-An Intro to the Gifted and Talented Teen Minority

Top 4. Nov 24, 2000 5:04 AM

» T5zinE - Hi Heather.

In ref to the article about the way 'gifted teens' don't fit into teen society, I think it is all very well saying, 'should', 'should not', etc, but remember that this will be the case throughout adolescence, and it is up to the individual to cope. Perhaps they shouldn't need to cope just because they are different, but life just isn't fair. I can speak a lot from experience if you're interested in how to do so, and what you do to understand more about why people act the way they do. Sorry, I don't have much time to stop and talk at the moment, but I'll be back later.

-- posted by T5zinE

Top 5. Feb 10, 2001 4:27 AM

» zipline - Heather

Heather

I enjoyed your article.

Here are a few thoughts.

I believe that terrrrrrific teens are a majority and not an minority. All may not be gifted, but that is not a requirement to change your world or to succeed.

Your gifts, what every they may be, are just that gifts. You need to use them wisely, and not hold others to live up to them. Your gifts are yours alone to use and to share. They are not a yard stick by which to measure others.

Academic education is only a very small part of what it takes to be successful in this world. I do not believe it is even in the top three things. I am an adult who was "talented and gifted" before my school knew what to do with me. I am the mother of three teens all with IQ's over 145 (two over 155). I also work with teens in my various occupations. I spend about 80-90% of my time with teens in some manner. When I was in high school, I thought that he who takes the most classes and the hardest classes wins. Boy was I wrong. I went to a math and science magnet school from my Junior year on (the first year for the program). Thus, I took 4 years of biology 2 years of physics 2 years of calculus, analytic geometry, etc.... you get the picture. But, I missed out on some of the more important lessons high school has to offer. These are people skills and social skills.

I have learned these well as an adult. But, in hindsight, the fact that I took calculus 2 as a senior in high school is of little relevence to my life today. Does it really matter if you take college course in high school or in college? In the long run not really.

I work with gifted kids of all ages, and crige to see the numbers of parents, kids and teachers who fall into the trap of only nuturing the prominent gift-which usually seems to be academic. what suffers is all of the other areas of this person. There is something to be said for being well rounded. Just because you are not gifted in an area, doesn't mean you are to ignore it. The most successful gifted students, when it comes to adult life, seem to be those that lead a well rounded childhood. They played sports (even if they weren't first string), they played with kids their own age (even if they sould run circles around them mentally), they were active in life. Not loners who spent most of their time alone in mental pursuits.

I think it is a mistake to have kids promoted early. A gifted student can be challeng mentally and stay with their peers. I have three examples in my house. But, it can be diasterous socially to place a student in a group of older students, even just one year. Academic is only a small reason why we go to school. Social skills are also very impertant and tend to have more impact on long term success and mental health. Kids today have to face adult problems and descisions too early as it is. Why would anyone want to hurry that along? Even just one year os too much.

We live in a small rural town (I grew up in a large city). Our school is pre-k through 12th grade in one building. The average graduating class is around 60. Academically, this school hasn't challenge my girls at all. Socially it is a great place. I can keep tham challenge outside of school. Now they have learned to challenge themselves. A lot of their challenge comes for the schedules the choose to keep.

Two are still in High school, my oldest has graduated. They both play Varsity Soccer (up untilnext season they have lettered on the bys teem), varsity basketball, spring select soccer, indoor soccer, and one still plays softball. The are in the marching , cocert and pep bands. Both play more than one instrument and are in the choir either at school or church. Both a active in our church not only at the local level, but at the association, state and national levels. Both are still active in Girl Scouts and 4-h. Both are challenge course facillitators -in training. Both referee soccer, and help coach younger players. They are active in school clubs and activities such as spanish club, drama, student council, national honor society, etc... Both have 3.8 and above GPAs. The academic courses may not challenge them, but they are never bored. None of these activities our "pushed" by me or my husband. The rule of the house is "you can join, be involve in what you what as long as you grades stay up (a's are not required), your committments are met including helping around the house and your health stays good (get enough rest).

enough long windedness (???) My point to all Gifted teens out there. Please integrate yourself and be a teen. There is a lot more to life than mental pursuits. You might find you are gifted in areas you never dreamed about.

Parent out there. Remember your job is to raise a health (mentally and physically), happy, well rounded adult that is able to function in the world.

Zipline

-- posted by zipline

Top 6. Apr 11, 2001 9:34 AM

» onehappymedium - Re: Heather

In response to message posted by zipline:

Hey, everyone!
I am myself a "gifted teen." My problem is that while the difficulty level of classes is way below my competence, I simply haven't learned the material - especially in math. In second grade, my teacher emphasized reading and writing, rather than learning basic math skills - as a result, I never did learn my multiplication tables by rote. I'm calculator-dependent (not necessarily a handicap in lower levels of academia but definitely one now that I'm in the middle of high school). In fourth grade, my parents and I decided to skip me past fifth grade into sixth. This would have undoubtedly been the best academically for me; however, the school I wished to enter did not accept me and fifth grade turned out to be the best "friends" year of my life. As I look back, had the school accepted me, I would have had a great year anyway - and I would probably be happier now - but it was a good choice we made at that time.
As of right now, I spend most of my time at church leading our youth group and philosophizing with the pastors. I find ways to keep myself entertained. I do more than most kids my age and am taking an enormously heavy schedule.
So here's my point (after a lot of unnecessary information): gifted teens, don't tie yourself down or try to be as "normal" as you can. It won't work. We can unite - we can change the world - we have been blessed with abilities beyond our peers' and if we recognize that, think of what our collective minds can do! And be reassured: you're not alone. Not only child prodigies are geniuses.

