Chandler Unified School District
The Gifted
Adolescent
Adolescence (ages 10-15)
The accelerated physical and personal development
that occurs during this period is the greatest in the
human life cycle and is marked by great variance in
both the timing and rate of growth.
These are the years during which each individual
forms his/her adult personality, basic
values, and attitudes.
“Understanding and Appreciating the
Wonder Years” (National Middle School Association, 2000).
Key Generalizations of the
Adolescent Learner
• They seek autonomy and independence.
• They are by nature explorers, curious and
adventuresome.
• They learn best through interaction and activity
rather than by listening.
• They seek interaction with adults and opportunities
to engage in activities that have inherent value.
• Their physical and social development become
priorities.
• They are sensitive, vulnerable, and emotional.
• They are open to influence by the significant others
in their lives.
Intellectual Characteristics
• Enjoys both intellectual and manipulative
activities
• Prefers active involvement in learning
• Motivated to learn when lessons are
related to immediate goals and interests
• Argues to clarify own thinking and to
convince others
• Possesses a vivid imagination
• Exhibits independent, critical thinking
• Forgets easily because his/her mind is so
preoccupied with other issues
• Sees relationships among similar concepts,
ideas, and experiences and makes
inferences
• Makes personal-social concerns a priority
over academic matters
Intellectual Characteristics
• Enjoys both intellectual and manipulative
activities
• Prefers active involvement in learning
• Motivated to learn when lessons are
related to immediate goals and interests
• Argues to clarify own thinking and to
convince others
• Possesses a vivid imagination
• Exhibits independent, critical thinking
• Forgets easily because his/her mind is so
preoccupied with other issues
• Sees relationships among similar concepts,
ideas, and experiences and makes
inferences
• Makes personal-social concerns a priority
over academic matters
Social Characteristics
• Desires to make personal choices
• Desires social acceptance
• Seeks peer relationships in order to conform to
group norms
• Has more interest in relations with the
opposite sex, but same sex friendships
dominate
• Vacillates between desire for regulation and
direction and desire for independence
• Wants identification with adults but not always
willing to accept their suggestions
• Shows concern for oppressed groups
•
Shows willingness to work and sacrifice for
social rewards
• Tests limits of acceptable behaviors
• Easily loses track of time
•
Likes fads, especially those shunned by adults
• Needs moderate amounts of time alone, in
order to regroup and reflect on daily
experiences
Social Characteristics
• Desires to make personal choices
• Desires social acceptance
• Seeks intellectual peer relationships in order to
conform to group norms
• Has more interest in relations with the opposite
sex, but same sex friendships dominate
• Vacillates between desire for regulation and
direction and desire for independence
• Wants identification with adults but not always
willing to accept their suggestions
• Shows concern for oppressed groups
•
Shows willingness to work and sacrifice for social
rewards
• Tests limits of acceptable behaviors
• Easily loses track of time
•
Likes fads, especially those shunned by adults
• Needs moderate amounts of time alone, in order
to regroup and reflect on daily experiences
Emotional Characteristics
• Relates self-esteem and self-concept to degree
of physical development
• Begins to deal with and understand nuances
and “shades of gray”
• Experiences simultaneous emotional conflicts
• Desires attention, sometimes without regard to
how it is secured
• Shifts moods rapidly
• Can become rebellious toward adults
• Is easy to offend, sensitive to criticism
• Shows optimism, hope for the future
• Displays prankish sense of humor
• Values direct experience in participatory
democracy
• Observes flaws in others easily but slow to
acknowledge own faults
• Searches for the answer to “Who am I?”
Emotional Characteristics
• Relates self-esteem and self-concept to degree
of physical development
• Begins to deal with and understand nuances
and “shades of gray”
• Experiences simultaneous emotional conflicts
• Desires attention, sometimes without regard to
how it is secured
• Shifts moods rapidly
• Can become rebellious toward adults
• Is easy to offend, sensitive to criticism
• Shows optimism, hope for the future
• Displays prankish sense of humor
• Values direct experience in participatory
democracy
• Observes flaws in others easily but slow to
acknowledge own faults
• Searches for the answer to “Who am I?”
“…They already know they are smart. What they
really need is an understanding that while most
adolescents may feel alienated at times, gifted
adolescents really are different due to the nature of
their cognitive complexity and its associated
social/emotional features.”
- Gail Post PhD.
