While working on getting my gifted and talented license, I read an article by Lisa Van Gemert (Gifted Guru) called Top Ten Ways to Annoy a Gifted Child. This article was very interesting to read! Here are a few things that came to mind when reading the article:
- When thinking about teachers I have worked with in the past, I have seen them do quite a few of these things, such as providing the gifted student(s) with more work to do or having them “tutor” another child when they are done working. This, of course, is not fair to the student. The gifted students should not be given more work, but should be challenged in order for them to make gains in their education. By having students do work they already know how to do and/or “tutoring” other students, they will become bored and frustrated. They will feel like they are not learning in school and could eventually shut down.
- It is very important to remember that teachers should not expect the students to “act gifted” throughout their whole day. The gifted students’ development is uneven, meaning their academic development is more advanced than their social development. That being said, they should be allowed to socialize with students of all age levels. They may socialize with students their age to discuss age appropriate topics, but then they may socialize with students older than them about academic topics and topics of interest.
- It is important to remember that even though a child is gifted, it does not mean they will always know everything. If the child is being appropriately challenged, they will not be able to do everything right away because they still need to learn that information. Even though they are advanced, it does not mean that they know everything there is to know.
If you have not already taken a look at the article, I suggest you do so. It is a great reminder for all teachers and parents.