What is Giftedness, Anyway?

When people hear the word "gifted," they tend to make a lot of assumptions. They assume that gifted children are mature, high achievers, and talented in every subject. Also, there's an underlying belief that gifted children have it easy and will do just fine on their own. However, those assumptions are false. There are many ways to be gifted, and all gifted children (and adults) are different.

Academically gifted children most closely match the stereotype of the gifted child. They excel in language, history, science, and/or math. Children who are gifted in the visual/performing arts tend to have good coordination and/or creative expression. They excel in areas such as painting, dancing, playing an instrument, or playing a sport. Socially/emotionally gifted children are good at reading people's emotions, and they have good insight. They tend to excel at leading and influencing others.

However, giftedness is more than just talent, and not all gifted students are high achievers. (And not all high achievers are gifted.) Giftedness is best understood in terms of asynchrony, or uneven development. Gifted people have exceptional talents and passions, but we also have significant weaknesses. For example, a gifted 9-year-old may be able to do math on a high school level while having the social skills of a 5-year-old. Or a gifted teenager may be able to paint as well as Da Vinci while struggling with basic math and science. 

As a society, we're often reluctant to label kids as "gifted" because we a) don't like labels and b) don't want anyone to feel left out. As a result, gifted students miss out on much-needed services. When it comes to education, one size does NOT fit all. Gifted kids in the "regular" classroom often suffer greatly. They may be misunderstood by peers and teachers alike. They grow bored of practicing the same skills over and over again. Usually, one of two things will happen. Some gifted kids will act out. They may be argumentative or even physically aggressive. Others will mentally "check out." They may simply stop caring about school.

So, what should we do to fix this? The first step is to call a spade a spade. Admit that gifted students are real and they have unique educational needs that differ greatly from the norm. The next step is to educate ourselves. There are many myths about giftedness, and it's important to separate them from the facts. And finally, we should have resources for gifted children just like we have resources for those with learning disabilities. Whether we admit it or not, giftedness is a special learning need. And it's not going anywhere.