In general, did you know that women usually recognize giftedness in their children long before men do? Women recognize early cognitive development in their children while men are waiting for some kind of outward achievement to prove giftedness.
Male researchers seem to focus on outward proof too, while female researchers see the giftedness in the precocious developmental stages first. They realize that a person can be gifted in one or more areas without actually producing anything at all. The giftedness is in the way children think, not just what they do. Thank goodness my Dad didn’t make that mistake- and worked with me early.
Even in our modern world, boys are far more likely to be brought for gifted-testing than girls. At the Denver Gifted Development Center, 60% of the 5,200 children tested to date are male and 40% are female. Boys are more likely than girls to misbehave when they are inadequately challenged (bored) at school. Because of this, they are more likely to get their parents’ attention and involvement.
It is crucial for gifted girls to be recognized early, before they go into hiding in the middle school years. (Many women don’t realize they are gifted and think their children get it from their father.) More about gifted teen girls in future blogs.
When we define giftedness by achievement in school, or with the potential for significant achievement in adulthood, we create an unequal measure for children of diversity, children who are economically underprivileged, and for girls. Throughout history, those who attained distinction have been primarily white, middle or upper class males.
However, giftedness is blind to color, is dispersed across all socio-economic levels, and is found in equal amounts in males and females. While the percentage of gifted students among the upper classes may be higher (showing that gifted children are not just born, but also made), the great majority of gifted children come from the lower classes. All over the world, there are many more poor gifted-children than rich ones.
For a lot of gifted children who weren’t born with a silver spoon, education means public school. What can parents do to improve their bright child’s educational experience? One concerned mother wrote to me in 2009:
“I believe my son is gifted. We live in ____, MO. Needless to say, I am unimpressed with the school’s expectations for students. My son is entering 2nd grade next week. He was so bored in class and I do not look forward to this year, either.
On the school supply list for his class, they are requesting flash cards for addition and subtraction of numbers 0-10. My son knew how to add and subtract these numbers before he was in kindergarten. I feel his reading skills are above grade level as well.
Can you please help me with some sort of resource-a glimmer of hope, perhaps that my child will not be bored to tears this year? I really do not know what to do. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.”
I give several resources through this Vol. 7 of It's Not Rocket Surgery!, as well as in future blogs. Parents should talk to their child’s teacher and see if s/he is willing to allow the child to work ahead when bored. They should also see if the teacher will allow the child to read books when finished with assignments early.
Too often, bright children are labeled ADHD and medicated for the teacher’s convenience when really they’re just bored. They need healthy alternatives for their active minds, and shouldn’t be held back to the standards of the slower kids in the class.
Whether school means public, private, or home, the purposeful proactive parents will find ways to optimize their child’s educational experience. They will make the time – a priority – in their busy schedules, because this is the stuff that really counts in life.
http://thegodfreymethod.com/content/StarLightStarBrightrecognizingsupportingandcelebratingthegiftedchild
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