Can Every Child Be Talented in Their Own Way?

In my 15 years of teaching digital skills to thousands of young minds, I’ve witnessed brilliance in ways that aren’t always obvious. Some students are easy to spot—those who excel in class, eagerly participate, and ace their exams. But then, there’s another kind of brilliance, one that often goes unnoticed because it operates outside the traditional school model. These are the students whose true talents are hidden beneath satisfactory classwork, missed homework, disruptive behaviour, or a lack of engagement. They’re the ones who fascinate me the most.

One student comes to mind. He was an avid gamer, spending countless hours in online multiplayer games. When his grades started to slip, his parents, in frustration, threw away his games console, hoping it would force him to focus on his studies. But instead of giving up, he did something remarkable—he built his own server to host games for his friends. He found a way to keep playing, but on his own terms.

This student didn’t excel academically. He struggled with homework and often got detentions for not handing it in on time. Yet, at home, he was doing something far beyond what we were teaching in the classroom. He had mastered server hosting, a skill that surpassed GCSE or A-Level capabilities. It struck me as ironic that he was being labelled a failure at school for not completing an assignment comparing RAM and ROM when, in reality, his technical skills were already advanced.

According to a 2022 study, over 60% of students believe the skills they’re learning in school aren’t applicable to their future careers. Yet these same students are mastering complex digital skills on their own, outside of the classroom. The divide between what young people are passionate about and what the education system offers is startling. While schools are still focused on traditional curricula, industries are rapidly evolving, and the demand for creative, tech-savvy workers has never been higher.

In my classroom, I always aimed to showcase my students' talents. I often invited edtech companies to demonstrate their products, knowing full well that some of my students, tech-savvy beyond the curriculum, would "hack" these tools. It was both amusing and humbling to see tech founders, who thought they had a one-size-fits-all solution for education, watch their products be outsmarted by these students. This experience sparked the students' interest in entrepreneurship, leading some to envision launching businesses of their own.

Another example was a Year 8 student who casually mentioned that he had over a million views on YouTube. He had created a music mashup that went viral. To him, it was no big deal, but I was amazed. Achieving that kind of success at such a young age requires incredible creativity, an understanding of your audience, and a good amount of technical skill. The biggest challenges for students like him are often confidence, resources, and acceptance. In my classroom, before any learning took place, I ensured students had the space to be themselves. This openness became a catalyst for them to share their passions, often revealing the incredible things they were doing outside of school. These moments made me reflect on how little the education system acknowledges such talents when we take the time to notice them.

In the current public discourse, there’s often a focus on youth violence and antisocial behaviour. While these are serious issues, what is often overlooked is that there are a multitude of young people innovating and pushing boundaries of creativity right in front of us. Bad news travels faster around the block than good news, but it’s essential to remember that for every negative headline, there are countless young minds quietly creating, inventing, and developing skills that could shape the future.

Over the years, I’ve seen countless students navigate the gap between their in-school performance and their out-of-school passions. These young people aren’t just using technology—they’re mastering it, creating content, and building online communities. They’re designing intricate virtual cities in Minecraft, creating game mods, and streaming content to huge audiences. Yet, when they step into the classroom, much of this brilliance seems to fade.

What baffles me is the disconnect between what these students are doing in their free time and what the school curriculum offers. For example, I’ve heard employers in the construction industry lament a lack of creative and tech-savvy workers, while millions of young people are building virtual cities in Minecraft for fun. Imagine the possibilities if we could bridge that gap—if we could connect their creativity in virtual worlds with real-world applications like CAD design. It feels like such a missed opportunity. According to recent reports, industries like construction, software development, and even entertainment are struggling to find workers with the very skills that students are teaching themselves at home.

I’ve made it my mission not to dismiss these students. When they come to me excited about a project or skill that doesn’t fit within the curriculum, I don’t brush it off. I listen, I encourage them, and if I can’t help them grow, I find someone who can. Over the years, I’ve invited tech companies and startups into my classroom, hoping to show students that their passions can lead to real-world opportunities. I want them to see the value in their interests and to know they don’t need to fit into a conventional mould to succeed.

Parents, too, play a critical role in this equation. Instead of discouraging your child’s unconventional interests, what if we celebrated them? That time spent on YouTube or gaming they are learning valuable skills and solving complex problems, these might just be the foundation for a future career in content creation or software development. By embracing these unconventional skills and passions, we can help young people realise their full potential.

Now, a decade later, I’m beginning to see the impact. Former students, many of whom struggled in the traditional school environment, now message me on LinkedIn, excited to share that they’re working as software developers or launching their own tech ventures. It’s a rare gift for a teacher to see the long-term outcomes of their students’ lives, and it’s moments like these that remind me how important it is to recognise talent in all its forms.

"Schools often feel like massive tanker ships" —slow to adapt and move with the times. Meanwhile, students, with their curiosity and passion, are like speedboats, darting off in all directions, exploring new territories. I sometimes feel like the lighthouse, guiding them without holding them back. But I’ve come to realise that my role isn’t to make them fit into a narrow box. It’s to recognise the talent right in front of me, even if it’s hidden in plain sight, and to help it grow.

Every child has a talent, and with the right guidance and support, they can thrive. It’s our responsibility as teachers to ensure that no talent goes unnoticed, no matter how unconventional it may seem. If we truly want to prepare students for the future, we need to rethink how we define success in schools. It’s not about exam results—it’s about recognising potential, fostering creativity, and equipping students with the skills they need to succeed in the modern world. It’s time for schools to catch up to the speedboats.

Looking back, I realise that the students who challenged the conventional school system were often the ones who challenged me as a teacher. And perhaps, that’s exactly what education needs—a challenge. Because it’s in those challenges that we uncover the hidden talents that have the potential to reshape our world.