-- posted by onehappymedium

Top 7. May 19, 2001 10:09 AM

» Avenda - Re: Hi Heather.

I have been in a "Gifted" program all my life, which is located in the public school system. I have found it very challenging, and thought I was truly challenged with more concepts and in depth learning than busywork. The problem we have in our program is when we can't let the students who belong there in because of their race. To maintain a racial balance, we have to admit students based on their skin color, rather than their test scores. Does anyone else have this problem? How do they deal with it? The worst part is when a teacher has to move slower because more than one student can't keep up with the normal pace of learning.

-- posted by Avenda

Top 8. May 19, 2001 10:13 AM

» Avenda - Re: Hi Heather.

I think that Gifted teens can have a problem fitting into the social aspects of school when they have no one to communinicate with on the level they desire. I'm lucky to have a wonderful group of friends who I can always talk to, and have fun with too!
You all seem like really cool people, and it would be fun to talk to you (actually talk, not through message boards). You can IM me (avendesorawynd) or e-mail me (avendesorawynd@hotmail.com). If you want to hear more about what goes on at my super cool school you can look at the website I made, and read the message boards there (http://auburn04.homestead.com/auburn04.h...

-- posted by Avenda

Top 9. Jun 15, 2001 6:30 AM

» AlbertSpielberg - Re: Heather

In response to message posted by zipline:

I would like to comment on not letting children skip grades. I am a gifted teen who did not attend kindergarten, skipped most of the first grade(teacher recommendation) and later went on to skip sixth grade completely. While it does take some adjustment time the benefits more than out weight the problems I had. While most of the people in my grade level are gossiping about why Brittney Spears is going out with Justin Timberlake I'm taking "academic" courses at the local community college and electives at the high school. I will admit that the first few weeks of being with older students was slightly nerve wracking after I got used to thing I began to make many friends. I still have friends that are my age but I also know many people who are older than me who I can have an intellectual conversation with when I want to. Not to mention that most of the teenagers I met I met through the college, not the high school, because they were there for the same reasons as I was. I also haven't "missed out" on any of the teenage "rights of passage" or after school activities. I still went to all the dances and joined clubs and teams and I still plan on going to prom and senior graduation. I also don't think that getting along with people in the same age group is necessarily important. Where but school will you be forced to associate with only people that are your own age? High school is also not the only place to meet people. I met very few of my friends in my high school courses, most I met while working on the community play, in riding lessons, the college speech and debate team, and other extra curricular activities. I suppose what I am trying to say is that while gifted teens do have to try a little bit harder to fit in at school no one should force them to stay in a grade where the material is not challenging them. Not only does it force them to think below their level it denies them opportunities that they could only get at higher levels of education.

-- posted by AlbertSpielberg

Top 10. Jun 30, 2001 8:22 AM

» irvinet - gifted and talented high school program

Hi everyone! Interesting discussion.
I'm developing a new program at my high school (I'm a teacher) for gifted and talented students. There seems to be a lot of info out there for gifted and talented children, but very little at the high school level.

I was thinking of having it be something like an independent study program where students were free to run with their own inquiries, but thought I should also have a few ideas of my own if only to get things going.

Since there seems to be some G&T teens in this discussion, let me pose a question to you: if you were one of my students in the G&T program what would you want to have happen in it? What kinds of opportunities would you be hoping for? Be as specific as you like. I want to hear your ideas.

-- posted by irvinet

Top 11. Jul 18, 2001 5:15 PM

» CheyenneGold - I too am gifted

Hi, I too am a gifted teen. I have been placed in advanced classes nearly my whole life, although never have been skipped a grade. I disagree with the description of gifted and talented teens as being aloof and introverted. On the contrary, I have known many gifted and talented students, and they are the exact opposite of that description, as am I. I participate in after school sports, church, a bible study that my friends (who are also gifted and talented) and I organized, I am a soccer referee, babysitter, a member in my school's international club, advanced Spanish, math, and English to name a few subjects, as well as working on restoring an art mural, a puppet club, involved with my school's drama program, as well as helping out around the house and with a great grandparent with alzheimers. That's not all, but I won't bore you with the details. The point is, the other gifted and talented students are not always the one's who are outcasts and loners. In my experience, they are more often the extroverted and "socially accepted" teens. Also, I believe that the majority of teens are "good". Its the few bad teens that give the age group the stereotype of being lazy, ill mannered, uncaring, and hopeless. If more attention was paid to those who do good, which is a vast majority, then I'm sure that our unfair stereotype would be disproved very quickly.

-- posted by CheyenneGold

Top 12. Jul 30, 2001 4:49 PM

» hellbillies_R_us - Re: gifted and talented high school program

In response to message posted by irvinet:

Hey Irvinet - I'm a teen who's been in a "gifted" program like the one you describe. It's a wonderful idea in theory, but in practice it is often quite - well, banal. At my school, we are only allowed to do two independent studies, and I did a novel for my first. Not only did the teacher try to mould it into her ideas of what she thought was good writing, and told me quite frequently that a 13 year old could not write a novel of any length (it ended up being more than 80000 words, if you're curious). My next endeavour was a travel guide to Ireland, and the teacher insisted upon choosing many of the sites in my book because her family was from there and she wanted to be entertained when she read it. Because the program is also open to everyone, most of the gifted students refuse to do the program as they see it as just another class full of people to hold them back. What I suggest is that you keep in mind not to let your ideas interfere with those of the students, which was my biggest problem. I also commend you for doing something to challenge teens! All of us thank you! smile

-- posted by hellbillies_R_us