How to Discover Children’s Talents

How can I encourage children to believe in themselves and see the gifts God has created in them?

Children are sometimes the last to be considered when using the “Use Your Talents” thinking. It is often thought that children’s talents aren’t well identified yet and not mature enough to be used. Also, schooling, especially in developing country such as Madagascar, are more market-need-oriented than person-potential-oriented, so little opportunity is given for kids to sprout up with their favorite specific gifts. However, creativity comes by thinking out of the box, efficiency comes with specificity and devotion comes with passion, and development is ensured by creativity, efficiency, and devotion. It is then key to the program “Use Your Talents” to consider finding, developing, and using the gifts of the church members at very early ages. Here are points to be considered while assessing this subject:

Children are classified by age stages where each phase has its significance education-wise and has direct effects to the following periods:

 infants: under 2 years old,

 preschoolers: 2 to 5 years old,

 school-aged: 6 to 12 years old, and

 teenagers: 13 to 17 years old.

Four settings are very important in influencing the development of children’s gifts. They are home, society, school, and church. These factors are to be balanced carefully to effectively nurture one’s talents.

Pedagogical approaches are erected on the following:

 acknowledge that children blossom better in a restriction-less atmosphere;

 admit that they have high aptitude for learning multiple skills;

 recognize that they are good at mimicking others; and  be aware that unlearning gets more difficult as age increases.

All the following steps should be conducted considering the physical and mental growth of the child which are developing in a very particular universe and governed by fixed rules.

Discovering children’s talents doesn’t need to be a fancy work of professionals with special tools but can be done by any parent or educator who takes enough time to observe them. Observation should be done while they don’t think that someone is watching and when they don’t have to please anyone. What do they choose to do during those times? What do they do without thinking? What do they love? What are they obsessed with? Stanford psychologist, Carol Dweck, even puts it this way: “Pay attention to what your child stares at.” The main aim of this phase is to identify the child’s real interest by sorting it out from distractive noises. Wishes can be very problematic noise to discern from interest; that’s why observation shouldn’t be done on the fly. Avoid comparing a child with others, even with good intention, and every child should be treated as the unique individual they are. Also, comparisons only breed resentment, jealousy, and rivalry. Pressuring kids into things they have no real interest in is no more than a waste of their precious time.

Once interest is found, educators should be very patient in confirming it with aptitude. In fact, in finding a child’s talent, the biggest challenge relates to the relative age and developmental age which can make a kid seem untalented in a specific field, but the truth is that it is not developed yet but the coach wasn`t patient enough. Educators’ role should be to act as opportunity providers for children to find and explore their field of interest. This is done by presenting various challenges to them. In fact, without opportunity for a skill to flourish, it may remain suppressed until it’s too late to develop to its full potential. By themselves, children can’t identify their own talent, yet talents don’t just appear without some challenges. And sometimes breakthrough comes by facing their worst fear that isolates them from others. Howard Gardner published in his book (Frames of Mind: Theory of Multiple Intelligences, 1983/2011) in the early 1980s seven types of intelligence which one should consider to better direct the process of talent discovering in a child: visual-spatial ability, interpersonal ability, intrapersonal intelligence, logical or mathematical thinker, bodily-kinesthetic thinker, linguistic intelligence, and musical intelligence. Sunday School teachers can help children develop their aptitude by appreciating their interest and encouraging its expression. There is no such thing as natural talent but only natural potential. As Daniel Coyle (The Talent Code, 2009) puts it, “Greatness isn’t born. It’s grown.” Hard work outruns ability. It takes effort to excel in one’s talent but focus mixed with passion relieves the pain and makes a talented person look gifted. That means, mentors should praise effort, not natural ability. Targeted methods of practicing, specific methods of motivating, and coaching are what it takes to make that effort fruitful. How kids practice, how they deal with failure, how they get praised and how they are criticized all play a part in the likelihood of achieving greatness. Also, the pace which shouldn’t be rushed, at which the practice is carried out, is as important to the outcome as the practice itself.

The best way to develop one’s talent is by using it. List the ways to use them in a church setting. Remember, a child can have more than one talent.

As the steps to find and develop children’s talents has been covered and illustrated how it can be used in the church, now find ways to use the talents in your congregation.

READ THE TEXT 1 PETER 4:10-11

10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

PRAYER:

Dear Heavenly Father, Help us to see the gifts You have given each of us. Help us be good stewards of the resources You supply Your congregation. May we see the value and potential in everyone, especially those we sometimes overlook. We worship You. Amen.

DISCUSSION:

1. How can I find gifts in myself? How can I find gifts in others, especially the children in my family and my congregation?

2. How can we encourage children to believe in themselves and see the gifts God has given them?

3. How can we use the gifts of the children in our service?