<p>Okay, I take it back. My S also took the SAT to get into CTY. But his whole future did not hang on the results. That’s what I meant by no real consequences. He would have been disappointed for a short time but we would have tried something else–perhaps a distance learning course. There were alternatives.
The qualifying scores were well below what he knew he could achieve. He would have been disappointed if he had not gotten into CTY, but not to the same extent as juniors or seniors taking the SAT, hoping to get into the college of their choice–or, for that matter, any college. He truly was not nervous and left the testing room before all other students (he might have scored higher if he’d taken time to review, but he did not care enough). He had the same attitude toward taking the APs. It may actually have helped.</p>
<p>He did not really meet his soulmates until he went to math camp, after CTY.</p>
<p>It’s hard to know, when one is living life, on what one’s future depends. Often, it is only in hindsight that one can see where the pivotal moments were, and just how pivotal they were cannot truly be determined, as one doesn’t know the outcome taking another path would have had.</p>
<p>the word used by the dad “grooming” was just terrible. This is a little boy, not a show dog.</p>
<p>No one is saying repress this kids abilities, we are saying from the descriptions of his life given by his own parents, just seems sad. And the way they are parading him around, the creepy website, etc, comes across as his parents nuturing just one aspect of their child, their commodity it seems.</p>
<p>The way they describe bicylling, not as something joyous and freeing, but just for the exercise. The boy may have a blast but the parents are projecting this idea that the bike riding is some sort of necessity, another “training” and sadly another solo pursuit. The little boy could do martial arts, or soccer, or tball, or go to a class at a museum, or go to camp. Why not send this little to science or math camp? He could make friends, and many of those kids will be just like him!!</p>
<p>Let’s just say that for my S scoring over 700 on the Math-SAT in 7th grade was less important than for juniors and seniors. He could have gotten in with a score in the 500s, if I recollect correctly, or perhaps low 600s. But a college-bound student scoring in the 500s or low 600s would have a totally different set of college choices.</p>
<p>Watching [YouTube</a> - On CBS TV: Mini-Mozart Also a Mathematical Prodigy](<a href=“http://youtube.com/watch?v=6L1hSHCGAMY]YouTube”>http://youtube.com/watch?v=6L1hSHCGAMY) it becomes clear that Magnus is not only without friends his age, as he says, but also apparently near-autistic. He has trouble looking directly at the camera. He speaks English hesitantly, like a foreigner, with a heavy accent… stumbling over simple phrases and words, almost completely lacking inflection or facial expression, in a strange, high-pitched monotone. I guess he does not have much need for the spoken language when there are so many differential equations to solve and music theory lessons to learn. I realize that Asperger’s and related syndromes are common among child prodigies, so this kid’s symptoms certainly can’t be solely blamed on his parents’ decision to isolate him at home… but seeing how hard of a time Magnus has handling simple social tasks like talking makes me feel even worse about his situation. I wonder what kind of child would appear before the camera if his parents had allowed him to stay in a school environment or at least put him in a homeschool group, allowing him the chance to play with other children.</p>
<p>“Why is it that we are reading the same text differently?”</p>
<p>We’re not. I even said that it was possible Magnus was doing what he wanted, and it does appear to be giving back. I missed that, my error.</p>
<p>However, I also mentioned that articles like this shouldn’t be extolling intelligence for no reason, unless that intelligence is truly exceptional (solving Einstein’s equations at three or four, for example). The focus should be on what Magnus has done to use his knowledge (taking a test doesn’t count). It would also be nice to hear more about the kid and less about the parents.</p>
<p>I can see a good reason for having this child take the AP exam - the parents are negotiating with their school district for EPGY courses. AP exam scores are “coin of the realm” - objective measures that the school district understands. This is good evidence that the school will not be able to meet this child’s needs.</p>
<p>collegealum314: “Keep in mind that when adults try to cut down a gifted kid to size that it can be much more emotionally scarring than having overzealous parents. In particular, this is true when the kid is in the public school district where insecure adults have power and authority over the kid.” Truer words were never spoken. S2, who is highly gifted, although not on the same planet as Magnus, has experienced this.</p>
