By Torin Heenan

Educating the Brightest

pre·co·cious1. unusually advanced or mature in

development, esp. mental development: a precocious child.

2. prematurely developed, as the mind, faculties, etc.

3. of or pertaining to premature development.

The Precocious Child

An extreme need for constant mental stimulation.

An ability to learn and process complex information rapidly.

A need to explore subjects in surprising depth.

An insatiable curiosity; endless questions and inquiries.

An ability to focus intently on a subject of interest for long periods of time.

Characteristics of the Gifted

Characteristics cont.An inability to concentrate on a task that is

not intellectually challenging, including repetitious ideas or material presented in small pieces.

A tendency toward underachievement, particularly for those who want to “fit in” with their classmates.

By all accounts, Einstein displayed a number of the previous traits as a child.

IQ Distribution

The mean IQ is 100. 13.59% of the population is within the second

standard deviation above the mean (IQ 116-130).2.14% of the population is within the third

standard deviation above the mean (IQ 131-145).0.13% of the population is within the fourth

standard deviation above the mean (IQ 146-160). One out of 30,000 individuals (.003%) is more than

four standard deviations above the mean. 

IQ Distribution

Even if assessed, the offerings for these thirteen years of schooling is often no different for the child with an IQ of 150 than it is for the child with an IQ of 100.

“By design and often by ideology, such schools are unable to nurture children who cannot think inside the box.” – Davidson,Vanderkam

K-12 Education for the Gifted

This policy, unfortunately, is aimed directly at the lowest performing students.

“True social justice means providing an education that challenges all students to the extent of their abilities – gifted children included.” - Davidson,Vanderkam

Leave No Child Behind

The idea that gifted students do not need additional consideration is rampant

These students have educational needs just like students on the lower end of the IQ scale. Both groups make up approximately 10% of the population at each end.

No Federally mandated programs for gifted students.

Gifted Already Have Tools for Success

The Country’s Participation

Special education is funded at federal, state, and local levels to the tune of $50 Billion per year.

There are no federal requirements for gifted education

State budgets for gifted education range from $100 million a year to nothing at all

Funding

Pull-out programs – A program, typically once a week, for which children are temporarily removed from regular classrooms.

Pull-outs are often not well-suited to advance a gifted student’s learning.

The may hold some value if the student is surrounded by intellectual peers.

Programs for the Gifted

Acceleration – The skipping of grades as a student proves proficiency with the material.

Typically students in school are grouped by age rather than ability, accelerating a student is occasionally frowned upon as this puts the student out of their age group.

Programs cont.

Homeschooling – When the student is fully or partially removed from the school system to take instruction from a parent or tutor at home.

Homeschooling does remove children from the school and potentially friends, however, it can be the right answer for a student whose needs are not being met.

Homeschooling also puts additional pressures on parents. Often times financially.

Programs cont.

Summer programs – while often similar in length of a typical summer camp, these programs are geared toward learning.

For example, The Center for Talent Development holds a three-week program for identified, gifted students each year at Northwestern University. These students are challenging in the classroom and are surrounded by their peers.

Programs cont.

Charter schools – schools that are built around a new model of education.

The Charter School of Wilmington, Delaware is focused primarily on math and science. Their students apply for admission and the curriculum is set according to ability rather than age.

Programs cont.

Early college – a program in which a qualified, underage student applies for college and is accepted without a high school diploma or GED.

Student typically will spend the first year or two of college fast-tracking much of what would have be taught in high school.

Students are college students and begin work toward degrees in their chosen field of study

Programs cont.

For more information on gifted students and their educational needs please visit:

www.geniusdenied.com

Additional Sources

Thank you!