Child Genius - the representation of chess

[Jonathan Rogers]

My review on the ECF website deliberately did not give Josh's name.

Just flicking casually, I can't find this.

(And yes everyone, I do see the section on membership!!)

[JustinHorton]

All 8 year old chessplayers should have the ambition to be a GM.

When I was eight I am not sure I knew what a grandmaster atually was. I am not convinced that this was a great obstacle to my development.

[Joey Stewart]

... I would be happy enough just to be a fide master.

The joy wears off quite quickly

I suppose that carrying a title of "master" and still feeling totally outclassed by the upper levels of mastery can be a bit disheartening at times, but at least you get good respect from lower graded players.

[MartinCarpenter]

Well even the very top level humans are now badly outclassed by computers And even a (relatively) weak club player is ahead of nearly all of the population.....

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Joey.

"....but at least you get good respect from lower graded players."

No, they will look upon you as a scalpto be taken and anyway most lower graded players
won't know what FM means. The will think it stands for FeMale and when you turn up
they will just assume they are playing an ugly woman.

-----------------

"Is this type of coverage good for chess and for children in general?"

Any publicity is good for Chess. (even bad publicity!)

And the kid wants to play chess so is not being pushed by his parents.

There are lot of kids being named on the telly these days, I guess it
all comes down to the individual, the enviorment and the school he goes to.
School bullies might have a few cutting remarks when they find out there is a 'star' in their midst.

[Joey Stewart]

Those punks! I don't like seeing low rated players attempting to steal scalps off masters, I always root against the underdog since they have nothing to lose anyway so deserve to be punished for being in such a privileged position.

I think a chess prodigy at school should be ok, if people start to mock him he can threaten a thrashing on the chessboard and they should go pretty quiet then....

[Stewart Reuben]

Stuart Conquest told me that, when he won the World Cadet (U17) Chess Championship, boys at school would come up to him and ask for his autograph. When he obliged, they would then tear up the piece of paper.
Remember Tom Daly who left his school because of bullying?
All successful youngsters can face problems when growing up. That is one reason why so many eschew the state educational system.

[Joey Stewart]

I don't think it is the fault of the school - most children are naturally selfish, with no regard for anyone elses feelings but their own, and will pick on anyone different then themselves if it amuses them to do so.
If they manage to grow out of it they become adults...unfortunately there are more and more adults these days who maintain such negative qualities.

[David Robertson]

All successful youngsters can face problems when growing up. That is one reason why so many eschew the state educational system.

Can this horseshit be allowed to pass? Is Stewart Reuben a parent? Do we have to take his prejudicial, opinionated nonsense seriously? Is he a fit person to promote the affairs of English chess, given such a comment?

Answer = No

In all cases

[Stewart Reuben]

What I like about David Robertson is his ability to reason in such a measured manner.

[PeterFarr]

93% of children in England are educated in the State sector. It seems that the % educated in the fee-paying sector rose from 6.5% in 1999 to 7.2% in 2009, however this includes a big increase in pupils from overseas (e.g. wealthy French, Russians, in London). It would be very difficult to conclude that a significant number of parents eschew the State sector for the reasons of managing the unusually talented (though there must be some); family tradition, social class and a more general desire for a "better" education would I guess explain most people's reasons for going private.

I tend to agree with Joey Stewart that children are children anywhere - is bullying really worse in State rather than Private schools?

As to the media presentation of "genius" children, there's seems an ingrained tendency to treat unusual ability as something like a circus side-show. There is no point in expecting any kind of balanced view - anyway Peter Williams' comments above are very interesting about that.

[Amnon Cohen]

This has been provoked a discussion on http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_ ... ild-Genius.

One mum wrote

We were once asked to appear on a programme similar to this - think it was C4, too - with my DS.
We declined, but someone we knew did go through with it and ended up distraught and betrayed at the horrible way they were portrayed, thanks to clever editing.

C4 tried to persuade us that it was intended as a documentary, showing the difficulties that very bright children and their families can face. What was finally aired was a "look at the dysfunctional weirdos!" Freak Show.

[Andrew Martin]

These programmes tell you more about the parents than they do about the kids, who don't really have a choice whether they appear or not.

[PeterFarr]

Perhaps so; although the 'pushy middle-class parent' is also a stereotype which programme makers are always keen to portray. It's a pity that a more complex and balanced view is never given air time - it's always lowest common denominator stuff.

[Matthew Turner]

I thought the child genius producers did a good job. I have met the quizmaster at various events and he is very sensible and really excellent with the kids. I thought a lot of the parents and kids actually came across rather well. Of course one or two of the parents appeared to be somewhat obsessive, but I didn't get the feeling that creative editting was required to produce that impression.