Well, it has been several months since I last posted and many life events have occurred. We suffered human and animal losses, moved twice and in the process L turned nine and got his first computer. That was the turning point. The voracious reading dwindled almost completely. He had jumped from middle school level to high school level education just prior to the arrival of the computer. Everything was progressing in the areas one thinks of as academic...those subjects being taught and tested on in school. The computer...it changed everything. Within days Liam learned different scripting languages and started creating fun little apps. Scripting language turned into high and low level coding language where he created and coded his first iOS app. Computer Science has taken over. He has a one track mind and programming is all he thinks about, talks about and learns about...all day, every day. He is obsessed. His passion is clear...he doesn't need to wait until he graduates college to figure out what he wants to do. This is it. Four months later, it is still all he wants to work on and it will shape his future. Some reading and math have creeped back in but technology is omnipresent.
In the last month he has programmed his own social network, coded his own browser, started a tech blog, created over 250 learning tutorials on his YouTube channel, created countless iOS apps, programmed a game in Java, is forming his own mobile company and is part of a world wide programming collaborative which he helped organize with the average age of participants being around mid 30s. His theory about Minecraft and other video games is if you are interested in games then you should make them. He; however, is more interested in utilities and would rather create something that changes the world and helps people rather than just create another game.
I am still reading everything I can on how to parent and educate this type of child and I got certified in facilitating parent discussions on the Social Emotional Needs of the Gifted. This is our life. We moved to a quieter part of town just outside of the city as our focus is learning at home. Everyone is calmer and the stress has been reduced. We are looking into some hybrid schooling opportunities to offer Liam two days of social opportunities but I am skeptical if it will be the right fit. It will be a waste of his time as everything for him seems like a waste if it takes away from his programming. He is focused on so many digital projects and often complains that there is not enough time in his day to do everything. I never hear, "I am bored." He needs few breaks from his tech obsession other than when he tells us about what he has learned or what he is creating. He loves talking about programming and jailbreaking. Oh, yeah, he is a hacker. I am living with a nine year old hackademic who has created and produced more in the last three months than I have in over 30 years. His brain is on fire. I am in awe.
He is also teaching Minecraft at his old private school which he really loves and he is such a natural. He loves to teach online and that translated well into the live classroom. His main form of output are his tutorials where he primarily focuses on teaching beginning programming and jailbreaking. He believes learning should be free (especially online) and he is definitely disrupting the current educational paradigm and I am loving and embracing it. We are all along for the ride.
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