Well, the question we should be asking is, how can we replicate this experience for kids all over the place? How much of this happy story comes from the methodology and commitment of the teachers, how much of it is generalizable to other times, places, and students?
Make it into the story of a 'boy genius' and you reduce it to a one-off event. It's a question of how you're framing the story.
Exactly, people are thinking that I'm jealous about this kid for being called a genius.
The think the term genius could be harmful or just playing down accomplishment.
That would be like toiling for years with a few failed start-ups and then hitting one big success, but the media dismisses your success because you are the son of <insert rich CEO>. Sure, that couldn't have hurt, but what about the years of blood, sweat and tears that you put into it? What about the failures?
For the media, why write about those things when it's easier and perhaps more engaging for readers to talk about your family.
If I meet Laserman and he is able to shoot freaking lasers from his forehead, I want to be just like him. But if he tells me "forget it kid, I'm a superhero mutant, you could never be like me" then that's it. My dreams are crushed.
But if I see that Laserman is more like Ironman and that he actually built this capability with real science and engineering, then perhaps I could really be like him. That's inspiring to me.
That's what genius is to me. It's something you're born with. It's some sort of mutant superpower. Instead of calling this kid a genius, couldn't we instead recognize the actual hard work he put into getting to the point of being called a genius and then show other kids that they could do the same thing? Or even better, how they could achieve similar highs but in different areas?
Really, it's not about me, it's about the children! I'm happy with who I am, leave me out of this. ;)
Make it into the story of a 'boy genius' and you reduce it to a one-off event. It's a question of how you're framing the story.