Focusing on Our Gifted Youth

by Gail E. Hanninen

 

Providing appropriate and quality educational programs for our gifted and talented youth is critical to the future of our communities, state, nation and world. If there is a doubt to the importance of such a commitment, just watch a young bright child who during those very early years is so excited about learning. The child's eyes are bright, as every moment becomes a time to absorb more information and gain an understanding of the ever-present complex world around him/her. The questions are also unending and the insights shared with the adults he or she comes into contact with never ceases to be amazing. However, without an appropriate learning environment, the brightness dims and the excitement for learning is suppressed. Mediocrity in academic performance becomes the standard, excitement for learning fades, and behavior problems commonly surface.

The history of our country's commitment to the appropriate education of our gifted and talented youth has been serendipitous at best. Think of the time when the United States needed aerospace engineers to compete with the Russians for the race to put the first man on the moon. We were then able to invest heavily into the education of future mathematicians and scientists. Following the Marland Report to Congress in 1972, attention was given to providing appropriate educational opportunities for our gifted youth because of the glaring shortcomings found in our educational system for such students. Since that time, funding from the federal level has been allocated in very small amounts and advocates have been persistent in their lobbying efforts to increase this level of support. In addition, each state has selected to provide varying degrees of support. Some states have mandated services while others are being much more permissive in their expectations.

Perhaps Murray Sidlin (1979), then Director and Conductor of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, said it best at a National Task Force on the State of the Arts and the Gifted in America held in Aspen, Colorado when he stated, "It's beginning to look to me as though the entire budget of the NEA and the NIH would run the Pentagon and the CIA for about eight hours – and, that must be someone's priority." In 1993, approximately some twenty years after the Marland Report and Murray Sidlin's comments, the National Excellence: The case for Developing America's Talent described the state of gifted education as the "quiet crisis." The report went on to say; "Youngsters with gifts and talents that range from mathematical to musical are still not challenged to work to their full potential. Our neglect of these students makes it impossible for Americans to compete in a global economy demanding their skills (iii)." Today, with such a tremendous emphasis on all students meeting standards and "leaving no child behind," rest assured that the education of gifted students is not given the attention or resources warranted. Thus, educating our gifted and talented youth must be our priority.

Yes, if you understand the excitement a gifted child has toward learning, then having, as your priority for such children appropriate educational programs are unquestionable. What are the guiding principles we should use to define such educational opportunities? Let us focus on five principles: (1) understanding the complexity of intelligence, (2) nurturing the whole child, (3) cultivating a passion for learning, (4) utilizing critical, analytical and creative thinking, (5) and becoming a responsible productive citizen. Because these are principles relevant to the education of all children, the following discussion will highlight those aspects, which are either unique or even more critical to the development of our gifted youth.

UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITY OF INTELLIGENCE
There was a time when we knew of intelligence as represented only by an intelligence quotient (IQ), which was calculated using a formula which divides the mental age (MA) by the chronological age (CA) of an individual. The standard used to define the construct of intelligence has been a test which generates an IQ score. So, whenever new tests of intelligence are developed, they are validated against the conventional standard. But, does our understanding of intelligence go beyond those calculations? Certainly the early research of J. P. Guildford and Reuven Feuerstein and the more recent work of Robert Sternberg and Howard Gardner would strongly indicate yes, there is more.

The importance of understanding the complexity of intelligence is central to understanding the critical need for gifted students to have appropriate learning opportunities and for teachers to be trained in gifted education. For example, let us consider two youngsters both who are seven years old, both are males and both have an IQ of 140. However, do they perform academically at the same level and in the same way? The answer is probably no. One of the boys was reading by age three, while the other is just starting to become a fluent reader and seems to depend more on sight vocabulary than by employing phonetic skills. For educators, it means going beyond the limitations of an IQ score and understanding how each student processes information. Is there a relationship between the way one processes information and one's intelligence? The answer to that question would lead us to appreciating the complexity of intelligence and the importance of understanding the teaching and learning process.

In a recent book written by Dr. Mel Levine (2002), he equates "gifted" with "perfect minds" and those "lucky few who possess super-neurodevelopmental profiles. Dr. Levine further indicates that every gifted child has areas of weakness (262)." For those gifted youngsters whose areas of weakness impacts the development of their potential, the field of gifted education has coined the phrase "twice exceptional" to describe such students who are both intellectually gifted and also have another disability. The other disabilities may include learning disabilities, health impairments, blindness, deafness, and behavior disorders. Youngsters who are twice exceptional are an exciting challenge to teach as they demand teachers to have a mastery of the teaching and learning process because accommodations need to be made in order for the student to develop his or her potential. Such accommodations mean altering the way content is presented, the way assignments are completed, or the way the classroom is structured.

