The Reality of Raising Gifted Kids:
What Should be on your Radar
Facilitated by:
Angela Atchison, Certified School Psychologist
and
Wendy Mullins, Mental Health Consultant and
Certified School Psychologist
What is giftedness?
What does giftedness look like?
Myths and misperceptions of
giftedness
Strategies in raising gifted kids
Oldham County Schools
Gifted and Talented Educational Services (GATES)
The Oldham County Board of Education is committed to supporting the needs of
children who have been identified as possessing the ability to perform at exceptionally
high levels. These children are identified and provided services based on criteria
outlined in 704 KAR 3:285.
Each school in the district has a Gifted and Talented Educational Services (GATES)
Coordinator who facilitates service delivery for identified students. The school
coordinator acts as a resource for the school staff providing specific instructional
assistance for the teachers and providing information on special projects and activities
for gifted and talented students. The district has two resource teachers who provide
consultation and collaborative services to teachers and GATES coordinators.
There are students whose intellectual capacity, rate of learning, and potential for
creative contributions demand experiences apart from, but connected to, the regular
classroom. We are committed to the belief that these gifted students require guidance
in discovering, challenging, and realizing their potential. Under this philosophy it
becomes the responsibility of the entire staff, in partnership with parents and the
school system, to meet the needs of gifted students.
Oldham County Schools website, 2011
OC GATES Goals
Our goals for gifted and talented education in the Oldham County
School district are:
To provide each child with a differentiated, appropriate educational
experience in order to help him/her achieve maximum potential
To aid each child in understanding and coping more successfully with
his/her unique talents and in demonstrating a positive regard for
his/her own talents and contributions of others
To assist each child in becoming self-disciplined and responsible for
his/her class work and behavior
To make each year a positive learning experience for each child
What is giftedness?
• The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act defines
gifted and talented students as “Students, children, or youth who
give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as
intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific
academic fields, and who need services and activities not
ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those
capabilities.” [Title IX, Part A, Definition 22. (2002)] In Kentucky
KRS 157.200(1)(n) includes within the definition of "exceptional
children" a category of "exceptional students" who are identified
as possessing demonstrated or potential ability to perform at an
exceptionally high level in general intellectual aptitude, specific
academic aptitude, creative or divergent thinking, psychosocial or
leadership skills, or in the visual or performing arts.
Oldham County Schools website , 2011
What areas of giftedness are identified
in Kentucky?
•
•
•
•
•
General intellectual ability
Specific academic aptitude
Creative or divergent thinking ability
Psychosocial or leadership ability
Visual or performing arts ability
How are students identified for Gifted and
Talented Services in Oldham County
•
Students are monitored in primary grades for possible formal identification in grade 4. The
district also administers an assessment (CogAT) for all students in grades 3 and 6 in order to
find students who may qualify for services. Building level coordinators and staff also
monitor students and refer for identification on an on-going basis throughout the school
year for all grade levels.
•
The student is first nominated by a staff member or parent. The building level coordinator
begins gathering data on the student using the district guidelines. In many instances,
assessments are administered to gather additional data about the student's abilities. The
building level GATES committees monitor nominated students and once they feel that the
data collected meets the identifying criteria the student is sent to the district identification
committee for review. The district identification committee reviews student nominations
and referrals, makes an identification decision and then notifies the parent and building
level coordinator.
State regulation outlines criteria needed for identification for each area of giftedness. The
•
What does it mean to be gifted?
• It DEPENDS on the state and local criteria
• Experts do not always agree on precisely what
defines giftedness
• High achievement does not necessarily equate
with giftedness
• There is not one answer
Scaled Std
score Score
%iles
Broad
Description
19
18
17
16
145
140
135
130
99.87
99.61
99.01
98
15
14
13
125
120
115
95
91
84
Strength or
Well Developed or
Superior
12
11
10
9
8
110
105
100
95
90
75
63
50
37
25
High Average
7
6
5
85
80
73
16
9
4
4
3
2
1
70
65
60
55
2
1
.4
.13
Strength
Or
Above
Average
Qualitative
description
Exceptional Strength or
Very Well Developed or
Very Superior or
Excellent
Stanine
Standard
deviation
+3
9
+2
8
7
+1
6
Average
Weakness
Or Below
Average
Average
5
Low Average
4
Weakness or
Poorly developed or
Below average
3
Exceptional Weakness or
Very Poorly Developed or
Far Below Average
0
-1
2
-2
1
-3
-4
Adapted from Satller
Qualitatively
– what does
Giftedness
look like?
What
do you
see?
Characteristics of the Gifted
(taken from the Bright vs. Gifted handout (Oldham County Schools)
Silly ideas
does not seem to pay attention, but tests well
may love learning, but hate school
Knows curriculum before taught
Intense
highly curious
1-2 repetitions for mastery
Invents
Initiates projects
seems to just know
read before pre-school
Creates
highly self-critical
creates a new design
good guesser
high vocabulary
draws inferences
manipulates information
Keenly observant
seeks out information
perfectionist
thrives on complexity
prefers company of other gifted or adults
Manipulates information
asks deep probing questions
shows strong feelings/opinions
mentally and physically involved
Myth?
All children are “Gifted”?
Every child has attributes or qualities
that make them that special,
unique person, but not everyone is by
definition “gifted” – a person who shows
exceptional ability in one or more areas.
Why is it important to explore myths?
Perspective is the lens through which we see,
act and react to the world and others and is
based on our thinking and belief system.
When we choose our lens based on false
information, then our actions and reactions to
the world and others may not produce the
results we expect or want.
Myth?
Gifted Children are evenly developed?
• Some children are identified as being gifted in
multiple area, while others are identified
gifted in one area.
