Fourth, the definition of "gifted" itself has been hazy. We have concrete numbers regarding kids who live in poverty or suffer from disabilities. We even know that 10 percent of the population is left-handed. But how many students are gifted? There's little agreement on this key point. Some people talk about "the talented tenth," others about the "top one percent. Meanwhile, some prefer to advance the woolly claim that everybody is gifted in some way—a notion that doesn't help matters, at least in policy circles.
Fifth, the field of gifted education lacks convincing research as to what works. My coauthor, education expert Jessica Hockett, and I became more aware of this problem when researching our recent book, Exam Schools.
We found just two smallish studies focusing on the actual effectiveness of selective-admission public high schools. Those two studies found scant advantage for the selective-admission schools. This means the burden of proof is now on such schools and their backers to generate data and analyses.
In the past, these schools have been able to trade on reputations, friends in high places, and evidence of strong demand. Maybe that was sufficient yesterday, but not in today's world of rigorous evaluations and comparisons. Sixth, whether due to elitism angst or a shortage of resources, the gifted education world has been meek when it comes to lobbying and special pleading—not to mention heavier-handed political engagement, such as financial contributions and doorbell-ringing on behalf of friendly candidates.
Seventh, and finally, we return to bad ideas in Educatorland. I noted earlier the wishful proposition that "differentiated instruction" would magically enable every teacher to succeed with every kid in a mixed classroom.
This is a close cousin of other false beliefs—for instance, that tracking , even ability grouping, is inherently pernicious; that competition is bad for kids; that selective admission should be forbidden in public schools; and that every opportunity should be open to every child regardless of actual preparedness, prior attainment, or other qualifications.
Another culprit is the "multiple intelligences" claim that everyone learns differently and is surely gifted in some way, even if some forms of intelligence aren't reflected in test scores. One could easily extend this list. Some are convinced that such ideas have merit. While many tools may come to mind in order to help a child in this situation, the student must first learn to organize their work and plan their time.
For a student that has been able to get by on finishing assignments quickly, once assignments become more lengthy and complex, they end up in a vicious cycle between procrastination and panic. They live half of their lives putting off important tasks and the other half with a sense of panic and urgency because they delayed the work for too long. The next time your child has a school project, try this experiment.
Start by working with your child to brainstorm a list of small steps needed to complete the project. Once you have a list of steps, use the template below to help your child plan out the day they will complete each step leading up to the due date.
Next, have them estimate the amount of time they think it will take to complete that task. As you go through the week, help them to record the actual amount of time that each step takes. This is valuable data! When the assignment is complete and the stress of the week has dissipated, take some time to sit down with your child and review the table you've filled in together. Ask your child what went well, what didn't go as planned, and how they might adjust this system for the next project they are assigned.
Don't forget to celebrate the small successes in this experiment - this will help your child gain confidence and motivation to use strategies to help them stay organized and on track.
Remember, it takes time for students to build new skills like this - but as with any skill, practice and consistency are key. Students who are much like the one described earlier in this article may have a hard time accepting help at first. Other gifted children may want help but have no idea where to even begin.
Be patient and help your student to be patient as well, because once that Executive Functioning puzzle piece clicks into place, the possibilities are endless! Photo above by Nikhita S on Unsplash. Alisha earned a Masters degree in school counseling from the University of North Dakota in She is certified in elementary education, reading education, ESL, and counseling. For the last five years, Alisha has practiced as a school counselor.
In those five years much of her experience has been devoted to children with special needs as well as children who are highly gifted. Alisha has spent her time in several different environments including public school, charter school, and online education. No matter where she is working, she loves watching her students grow and change not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. Nate is a bright and disorganized student who never had to work hard until freshman year in high school.
Read our case study to learn how his coach helped Nate gain the skills he needed. Potter said that some students may test out of a unit on a pretest and be given a challenge instead. Perhaps if Aidan attended a school like Bell Academy, things would have been different for him.
But Bell Academy is only available to students living in a school district in which Aidan does not live. Within a week, the nightmares were gone, the interest was back. By providing your email, you agree to the Quartz Privacy Policy. Skip to navigation Skip to content. Discover Membership. Editions Quartz. More from Quartz About Quartz. Follow Quartz.
These are some of our most ambitious editorial projects. From our Series. By Jenn Choi. Published September 22, This article is more than 2 years old. Sign me up. At the same time, they ought to be reminded that teachers may be unsympathetic when required work is incomplete.
Early educational guidance emphasizing creative problem solving, decision making, and setting short- and long-term goals often helps gifted students to complete required assignments, pass high school courses, and plan for college.
Providing real-world experiences in an area of potential career interest may also offer inspiration and motivation toward academic achievement. Overemphasis on the achievement of outcomes rather than a child's efforts, involvement, and desire to learn about topics of interest is often a pitfall of parenting.
The pressure to perform tends to emphasize outcomes such as winning awards and getting straight A's, for which the student is highly praised. Encouragement ought to emphasize effort—the process used to achieve, the steps taken toward accomplishing a goal, and the overall improvement. Gifted students who are underachievers may be viewed as discouraged individuals who need extra encouragement, but they tend to reject praise as artificial or inauthentic.
Be mindful about how you issue praise to your child. Tell them when you are proud of their efforts. Constant competition may also lead to underachievement, especially when a child consistently feels like either a winner or a loser.
Avoid comparing children with others. Show children how to function in competition and how to recover after losses. Study skills courses, time-management classes, or special tutoring may prove ineffective if a student is a long-term underachiever. This approach will work only if the student is willing and eager, if the teacher is chosen carefully, and the course is supplemented by additional strategies designed to help the student.
On the other hand, special tutoring may help a struggling gifted student who is experiencing short-term academic difficulty. In general, special tutoring for a gifted student is most helpful when the tutor is carefully chosen to match the interests and learning style of the student. Broad-ranged study-skills courses or tutors who do not understand the student may not be as effective. Some students, particularly those who are highly capable and participate in a variety of activities, appear to be high achievers when learning in a highly structured academic environment, but are at risk of underachieving if they cannot establish priorities, focus on a selected number of activities, and set long-term goals.
Additionally, there are some students who may appear to be underachievers but are not necessarily uncomfortable or discouraged. It's possible that they're dissatisfied and discontent in middle or secondary school in part because of the organization and structure , but are happy and successful when learning in an environment with a different structural organization.
They may handle independence quite well. Underachievement is made up of a complex web of behaviors, but it can be reversed by parents and educators who consider the many strengths and talents possessed by the students who fall into this category.
Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. National Association for Gifted Children. Front Psychol. Deslisle J, Berger SL. Underachieving Gifted Students. National Association for Gifted Children; Ziegler A, Stoeger H. Roeper Rev. Nayak SK, Jahan M. Cross-sectional analysis of psychological aspects of adolescent underachievers. Ind Psychiatry J. Whitmore JR. Boston: Allyn and Bacon; Inviting School Success, Second Edition.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth; Rimm SB, Maas K.
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