Documentary BBC 9pm tonight about Cameron Thompson an amazing Mathematician

[iggly2]

Thought people might be inrterested.

Opps interested

I hope there will be equations written on panes of glass. Or at the very least on blackboards.

I read an article on him but didn't see the programme. DS1 was on target to start a maths degree at 10 but we decided against it and sent him to boarding school where he has learnt nothing. However he does not have Aspergers and has loads of friends. If I could be bothered he could sit his A'level within a year but where exactly would that get him in life?

I found it interesting and some parts rather warming especially his growing friendship with another similar child who was on the autistic spectrum. I thought the head teacher was very good. Equally some parts were very upsetting.

Thought it was an interesting & fairly sensitive programme. Cameron came across as a lovely young man.

The prof from Cambridge was amusing & his advice interesting too.

Thanks Iggly2. Just watched it on Iplayer

I loved the proff from Cambridge, not only did he recommend doing maths because he enjoys it not for a degree but when they were worried about him going on a maths summer school because he was autistic just chuckled and said 'Oh they all are'

(newly diagnosed on the spectrum and doing a BSc in IT and maths, DH autistic and a science/maths genius, Ds1 ASD turning out to be pretty good at maths!)

(never thought I'd be posting in g+t)

Very interesting programme. My ds is not on teh autistic spectrum, but Cameron had some behaviours that I recognised in my own ds - mostly the complete meltdown if 100% not achieved.

Very sendible advice too, particularly about the dangers of more and more acceleration without enrichment and 'fun' things. Thanks for the prompt iggly!

Why can't they put a child on who can do all these things but is "normal" in social terms?

"Why can't they put a child on who can do all these things but is "normal" in social terms?" Partly, doubtless, because it wouldn't make such good television. But also, think about what it takes for a parent to agree to such a programme being made about their DC. I think you'd have to be either a bit odd (like some of the Child Genius parents) or else in the throes of pretty serious problems with your DC (like Cameron's parents, whom I should make clear I liked) so that you feel the attention of the programme might help you to go forwards. If your DC is in a good educational situation for their needs and you're not struggling with any particular problem and you're a normal sane parent, I think you'd be unlikely to agree to participate, even if someone thought your DC would make good television! At any rate [checks for effectiveness of name change] my DS is considerably more remarkable mathematically than Cameron, and if we were approached, we'd politely tell the television people where to go.

I thought it was a nice change to see a gifted child being treated in a kind and considerate way. I thought that Cameron and his family were lovely and very down to earth. It must be hard having two children with autism in the family. Especiallly as Cameron's younger sister has severe autism.

The parents were nothing like some of the families in Child Genius. They really cared for the emotional welbeing of ALL their children. Cameron has not been hot housed. It has been his autistic obcession with maths that has driven forward.

It was good to see that Cameron was getting the help he needed to over come his disablity. I thought the cambridge professor was very down to earth and practical with suggestions on how to provide the enrichment Cameron needed.

I found the programme interesting as it showed ways of meeting the educational needs of children with aspergers well. I thought that Cameron's school was wonderful and it was nice that they helped Cameron to make friends with Tim. It was clear they cared about the whole child.

I suspect that the parents took part in the programme to give hope to families who have children who are gifted with HFA/ Aspergers. I hope that the programme might break down the predujice against autism.

My son (22 now, doing a degree in physics) was diagnosed with aspergers at age 15, after years of wondering what on earth was the matter with him. Very oddly, for someone who is so very good at maths and science, he took FOREVER to learn his tables, despite years of forceful practices for tests while travelling, at home, just about everywhere. Anyone else have a gifted child who could not learn their tables? Needless to say, he did get them in the end, but it was as though he had a mental block about them!
I have also made a mental note NEVER to ask him to explain something as I NEVER understand any more!

reallytired, it may be worth considering that the child genius documentary makers had an agenda of portraying families in a certain waY. Leaving out facts, editing conversations, insisting on IQ tests and encouraging the participants to ask questions that made them look pushy. I found most of the kids to be very driven except the Asian maths kids on the third series.

Colleger,
I have to admit that I have never met the kids off the child genius programme. Certainly the first series of child genius did not portray the children in the kindest of ways. In many ways I think some of the children on child genius have similar problems to Cameron and are possibly aspies as well.

I was nice to see a programme where they treated the family with respect.

I thought it was a great as a social documentary as well. I thought it did not delve into his maths mind but the challenges he had making friends ( I felt very sad when in meeting his new peers he started talking first about his maths- and I also felt sure this would upset his mother who I warmed to).

I thought the maths professor was great (Oh, dear school girl crush developing for me!). He loved his subject and was in sightful about the surging ahead (Camerons gift seemed to cause him more pain than joy a lot of the time). But to be fair I do not think the parents had much choice with his passion (esp earlier on and with so much of his identity relying, in his eyes, on his maths). He could probably have taken a lot of the exams earlier (he was getting 100% on all the GCSEs/A levels etc ) and his mistakes were lack of explaining NOT his ability. He was also doing all of this and full time school.

Well said Rod - from the mother of a non-gifted child who loved the documentary :)

Wow! A real-life person from the telly on mumsnet!

How are things going, Rod?

Why has Rod's message been deleted? I didn't read it as any more offensive than the original comments from NonDesp trying to guess at a parent's motivation.

Shame on you MNHQ, yes he got a bit heated but his sentiment was genuine.

I wonder what was said..................

Hope I didn't offend anyone.

That is a shame that Rod was deleted. Just to let you know that the Special Needs: Children board is very friendly and there are lots of parents of very clever (don't know if they are as clever as Cameron?!) children who have AS who post on there. We are very welcoming!

An apology is certainly in order from nondesperateparent.

Sorry you had to put up with reading that post, Rod. It's nothing but stealth boasting IMO.