not try to understand that other people, in other situations, may have a different range of options to yourself? Why not understand that other people, in other situations, may not have the options you have readily available to you? Perhaps, then, you might understand, that, in some situations, some people have to do things you, yourself, in your own situation, would not choose to do.</p>
<p>That, however, tells you nothing about the background to another person’s decision. Personally, I always wait until I understand the other person’s perspective, before I dare think of knowing why they did as they did. That seems to be wise, to me.</p>
<p>Marite.</p>
<p>I make no claims at all. I have simply stated what an entire family observed as Ainan and my other children grew up. We are talking many, many people who saw these things. His crawling at four months was witnessed by a representative of a child development company, that came to our house trying to sell us something. He was more than satisfied with what his eyes and ears told him.</p>
<p>I wonder how many other children there have been in history, like Ainan, whose parents dare not say what they saw as they grew up, precisely because of the reactions of others. We will never know.</p>
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<p>Valentine, while I won’t comment on the other facets of this issue, you are still incredibly misguided with regards to what constitutes an American undergraduate education in chemistry. Apparently, our repeatedly telling you that it contains material far beyond that in A level chemistry has fallen upon deaf ears; I don’t know why you insist on continuing this farcical illusion that American undergraduate chemistry education is somehow inferior to that elsewhere in the world, but it’s not true.</p>
<p>If the American college textbooks there didn’t go past the A level material, they were first-year general chemistry textbooks, nothing more. As for your statement about the Singaporean textbooks banned from sale in the US, saying that it is because they are at too high a level is a stupendous assumption that reveals some of the underlying biases you have.</p>
<p>1of42:</p>
<p>I suggest you look at the link to the Australian analysis I posted sometime back. It compares US education to Australian education (which is less specialized between than UK style education).</p>
<p>My view comes from comparisons I have seen done by others who are in academia in Europe and Australia. It is not based on supposition. I will, however, enquire, as perhaps I should, for full syllabi from representative US colleges re. Chemistry, to see what they are doing.</p>
<p>A level is considered first year level in US colleges. </p>
<p>[Harvard</a> Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology](<a href=“http://www.chem.harvard.edu/courses/index.php]Harvard”>http://www.chem.harvard.edu/courses/index.php)</p>
<p>[HERS</a> Output](<a href=“http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/courses/ChemistryandChemicalBiology.html]HERS”>http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/courses/ChemistryandChemicalBiology.html).</p>
<p>Note that the first two courses are primarily for students who do not intend to pursue the study of chemistry further. Most students who intend to major in chemistry come in with a score of 5 (the only acceptable score) on the AP chemistry exam. Many students are able to take organic chemistry in their first year. My S’s friends at MIT did so.</p>
<p>There is a lot of Organic Chemistry in the A level. In fact, about 40% of Ainan’s present texts are Organic Chemistry.</p>
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<p>The GCE “A” level Chemistry Exam is roughly the equivalent of AP Chemistry Examination that High School Students study, in preparation for College. </p>
<p>I am speaking of this from experience. I have taken 4 GCE “A” level subjects, including Chemistry. I have graduated from NUS (National University of Singapore), and did my Graduate School in the US. My son is already in High School doing AP Chemistry, so as a parent, I know his syllabus too. The only difference is that it is incredibly easy to pass the A levels, due to severe “grade inflation problems” From the article in Timesonline, Nov 10, 2007, it says:</p>
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<p>As I said in post #163, an “O” level certificate normally contains 6-8 subjects. Most top school in Singapore study 8 “O” level subjects. So when Ainan got a grade of “C” in a single “O” level subject, he does not have a full certifcate and will not get admission anywhere in the British system. Even if Ainan gets an “A” level certificate with a single subject, chemistry, it will not be sufficient to gain entrance to any Universities in Singapore, Europe or Australia. This is similiar in the US as well. I doubt that there will be any college here in the US that is willing to admit a student just because he has a passing grade in AP chemistry from high school. (And Ainan has also yet to take his "A "level, single subject… he only has a “C” grade for O level, which is not even AP). Furthermore, a passing grade in AP chemistry cannot show that a student has all the skills that is needed to enter college. </p>
<p>Valentine, you do have a smart kid, so be happy about it. The parents on this board are not trying to be hostile to you, like you said. Self written claims that are distributed as press releases will only get you negative responses.</p>
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<p>Most parent will agree that it is way too young to say that your 8 months old is a genius, and put his name all over the internet. You are giving him lots of additional pressure. If it turns out that he is not a genius, what is the impact of this to yourself and to your family.</p>
<p>Valentine:</p>
<p>Jason is more qualified to respond to you regarding Ainan’s qualifications for college based on a single O-llevel, in which he received a C. But let me ask : Have you actually looked at the syllabi for college level organic chemistry?</p>
<p>Here is a link to MIT’s Opencourseware for chemistry</p>
<p>[MIT</a> OpenCourseWare | Chemistry | 5.12 Organic Chemistry I, Spring 2005 | Home](<a href=“http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Chemistry/5-12Spring-2005/CourseHome/index.htm]MIT”>http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Chemistry/5-12Spring-2005/CourseHome/index.htm)</p>
<p>How do you know your eight month old is a musical prodigy?</p>
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<p>Firstly, that Australian analysis was for the field of psychology, which is, I think I need not tell you, significantly different than chemistry. The article also lacked cited sources, and seemed to me to be basically a lengthy exercise of “our education system is better than yours!” posturing.</p>
<p>As for what your view is based on, I don’t care what it is based on, because it is wrong. Flat wrong. I’m telling you this as somebody who did IB HL Chemistry (which is generally considered to be at a similar or higher level than A level chemistry) and who knows that it is not more than a general introductory course.</p>
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<p>Yes, and I did a lot of Organic Chemistry in the IB HL course as well - but university organic chemistry is at a far higher level than what I did. What I did will prepare me as a groundwork, that is all.</p>