<p>I feel very sorry for parents of kids like this, because there are no really good solutions. Homeschooling is probably the best of the limited options. </p>
<p>I couldn’t disagree more with the posters who claimed that any bright kid could learn calculus at age 8 with enough time and effort. Very, very few kids are intellectually capable of doing this, even if they spent every waking second studying math since birth. </p>
<p>I do have to say that I was nauseated by the father’s soaring descriptions of his son’s capabilities, and by the publicity and emphasis on “marketing” Magnus. But then I’m the mother who checked the box on the school form about not allowing photographs of my child to be published in school publications, until I learned that I was the only one to have done so, and that it was causing them some difficulty, and relented. I would never allow any publicity about either of my children’s accomplishments until they were at least HS upperclassmen, and able to make their own decisions.</p>
<p>amb3r, I watched the CBS thing and I thought he had a British accent…with a name like Magnus, I thought his speech was because he had a foreign accent.</p>
<p>I wondered the same thing about Magnus too when I saw the videos, the social behaviors (for instance his hesitancy/discomfort in giving one of the news reporters a high five), friendship issues, lack of eye contact, delays in language - these are all common signs. But then I have one of my own, my brother has two, and he is clearly on the spectrum as well even though not officially diagnosed, and as a result, I probably tend to “see” autism everywhere, even where it does not exist. </p>
<p>I felt for him too, but not because he was being “forced” to perform - I think that might actually be good for him. I just wanted the reporters to stop talking and just let him play.</p>
<p>By the way, when S was young he spoke with a strong New England/Boston accent. To me, that is, he rarey spoke to anyone else or when he did it was with a very robotic monotone (which I NEVER heard at home! With me and those he was very comfortable with - if I was with him - he was an incessant chatterbox, going on and on about whatever he happened to be interested in at the moment).</p>
<p>I sympathize with anyone who’s trying to rear an unusually intelligent child and admire those I know who’ve managed to bring up exceptionally intelligent children who are normal(ish). Most schools, and nearly 100% of public schools, would be a poor fit for someone like Magnus. I don’t think the parents actually had a choice between helping Magnus reach his current level while focusing strongly on his interests vs. having a well-socialized, debate-ready son with the same intellectual capability, but wider-ranging interests. They had choices among what they could do, what the public schools could do, and what the private schools that they could afford (and access) could do. </p>
<p>In a similar situation, I would probably have chosen from the set of “what my spouse and I could do.” I wouldn’t have made their specific choice, but I don’t feel condemnatory about what they (and Magnus?) picked. On the other hand, I definitely wouldn’t have made their choice about publicity. For anyone who’s interested, the hoagies gifted web site has had some useful advice about interactions with the media (this past month, approximately–if interested, check “What’s New” on the site).</p>
<p>Don’t know Magnus or his parents, don’t know comment53 (in all probability)</p>
<p>The father said he knew the son was a “genius” at the age of 3. Did he not also say the son learned to add and subtract at the age of 3? How can a child on the threshold of learning to add and subtract prove himself anything on the level of genius?</p>
<p>WOW … just saw the video. My son has asperger’s … Magnus is a high functioning autistic. The major difference between autism and aspergers is that the aspie kids have no issues with acquiring language and are prone to monologues. Aspie’s are extremely articulate as long as it is their interest … it is hard to get them to keep quiet!</p>
<p>Generally, high functioning Autistics and aspie kids are fabulous at some things and can not function well with other things. As they get older, things can improve. An extreme case would be a savant. </p>
<p>They can be taught to broaden their abilities and get along etc but (here is my question) but, maybe at the expense of their gifts??? … forcing a highly specialized brain to diversify. What is good for the child?? What is good for the society … being the child may solve some great problem that affects us all…??? I have a gut feeling this is what the parents are thinking. I chose to help my kid diversify and join society … but every once in a while in the middle of the night as a parent … you wonder…</p>
