Juliana Gensley

The Experts React To Stereotyping Gifted Children

What do people think about gifted children? We listened to people from different segements of the population, and gathered statements that persons from various walks of life made about the gifted. These pronouncements were made seriously, but we detected an element of stereotyping in each of them, so we decided to submit these statements to a group of people who had first hand experience with gifted children. The stereotypes were these:

A New Method of Evaluation for Gifted Students: A Diary of Learning.

Research has shown that any of these records correlated highly with success in college. Success in these reports also has a high correlation with cooperation with teachers. The correlation with intelligence is less significant. In fact, when an intelligent student is unsuccessful in this frame of reference, he is labeled an &dquo;underachiever&dquo;. Underachievers produce frustration in teachers and anxiety in parents. The writer has conferred with many underachievers. A pattern seems to be apparent which could be called the underachiever syndrome: 1. The underachievers all had special abilities and were highly motivated in some endeavor, usually outside of school. 2. Communication between the underachiever and their current teachers was very poor, or almost non-existent. 3. The underachievers did not see much sense to the teachers’ assignments. 4. The underachievers were able to evaluate themselves and their endeavors quite honestly. 5. In evaluating themselves, the underachievers always started by telling all the things that were wrong about themselves. Only after encouragement would they talk about their real interests, abilities and achievements.

Cost of Special Education Programs for Gifted Children

The American school system has always stressed an educational program which encompasses the needs of every child. Special education programs have been provided for the particular needs of individuals whenever these needs have been brought to public attention. In the past, more emphasis has been placed on special education for the handicapped and retarded, but as a result of recent challenges to our educational system, there has begun to develop considerable interest in locating, educating and preserving outstanding talent. One evidence of this concern is the inclusion of money for Gifted Child Education in the National Defense and Education Act of 1958.