Common characteristics of gifted children.

1. CHARACTERISTICS OF GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS 2008

2. Gifted and talented students may exhibit positive and/or negative characteristics. Positive characteristics include --

3. Intellectual ABILITY

6. ACADEMIC ABILITY

8. Creative ability

10. Artistic Talent … specialized

12. Leadership Ability

14. MOTIVATION

17. How Can I Tell The Difference Between High Achievers & Gifted Students?

18. HIGH ACHIEVERS… Know the Answers Enjoy School Grasp Meaning Copy Accurately Have Good Ideas Absorb Information Achieve Mastery in 3-8 Repetitions GIFTED STUDENTS… Ask the questions Enjoy Learning Draw Inferences Create New Designs Have Unexpected Ideas Manipulate Information Achieve Mastery in 1-2 Repetitions

21. “ Teacher Pleaser or Gifted?

22. “ The extremely bright or the creative, curious, and questioning students, who may be stubborn, rule-breaking, egotistical or otherwise high in nuisance value, may not be the teachers’ favorites, but they sometimes are the most gifted.” Gary Davies and Sylvia Rimm

27. Teacher Pleaser… Knowledgeable Completes all work Writes well One of the first to respond Asks “safe” questions Time is important Potentially GIFTED STUDENT… Has much factual information May not show neatness or order in work Anticipates outcomes May disagree with teacher or textbook answers May frequently respond in an elaborate manner May not want to stop working on a task

28. OVER-Achievers Are Typically TEACHER-PLEASERS (They turn in homework…) … Many Gifted Kids Are NOT! (Homework? What homework?)

29. A Matter of Perspective

30. CHARACTERISTICS OF Giftedness in Persons with Disabilities … and other challenges

36. Many Characteristics Of The Highly Creative Are ALSO Characteristics of ADHD Inattention and Daydreaming Sensation Seeking Inability to Finish Projects Hyperactivity Enthusiasm and Playfulness Difficult Temperament Deficient Social Skills Hypersensitivity to Stimulation Mood Swings

39. Even “more” Characteristics That Conceal Giftedness

40. “ Questionable” HUMOR – bizarre, absurd, cynical, inappropriate

41. Sometimes obsessed with Specific Interest Area and Nothing Else --often unusual interest --passionate --sometimes fleeting Once they completely SATURATE their focus, they move on to something new

42. Frustration with inability to master certain academic skills

43. DISRUPTIVE Classroom Behavior

44. Daydreaming Lack of Concentration Not Listening

45. Perfectionism “ If it can’t be perfect I won’t do it at all, or I’ll intentionally do a poor job. I’d rather have a “zero” than a “B” or “C.”

48. Super Sensitivity

49. Lack of Organizational Skills

50. LOW SELF-ESTEEM

51. Absence of Social Skills With Peers

52. The Chameleon This student masks his abilities for many reasons – peer pressure, fitting in, the “Sport’s JOCK” syndrome. Sadly, many of the chameleons secretly long to learn and pursue their unique interests.

53. Underachievement is common affecting 20% to 50% of gifted students

55. The child who does well in school, gets good grades, wins awards, and “performs” beyond the norm is considered talented. The child who does not, no matter what his innate intellectual capacities or developmental level, is less and less likely to be identified, less and less likely to be served. More and more, “gifted” is perceived as synonymous with (and limited to) academic achievement.

56. There is no ONE indicator of giftedness. Gifted and talented children are found in expected AND unexpected places. However, it is important to always remember that…

57. the gifted child is a CHILD First!