天生我才或璞玉待琢？論「天才」與資優教育

Abstract

基於香港人追求成就及望子成龍的心態，許多家長近年來對資優教育這個課題甚感興趣，而本港的教育界也泛起一股探討資優教育的熱潮。究竟社會裏是否客觀地存在着一群等待發掘的、本質上比其他「一般兒童」優越的「天才」呢?「天才」是否真的可以被客觀地鑑別的呢? 這套理論或思想，又是否正規範了人類發展潛在的能力──天才呢? 本文嘗試先從理解「天才」這一概念入手，進而闡釋一個以社會層面作考慮的智能論。再從歷史角度審視誕生「天才」、「智商主義」和「唯能主義」的社會條件。縱然這等理論在西方國家已壽終正寢，但我們的社會竟對此仍趨之若騖，推動資優教育，相關的培訓課程亦如雨後春筍。然而「資優教育」雖吸收了過去一些對「天才」的批判，但仍然換湯不換藥地承接著優生論者和智商主義的企圖，不斷地為一個不平等的社會尋找支持的理據和延續的方法。本文後段會就資優教育推動者可能作出的回應作進一步的討論，試圖帶出資優教育的潛在危機，進而刺激讀者思考香港的教育應該怎樣發展，才能讓學童的潛能得以釋放及自由地發揮。 Most parents in Hong Kong believe that education is the most important vehicle for one’s success and achievement. Given parents’ strong desire to cultivate children in pursuit of excellence, education of the gifted has gained much of their attention. This has in turned sparked off a series of discussions among the local educationalists on how best to educate the gifted. Despite criticisms in recent years, education of the gifted has only changed superficially to uphold eugenics and IQism and preserve inequality in today’s society. But is “genius” a neutral concept? Does “genius” exist as an objective reality? Are there any objective standards to identify “geniuses”? Is this ideology against the development of human potential? This article questions the pursuit of education of the gifted and exposes the fallacy underlying its development. It starts with an exploration into the concept of “genius” and the social constructionist’s view of intelligence. It then discusses the social conditions that foster the growth of “genius”, “IQism” and “meritocracy”. Although these ideas have already faded in western societies, local education of the gifted still embraces them as if they were the truth. The latter part of the article attempts to uncover the potential dangers of education of the gifted, and invites readers to consider how the future development of education in Hong Kong can foster a free and equal environment for our children to develop their potential to the full.