<p>I’ll bet Magnus gets tremendous joy from his gift … very predictable/safe and he gets great feedback. These kids grow up sometimes with little joy so … who is to say. </p>
<p>Celebrate his gifts and help the parents … oh by the way both A and A are generally thought to be inherited soooooo, Magnus’s parents may need some parenting/social help. </p>
<p>Dad has devoted his life to this and I bet he is very confused right now.</p>
<p>Two PHD math parents … most likely each gave Magnus a piece of the puzzle. Here in Silicon Valley, autism/asperger’s is unusually common … we joke that it is all due to the smart engineers reproducing!</p>
<p>BTW … in an effort to avoid the mercury discussion … I think there are many reasons for A/A and some could be environmental … I think some folks are born with A/A and some show symptoms a few years later … I think eventually they will find that Autism and Asperger’s may be caused by different things … no answers yet but I have to tell you my life and many others have been enriched by my son and his quirks. As a parent it is much more fun to think of A/A as a positive step in evolution then it is to think of it as a flaw … just mother nature’s half step towards are next big leap! lol</p>
<p>MQD, if you haven’t read Elizabeth Moon’s Speed of the Dark, I suggest you do. Moon has an autistic son, but the book is a what if novel about a young man who has to decide whether to get an operation to make him not be autistic anymore. Lots of interesting ideas.</p>
<p>MQD, I finally watched a video after reading your post, and I think you pegged the situation EXACTLY. Kudos for a wise and compassionate post.</p>
<p>I have a D with Aspergers (along with the S I mentioned above). After watching him and his dad, I believe his parents are doing the absolute, very, very best for him in an exceedingly rare situation.</p>
<p>mathmom: I read Speed of Dark a few months back after you suggested it to me - fascinating book!! :)</p>
<p>As I have watched my S become less and less autistic (due largely to his own desire to fit in and be accepted by his peers), I have often wondered whether his struggle might be more difficult now, as he “feels” more and more pressure to fit in that he never felt when he was young, yet he still has major difficulties in understanding the social world around him. Has he become more at risk for low self-esteem and depression issues while becoming, outwardly at least, more and more “normal” because he now must spend so much extra effort and time trying to figure out social situations? (I sometimes wonder if he has merely learned enough about expected social behaviors that he can “fake” his way through many social settings by recalling some of the social niceties he has been taught to use in similar situations, while still lacking any empathy for or understanding of other people’s views - so long as the situation is similar enough to something he can recall! Whereas most of us just do this automatically or intuitively but also based on nonverbal actions/facial gestures etc that S still misses. This is similar to how Temple Grandin describes her own socializing process and is the best I can figure out re S. I still spend a great deal of time, even though long-distance, trying to anticipate “new” situations he may encounter as he now makes his way through college so that I can at least continue to try to “guide” him as he faces new situations. It has been and continues to be a very bumpy road for him emotionally and socially and you can’t help but worry about how many bumps the human spirit can handle…).</p>
<p>Celebrate his gifts and help the parents … oh by the way both A and A are generally thought to be inherited soooooo, Magnus’s parents may need some parenting/social help. >></p>
<p>Very interesting thought. That might explain their focus on what they also feel most comfortable relating to. Thank you for sharing your insights.</p>
<p>Carolyn, the bigger issue, of course, is the emotional cost of always needing to “explain” yourself or act in certain ways…in order to not be thought of as “creepy” especially if you do not think of yourself or your actions that way to begin with! ;)</p>
<p>Scansmom, good points as well. In watching the video, it appears that the father has similar (although adult) eccentricities in the way he talks and looks at the camera. So, it is highly likely that the family does not perceive why others might think of them as different.</p>
<p>An interesting article by an MIT alum with an Aspie child; it makes some of the points already made here: Aspergers’ as the “engineer’s disorder.” </p>