School to educate high-IQ kids only
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Betul Çal
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 17, 2009 00:00
ANTALYA - Working in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Education plans to put children with an IQ level over 130 through an intensive academic program that will include education in both the natural sciences and the social sciences.
The southern city of Antalya has initiated a new project to open a special educational facility for primary school students with IQs over 130.
These "special students," who will be trained at the city’s new Science & Art Center, will have the opportunity to develop their skills by getting a one-on-one education from an efficient staff of teachers and experts.
Working with the Ministry of Education, the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Education plans to put these young "leaders of the future" through an intensive academic program that includes education in both the natural and the social sciences.
In an interview with the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, Antalya Provincial Director of Education Osman Nuri Gülay highlighted the importance of the Science & Art Center in allowing these children to demonstrate their intelligence and turn it into practical skills instead of leaving these talents unnoticed.
"We basically aim to train geniuses who will lead the way for Turkey," Gülay said. "We do need geniuses who will stay here and serve this country instead of allowing the brain drain that lets other countries benefit from our children with special skills."
Within the scope of the project, primary school students in the third and fourth grades will take an examination given by their teachers. Those who score well on this exam will take another test administered by experts sent by the ministry. At the end of these tests, a total of 30 students will be selected to go through a two-year "adaptation training," during which they will prepare projects in different fields. At the end of this adaptation period, they will receive an intensive education in various fields, from mathematics and science to music and painting, until the end of their high school careers. Eighteen expert teachers with master’s and doctoral degrees will carry out this special training.
’The school will cause discrimination ’
While authorities from the Ministry of Education said they would take pride in introducing such an important project to the Mediterranean city, some parents criticized the effort, saying that it would discriminate between children with special skills and those without them. Some parents even say that the project would make the "other" children see themselves as inferior to the "special" students and thus become depressed.
"I do not think it is a good idea to create a distinction between students with a high IQ and those with a lower IQ," said Sinem Kalamış, a 32-year-old mother. "Nobody has the right to say that my son cannot attend the Science & Art Center since his IQ level is not [high] enough for that."
Meral Eren, another parent, agreed that the project would make children with normal or lower IQ levels feel sad, or even guilty: "These children will isolate themselves from their friends over time, which will harm their socialization process."
In contrast, primary school teacher Tanju Akerdem expressed his concerns about the children who are selected for the program, saying they would develop an egocentric personality since they know that they are "chosen."
In light of these different opinions, the Daily News consulted psychologist Sibel Parlak, who agreed with the idea that children with special skills should be trained in a professional way; otherwise, she said, their academic intelligence could regress.
"It is of great importance to ensure these children continue their adaptation process in the community, though," she added. "If the whole project is handled with a sense of professionalism and great care in coordination with the well-trained experts, there is no reason for the children to turn into egocentric individuals."
Parlak also noted that children’s emotional intelligence, or EQ, levels are as important as their IQ levels and added that if the former is not given the support it needs to develop, it hinders the usage of the latter.
These "special students," who will be trained at the city’s new Science & Art Center, will have the opportunity to develop their skills by getting a one-on-one education from an efficient staff of teachers and experts.
Working with the Ministry of Education, the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Education plans to put these young "leaders of the future" through an intensive academic program that includes education in both the natural and the social sciences.
In an interview with the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, Antalya Provincial Director of Education Osman Nuri Gülay highlighted the importance of the Science & Art Center in allowing these children to demonstrate their intelligence and turn it into practical skills instead of leaving these talents unnoticed.
"We basically aim to train geniuses who will lead the way for Turkey," Gülay said. "We do need geniuses who will stay here and serve this country instead of allowing the brain drain that lets other countries benefit from our children with special skills."
Within the scope of the project, primary school students in the third and fourth grades will take an examination given by their teachers. Those who score well on this exam will take another test administered by experts sent by the ministry. At the end of these tests, a total of 30 students will be selected to go through a two-year "adaptation training," during which they will prepare projects in different fields. At the end of this adaptation period, they will receive an intensive education in various fields, from mathematics and science to music and painting, until the end of their high school careers. Eighteen expert teachers with master’s and doctoral degrees will carry out this special training.
’The school will cause discrimination ’
While authorities from the Ministry of Education said they would take pride in introducing such an important project to the Mediterranean city, some parents criticized the effort, saying that it would discriminate between children with special skills and those without them. Some parents even say that the project would make the "other" children see themselves as inferior to the "special" students and thus become depressed.
"I do not think it is a good idea to create a distinction between students with a high IQ and those with a lower IQ," said Sinem Kalamış, a 32-year-old mother. "Nobody has the right to say that my son cannot attend the Science & Art Center since his IQ level is not [high] enough for that."
Meral Eren, another parent, agreed that the project would make children with normal or lower IQ levels feel sad, or even guilty: "These children will isolate themselves from their friends over time, which will harm their socialization process."
In contrast, primary school teacher Tanju Akerdem expressed his concerns about the children who are selected for the program, saying they would develop an egocentric personality since they know that they are "chosen."
In light of these different opinions, the Daily News consulted psychologist Sibel Parlak, who agreed with the idea that children with special skills should be trained in a professional way; otherwise, she said, their academic intelligence could regress.
"It is of great importance to ensure these children continue their adaptation process in the community, though," she added. "If the whole project is handled with a sense of professionalism and great care in coordination with the well-trained experts, there is no reason for the children to turn into egocentric individuals."
Parlak also noted that children’s emotional intelligence, or EQ, levels are as important as their IQ levels and added that if the former is not given the support it needs to develop, it hinders the usage of the latter.