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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 4 page research paper that investigates how being a musical "child prodigy" can affect the emotional health and social skills of a gifted child. Extrapolating from research regarding gifted children in general and also from anecdotal evidence, the writer argues that being in the spotlight at an early age can cause social maladjustment and emotional problems. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khchprod.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
of "child prodigy," particularly in the realm of music. In the media, one often hears negative views expressed concerning prodigies. One television presenter prefaces an observation with "If child
prodigies make you sick..." and a well-known journalist writes "Who would be a child prodigy" (Radford 155). The common saying concerning prodigies is "early ripe, early rot," implying that early
success causes these talented individuals to "burn out" early in life (Radford 155). Furthermore, musical prodigies, in particular, have a reputation for anti-social behavior, as they are seen as arrogant
in their talent, with limited social skills, which, of course, means that they are also lonely. This brings up the question as to whether these public assumptions are true. Is
it difficult to be both a musical child prodigy and a well-adjusted child? Anecdotal evidence substantiates the social problems of the child prodigy. For example, Jacob Armen showed promise
on the drum from infancy. His father, Albert, a former Los Angeles nightclub owner taught him to rap out complex jazz rhythms as a toddler (Jerome, Cheakakos and Horsburgh 131).
Only six years old, Jacobs rendering of John Coltranes "Giant Steps" earned him a stint with the California State-Northridge Jazz Band and at the age of seven, Jacob wowed
the Tonight Show audience with a blazing solo (Jerome, Cheakakos and Horsburgh 131). At ten years old, Jacob signed a contract with to play for Prince for $190,000 (Jerome, Cheakakos
and Horsburgh 131). Father Albert never pushed Jacob as some parents are prone to do with musical child prodigies; nevertheless, Jacob learned that precocity comes at a price. Now grown,
Jacob remembers being taunt by other children and, over the course of his growing up, he transferred to four different schools in an effort to find normality. Furthermore, musically,
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