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Gifted Children’s Rights & Responsibilities

The idea of a Bill of Rights for Gifted Children is nothing new. As early as 2000, various versions of such a statement have been around. But why do they need one? The general perception that gifted kids have it all … they don’t. Ask any parent; any gifted adult … they need a bill of rights. Without national policies regarding gifted education, gifted students must be protected from myths and misperceptions. A bill of rights is for some the only way they can have a basis for advocacy; both at school & in society at large.

There are consequences for not having a bill of rights for gifted kids. Gifted children continually face misinformation about what it means to be gifted; consequences can be devastating. Lacking a bill of rights, gifted kids have little support to grow and experience success.

What rights should gifted children be accorded? Gifted children have a right to learn something new every day and at the same time to be able to fail without fear of repercussions. Gifted children have a right to chart their own course based on their passions; not the a path planned by someone else. Gifted children have a right to be respected for their abilities; not ridiculed.

Gifted students’ rights can be intentionally or unintentionally violated. Gifted students’ rights are frequently violated by being required to do extra work rather than differentiated assignments. Their rights can be minimized by comments beginning with “if you’re so smart, why can’t you …”. Twice exceptional students’ rights are ignored when disabilities are addressed, but abilities neglected. Teachers must be vigilant in recognizing when gifted students are mistreated and/or bullied by age peers and intervene.

Should children identified as gifted be expected to have a greater sense of social responsibility? A level of social responsibility should be cultivated in all children; but expectations for gifted children must be individualized based on the child. Placing extraordinary expectations can backfire when gifted kids are made to feel overly responsible for curing the world’s ills. Take a moment and check out the links below to several versions of a bill of rights for these kids. A transcript may be found at Storify.

Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Tuesdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Wednesdays at Noon NZST/10 AM AEST/1 AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Storify. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news & information regarding the gifted community. Also, checkout our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.

About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com

Links:

Gifted Kids’ Bill of Rights (Lingen 2000)

The Gifted Students’ Bill of Rights (Shaine 2014)

We Need a Bill of Rights for Gifted Kids

Gifted Children’s Bill of Rights (Siegel 2007)

A Bill of Rights for Teachers of Gifted Students

Turn the Myths Around: A Gifted Child’s Bill of Rights (pdf Duncan and Haase 2013)

State Laws for Gifted Education: An Overview of the Legislation and Regulations (pdf)

Gifted Education and the Law (pdf)

Are Gifted Children Getting Lost in the Shuffle?

Know Your Legal Rights in Gifted Education (1997) (pdf)

The Law on Gifted Education (2005) (pdf)

Superstar CISD (Coppell) Teachers Share Insider GT Information

Cybraryman’s Gifted Bill of Rights

Sprite’s Site: De Bono’s 6 Action Shoes 9: One Size Shoe Cover System

Image courtesy of Pixabay CC0 Public Domain

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Posted in Education, gifted and talented, gifted education, parenting, Teaching

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Tags: Bill of Rights, education, gifted children, gifted students, gtchat, Rights and Responsibilities, TAGT, Twitter

How to Recognize a Gifted Child

May 19

Posted by gtchatmod

Recognizing giftedness in a child often depends on how one defines ‘gifted’ and whether you are considering it educationally or psychologically. Terms such as ‘precocious’ – having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual – or unusual qualities such as being hyper-attentive to adult conversations may signal giftedness.

Although an almost universal measure of entrance to gifted programs by schools, IQ scores are not the sole indicator of giftedness; and parents and teachers may rely on them too much. IQ scores serve as part of the identification process, but don’t tell the whole story. Too many schools approach IQ scores like their zero-tolerance policies; score one point below the 130 cutoff and services are denied.

It is well accepted within the gifted community that a student can be gifted and exhibit learning differences at the same time. However, this may come as a surprise to school personnel who are not familiar with the concept of twice-exceptional children.

In recent years, it has become glaringly apparent that we must do a better job at identifying low-ses, minority, and ELL students for gifted programs. The NAGC’s new campaign reminds us, ‘Giftedness Knows no Boundaries’. Universal screenings are absolutely necessary; no exceptions. Gifted identification needs to be de-mythologized and the ‘whole child’ must be supported.

Gifted students can be geniuses at going undercover … aloof, disinterested, unengaged, or oppositional. Though they may excel in elementary school, they will go into hiding in later years to avoid bullying or to ‘fit in’.

It is important that all stakeholders in gifted education be able to recognize a gifted child; regardless of achievement, age, socio-economic status, native language, or minority status. A transcript of this and all #gtchats may be found at Storify.

Links:

Gifted Homeschoolers Forum: Defining Giftedness

Perceptions Mired in Mythology

Remarks at the Washington State Legislature Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee (pdf)

Giftedness Knows No Boundaries (website)

See Me! (YouTube :15)

Why Gifted May Not be What You Think: Michelle Barmazel at TEDxHGSE (TED Talk 6:50)

Is Your Child Gifted? What to Look for and Why You Should Know

Is My Child Gifted?

UK: Just What is Gifted & Talented?

Giftedness Defined

Intellectual Giftedness https://goo.gl/ZKX1ZC

What is Highly Gifted? Exceptionally Gifted? Profoundly Gifted? & What Does It Mean?