• Gifted children exhibit areas of personal
strength and weakness
• Sometimes Giftedness is paired with
asynchronous development
• Some children are identified as twice
exceptional
Asynchronous development or Twice
Exceptional
Students with giftedness
have areas of weakness
and strength, just as
typical peers do.
Some students with
giftedness also have an
area of (potential)
disability
–
–
–
–
ADHD
Anxiety/Depression
Learning Disability
Social/Emotional/Behavi
oral Disorder
Myth?
Students with bad grades or low school
performance are not gifted?
Gifted students, like any other student, can be
underachievers. Some students may be bored
with the material, the peers, the presentation,
the teacher, the subject. Some students mask
their skills to fit in with others. Some students
learn, but do not feel compelled to complete the
classroom or homework. Some students may
have arrived at a class where they are required
(for the first time) to put forth effort in learning
and they do not know how to handle that.
Myth?
Gifted students are gifted – they do not need
anything from us (adults, parents, teachers).
Gifted students are first and foremost
students who can benefit from adult
guidance. A student who is gifted in one area
may need additional support in areas of
weakness.
Stresses in Parenting the Gifted Child
No manual included
Want to do things “right”
Want child to have a better experience than self
Recognize that child is gifted in one area but struggling in
another area
Do not feel like child’s needs are being met and not sure how
to meet those needs – and do not want to be “that” parent
to get needs met
Trying to meet youth’s needs through extra curricular
activities
Having no one who understands to talk to and support you
How can we reduce parent stress?
Continue to build your knowledge base about your child’s
giftedness
Identify areas of concern and develop a positive plan to
address
Find support through other parents, school staff, outside
providers
Positive and Consistent Parenting – including structure
and boundaries at home
Help self, family and student develop a balance
Use and model positive Coping Strategies
Build Autonomy
Having children = dealing with what
comes up
Parenting is not a matter of having nothing
“come up” (issues/problems), but dealing with
whatever “comes up”
So, being an effective parent does not mean that
nothing “comes up”, being an effective parent
means developing a positive, effective plan for
dealing with whatever “comes up” and
teaching your child to do the same
When faced with a situation
• Step back from the situation (change your perspective)
• Write down specific concern
• What things about the situation do you have control or
influence over, what do you not have control over
• Write down thoughts you are thinking about concern and
what you feel with those thoughts
• Are the thoughts rational, real/true, healthy?
• Using the rational healthy thoughts, what are some
possible solutions to the problem – may seek advice or
feedback from trusted others
• What are the implications of implementing the solutions
for yourself, the student, the family
Nuggets
Actively Listen
Be flexible – model flexibility
Be mindful of your own perspective and the
perspective of others
Be open to changing you perspective if you find it is
inaccurate or ineffective
Think outside the box for solutions
Communicate respectfully and effectively
Know that sometimes the first solution is not the
most effective and we can choose to change
What do Youth with giftedness want
their teachers and parents to know?
When child identified as gifted –
“Nothing changes…..Enjoy them for who they
are.”(age 13)
“Start to get information. Most people get
identified, but don’t know that this means the
emotional side of like is just as important as the
academic side….” (age 14)
“Start asking questions. Is there a special program
or class?....”
(Shultz, 2011)
What do you think is the most important thing
that parents do not know about being a gifted
kid?
“There is a lot of pressure on kids who are GT. They
are expected to know everything ….Most GT kids
put a lot of pressure on themselves since they
really don’t know what being GT is really all
about.” (age 14)
“Stress. Most GT kids are expected to do more.
This includes work in regular classes, depth in
answers, and helping other kids who don’t
understand by tutoring This stress is really
painfull.” (age 14)
(Shultz, 2011)
What do you wish parents would say
to GT kids?
“I love you for who you are not what other people
expect you to do and be.” (age 14)
“Go ahead, make mistakes…Make a mess…..Try
something new and wee what
happens….sometimes good enough is good
enough.” (age 14)
“It’s just a label. This doesn’t make you better than
other people. It shows you are different and that
you need different things to be happy and
content. (Age 13).
(Shultz, 2011)
What do you wish parents would do
with their GT kids?
“Try new things and grow together in adventures.
Read with me and share the story. Help me try to
overcome my fears, and maybe yours too. (age
13)
“Teach me how to get other people to take me
seriously…..” (age 12)
“Help your GT kid feel like a regular human being.
Trying to be the best or perfect only paralyzes us
and we stop taking chances out of fear.” (age 14)
(Shultz, 2011)
Pitfalls
When a gifted student does not want to follow
their gift even when provided opportunities
When a gifted student “fails”
When a gifted student is unmotivated to work
within the system
When a gifted student is too caught up in the
system
When a gifted student chooses to not work to
their potential
Resources
• Hoagies Gifted Education Page;
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/
• Kentucky Association for Gifted Education;
http://www.wku.edu/kage/
• National Association for Gifted Children;
www.nagc.org/
• Supporting Emotional needs of the Gifted (SENG);
http://www.sengifted.org/
• 2e – Twice Exceptional Newsletter;
http://www.2enewsletter.com/welcome%20page
.htm
References
Common myths about gifted students. (2000, October). Retrieved from http://
www.hoagiesgifted.org/eric/fact/myths.html
Kunkel, M., Chapa, B., Patterson, G., & Walling, D. (1992). Experience of
giftedness: Eight great gripes six years later. Roeper Review, 15(1), 10-14.
NAGC. Common gifted education myths. Retrieved from http://nagc.org/
commonmyths.aspx
"Oldham County Schools Web." Oldham County Schools. Web. 10 Nov. 2011.
http://www.oldham.kyschools.us/ocsws/index.php?option=com_content.
Schultz, R. (2011). Note to teachers:A few pointers for parents. Teaching for High
Potential, 16. Retrieved from www.nagc.org.