"Educators play an important role in nurturing genius. Good teachers learn to recognize common characteristics of gifted children in their classrooms and plan an appropriate education. They lobby their schools to be flexible with these children, and they create classes or programs that meet their needs. They foster an educational climate where intellectual inquiry is celebrated, and they insist that learning be the primary goal of school." -Genius Denied, p.162

Questions and Answers

How can I tell if a student is gifted? Gifted students are often difficult to identify, as they are a very diverse group. They come from all socio-economic groups.  They are represented in all ethnic groups. They come from rural and urban areas. Some are good students and others are not. The only common denominator gifted students share is that they think and learn differently: they learn more rapidly than other students and think more deeply about what they learn. Gifted students learn beyond basic knowledge and understanding to synthesis, analysis and evaluation. Here are some of the specific characteristics you are likely to find in a gifted student:  a precocious ability to think abstractly  a need for constant mental stimulation  an ability to learn and process information quickly a precocious ability to perceive patterns and form connections a prodigious ability within a particular area, such as math, music. etc If you have a student who demonstrates these characteristics, you should refer him/her for an assessment.     What can I do to make my class more academically enriching for gifted students? For highly gifted students, advanced curriculum in a self-contained classroom with intellectual peers is the best environment for meeting their educational needs. If gifted students must be placed in a regular heterogenously grouped classroom, one that focuses on individual strengths and utilize flexible strategies is essential. There are some exceptional books that offer practical ideas for teachers to use with their gifted students in the regular classroom: Re-Forming Gifted Education: Matching the Program to the Child by Karen Rogers and Teaching Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom by Susan Winebrenner.       I teach high school.  Aren’t honors and/or AP classes enough? It depends on the student, the curriculum, and the teacher. Honors and/or AP classes might be appropriately challenging for some gifted students, however it may not be enough for others. For those students who need more challenging work, you may need to consider alternative options such as subject or grade acceleration or a college course substitution.      How do I find a mentor for a gifted student? The first step in finding a mentor is to have the student evaluate what he/she hopes to gain from a mentoring experience.  The most productive mentoring relationships are those that are focused on a specific outcome, such as the completion of a project. Once students know what they want to learn, they should put together a query package that contains a short biography, a description of the project they wish to pursue along with a summary of what they already know about the particular topic. Next, create a list of knowledgeable individuals. Universities and colleges are a good place to start, as are, museums and science centers. Don’t forget about local businesses, retired professionals, and high school teachers. Tele-mentoring is another option to consider.  The National Mentoring Partnership may be a useful resource.     Do you have a question?  If so, ask us..

What You Can Do!  Recommended Readings  Search the Davidson Database