When is a person brilliant? When does a person show his genius? When he goes beyond the usual, beyond the obvious. When he goes one step farther in his thinking, understanding and creativity. For example, when you play chess, you plan ahead. You study the moves that are optional to you, and then the moves your opponent can make. You go a few steps deep. My son's chess teacher once said: "Usual players plan 2 to 3 moves ahead. A grandmaster can plan 6 to 7 moves deep, and that makes grandmasters - grandmasters". The teacher suggested to my son to look at the chess board, analyze the moves ahead, and then - put a conscious effort into analyzing one more move. Put conscious effort into going one step farther.
When applied to all areas of life - this habit alone can differentiate between the everyday smart person, and an unusually creative, brilliant genius.
How can we teach our children this exceptional practice - as early as possible? This truly takes only a few minutes at a time! Whenever you do an activity with your child, whenever you have a conversation with your child, whatever your child's age is, encourage him to go one step farther in his thinking and in his playing or working.
For example, a toddler comes to you and tells you about an experience that he had, or an observation. Ask questions that lead him to thinking and analyzing beyond the obvious. When your child builds with blocks, encourage him to go one step farther by asking questions. What is this? What can you use it for? What else? How can you improve it? Can you make it bigger? Can you make it smaller? Is it heavy? Is it light? Is it strong? How can you make it stronger?
When you play a board game with your child, you can ask questions like: Why did you decide on this move? What would happen if you would make a different move instead? What would happen if I would make a different move? What was your strategy?
When you have a conversation with your child, always encourage him to think one step farther by asking questions. Try to widen his horizons. Try to get him to think creatively. Ask about possible solutions - and keep asking.
A very known game that encourages creativity, is taking a very usual, mundane household object (the classical example is a paper clip, but you can do it with any object you choose) and try to come up with all the things you can use it for. Everybody first comes up with the obvious: clip papers together, hold papers in place... but after a while the creativity starts to flow, and people come up with amazing and fantastic uses for a paper clip. This is a great game to play with your child, to encourage creativity.
I recommend using this approach to everything that you do with your child: ask open questions that encourage thinking and problem solving, and then keep asking. When your child is done with the obvious, keep asking, so that your child will go one step farther, and start thinking creatively beyond the obvious.
You can do it with a very young child, during any activity. You can do it with a school aged child too. Do you help your child with homework? Encourage him to go one step farther. Ask your child about the topic he is studying, and get beyond the obvious. When your child writes a book report, or a research report of any kind. When your child is done with his work, encourage him to go one step farther, by finding some additional information about the topic, that provides a different point of view, or provides some additional information.
One technique that I used when my son was in elementary school, was asking "why" questions. For example, when he had to write a report, and he read to me what he had written, I asked "why", and used this to stimulate his thinking deeper into the subject. When he was done with the report, I always said - lets go one step farther and see if we can come up with additional information, explain one more fact, get to one more conclusion. What would make this paper brilliant, instead of just good?
When writing assays, after reading the assay, I always encouraged him to go one step farther, and analyze, compare or ask a question that he did not ask himself yet.
By doing this, we are achieving more than one goal. The first goal is to increase our child's learning, to deepen his understanding. By doing this, we encourage our child to grow. But we also get them into the habit of going one step farther constantly, with every project that they take on. This will prove to be more and more valuable as they go through life. It will teach them to be more thoughtful towards other people, as they deepen their understanding of their fellow man. It will teach them to go one step farther and discover the solution that was not yet discovered. It will teach them to go one step farther and think about a topic in a completely fresh approach nobody has ever thought about in this way before. It will make it possible for them to be a true genius, one who comes up with ideas that may change the face of our world.
For the last 26 years, Esther Andrews has studied, researched and practiced the ways to develop a child's intelligence. She also served as the principal of the School for Gifted Education. As a result of this experience, she developed her own method and philosophy, that proved to be extremely successful with her own 2 highly gifted children. In her web site, http://www.all-gifted-children.com , she helps parents develop their child's genius, and provide for their kids the opportunity to achieve their maximum potential.
executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport carWhen choosing the perfect jogging stroller, a very important question... Read More
Did you know that you are the most important person... Read More
Voices!So many voices crying out for adherence and so many... Read More
The teenage years are a crucial time in a child's... Read More
Much has been said about the "gifted child" but in... Read More
Q. We just got our daughter's progress report, and it... Read More
My name is Duncan and I'm 2 years old. I... Read More
It was a hot summer day in august and The... Read More
Do you struggle to get your child to bed at... Read More
There is no doubt that mothers play an all-important leading... Read More
For several years now, I've told the following story as... Read More
If you were to ask 100 parents why they think... Read More
Do you want to create a deeper, more loving relationship... Read More
Children think money grows on trees. Maybe not literally, but... Read More
'And all because of a damned cat! It's only a... Read More
We all wish that our children should not smoke or... Read More
Once your little boy/girl goes off to school, you may... Read More
Remember when cash was a tangible commodity in all of... Read More
How often do you think of family life as an... Read More
If your child or teen has been diagnosed with Attention... Read More
Diagnosing children and teens with ADHD can be a challenge.... Read More
Valentine day has always been a special day in my... Read More
Until about the age of six, children do not generally... Read More
"My son won't go to bed at night without a... Read More
Parents play a critical role in their child's success. These... Read More
O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..The last decade has seen heightened interest in and awareness... Read More
Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters'... Read More
It is extraordinary times that we find ourselves in. Change... Read More
1. Tell me something you like about yourself? Help your... Read More
1. Encourage your babysitter by keeping their favorite foods/snacks on... Read More
It's been raining for a week and the kids and... Read More
Did you know that the number of twin births have... Read More
Having worked with parents for the last 35 years and... Read More
Here is something that you might want to keep if... Read More
What is child sexual abuse? Any sexual activity that is... Read More
Many children who suffer from the psychological effects of child... Read More
Sometimes dreams really can come true! May 8th - 11th,... Read More
My neighbours' kid impressed me the other day.I was busy... Read More
'Picky Eater' is a label coined to describe the phenomenon... Read More
In dealing with children with autism spectrum disorders, its all... Read More
Many people consider plush toys great for children. They say... Read More
Isn't the technology of today is amazing?! Between the speed... Read More
The cost of being a parent and raising a child... Read More
(Isaiah 11:6 KJV) The wolf also shall dwell with the... Read More
Ok. So you're a dad to be. If you're like... Read More
We take it for granted that children know how money... Read More
John Bishop's Goal Setting for Students.comLegacy to Your ChildrenIt's 6:30... Read More
The First Reason: For one thing, child development experts are... Read More
Levels of SafetyBy teaching our children there are different levels... Read More
At age seven months in the womb, humans begin language... Read More
Parenting |