With the right approach, gifted children can develop their natural abilities (whether in sports, arts, or other areas), excel academically, and eventually grow into successful, fulfilled adults. They already demonstrate advanced abilities compared to their peers, but these abilities require nurturing and encouragement.
Raising or teaching a gifted child can be a joy, but it also requires an understanding of the child’s unique needs and knowledge of appropriate strategies. That’s one of the main reasons why separate programs for gifted and talented children exist in the first place. Let’s explore everything parents and teachers need to be aware of to provide a gifted child with the necessary support.
What is a gifted child?
In the past, giftedness was mostly equated with an extremely high general intelligence (IQ). But over the past couple of decades, most researchers and educators have come to agree that giftedness is actually multidimensional. It can include intellectual ability, creativity, academic talent, leadership, and other strengths.
Now, giftedness is defined as a developmental profile characterized by significantly advanced cognitive, creative, academic, or problem-solving abilities compared to peers.
These are some of the key criteria used to identify gifted children, though they don’t necessarily have to be present in the same child at once:
- Advanced comprehension above the grade level
- Strong intellectual curiosity
- Early emotional depth and heightened sensitivity
- Creative problem-solving and imaginative thinking
- Quick information absorption with minimal repetition
- High self-awareness, social awareness, and global consciousness.
Gifted children statistics in the U.S.
According to the National Association for Gifted Children, about 6% of students within the public education system are currently enrolled in gifted and talented programs. However, it’s hard to say how representative this number is of the actual number of gifted children. Not all states have laws mandating gifted programs, and the socioeconomic status of gifted children’s households affects their educational outcomes.
With the right support and resources, gifted children can achieve great things. On average, they are 65% more likely to go to college. Children who were enrolled in specialized programs in schools are also more likely to graduate with a double major or pursue advanced degrees, including a PhD.
How to recognize the signs of gifted children
Recognizing a gifted child can be challenging for parents, especially before their child enters the PreK-12 system or if they have no other children for comparison.
Still, certain gifted children characteristics and behaviors can provide useful clues, such as:
- Reads and comprehends way above age level. For example, if the child consistently chooses and enjoys reading books that are typically considered “too complex” for their age.
- Shows deep curiosity. Incessant whys are common at certain ages, but gifted children tend to ask why and how questions more thoughtfully than their peers. They are also more inclined to do independent research if the answer doesn’t fully satisfy them.
- Thinks creatively and problem-solves in unique ways. Gifted children often come up with original solutions to puzzles, invent games, or see patterns and connections others miss.
- Learns quickly and retains information better, to the point that parents are regularly surprised at how exceptional the child’s memory is.
- Prefers the company of older children and adults, especially if the child claims that spending time with peers is “boring” or they don’t have anything in common.
How to raise gifted children
Parenting gifted children comes with its own challenges, but a thoughtful, supportive approach helps. Consider these core strategies:
Learn to listen and find balance
Gifted children can exhibit an almost uncanny maturity level, but one of the forms it often takes is a strong sense of fairness. A common parenting mistake is shutting down the child’s whys and refusing to explain a rule. Gifted children don’t respond well to because I said so’s and that’s just how things are’s.
Instead, it’s important to show the child that they are heard and their thoughts are considered. If a child seems frustrated at a certain rule, justify why this rule is necessary and give them a chance to explain what about it bothers them so much.
Ensure consistency between caregivers
Another trait that many gifted children share is pattern recognition. They can identify the “weak link” in the family quickly enough and then use their advanced logical reasoning skills to bend the rules and get what they want.
However, the chaos that arises when caregivers are not aligned is detrimental to children, gifted or not. That’s why it’s so essential that both parents and other caregivers are aligned on what the expectations are, what a child is and isn’t allowed, and other parenting aspects. Consistency creates a safe, predictable environment for the child.
Offer opportunities for safe emotional expression
Giftedness doesn’t always come with emotional maturity. Sometimes, gifted children who show amazing results in school, sports, or creative projects are also prone to tantrums. Being able to handle the tantrums and, hopefully, minimize them, is a big part of parenting a gifted child.
