The backward intelligent child.

Abstract

This chapter describes many possible reasons for poor performance on the part of a backward intelligent child. Biographies reveal that innumerable eminent men were considered in childhood to be merely average or below average in intelligence and school performance. In reading the biographies of eminent men, one is impressed by the reliance placed by teachers of years gone by on the use of the cane for instilling knowledge, and by their brutality and sadism. Children are upset by teachers who shout at them, or are sarcastic or unkind. Not only are they frightened by such teachers, but they are apt to develop an emotional block—a kind of panic reaction, so that they are quite unable to think. Another important reason for the failure of much teaching is lack of motivation. It is obvious from the biographies of eminent men that mental superiority was frequently not recognized. Failure to recognize mental superiority will obviously lead to backwardness in relation to intelligence. It may cause more serious backwardness as a result of boredom.