The Gifted Adolescent
How many times…
“How many times have you
heard that the purpose of
junior high is to prepare kids
for high school?”
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©2004
CenterSource Systems, LLC: Discovering Gifts in Middle School
The Gifted Adolescent
How many times…
“How many times have you
heard that the purpose of the
middle school years is for 1015 year olds to find
themselves?”
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©2004
CenterSource Systems, LLC: Discovering Gifts in Middle School
What they want
Social Interaction
Autonomy
Choice
Independence
Interactive Learning
Fun
Opportunity to make a
difference
Value
What they need
Structure
Some Independence
Boundaries
Social Skills
Study Skills
Ideally they get both…
The Gifted Adolescent
Sources of Motivation
“The challenge, therefore, is to find ways to engage the early
onset of adolescence and its attendant freedoms and habits.
How can we harness the ages thirteen to eighteen effectively
for learning? The irony, of course, is that all these new
realities, which only seem like problems, are themselves
powerful educational opportunities. The very qualities we
deem destructive can be the sources of the motivation to
learn.”
- Leon Botstein
From: Jefferson’s Children, Education and the Promise of American Culture,
Doubleday, 1997. Cited on page 34 of Discovering Gifts in Middle School
©2004
CenterSource Systems, LLC: Discovering Gifts in Middle School
18
The Gifted Adolescent
The Four Tasks of Adolescence
Autonomy &
Independence
Sense of Purpose
 Self-actualization
 Positive
expectations
 Identity
 Independence
 Internal locus
of control
 Self-esteem
Social Competency
 Personal goals
 Pro-social
behaviors
 Communication
skills
Problem-Solving
 Belonging/
Inclusion
 Open-mindedness
and flexibility
 Active participation
 Emotional
intelligence
 Self-control/
self discipline
 Abstract thinking
 Collaboration
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©2004
CenterSource Systems, LLC: Discovering Gifts in Middle School
High School
Honors/AP
Elementary
CATS
GAP
Gifted
Adolescent
Program
How Junior High School
CATS fills the “GAP”
• Extension of CATS program with the junior high
school atmosphere
• Accelerated and in-depth studies
• Interaction with intellectual peers
• Academically challenging/rigorous
• Gifted endorsed teachers know both gifted and
adolescent needs
• Opportunities for independent studies in areas of
interest and level of advancement
• Experience meaningful involvement in real
problems
Differentiating Between CATS and Honors
The Honor Student:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Is attentive
Works hard
Answers the questions
In “top” group
Learns with ease
Needs 6-8 repetitions for
mastery
Completes assignments
Absorbs information
Learns techniques
Is a good memorizer
The CATS Student:
• Asks questions
• Discusses in detail,
elaborates
• Shows strong feelings and
opinions
• Needs 1-2 repetitions for
mastery
• Constructs abstractions
• Draws inferences
• Initiates projects
• Is intense
•Thrives on complexity
The Gifted Adolescent
“Theories Abound…
on how to manage them, fix them, and improve
them, as if they were products off an assembly line:
just tinker with the educational system, manipulate
the drug messages, impose citywide curfews, make
more rules, write contracts, build more detention
centers, be tough.
…Maybe if we just tell adolescents to say no, no, no
to everything we disapprove of, maybe then they will
be okay. But the piecemeal attempts to mend,
motivate, or rescue them, obscure the larger reality.
We don’t know them.”
- Patricia Hersch
From: A Tribe Apart - Journey Into the Heart of American Adolescence. Ballentine
Books, 1998. Cited on page 24 of Discovering Gifts in Middle School
©2004
CenterSource Systems, LLC: Discovering Gifts in Middle School
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The Gifted Adolescent
Comprehensive studies show that
young teens who do not discover a
sense of worth, competency, interests
or gifts face greater stress and
difficulties during their high school and
young adult years.
Discovering gifts builds a positive
identity and leads to loving school and
life-long learning
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©2004
CenterSource Systems, LLC: Discovering Gifts in Middle School
The Gifted Adolescent
Learn About CUSD Options
Andersen Junior High – Middle Years IB
Arizona College Prep – Honors
Basha Accelerated Middle School – Advanced Academics
Bogle – CATS
Casteel – Honors with Gifted “Consultative”
Payne – CATS
Santan – CATS
Willis - CATS
©2004
CenterSource Systems, LLC: Discovering Gifts in Middle School