Whenever your child seems upset, encourage them to talk about their emotions and try to put into words what exactly it is they are upset about. Then, acknowledge the validity of their feelings and try to find a compromise that would work for both of you without simply bending to the child’s will.
Don’t put academic performance above everything
Parents often fall victim to the myth that gifted children are “good at everything” and don’t even need to try hard to perform well in school. That’s not true. A gifted child can be gifted in some areas but not others. They can even struggle with certain things more than their peers do.
If you raise your child with a clear expectation of straight A’s, the burden of expectations can cause them to shut down and lose the motivation to do the things they enjoy. Talk to the child, teachers, and the school’s mental health professionals to develop a consistent and encouraging approach without excessive pressure.
Understand the child’s need for downtime
Parents’ desire to foster their child’s natural abilities and make them participate in tons of extracurriculars is understandable, but it should never come at the expense of downtime. Just like anyone else, gifted children need enough time to unwind, socialize, and be on their own.
A much more balanced approach is to select one or two areas to focus on: sports, drawing, writing, or whatever the child is particularly interested in. Most importantly, give the child a say in what those are. For example, if they are a great writer but show no interest in math, there’s no need to put them into AP Precalculus.
How to support gifted children in the classroom
Understanding gifted children and learning how to balance their individual needs with the curriculum requirements can help teachers support parents’ efforts. Together, parents and teachers can create a consistent environment that helps a child thrive.
Let the child’s interests guide learning
Most gifted children have their own “special interests.” To engage a child, teachers should take the time to find out what those are and then use this knowledge to develop assignments and activities the child will be excited about. For example, why not count dinosaurs instead of apples?
When appropriate, use tiered instruction
Most curricula are designed with the average student in mind and aren’t sufficiently stimulating for gifted students, which can lead to boredom and disengagement. This is sadly common when gifted children’s needs aren’t considered in the development of classroom activities and homework.
To avoid this, teachers should embrace differentiation and adapt instruction to gifted children. Not all schools have enough resources, but tiered homework and additional readings are the bare minimum.
Also, it’s important to listen to the children and follow their lead. For example, if a child shows interest in a certain topic, it’s the teacher’s responsibility to offer them quality resources to learn more.
Connect abstract concepts to real-life situations
Since gifted children typically have higher-level abstract thinking abilities, they often struggle with traditional curricula because they can’t understand how the material is relevant to their lives. The question of “So what?” comes naturally to them.
To keep gifted children engaged, it helps to show how lessons apply in practical ways and what the bigger picture is. For example, when studying electricity in science, link it to the concept of energy flow and systems instead of focusing on memorizing circuits and formulas mechanically.
Also, if a child asks you, “Why do we need this information?”, never shut them down; always be prepared to answer calmly and thoughtfully.
Encourage teamwork and knowledge-sharing between gifted children
There’s a common myth that placing a gifted child in a group of peers with lower academic performance will motivate the peers to work harder. This strategy can work in some cases, but it’s not universal, and it doesn’t benefit the gifted child.
Instead, whenever possible, group gifted children for teamwork. Give them a chance to bounce ideas off one another and work with the peers who operate on a similar level. By grouping gifted children together, you help them stay challenged and inspired.
Focus on tracking progress, not just performance
While this isn’t “the norm,” it’s not uncommon for gifted children to perform well across all subjects.
However, straight A’s from a gifted student aren’t the same as those from an average student. Unless a teacher uses tiered instruction and grading, it’s very possible that their gifted straight-A students don’t actually fulfill their full potential and might actually be bored.
Focus on monitoring progress instead. Pay attention to growth to see whether your gifted students are challenged enough to learn.
Conclusion
To support gifted children, parents and teachers need to understand their unique cognitive, emotional, and social needs. Often, this means letting the child “lead” to an extent and listening to them to be able to design appropriate instructional strategies.
Teachers and parents play complementary roles in gifted children’s upbringing, and the best approach is to join forces to develop a consistent environment for the child. Consistent, thoughtful, and child-centered guidance is what helps gifted children thrive.
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