🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Jan8.222319.19498@sequent.com> petel@sequent.com (Pete Lancashire) writes:
>
>Or what about this kid, in a school where (s)he is put down by his, peers,
>and in some cases by his parents, because he would not 'fit-in'. A kid
>I was a mentor to this summer, (est IQ over 135) didn't want to get good
>grades because he felt that he would not have any friends, and he did not
>want to be a 'nurd and geek' ,his words, Also he had to make a choise between
>basketball EVERYNIGHT of the week or homework, the school (big into
>sports) and his parents felt that his basketball was more important and
>these are direct observations and conservations with the school and his
>parents, not my opion.

I'm not entirely certain that extracurricular activities aren't as 
important as academics in the situation of a tremendously gifted child.
Of course, being pushed into something is another story.  A student
like this needs balance in his life more than anything.  Athletics
(that's what was mentioned here) can provide that along with other
experiences that can teach him as much as any classroom ever could.  if
the kid likes something other than academics, let him at it. 

>His math teacher was the only one who seemed to care, but she was new,
>and (I can't blame her) didn't want to risk loosing her job. Both his
>history and english teachers were basketball coaches.

The only one who cared about what?  

I think coaches get a bad rap about only caring that kids get into sports.
Granted, there will be those coaching zealots who only care that a kid
can play, but I'd guess 98% of the high school coaches have the kid's
interest in mind.  And yes, I thought about that statement!!  :-)

Jeff              wayman@lamar.colostate.edu