Before the readings for todays class, I was unsure of what was meant by the term ”gifted and talented children.” At first, I assumed it defined students with special needs that somehow excelled in other ways than intellectually. But after reading the articles, I find this opposite of the truth. I find it eye opening that the most intelligent, high functioning children often end up being isolated and depressed. These “gift and talented” children are those who are reading way above grade level, with outstanding IQ levels (exceeding 170). Also, I found one of the myths amazing to read about: Gifted children do just fine without special services. This myth is not true, in that students that are gifted may not develop effective problem solving skills at a young age because they are not being challenged in their current academic placement. In turn, creating problomatic situations when they finally do reach challenge in their adolescent years/classes. Differentiated instruction must be implemented at a very early age in order to prevent confusion and frustration later on.
One quote I found amazing was…”Some of your school’s highest achievers are not gifted, and some of the most gifted children you will meet are not high achievers” (Delisle, J. 2005) The article then goes on to describe how gifted children are often ones that earn average grades, rather than straight A’s. They are also the children that will become very hard on themselves for not achieving to a higher standard. It’s amazing to me how children come with so much more than what’s in front of you in class. They hold a past, a bank of experiences that have shaped them into the type of students, learners, and people they are molded into. To think that as an educator we can have that much of an impact on someone’s life is astonishing. As a rookie teacher, I hope to hold these optimistic views (discussed in the articles) as I continue down the educational path, and advocate for the students that need it. Every student is an individual mind, has individual feelings, and deserves individual supports as they mature into young adults.
