to think that, in general, people in the UK have an appalling attitude towards academically bright children?

[AKMD]

I realise that that's a sweeping generalisation but it irks me. I am academically bright and had a dreadful time at school, not really from the other children, but from the teachers and friends' parents, who were quite sneery and mocked me infront of the whole class/friends if I ever did get anything wrong. It always felt that they were waiting for me to trip up and that they resented me just because I was good all-rounder (terrible at art though!). That was only 7 years ago. Since then, I've seen it happen time and again when people openly jeer at others who are clever, especially girls and women, and it's seen as completely acceptable. Just a few weeks ago on here, I was really shocked when a mother posted in Children's Books about her 18mo DD liking books and asked for age-appropriate suggestions, to be met with sarcasm about introducing her to Joyce and applying to Mensa. I've seen one regular MNer who clearly has bright children be sneered at when she said that the gap between her DDs' intellectual and emotional maturity caused them social problems: "Oh, poor you, it must be sooo hard to have clever children ."

AIBU to think that this attitude is disgusting and that the obstacles placed in the way of bright children are one of the reasons why we as a country are increasingly going to struggle to compete in a global market?

Kladdkaka - yes

:o I survived 7 years in that snake pit. I keep getting letters from the Old Girls Society inviting me to reunions and other social events. I hated it while I was there, why would I go back now that I have a choice? I suspect my traiter mother keeps passing on my whereabouts.

Yes, the old common sense bollocks cliche crap.

I have noticed that quite a lot of people get a disproportionate kick from seeing someone who is usually regarded as very intelligent, get something wrong.

I know what you mean OP. It's true that some primary teachers feel threatened by very bright children. Also I sometimes get the impression that some teachers don't actually value the idea of education very highly. Eg, to fill in the last five minutes of the day the children were asked to think of as many cars as possible. Trivial, I know, but it REALLY irked me! Christmas presents (paid for by the parents) were invariably (IMO) silly toys. Schools should promote education for goodness sake.

Ummm we do all realise that lots of children who are not academically gifted try hard and are therefore likely to be bullied as well?

So the clever bit doesnt make much difference if you are in a school where the culture is to put down geeks and swots.

You can be struggling and trying and being picked on.

I do not believe for one minute that there are teachers out there who resent bright children.

Why on earth would they resent them? It doesnt makes sense.

Bloody hell I wouldnt be a teacher for any money.

There are some teachers who are not very nice. Because teachers are people and some people are not very nice. I do not agree that the British public and MNs members are gleeful when someone intelligent makes a mistake. There is FAR more snobbery about the likes of Kerry Katona et al. Mr Fry is a virtual saint and a national treasure because he is deemed uber intelligent.

This thread is getting a teeny bit hysterical now.

Being clever is not a disability. It is an advantage. School can be crap for all kinds of reasons. We should be making sure that all children get a fair crack and are happy at school.

Thankyou ohdoadmitit.. Phew!

I completely agree, OhDoAdmit!

As a teacher and the parent of one gifted child, one bright child, one very happy child who is academically average and a fourth who so far only shows interest in my boobs I can say absolutely that teachers want and enjoy having bright and motivated kids in their class. Why would we not? They have struggled with dd1but that is due to her behaviour not at all due to her being academically gifted.

I don't think dd1will struggle in the way a child with additional needs will. Her intelligence is an asset but she will struggle with her obsessive attitude of needing to know everything about everything as soon as she knows of it's existence and the way she gets so angry with herself if she is unable to do something.

Ds1is very bright but painfully shy. Dd2 who is the incredibly chilled and happy in herself despite being in the middle academically will no doubt end up being the happiest and most fulfilled in life.

Teachers are not always nice, fair people, even though they certainly should be.

Some teachers do resent children who, because they are bright, ask too many pertinent questions, point out mistakes the teacher has made, or who are "difficult" because they are bored by too-easy lessons.

Or they might resent the extra effort they need to make with those at either end of the ability spectrum, as it's easier to focus on the majority who are at the middle levels.

It's definintely seen as more acceptable to talk about your child's sporting, musical, dance abilities, than their academic performance. There were posters on London buses a while ago, celebrating individual London pupils' acheivements in these type of areas - I never saw one about 'academic' type acheivements - exame results, debating, scholastic competitions etc. Seemed a shame to me.

I agree with that. I am bloody fed up of seeing new schemes designed to get young people (particularly black and mixed race youth) into sport and music.

Nothing wrong with that but where are all the engineering, maths, science etc schemes? Doreen Lawrence set one up in honour of her son but I havent seen many like that around.

Pisses me off no end that my kids are sterotyped like that.

I read a comment on the first page that said something like 'identifying yourself as academically intelligent is setting yourself up for an arse kicking'

WHY?

I'll say it. I am VERY academically intelligent, 1st class degree, PhD, the lot. Why the sneery comments to the OP? That's just the attitude she is highlighting towards bright children.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in knowing you personal strengths (and weaknesses). There is also nothing wrong with putting effort into work and being pleased when it pays off. But for some reason people look down their noses at such people.

There is also nothing wrong with being proud of bright children for being bright! And parents in the playground who sneer at bright children really piss me off.

Am pleased for anyone to have a bright child.

And it comes with some difficulties to overcome, sometimes.

But I did find it a little outrageous when a mum once told me her DD had "her own kind of SN just like your DD" because she is bright. My DD is 5 and can't speak, feed herself, doesn't interact.

So..let's swap..was what I thought.

Seriously, I do understand as I was a "gifted" child who was bullied at school. But it's a whole different kettle of fish.

FanjoForTheMammaries your post says it all

FanjoForTheMammaries well said

fanks

Fanjo, I think the mum that compared the two children was talking bollocks.
But what has that got to do with attitudes towards those who are academically bright?

I havn't read the whole thread (because i can't be bothered and i'm not bright enough to understand it all).

My daughter is bright, she also has Aspergers syndrome, we have had no problems with the teachers, she has problem with other children but not because she's bright but because she has Aspergers and is different, she does get called 'geek' but i think thats because she wears glasses and talks like a professor .

well, her attitude towards her academically bright DD was that it was the same as my DD with severe SN.

Do I need to explain my posts though?

Not if you don't want to. I just couldn't see the connection.

i mean it was as difficult for her as it was for my DD..too tired to type clearly.

a shot in the dark here but maybe what Fanjoes means is that a lot of people seem to see being G&T as on par with SN
of course it isn't

and i said I thought it might have some difficulties but isn't really on a par.

and now someone will probably come and accuse me of making everything about SN..when really I just address threads from my limited experience ( 1 child, who has SN)