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The Label of Gifted Child--Is There a Better Way?

Saturday, April 16, 2005 - by CFertig - 623 Views - 5 Comments - Category: Label of Gifted

Recently, I was with a group of gifted education specialists and our discussion revolved around the meaning of the label “gifted.” One person commented that we (being specialists) all knew what the term meant. I questioned that. So, we went around the group and asked just what “gifted” meant to each person. Very quickly it became obvious that we all had very different views of it. This went way beyond the common definitions of gifted children and ventured in to its subtleties.

Some people feel that all students have gifts. Some people feel that being gifted requires a high I.Q. or an exceptional analytical ability. To others it is a student who earns straight A’s or it might be a person who has social problems because he is so smart. There are many definitions of the word and many different interpretations of those definitions. Along with those interpretations go both positive and negative feelings of gifted children.

My question is: Should we use the term “gifted” at all? Is it a useful term? Rather than label students as gifted, would we not be better off using more specific descriptors? As an adult, wouldn’t I understand more about a child knowing that she has great insight into her reading or has the ability to solve complex math problems in creative ways or that he is a great public speaker? Wouldn’t it be more meaningful to know a student is highly organized and goal oriented or is very sensitive to the feelings of others or is a wizard at science? If we need to use some general term, would we be better off using “smart” or “high-ability” or “s

Comments

By Betty Everett @ Wednesday, May 23, 2007 9:43 AM

I think the idea that dropping the "gifted" label and using terms like "smart" or "high-ability" because of people's negative "interpretations" is like trying to end bigotry against black folks by called them "off-white. We're not dealing with people who have negative "interpretations" of the gifted label, we're dealing with people who have negative "interpretations" of gifted children.

We've been spending inordinate amounts of energy trying to appease these people. We've let them dismantle gifted programs and let them shove gifted kids back into regular classes where they have to drill and practice for state mandated achievement tests that they can already pass. I think it about time that we as parents and teachers of gifted children get outraged at what's going on. Let's stop talking about appeasing these people's sensitivities, and start talking about how we can take a strong and forceful lead in rebuilding gifted education for our children!

By Conny Jensen @ Wednesday, May 23, 2007 9:43 AM

In advocating for gifted children I often cringe when I have to say the word gifted. Why? Because "outsiders" often respond negatively by suddenly becoming disinterested. I too have wondered if there could not be a better description for these special students. I agree with Betty though that too many people still have a lack of sympathy and empathy for these students. No matter what gifted students are called a majority of people will still frown upon our call for adaptive education for them. Maybe if we simply called them special needs students people would be more sympathetic! On the other hand I personally would like to call them HIP kids or students, acronym for High Potential.

By Mary Letson @ Wednesday, May 23, 2007 9:44 AM

One problem is that parents have to approach it one child at a time. First they have to learn about their child, then they need to learn that their schools won't listen to them and are not interested in their child. Since there is a stigma against so called bragging about your kid, they can't find other parents like them. Then they give up. As a result, its hard to gain the critical mass needed to make changes. Our kids are (generally) not disabled and in-fact, are super-abled. There is no interest in GT education in this NCLB world. Teachers are not trained to recognize GT and believe the myths about accelleration and age-based curriculum. Unless there is some sort of cataclysmic event, I don't see anything changing in the near future.

By sandee @ Wednesday, May 23, 2007 9:44 AM

I had a meeting with teachers and administrators all telling me that everyone gets bored sometimes and you just have to get through it, but not once did they consider how three years of boredom will effect a student. If he was that smart, he would do well on everything they insist.Gifted kids are high achievers or they just don't fit in. He is "normal" just smart and lazy they feel But if he were truly lazy why would he ask for more diffic

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The Label of Gifted Child--Is There a Better Way?