Press: Genius new normal for Zander

View original article (PDF) Perthnow – June 2016

Zander has an IQ of 150. He’s brighter than 98 per cent of the population and recently joined Mensa. He’s among the most exceptional members of a generation for which “borderline gifted” has become the new “average” thanks to technology, access to information and better teaching, Perth-based international Mensa consultant and gifted children’s coach Alan Thompson says.

Mr Thompson, who has just released a new book on raising a gifted child called Bright, backed calls for more funding, teacher training and specialist schools.

“You can absolutely see the change in intellect, the change in capacity, the change in brilliance in this generation or this decade compared to previous decades,” he said.

His tips to parents of gifted kids in the book include minimising homework, not pressuring children to fit-in and acknowledging but not praising when they are easily able to complete a test or task.