A Gifted Education Guide for Parents

Gifted programs are a wonderful solution for gifted children. But how do you know if your child is gifted? How can your child qualify for a gifted program? Here is a gifted program guide for you to help you understand gifted programs in the US.

In this blog, we talk about the difference between Bright Children and Gifted Children. After that, we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of gifted programs so that you can clearly see both sides of the concept. Lastly, we will take you through some FAQs about gifted programs to give you more clarity about gifted education in US. Read on.

Bright and Gifted are Not the Same

Gifted and intelligent are two different things. Parents often confuse one with the other and as a result, children end up receiving inappropriate academic guidance. Parents and teachers equally, need to understand that a bright student may not qualify for gifted programs. And they mustn’t be forced through gifted education.

Similarly, it is important to identify giftedness at an early age, so that a gifted child receives appropriate and timely guidance through gifted programs. Following are a few differences between gifted and bright students.

1. Bright students enjoy school and are good performers but gifted students enjoy learning both inside and outside school.

2. Bright students always have good ideas, but gifted students showcase wild and highly imaginative ideas.

3. Bright students often have good memories. Bright students are deep learners and do well in complex learning challenges.

4. Bright students absorb information and learn quickly and gifted students use the information to learn further and gain more knowledge.

The above-listed traits are commonly observed in bright and gifted students. But they are not sure-shot methods of identifying children’s capabilities. The best way to identify a child’s capabilities is through appropriate screening tests.

Screening for Gifted Programs

Students are screened for gifted programs through partial or full-scale IQ tests, aptitude tests, and individual tests. These tests can be requested by parents, teachers, or school administrators in response to a child’s extraordinary academic performance. Two of the most popular gifted program tests in the US are CogAT and SCAT. The initial screening is followed by a professional assessment that is conducted by a psychologist.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Gifted Programs

A majority of parents want their children to be a part of gifted programs. But the reality is complicated. While a gifted program is beneficial for a gifted child, it also has some cons. Here’s a list of advantages followed by the disadvantages of gifted programs that will provide a clear understanding of both sides.

Advantages of Gifted Programs

1. Positive Self Image

Being a part of a gifted program or being called gifted boosts a child’s confidence and creates a positive self-image. Furthermore, since gifted children are academically advanced as compared to other students, they perform better at the grade level and that too adds up to their morale.

2. Appropriate Academic Challenges

Gifted children often find schoolwork boring. It does not challenge their intellect and hence they tend to lose interest over time. Gifted programs appropriately challenge gifted students and provide them the kind of knowledge and challenges they require to progress.

3. Like-Minded Peers

Gifted programs place all the like-minded students in the company of each other, in turn giving them peers who have the same intellect. In a gifted program, children get comfortable with their peers as opposed to their peers at school who are at a lower intellectual level.

4. Improved Instruction Quality

Gifted programs provide students with a better or higher quality of instruction. Elevated levels of instructions have also been found good for non-gifted children because it pushes children to challenge themselves and elevates their learning.

5. Successful and Bright Future

Students who are taught through the gifted education module are more likely to achieve academic and career success in the future. Several studies have proven that gifted children go on to study to higher levels and a significant percentage of them earn doctoral degrees.

Disadvantages of Gifted Programs

1. Negative Self Image

Just like how gifted children feel good about themselves, children who do get into a gifted program or areas labeled as non-gifted may feel bad about themselves. They may end up comparing themselves to their gifted peers and may develop a negative self-image over time.

2. Expectation Mismatch

This happens between a child and the parents. Parents may have over-expectations with their gifted children and it may, in turn, overwhelm the child. A gifted child may also have expectations from the self, which may or may not be right.

3. Reluctance towards Hard Work

Some experts believe that gifted programs make children reluctant to work hard. Since they are gifted and have always achieved targets easily, they fail to establish a positive work ethic. They might always look for shortcuts and may avoid practice and effort.

4. Untrained Teachers

Teacher training for gifted programs is inadequate and hence, students are often taught by under-trained teachers who may not be ideal for teaching gifted programs. A gifted program does not make any sense if the teacher/instructor is not gifted or at least certified.

5. Identification Hassle

Identifying children for gifted programs is probably the biggest debacle of the concept. Children change a lot with age and so does their intellect. A child who shows all the signs of giftedness in grade 2 may turn out to be an average student at the high school level. So, the idea of giftedness is marred with complications, and rightly identifying a student will always be a tricky task.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q 1 — What is the formal definition of gifted in the US?

“Students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity or in specific academic fields and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by the school to fully develop those capabilities”.

All the states base their definition on the above-mentioned federal definition or use it as-it-is. This definition is located in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Q 2 — Who makes decisions about gifted students?

The decisions about gifted students are almost always made at the school and district levels. The decisions are made locally considering various factors such as state laws, requirements of the child, availability of funds, local policies, etc. Hence, the decisions and treatment of gifted children vary from one state to another.

Q 3 — Do gifted students receive special treatment at school?

There are several ways in which gifted students are managed by the schools. Some of them include advanced classes, dual enrollment, varied group strategies, grade acceleration, differentiation of curriculum, and more.

Q 4 — Are teachers trained to manage and guide gifted students?

Yes, teachers are appropriately trained to manage gifted students. A few districts require all their teachers to be trained in addressing the educational needs of advanced learners. While several others make do with a few teachers trained in gifted education. Teachers are trained through constant refinement of teacher skills. They are supported with new and updated modules, frequent training sessions, and continued support.

Q 5 — Who should I contact to find out about my state’s gifted program policies?

You can start with the State Department of Education. The department will be able to provide you with information related to education laws, policies, and even the list of schools (both private and public) that serve gifted students in the state. You can also get in touch with organizations affiliated with NAGC (National Association for Gifted Children). They can also provide a lot of state-specific information.

Gifted Education — A Double-Edged Sword

All you parents out there, please note that while gifted education is a great tool for gifted children, it has its bunch of negatives. Please be mindful of your child’s progress and closely monitor the changes in their intellect and interests. At the end of the day, as parents, our job is to put our children on the right path. But the right path can never be forced.

If your child is gifted and has a keen interest in learning, guide them towards the best-gifted programs in your state. But if your gifted child chooses otherwise, help them find their passion. Let them choose their path while you stand by and hold the light.