Bernadette Tynan
Bernadette Tynan | |
|---|---|
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| Born | March 1966 Bury, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom |
| Died | 16 August 2017 (aged 51) Saint-Astier, Dordogne, France |
| Occupations |
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Bernadette Tynan (March 1966[1] – 16 August 2017) was a British author and television presenter.
Career
[edit]Tynan was born in Bury in 1966 to parents of Irish descent. She did a BA and masters in London, graduated from Cambridge university with a master's degree in education, and was a senior lecturer at the Research Centre for Able Children at the Westminster Institute, Oxford Brookes university.[2][3]
Tynan's book Your Child Can Think Like A Genius was published in 2004, and reached 2nd on the Singapore Straits Times bestseller list in the non-fiction category.[4][5] The book advocated less formal forms of education, and deprecated the use of academic qualifications and numerical measures to quantify intelligence.[3]
In 2008 Tynan presented the television series Make Your Child Brilliant, where selected children underwent her training techniques which focused on hands-on learning.[6] The series aired in the UK, Australia, New Zealand,[7] and Canada. The series was accompanied by the launch of book written by Tynan of the same name.[8]
Tynan was a critic of what she saw as the UK's "exam-crazed culture",[9] and believed that computer gaming could potentially harm the parent-child bond.[10] Critics characterised her methods as "conjur[ing] up concerns about hot-housing"[11] and of being selective.[12]
Personal life
[edit]At the age of 22 Tynan was briefly engaged to be married to the computer entrepreneur and inventor Clive Sinclair, then 48, who she had met at a Mensa meeting in Blackpool. Tynan broke off the engagement.[13][14]
Tynan died in 2017 from endometrial cancer.[15]
Books
[edit]Tynan was the author of books including:
- Your Child Can Think Like A Genius (Thorsons, 2004)[3]
- Make Your Child Brilliant (Hardie Grant Books, 2008)[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "BERNADETTE TYNAN FOUNDATION". Companies House. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ^ Agnew, Trevor (31 January 2009). "Bernadette Tynan". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Fox, Catherine (November 2004). "Genius at work". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ Mills, Don (24 April 2004). "Best Sellers". National Post. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ "Got a flabby brain, then?". Journal. 2 March 2004. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ Mansell, Warwick (4 January 2008). "Reality TV takes on test culture". Times Education Supplement. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ Guild, Victoria (6 May 2008). "Educational series aims to tap children's hidden talents". The Nelson Mail. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Book beat - the brilliant child". Herald Sun. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ Shennan, Paddy (8 May 2013). "Unlock YOUR child's hidden talents". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ MacLeod, Fiona (4 July 2009). "Gaming may harm parental bond". The Scotsman. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ "Parents' lessons on how to raise genius children". Irish Independent. 2 April 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ Segal, Victoria; Stewart, Helen; Dempster, Sarah (20 January 2008). "Critics' choice". Sunday Times. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ Cowing, Emma (2 May 2010). "Profile: Sir Clive Sinclair: Master of invention". Scotland on Sunday. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ "Faces of the week". BBC News. 8 August 2003. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ "Obituary". Chorley Guardian (via Legacy.com). 1 November 2017.