Parents of gifted children sometimes find that it is difficult to give their children the
education they need. Many people think that having a gifted child means that
there are not problems in school for the student. This is far from the truth.
In fact, gifted children have as many problems in school as those children of
average educational aptitude, or even those children who have learning
disabilities. It is just that the gifted children have different problems.
One problem that gifted children have is that they may not learn all subjects equally well. It
is commonly thought that a gifted child can easily learn any subject that they
are presented. And for some students this is true. Because giftedness comes in
many shapes and forms, some children may find math to be a simple subject,
easily learning new facts, and needing little repetition or reinforcement to be
able to answer problems. That same child might also voluntarily work more math
problems that required, willingly exploring more math than is necessary to
complete assignments. She might even explore math further, just because she
considers it fun or entertaining. This child might have trouble in other
aspects of her education. For example, she might struggle with spelling, or
other language arts.
The level of giftedness varies between children. Just because a child is labeled as gifted does
not mean that learning is effortless. Nor does it guarantee that there is not a
cost somewhere else. Gifted children sometimes feel a great deal of pressure
when parents or teachers expect them to do equally well in all subjects. Sometimes
parents or teachers compound that pressure by telling the child something like,
‘You are so smart in science, you should be a doctor. ’ Just because a child may
find science easy and enjoyable does not mean that being a doctor is what they
are interested in. Yet if a child is told every week, from an early age, that
they should be a doctor, because they are so smart, then it becomes hard for
them to break free of expectations.
In the classroom gifted children are sometimes given less attention rather than more. In part,
this is due to the fact that children who learn easily are thought to not need individualized
instruction. Gifted students are often assigned as student helpers for children
who do need more help. While this is great for the child who needs more help,
it does not further the education of the gifted child. Giftedness is not just
the ease of learning the materials presented but also the need or drive to
attain more information. If that hunger for knowledge is not fed in the student then he may become bored, or even angered. This can lead to behavioral problems.
The answer to solving the issues listed here regarding gifted children may not be as
difficult as expected. Gifted children tend to be creative and energetic. They
are curious and questioning. It is possible to teach to those strengths by
offering individualized instruction. This may be difficult to achieve in the
typical classroom, there are ways to provide this. One alternative is smaller
classes, where children can receive more individual attention. These smaller
classes would also allow gifted children to explore their interests and delve
deeper into subjects that they are good in, or have deeper understanding of.
Another alternative to smaller class size is the home school environment, where
the education of the gifted child can be completely individualized.
Gifted children can be challenging to educate, but they deserve as much attention as other
students. In a time when it is not politically correct to celebrate exceptionalism, gifted students are sometimes not allowed to shine. They have strengths, and weaknesses, and both should be considered when developing a curriculum. If we can provide these exceptional students with what they need today, society
will reap the benefits of their creativity and ingenuity in the future.
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