In our modern education system, children are frequently tested, and some are labeled as "gifted," meaning they score high on IQ tests or are performing above their peers in classroom work. Over the last few decades, many schools have implemented special programs for gifted children. But do they really help them? Studies show that gifted children actually have different brains, which may leave them talented in learning, but affect other parts of their personalities. Different studies show that highly intelligent students may actually do better in life if their parents don't realize how gifted they are. The label itself comes with high expectations that few children can live up to. A student who internalizes those expectations may grow averse to trying anything in which they may have a chance of failing. And any failure can be devastating after a childhood full of classroom success. Another problem for students who sail through elementary and high school without having to study is their surprise struggle when they get to college or graduate school without the study skills others have developed. No wonder many children labeled as gifted in elementary school end up feeling like failures as adults. Read about the dangers of being a gifted child at Vox. -via Damn Interesting
(Image credit: Michelle Kwon for Vox)
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I can agree with this article, and from experience. I was a 'smart' kid - the I-Q test I got at age 10 showed I was 136, or in the top 3% in intelligence. And my parents celebrated this, and my teachers celebrated this, and I ran through my school-days very easily. I learned math and science, history and social studies without a blink. And I became LAZY! After high-school, I found I'd never learned how to study, and U. of Waterloo was difficult. Eventually I dropped out in third year, and looked for work. Being smart isn't the answer. Parents and educators should praise Hard Work and progress, not intelligence.
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I completely agree with the essence of this article. I was one of those (barely) gifted children. Throughout elementary school, teachers and administrators pushed hard for me to be placed in the next higher grade, In high school I was placed in the next higher grade's math and science classes. Personally, I hated every moment, not because of the more difficult material but because I perceived other students resenting my being there. I felt this from the older kids and well as the ones in my regular classes. I would mildly protest by not doing nearly as well in those classes as I could have. (As a side note, each year as soon as we would get our new textbooks I'd take them home and stay up nights reading them. Within two weeks I would have read every page and understood most of it. It made the rest of the school year boring.) My parents were against what the school wanted. They knew I was uncomfortable but gave in on some of the school's requests. At the end of tenth grade and within a week of turning 16 (minimum age in which it was allowed) I quit school and and a year later enlisted in the military. I did quite well in my post military career achieving high corporate positions and retired at 62 a multimillionaire. I don't know what the optimal solution in would have been other than leaving me alone.
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