[Soccer Mum]

Just reading the 'competitive parents' thread recently about how a lot of people think their child is gifted and obviously they are 'just normal'. I wondered if maybe there are a lot of parents of gifted children on EB simply because there are so many parents on here, then I realised I don't actually know what a 'gifted' child is.

For example, my brother has a PHD from Oxford uni, he finished it in about 2 years, a masters in about 6 months and he did 2 degrees at once back when people didnt do double degrees. So obviously pretty smart, but at school he was fairly normal until about year 10 or 11. He was never skipped ahead or anything. But would he be considered 'gifted' nowadays? Or does gifted mean talents showing up at a very young age?
Thoughts?

[Sinister Bonnet]

He would have been considered gifted if he had an IQ score above a certain level. He obviously has the IQ to succeed and the drive to succeed.

[tibs]

My son has been tested by an educational psychologist and found to have an IQ in the 99.9th percentile so in the top 0.1 percent of the population; the report stated that he was gifted. I would say that gifted is a term with a fairly strict definition based on IQ testing carried out by a professional (not a check your IQ here website for example). I read the competitive parents thread and have no doubt that many responders would also scoff at my son being gifted and say he was 'just normal' too, not that I go around telling all and sundry he is gifted anyway

[baddmammajamma]

I think the Hoagies'Gifted Education site does a pretty good job at trying to answer "What does 'gifted' mean. I don't think there is a really simple definition!



What is gifted? How is it defined? Who are the gifted? What are their needs? Why should we care? So many questions...

What is giftedness? There is no universal definition. Some professionals define "gifted" as an intelligence test score above 130, two or more standard deviations above the norm, or the top 2.5%. Others define "gifted" based on scholastic achievement: a gifted child works 2 or more grade levels above his or her age. Still others see giftedness as prodigious accomplishment: adult-level work while chronologically a child. But these are far from the only definitions.

Former U. S. Commissioner of Education Sidney P. Marland, Jr., in his August 1971 report to Congress, stated:

Gifted and talented children are those identified by professionally qualified persons who by virtue of outstanding abilities are capable of high performance. These are children who require differentiated educational programs and/or services beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society.

No Child Left Behind legislation created a new, achievement-based definition of giftedness, however it does not mandate that states use its definition:

The term “gifted and talented”, when used with respect to students, children, or youth, means students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities. (Title IX, Part A, Section 9101(22), p. 544)

A group of respected professionals in the field of gifted suggest a definition based on the gifted child's differences from the norm:
"Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally." The Columbus Group, 1991, cited by Martha Morelock, "Giftedness: The View from Within", in Understanding Our Gifted, January 1992

There certainly are EBers who have gifted kids -- even highly, exceptionally, or profoundly gifted (kids whose IQs are in the 99.8th, 99.9th, 99.9+th percentile). And some of us have kids at those levels who also have other "special powers" (the whole "Twice Exceptional" deal - gifted with special needs of gifted with learning disabilities).

ETA: I agree with taranicole. You won't see a lot of really open discussion about gifted kids on EB because of the inherent eye rolling that tends to occur when the subject comes up. I don't consider being gifted or having a gifted child to be an achievement though -- it's what a person does with their giftedness that counts!

This post has been edited by baddmammajamma: 26/05/2012, 07:53 PM

[madmother]

i was reading an article on this at the GP yesterday (in Kids on the Coast).

It was really interesting as it talked of the challenges.

We are going into a meeting next week about DS2.

The only teacher he does not clash/have issues with spoke to me casually last week.

The term which drew my attention: "He is really engaged and producing the exceptional work I knew he could."

Engaged. The biggest challenge gifted kids face.

The other teaches tend to put him back to basics if he does not conform. Which creates this cycle of even worse behaviour.

We will be addressing this in the meeting, believe me.

Grade 7. You'd a thought they'd have worked it out by now, eh? Especially as they were the ones to push for him to be tested, and the first to call him "gifted"...


Back to add:

My DS1 who is on the autism spectrum is far easier and happier in life than his brother. The issues these kids face can be massive.

And terrifying as parents.


This post has been edited by madmother: 26/05/2012, 07:58 PM

[charlottesmum04]

Most parents of 'gifted' children i know of will not tell you or brag about their 'gifted' child. I find its usually the parents of normal children who want to tell you how fantastic their child is because he walked earlier/ talked earlier/came first in maths test/insert the usual, that talk about how 'gifted' their child is.

Some gifted children you wouldnt even notice in a normal classroom setting. DD1 has a 137 IQ and had completed most of grade 12 english at grade 4. But quietly spends her days in class working hard at her maths as its something she actually finds difficult. But start an argument with her and you quickly learn you better know your subject....

[madmother]

Article HERE.

[Lilymoon]

Gifted kids don't always perform better academically either and many have learning disabilities as well.

I am asking a question with no malice so please don't jump to the conclusion that I mean to be insulting in anyway because I am only after information which is why I am posting this question. How can a child have a learning disability and be gifted? Doesn't being gifted mean they learn faster than others so are accelerated?



edited for clairty, typos

This post has been edited by Lilymoon: 26/05/2012, 08:11 PM

[PetaSiddle]

Can I add my own experiences?

As a child I was in the 'gifted and talented' program in primary school, and in the 'streamed' class in high school (for the 'smart' kids). I had an IQ of 130. In reality, all this meant to me was I found schoolwork fairly easy and I read a lot of books.

In retrospect though, I have recently come to realise that the fact that things were easy for me has meant that I have never worked very hard for anything. I don't regret my career, but I do think now that if I had needed to work hard at something at school I would have learnt that lesson, and used it in my adult life. My younger sister always needed to work hard at school and she has already achieved at27 things I haven't at 34.

Was just thinking about this recently and thought I'd share my 2 cents.

[Quill]

You can look at the definitions of 'gifted'.

But I think it's important to also look at children who are highly able in particular areas.

With musically gifted violinists we look for a number of things. These children often show an advanced sense of natural pitch and rhythm. They are able to replicate and invent complicated structures within aural tests and also have a good extension and fine motor control of each finger. There are a number of additional signals that I look for, including coordination and an emotional connection to music (for instance, they might become emotional when listening to a particular composer or show hyper sensitivity to upper and / or lower registers of pitch).

They also have a great concentration span and focus on what the teacher is asking them to do. Added to this is their own sense of drive and determination to practice at home and the desire to please at their lessons.

I think part of it is looking at how long the passion field is lasting for and whether they are showing a plateau in development and understanding.



This post has been edited by Quill: 26/05/2012, 09:27 PM