Playing with toys and scribbling with crayons was life for me when I was four. But for Izhaq Shamas, it's a whole lot different. This wonder kid, who is technically classified as a toddler, is a wiz with Science experiments. Izhaq's mother, Ninumol, is yet to get over the fact that her son has managed to outdo other kids of his age. She says, "It started for Izhaq when learning with his elder brothers Izaan and Imran who would watch their classes on TV and learn to do Science experiments. He too would sit along with them and learn on his own. From there on, he progressed rapidly. He started doing them on a daily basis. It's his own interest and we just support him by getting him the things required for his experiments."
I bet you'll be surprised when you hear about the types of experiments Izhaq gets his hands on. "For his age, the things he does are very advanced. He does an acid-base indicator test which is actually taught in sixth grade. He also does a liquid density test and a solubility test. He may not know the actual theories behind them but he learns to do the practical part based on his observation," says Izhaq's mother.
While being a Science wiz makes him special, his talents don't end there. He is into music as well — he recently started learning to play the ukulele. Learning by doing is the concept that Ninumol believes will lead to proper education. "In other countries, they learn by getting hands-on experience. We have created a similar environment at home for our three kids. They watch their classes on TV and the rest of the time is spent on their own practical learning. I believe that had normal schooling been there, they would not have this much time to learn all these new things," she adds.
It is not just the youngest lad who is a genius. His two elder brothers, Izaan and Imran, together make the family a creative lot. They have done some modelling as well, their mother tells us. Izhaq also reads and recites Sanskrit poems that he comes across in textbooks. A truly bright mind indeed!
