MIND OF THE GIFTED1

HAO XUESHENG, gifted student at Stamford Institution Independent Secondary School

Woke up this morning at 6.00 am, and as usual, was filled with the urge to study.

So like I do every day, I propped my science textbook up against the bathroom cabinet as I brushed my teeth.

Occurred to me that because of this, I haven't seen my face in the past two years.

Intend to write a letter to the Ministry of Education urging them to print pictures of students in the margins of all textbooks so that this doesn't happen to future generations.

It's great to be a gifted kid, because you think of innovative solutions like this.

Ahmad drove me to school again today.

Reflected on the multi-racial society in which we live, and the progress of Malays in our society.

Isn't our country wonderful, that Ahmad gets to drive a luxury car everyday?

Clearly, we are a prosperous nation.

School was typical: Got top marks in Maths again. Most GEP kids are great in maths.

It's because we're intellectually gifted, you see. The maths problems are just so easy to us.

I wonder why other kids find it tough? Well, they have only themselves to blame! It's all so easy to become intellectually gifted at maths!

Just hire tuition teachers.

They must be cheap, because Daddy got me one for every subject.

Sometimes I think we're gifted because we have tuition teachers.

After all, despite what the school teaches us or says they want to teach us, we're ultimately graded on the basis of standardised tests, and it's the tuition teachers who drill us for that.

I think we should replace all the regular teachers with tuition teachers. I mean, why waste time? Let's just focus on what counts!

They say the GEP was set up so we faster kids don't get held back.

But I must admit, I feel held back even with the GEP. I guess I'm really light years ahead.

Maybe to slow things down, I'll ask my tuition teachers not to teach me so far ahead of my school, and also to ease up on the drilling a bit.

As it is, I can pass the 'O' Levels, but Dad said I should do it next year instead.

He said, "What's the rush? Enjoy your childhood. Anyway, you're already taking your SATs."

When Ahmad drove me back from school, I saw some kids running around in a field, kicking a spherical object.

It saddened me to think that even though they appeared to be my age, they were indulging in such primitive hobbies.

I mean, why aren't they splitting atoms like we GEP kids?

Surely their parents can afford particle accelerators too!

But I guess this is why we're gifted and they're not.

Sad, but true.