In Pictures: How To Tell If Your Child’s Gifted Gifted Development Center: Is Your Child Gifted? (Quiz)

Characteristics of Giftedness Scale (pdf checklist)

How to Identify Gifted Students in Your Classroom

11 Early Signs Your Kid Will Be Smart

How to Determine if Your Child is Gifted

Sprite’s Site: 2E Is

Sprite’s Site: Beginning the Journey – Gifted 101

Cybraryman’s Gifted Identification

Photo courtesy of Pixabay CC0 Public Domain

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad

Posted in gifted, gifted and talented, gifted education, Identification, Multicultural, Multipotentiality, parenting, Social Emotional

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Creating Learning Environments that Invite Play

May 3

Posted by gtchatmod

Play-based learning is how children learn about the world and develop life skills through play and gifted children are no different in their need for play. Children develop cognitive and social skills by playing with other children; both age-mates and intellectual peers. Play helps children mature emotionally and gain the self-confidence to try new experiences. Gifted children may experience asynchronous development and productive play can help ease transitions in many cases.

Play is essential to developing imagination, creativity, dexterity, and physical strength. It is important for healthy brain and neurological development and allows children to express feelings about their life. Play during early childhood engages a child to interact with their environment. Adults who interact with gifted children know how important play is to their development.

Not all play is created equal; children can play alone, play along-side others without interaction, or play by imitating another playmate. As children begin to play with others, they start to engage and learn cooperation and collaboration. Gifted children should be given the freedom to choose which type of play they are most comfortable with; even when it may be to have alone time.

A rich play environment for children will incorporate choices; what, when and where to play. It will provide opportunities for kids to invent and extend their own play. Rich play environments incorporates varied places to play; inside or outside, local or away. The experiences do not need to be costly choices. Many times a trip to a park or hiking trail will provide an enriching experience for a curious mind.

Teachers can direct play be providing resources for play; such as art materials, legos, or ipads. Elementary teachers often create various ‘stations’ from which children can choose activities; like Daily 5. Teachers can offer students mentoring opportunities when appropriate to the activity.

Can the idea of ‘play’ have relevance at the secondary level? Although it may not be thought of as ‘play’ per se; secondary students need time to follow their passions. They often complain about the strict regimen of high school; they need to experience periods of choice. Adulthood is about choices; high school students need to experience how to make and accept consequences of their choices.

Gifted children thrive when allowed to create their own learning experiences and these often begin as play. Many of our greatest success stories begin through the simple act of playing. The transcript of this chat may be found at Storify.

Links:

Play Hints at Who We Are

Play and Children’s Learning in the Classroom

The Role of Play in Learning

What is the Teacher’s Role in Supporting Play in Early Childhood Classrooms?

Learning and Developing through Play (pdf)

The Cognitive Benefits of Play: Effects on the Learning Brain

Einstein Never Used Flashcards How Children Learn & Why They Need to Play More/ Memorize Less (Amazon)

Play in Education: The Role and Importance of Creative Learning

Learning through Play

Balancing Child-Directed and Teacher-Directed Approaches

Why Kids Need to Play J

Different Types of Play

The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development

How to Enhance Intuitive Science Knowledge in Infants and Toddlers (Amazon)

AUS: Play Based Learning (pdf)

Sprite’s Site: Gifted @ Play: Calculate Your Leisure Profile

Jake Labazzi Playing Anthropology (YouTube 4:35)

How to Recognize, Support and Teach Musically Gifted Kids

Joey Alexander – Giant Steps (In-Studio Performance) (YouTube 10:36)

Batik’s Brain Pickings: Why I am Using PBL to Design Professional Development (Knows and Need to Knows List)

LEGO® and the Gifted Visual-Spatial Child

Learning to Play at Nerd Camp

Ditch the Worksheets, Become a Picasso, a Kindergartener, and a Gifted@play!

Gifted Children Need the Gift of Play

Learning through Play

The Games Our Children Play

Photo courtesy of Pixabay CC0 Public Domain

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad

Posted in Education, gifted and talented, gifted education, Identification, Psychology, Social Emotional

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Tags: Cognitive Benefits, gifted education, gtchat, play, Play-based Learning, TAGT, Twitter

Coloring Outside the Lines – Growing Up Gifted

May 2

Posted by gtchatmod

Growing up gifted has often been viewed through the elementary school prism that everyone should ‘stay within the lines’ when coloring, but a gifted child may want to do anything but … they yearn to color outside those lines! They march to their own drummer.

So … this begs the question … do societal attitudes affect the decision made by parents or an individual to forego confirming potential giftedness? Parents often make decisions based on prior personal experience; wanting to shield their children from negative experiences. Older gifted children want to ‘fit in’ and may attempt to avoid identification as gifted. There are also many gifted students who will not care about societal attitudes and go on to create their own path.

Being identified as gifted as a very young child can affect age-peer relations. Unfortunately, some kids can be cruel. Gifted kids may be singled out for being different. When young gifted kids are bullied for their ability, they may seek out older intellectual peers.

Negative aspects of identification include adults having unrealistic expectations concerning a child’s abilities and putting pressure on them to achieve. Gifted children are the subjects of many myths; adults and teachers may not understand apparent inconsistencies in ability and behaviors.

There are positive effects of being identified as gifted. Identification can be the basis for accommodations and interventions in gifted individual education plans. It allows for exploration of possibilities in areas where a gifted child can achieve their passions.

Is giftedness something that continues across the lifespan? Gifted children grow up to be gifted adults and this shouldn’t be based solely on achievement. The role of environment cannot be minimized; it’s effect must be understood. Many people do not realize they are gifted until adulthood.

Being identified as gifted as a child can affect how someone parents their own children. Many parents base their parenting style on how they responded to being considered gifted or not. Those who were identified as gifted may have a better understanding of what it means for their child.

It is important for adults who work with gifted children to fully understand the nature of giftedness and to not have expectations based on myths or incorrect information. A transcript of this chat may be found at Storify.