In thinking about students I have had who were twice exceptional, I am reminded of Joel who was a senior in high school and one of those gifted students who had also had his encounters with the local law enforcement officers. Joel was gifted with a severe learning disability which manifested itself in reading and written language. Yet, he was amazing when it came to his social skills and to working with computers and video productions. Joel was in a leadership class which I taught first period. For the final examination, I decided to use a performance-based assessment which required the students to work in as a team to solve a problem and to develop a marketing plan to include when presenting their solution to the class and three community judges. There were three problems from which the teams could select. After Joel's team had completed their performance, Joel quickly asked if he could develop a solution for one of the other problems. So the next day, he returned to class and shared his solution. His excitement for his success was contagious. For most of his high school classes, the final examination had required a lengthy written response and the avenue for Joel to successfully present his ideas had been compromised. Thus, except for the classes where he was permitted to use computers or in the video productions class, school was not a positive experience.

For teachers, understanding the complexity of intelligence means having been trained in understanding giftedness and the psychology of the gifted. To address the needs of the twice-exceptional student, a teacher should have a basic knowledge of all areas of exceptionality, should have mastery of the teaching and learning process and should be trained in alternative instructional strategies and materials.

For parents, first learning that your child is gifted can raise more questions than it answers. It is helpful if parents can accept the idea that giftedness can manifest itself in many different ways and that not all gifted behaviors may be tied to academic achievement. If the youngster is twice exceptional, the role of the parent as an advocate is paramount. A parent can never abdicate responsibility for advocacy to anyone else.

NURTURING THE WHOLE CHILD
Frequently, when there is a casual conversation about individuals who are gifted, someone presents the old stereotypic notion of the individual who was "really weird" and had "no social skills." With that notion goes the idea that this person is this way because her/she only developed their giftedness and never had to develop those other attributes which would have made him/her a "well-rounded person." These two statements place tremendous emphasis on the need for "nurturing the whole child."

To nurture the whole child also means that an individual develops an understanding of self (Clark, B. 1994). A very necessary component of any gifted program is one which provides counseling and guidance support. Being gifted often means feeling different from others and not in synchronization with age mates. When visiting with one student about what it meant to be in a program where he could spend more time with his intellectual peers, he said, "You mean they will understand my weird sense of humor." His self-perception of his sense of humor was impacted by the fact that his chronological age mates did not perceive as what he said as funny; however, adults often did. So, quickly, he knew he was "weird." Judy Galbraith, The Gifted Kids Survival Guide, writes an excellent reference for gifted youth to read. An example of one piece of advice she gives is, "Don't give up your dreams because of what other kids say. Stick with your goals because you have to live with them (136)."

For teachers, nurturing the whole child requires maintaining a very fine balance between developing those areas of giftedness and assuring that areas of weakness progress appropriately. Each teacher should be reassured that for a gifted child to become a "well rounded" individual can take a lifetime and should not be accomplished by the end of first grade. Training in the area of the social and emotional development of the gifted child can enhance a teacher's effectiveness in nurturing the whole child.

For parents, nurturing the whole child means loving, accepting and valuing the child as a member of the family. It is beneficial for the family to experience a variety of activities as a whole family so the gifted child can develop a sense of belonging. By exploring many different activities, the gifted child broadens his or her areas of confidence with a group of individual wit whom he or she feels safe.

CULTIVATING A PASSION FOR LEARNING
Have you ever had a youngster say to you, "I am bored!"? With such statements comes a flickering of the flame and a fading of the passion for learning. For students who have a passion for learning, there often is a loss of the sense of time, energy abounds, questions are unending and ideas flow (Rogers, K. B., 2002).

In thinking about the passion for learning, I am reminded of a first grade student who had just been identified for our school's gifted program. Susan was one of those students who learned to read on her own by age four and she had an insatiable desire to learn. One morning as I was walking through the library area, I noticed Susan was sitting on the floor reading a book she had pulled from the shelf. Thinking she should probably be with her first grade classmates, I said, "Susan, are you supposed to be in your classroom now?' She quickly looked at the clock, said, "Oh, my gosh! I am supposed to be in reading." She quickly jumped up and took off. It was very apparent that she had gotten so absorbed in what she was reading that she had lost track of time.

For teachers, cultivating the passion for learning means understanding what it means to be excited about learning. Usually, it means that the teacher can quickly identify what his or her areas of passion are and describe how he or she pursues those interests. Thus, identifying and validating a gifted child's areas of interest is key to enhancing the passion for learning. The teacher also needs to have mastery of Vygotsky's "zone of proximal development" which means always keeping the learner on the edge of challenge without reaching the brink of frustration. If a child is excited about learning, then he or she will have the desire to continue to learn.

For parents, cultivating the passion for learning also means acknowledging the child's areas of interest and providing opportunities for the youngster to develop those interests. Also, the role of the parent in providing feedback to the school regarding how the youngster displays the passion for learning in the home environment is very helpful.

UTILIZING CRITICAL, ANALYTICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING
The current information and technology age is an excellent example of an era in which the need for critical, analytical and creative thinking skills has been accelerated. Gleick (2002) elaborates upon how the many developments of the last decade evolved and with each new advancement, proficiency in employing creative and analytical thinking abilities and skills were necessary.

