Children Are Gifts, But Are They All Gifted?
All children ARE gifts to be valued and respected. All children HAVE gifts. Every day they bring with them their unique strengths and talents: some for hard work, perseverance, and organization; some for physical grace and dexterity; some for kindness; some for seeing into the heart of things; some for using numbers or words or paint to create amazing products; some for the ability to bring sunshine into every room they enter. These are all gifts. Educators must use every means available to discover and build on every child's strengths in order to engage them in meaningful learning. But are all children gifted?
DEFINITION OF GIFTED
The controversy revolves around the definition of gifted. Although some use the term to describe the qualities listed above and to reflect the philosophy that all children should be valued equally, the term is also used in the law to designate a group of learners with special needs. While it would be less problematic to come up with a different term for these learners (Susan Winebrenner has suggested DILFAPS - students who are Discrepant In Learning From Age PeerS), as long as the government uses gifted, we'd better also.
The definition for gifted and talented according to Wisconsin statute 118.35 refers to pupils "who give evidence of high performance capability in intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership, or specific academic areas and who need services or activities not ordinarily provided in a regular school program in order to fully develop such capabilities." The law goes on to state that districts must have guidelines for the identification of gifted and talented learners and a program for meeting their needs.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GIFTED STUDENTS
Probably the most outstanding characteristic of gifted learners is that they learn fast and forever. While it takes other learners multiple exposures to understand concepts and multiple opportunities to practice skills in order to master them, the gifted often grasp new material the first time and require little or no practice to be able not only to apply but to transfer the learning to other areas.
Additional characteristics of gifted learners include:
Ability to make intuitive leaps. They may not always be able to articulate how they came to know but they do know. Gifted learners often see relationships between very unlike things.
Curiosity leading to asking lots of questions.
Intense and passionate interests.
Sensitivity to the emotions of others; heightened sense of justice and fairness.
Advanced vocabulary.
Outstanding memory.
Preference for complex tasks requiring higher order thinking skills.
Sophisticated sense of humor.
Some of these characteristics may cause problems in the classroom. Immature gifted learners may not know when it is appropriate to ask all of their questions, and gifted students engrossed in a project may have difficulty transitioning to other activities when directed to do so.
NEEDS OF GIFTED AND TALENTED LEARNERS
What do these students need? First, their giftedness must be recognized and affirmed. They need teachers who are skilled in recognizing their unique abilities and social and emotional needs and who are trained in differentiation strategies to meet their academic needs. These learners need academic acceleration (in units of study, subjects, or, more rarely, whole grades) and enrichment. Accommodations for the gifted in the complexity and pace of learning similar to David Ebeling's adaptation techniques must be available. Examples are curriculum compacting and independent study.
Instead of being "punished" with more of the same work when they finish quickly, gifted learners need classrooms rich with extension activities. Some teachers post a "dessert" menu or tic tac toe board of interesting and challenging things to do. Many teachers allow students to play chess or other higher order thinking games.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT MET?
When gifted students? needs are not met there can be serious consequences for them and in their classrooms. When they are bored by instruction in things which they already know, they may misbehave. When they are directed to do practice which they perceive as the "teacher's work" and know that they do not need, they may refuse or just shut down. Their grades may suffer. Their enthusiasm for learning and for school may be diminished. If they go through many years of not being challenged or having to work hard, they may enter high school lacking the study habits to succeed or they may question their intelligence and choose not to try rather than try and possibly fail. They may drop out in reality or in spirit.
WHAT MUST WE DO?
First and foremost, we must all learn more about gifted learners and their needs. As we do so we will be able to do a better job of making school more meaningful and enjoyable for all of our students as we work to discover the gifts they all possess.
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