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Gifted May Not Be What You Think
Myths
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights estimates that six (6) percent of public school students are enrolled in gifted and talented programs (National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), FAQ). A small number of children are gifted "across the board"--showing outstanding ability in multiple areas; the majority, however, display their giftedness in particular areas, perhaps excelling in math but not in language arts or excelling in the arts (music, dance, painting, theatre) and not in academic subjects.
The myth, however, that gifted students are the "good students" and will succeed easily is still alive and well. As one teacher writes:If you want gifted kids to be successful, you must believe that gifted education is exceptional education. Many teachers do extraordinary things to help students with learning disabilities be successful. However, when it comes to students who are gifted, some teachers are inflexible and resentful of the behaviors characteristic of being gifted. Not a week goes by when one of my students’ regular education teachers doesn't give me an earful about my students’ lack of organizational skills, continuous questioning of authority, or underachievement. I do understand their frustrations; however, these behaviors are actually characteristics of gifted children...Simply put, gifted students have exceptional needs with their exceptional gifts. Treating gifted students as exceptional-education students goes a long way towards meeting their needs. In all honesty, simply remembering they are exceptional-education students can make your days with this difficult population more pleasant (Gifted Ed. Students Are More Than Just Really Smart Kids).
In this 6:50 minute video, "Why Gifted May Not Be What You Think," Michelle Barmaze explains why gifted children are special needs children. She briefly mentions two characteristics of most gifted children, asynchronicity and overexcitabilities, and she touches on 2e learners. We hope this video helps inform your "why" and inspires you to see how much these children need your help.
There are myths that continue about gifted students. One is that they are always high achieving and another is that they don't need special attention, that they will do okay on their own; however, there is research that indicates that "40 percent of all gifted students may be underachievers" (Davidson Institute. N.D. Gifted traits and characteristics citing Handbook of Gifted Education, p. 424. Retrieved on April 22, 2022).