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What’s Up with Gifted Kids. Christy D. McGee Professor Past Chair Parent and Community Network NAGC Bellarmine University. What is Giftedness?. Defining “giftedness” is still a hot topic Leaders in the field vary in their definitions
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What’s Up with Gifted Kids Christy D. McGee Professor Past Chair Parent and Community Network NAGC Bellarmine University
What is Giftedness? • Defining “giftedness” is still a hot topic • Leaders in the field vary in their definitions • Some theorist define the gifted population by percentages • Others look at giftedness by traits
Legal Definitions What the law says and what we do about it!
Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Act (1988) • Children and youth with outstanding talent perform or show the potential for performing at remarkable high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. • These children and youth exhibit high performance capability in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity, or excel in specific academic fields. • They require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the schools. • Outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.
State of Kentucky NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 157.200 Includes within the definition of "exceptional children" a category of "exceptional students" who are identified as possessing demonstrated or potential ability to perform at an exceptionally high level in general intellectual aptitude, specific academic aptitude, creative or divergent thinking, psychosocial or leadership skills, or in the visual or performing arts. KRS 157.224 • commits the state to a comprehensive educational program for its exceptional school-aged children. • KRS 157.230 requires all school districts to operate programs for resident exceptional children, primary - grade twelve (12). • This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for programs for gifted and talented students.
Persistent Myths • G/T people are mentally unstable • Grade skipping hurts kids • Parents of G/T kids are conceited • Gifted education causes elitism • Eminent adults were indifferent scholars as children • G/T students feel superior to other students
Generalizations • Gifted Students tend to have the same social and emotional issues as other students, but for very different reasons. • The more different a gifted student is from the norm, the more significant their social and emotional issues become. • It is necessary for gifted students to spend a significant amount of time with other gifted students and with persons trained in gifted education.
Interplay Between Intellectual and Personality Characteristics • Impacted by: • Self • Home • School • Community • Peers
Some Characteristics for Identifying Gifted StudentsChallenge, (1992) Good Apple, Issue 48
Some Characteristics for Identifying Gifted Students Challenge, (1992) Good Apple, Issue 48
Some Characteristics for Identifying Gifted StudentsChallenge, (1992) Good Apple, Issue 48
There was a Little GirlWritten by Becky Lewis • She talks too much • She is a know-it-all • She asks too many questions • She has weird, impractical ideas • She is the class clown • She daydreams • She is a bookworm • She tries to dominate • She is argumentative • She looks for the simple solution • She is over programmed • She is hyperactive • She is stubborn • She works too quickly • She is verbally fluent • She knows and remembers facts • She is curious about many things • She has creative, innovative ideas • She has a keen sense of humor • She has great powers of concentration • She reads a lot on her own • She shows leadership abilities • She is good at critical thinking • She is good at solving problems • She has many interests • She has a high energy level • She is goal directed • She learns easily
Extroverts v. Introverts • Get energy from inside themselves • Drained by people • Persona and an inner self • Show best self in public • Need privacy • Mentally rehearse before speaking • Hate being the center of attention • Learn by observing • Uncomfortable with changes • Loyal to a few friends • Capable of intense concentration • Reflective • Quiet in large groups; fear humiliation • Get energy from interaction • Energized by people • Single-layered personality; same in public and private • Open and trusting • Think out loud • Like being the center of attention • Learn by doing • Comfortable in new situations • Have many close friends • Distractible • Impulsive • Are risk-takers in groups
Introversion • 80% of gifted students • 20% of others • Alone v. Loneliness • One or two good friends at same mental level • Positive activities
How to Care for Introverts • Respect their need for privacy. • Don’t try to remake them into extraverts. • Never embarrass them in public. • Let them observe first in new situations. • Give them time to think. Don’t demand instant answers. • Don’t interrupt them. • Give them advanced notice of expected changes in their lives. • Enable them to find one best friend who has similar interests and abilities.
Perfectionism • Sometimes not a bad thing • Often coupled with introversion • Sometimes “hides” as lack of organization • Imposter Syndrome • Teach balance
Working with Introverts/PerfectionistsSilverman, L. (1995). Perfectionism: The hallmark of giftedness. NAGC presentation • Do’s • Acknowledge their feelings of frustration • Help them understand the course of their feelings as good traits- high standards are good to have • Share your past and how you’ve dealt with it • Encourage them not to give up • Give them examples of other people • Ask them if they will accept help • Teach them relaxation techniques and deep breathing • Let the child observe first • Let them learn things in private first
Working with Introverts/PerfectionistsSilverman, L. (1995). Perfectionism: The hallmark of giftedness. NAGC presentation • Don’ts • Don’t try to eradicate perfectionism • Don’t tell the child “Don’t feel that way” • Don’t be highly critical of their efforts • Don’t destroy ideals • Don’t give them the message that perfectionism is a bad quality
Working with Introverts/PerfectionistsSilverman, L. (1995). Perfectionism: The hallmark of giftedness. NAGC presentation • Computers are helpful- they’re perfectionistic, too • Distinguish between perfectionism towards self and others • Be a model of self-acceptance, willingness to make mistakes • Have the whole class and family try new things together • Give specific feedback, not global • Adopt a philosophy that there are no mistakes, only learning experiences • Share your setting of priorities with the child • Recognize that there are bad and good things about perfectionism • Teach the child to deal with the pain of perfectionism and that they can overcome the pain
Children who fall through the cracks • Young boys with lots of energy • Middle school girls • Children with disabilities • Minority or bilingual backgrounds • Young children • Poor children
Organization • Not terribly “neat” • Lack of time consciousness • Storage • Creative solutions
Sensitivities • Emotional • Intellectual • Sensual • Physical • Imaginational
Invisibility Strategies • Missing a few answers on a test • Ask questions they know the answers to • Go on dates with “dumb” kids • Make fun of other gifted kids • Don’t volunteer answers • Don’t tell your age Coleman and Cross, 2001
Ten Tip-Offs for Trouble • Self-imposed isolation • Extreme perfectionism • Deep concern with personal powerlessness • Unusual fascination with violence • Eating disorders
TenTip-Offs for Trouble • Substance abuse • Preoccupation with self • Withdrawal into fantasy world • Rigid, compulsive behavior • Preoccupation with death
Eight Great Gripes • No one explains what it means to be gifted. • School is too easy, too boring. • Everyone expects us to be gifted all of the time. 4. Too few friends really understand us. 5. Kids often tease us about being smart. 6. We feel overwhelmed by the number of things we can do in life. 7. We feel different, alienated. 8. We worry about world problems and feel helpless to do anything about them.
Robinson’s Challenges of Being Gifted • Feelings of isolation • Differentness is wrong • Being bright means having things come easily • Daily irritations • Asynchronous development • Multipotentiality
Common Characteristics of Gifted Children The Comic Strip Version
Precociousness "i'm georgie, i'm 5. i live with my mom and dad. i have a dog named charlie. he's a bearded collie, he's really big and a lot of fun. my best friend's name is joey. joey's cool, he can burp the alphabet. i blog using voice recognition software and a microphone. it's really fun because i like to talk."