Certainly such abilities are part of intelligence. However, such abilities do need to be enhanced by specific skill development. Joseph Chilton Pearce (1992) in Evolution's End: Claiming the Potential of Our Intelligence states, "Play develops intelligence; integrates our triune nature; prepares us for higher education, creative thought, and taking part in and upholding a social structure(164)." His discussion places emphasis on the importance of imaginative play and he is very critical of passive activities such as watching television. Critical, analytical and creative thinking skills can be taught as an integral part of all subject areas as well as developed through a student's participation in such programs as Invention Conventions, Future Problem Solving and Destination Imagination.

Creative problem solving draws upon critical, analytical and creative thinking skills. Piirto (1992) states, "creativity is a basic human need – a need for expression, for release, for attaining a feeling of well-being. On the other hand, the quality of what is created is enhanced by discipline, by practice, by talent or proclivity (359)." In further examining the question of creative thinking, Sternberg (1988) provides a collection of perspectives which debate whether creativity is an inherited gift or is an ability which can be influenced by training. Research supports the development of critical, analytical and creative thinking skills as an integral component of a gifted program curriculum.

For teachers, training in how to teach critical, analytical and creative thinking skills is basic to being an effective teacher of gifted students. A component of such training should include an emphasis on the Socratic method of questioning. For parents, nurturing curiosity and modeling critical, analytical and creative thinking abilities provide the gifted youngster with a variety of examples of how such strategies are used in settings outside of the school environment.

BECOMING A RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTIVE CITIZEN
A common goal of the most recent education reform movement has been the assurance that each student acquires the skills and knowledge to become a responsible and productive citizen. States and local school districts have adopted standards of performance which when mastered by a student, should mean that the student is ready to enter the workforce and participate as a contributing member of a community. Also, in today's world, becoming a responsible productive citizen also involves developing a respect for others and their differences. Are the requirements different for a gifted student to become a responsible productive citizen? Mastery of the standards of performance should be a shared requirement; however, the pacing for the demonstration of such mastery can occur earlier for the gifted student. Thus, provisions need to be made for gifted students to display such mastery earlier in their school career.

For teachers, participating on committees which are developing standards of performance is necessary to assure that there is an advocate for gifted students at the table. Since standardized testing is the primary method used to determine if a student has mastered the expected performance standards, then out-of-level testing should be permitted to allow the gifted student to progress at a rate commensurate with his or her ability.

For parents, supporting your gifted child in becoming a responsible productive citizen means assuring he or she receives an appropriate educational program. Again, modeling behaviors consistent with responsible productive citizens is necessary a gifted child to observe (Csikszentmihalyi, et. al. 1994).

Summary
With President George W. Bush's program of "Leave No Child Behind," no reference is made to addressing the educational needs of our gifted youth. In that federal program, emphasis is placed upon all students meeting grade level standards and no provisions are presented for the standards to be met by gifted students. Within that context, mediocrity will prevail and for our gifted youth, the excitement for learning will dim. Gifted students need an appropriate educational environment in which to thrive and we should want nothing less for them – that must be our priority!

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References:

Clark, B. (1992). Growing up gifted. New York, NY: Macmillan Publishing Company.

Csikszentmihalyi, M., Rathunde, K., and Whalen, S. (1994). Talented teenagers: The roots of success and failure. New York, NY: Cambridge     University Press.

Galbraith, J. (1983). The gifted kids survival guide. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing Co.

Gleick, J. (2002). What just happened: A chronicle from the information frontier. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.

Levine, M. (2002). A mind at a time. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Pearce, J. C. (1992). Evolution's end: Claiming the potential of our intelligence. San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins

Piirto, J. (1992). Understanding those who create. Dayton, OH: Ohio Psychology Press.

Rogers, K. B. (2002). Re-forming gifted education. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press, Inc.

Sidlin, M. (1979). "Music as a statement of human conviction." In E. Larsh (editor) Someone's priority: The issues and recommendations on the state of the arts and the gifted in America. Denver, CO: Colorado Dept. of Education

Stenberg, R. J. (Editor) (1988). The nature of creativity. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

U. S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement. 1993. National Excellence: A case for developing America's talent. Washington, DC.

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About the Author:  Gail E. Hanninen, Ed.D. is Director of Seabury School, 1801 NE 53rd St., Tacoma, WA 98422. Seabury School is a private school which educates gifted students ages 4 – 13. Dr. Hanninen is known best for her work and presentations relating to gifted education, preschool gifted children and with students who are twice exceptional. A recent publication of hers is a chapter entitled "Designing a preschool program for the gifted and talented" which is in The Young Gifted Child: Potential and Promise, an Anthology, edited by Joan F. Smutny (1998, Hampton Press, Inc., Cresskill, NJ). Gail started her education career as a Peace Corps Volunteer, has worked in private and public agencies and at all levels of education, including local school districts and state departments. To reach Dr. Hanninen, call (235) 952-3111 or email Gail3wood@spokaneskynet.com. To learn more about Seabury School, check out their website at www.seabury.org.

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