Giftedness Defined
The word “gifted” refers to the emotional, intellectual and spiritual development of a child who is different from the the norm. In the classroom, the word generally refers to students who have subject matter mastery or skill levels that are several grade levels above their age-mates.
Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally.
Martha Morelock, "Giftedness: The View from Within," from Understanding Our Gifted January 1992 |
A gifted student's mastery of subject matter is generally dependent upon exposure to a subject, and gifted students generally need very little repetition to retain content. They are often very sensitive to emotionally charged or violent content.
Gifted students are not in sync with their chronological peers, and they may be vulnerable because they are different from the group norm. They need parent, teacher and administrator advocates to ensure that they are in a challenging and appropriate educational environment.
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