If you teach gifted children...?

Question

What are some common characteristics that you notice that a lot of them have?

Answer 1

Discount their achievement or success, varied learning styles, heightened sensitivity, perfectionism, underachievers, hyper-emotional reactions, some have behavioral problems.  Children with "more" of everything.

Answer 2

Added to the above...

asynchronous development - development that is widely varied between skills (may be several years ahead of grade level in some subjects, yet they don't care about simple tasks such as learning to tie their shoes)

abstract thinking at an early age; having a fairly deep understanding of existential concepts at an early age (loss, death, war, etc.), often too early to be able to really deal with how deeply they understand them

sensory integration (noise, touch, or visual stimulation) issues

some gifted kids honestly don't need as much sleep as other kids their age

if you lose their attention for a short period of time, you've lost them...they will often decide that you have nothing left to teach them at the moment, so they will plot their own activities

if they haven't lost their love of learning, they will dive into anything that interests them, often for long periods of time

if something does not come easily to them, they will (at times) decide not to even try it, since everything else does

they need to see a reason behind what they're learning - they're not happy with just memorizing facts, they want to know the "why" behind everything

they often have a higher energy/focus level than many kids their age - they need to be challenged constantly and allowed to explore...

These are a few more things to add to the list.  I suggest checking out some of Vicki Caruana's books - she's got lists of characteristics and how to handle them.  Working with gifted kids will definitely keep you on your toes, but it's completely worth it!

Answer 3

sometimes they can be hypersensitive, sometimes their social skills are lacking, they usually have a different sense of humor that not many teachers appreciate, sometimes they think things are hysterically funny when nobody else does, they can be a little superior in attitude, sometimes they lack common sense, they wil give you a run for your money and keep you on your toes, they sometimes ask the most interesting questions or give the most interesting answers, they can sometimes be their own worst critic or worst enemy, but they can be the best thing that has ever happened to you, they can be extremely loyal and a wonderful asset to you and your classes.

Answer 4

It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between gifted and highly motivated or high achieving.  See website below.