Gifted Children and Leadership

Another way a gifted child can express their talents is through leadership. This isn’t just their ability to earn the respect or devotion of their peers (that may be part of it), but more like an inherent capability to assume responsibility long before other children of their own age are exhibiting the same capability.

We think a gifted child’s talent in leadership most likely comes from their own high expectations for themselves. Gifted children usually know that they are exceptional compared to other children and can automatically assume a leadership role in a situation, sometimes inappropriately (like assuming that they should be the team captain, or taking over a group situation even without designation).

Children gifted in the area of leadership will be confident in their abilities of expression, and sometimes supremely frustrated if others don’t “get them”. Despite the physical lack of maturity of their brains (see our previous post) they will tend to make good decisions and can foresee the consequences of their own actions and those around them, perhaps even better than some adults. They are self-confident and organized.

If you child expresses characteristics of leadership giftedness, provide them the structure and organization they crave. Encourage them in activities where they can express their leadership capabilities, but coach and communicate with them if others (coaches, teachers, band directors, other children) don’t see eye-to-eye with them. Keep an open dialog going with the other adult leaders in their lives, and never stop helping them identify ways of expressing themselves.

Creative Giftedness

Every child is unique and gifted children can express their talents in many different ways. For the next few blogs we’re going to explore some of these different areas of giftedness, starting with creative giftedness. While we’re looking at each area individually, keep in mind that a child is more likely to exhibit characteristics of several of these areas; helping a gifted child more fully develop begins with recognizing their gifted talents and tailoring a learning plan accordingly.

We knew pretty early that both our son and daughter were creatively gifted, but for different reasons. Creatively gifted children aren’t just talented artistically or musically, though those are certainly good indicators. Our son expressed his creative giftedness with a complex and quirky sense of humor: think Monty Python vs. Charlie Chaplin. Not to mention the elaborate near-reality stories he used to come home from pre-school with that left us saying, “huh?”

Our daughter, on the other hand, simply stood out. An obviously independent thinker from the time she could smile and coo, she has never shied away from being different. This made for some challenges during her early teen years. I heard an NPR report recently that a neurologist has identified that the teenage mind isn’t fully wired yet and as a result teens didn’t have the ability to fully understand the consequences of their actions. This is pretty interesting and worthy of a future blog or two, but parents of gifted children should remember that headstrong individuality is also a good indicator of creative giftedness.

The child who is creatively gifted thinks outside the box, will devise several solutions to a problem, will challenge assertions, and will readily invent and create. Complex and challenging problems will engage them, and they will express interest in activities that don’t interest other children. They will surprise parents and teachers with behavior that might even border on the eccentric. And yes they might be interested in art and music.

If your child expresses characteristics of creative giftedness, feed their creativity. Find creative activities that interest them, and foster their continual learning and skills development in that area, even if they exceed your own capabilities or understanding of what they’re doing, but if they burn out on it and lose interest, just go with the flow and help them explore their new ideas.

Test Score Obsession

I read an interesting article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution last week entitled “Analytical Learning is the Big Loser in Test Score Obsession.” The article was written by Shannon Howrey, Assistant Professor of Education, at North Georgia College and State University.

In the article, Dr. Howrey talks about the efforts of the Georgia legislature to tie teacher salaries to their student's standardized test scores; i.e. paying teachers based on how well their students do on the standardized state test (the "CRCT" here in Georgia). Some states call this merit pay. Dr. Howrey states that Georgia is trying to "ensure a well-educated, successful work force resulting in a strong economy." But, Dr. Howrey goes on to explain, these bills would essentially do the opposite.

We here in the Gifted Galaxy agree wholeheartedly! Standardized tests measure knowledge and base skills only; memorizing knowledge and performing discrete skills is only a small part of what children need to be successful.

Robert Sternberg, a Yale psychologist and advocate for gifted education who has studied successful people for many years, found that they possess a "triarchic" set of personal qualities. The first of these is "analytical" intelligence, which can be, to some degree, measured on standardized tests.

Equally important, says Sternberg, are two other types of intelligence: "creative intelligence," or the ability to manipulate ideas and think about things in new ways, and "tacit intelligence," or the social/emotional skills needed for dealing well with people. (If you're interested in Sternberg's book, here's a link: The Triarchic Mind: A New Theory of Human Intelligence

Dr. Howrey claims that these skills (all 3 of them) are not only necessary for success, but may be critical for survival in a globally and technically interconnected world. Thomas Friedman, author of “The World is Flat: a Brief History of the Twenty-First Century,” has stated that our country’s ability to compete in a global economy will depend on people with analytical skills to synthesize large amount of information, creativity to apply that information to new ideas and products, and communication skills to lead teams of individuals from a variety of countries and cultures.

According to research by Sternberg, Torrence, Eisner, Renzulli, Reis, and others, children develop these creative and social skills through exposure to the arts, music, and drama; opportunities to apply mathematical and scientific knowledge in experiments and projects; and rich, open-ended discussions of literature and social studies. Dr. Howrey says that these types of opportunities are the exact programs that the Georgia Legislature wants to do away with by cutting funding for them in the near future. She goes on to say that none of these skills can be measured through CRCT scores, "as they require thinking outside the box, not marking inside a box of predetermined right or wrong answers."

State testing can be used to test factual knowledge learned and discrete skill sets but Dr. Howrey believes that the Georgia legislation that rewards teachers and schools for increasing test scores are "dangerously short-sighted" and provide only a small portion of the knowledge and skills that Georgia’s children will need to succeed in the 21st century. And as has been painfully pointed out in Georgia in the last few weeks, tests--even the CRCT--can be manipulated.  Start tying teacher's pay to test performance and the incentive to manipulate testing is that much higher.

It seems very convenient in this time of economic distress when states and school districts are trying to cut every ounce of extras out of their budget that they would push for rewarding only those teachers and schools that increase test scores. The rewards sound like the cheaper alternative and--at first glance--seem logical and a good "business decision".  But learning isn't so cut and dried, and teachers aren't commissioned salespeople.

Besides, we all hear how far American students lag behind other country's students in test scores, yet American workers are--by far--the most productive in the world.  Why are we trying to emulate the education system of less productive societies?

Parents everywhere (not just here in Georgia) need to question their local districts when they start to cut funding for band, orchestra, music, art, etc. and everyone needs to pay attention to the debate over "teacher merit pay".

The ABCs of Parenting Bright Children, Part 2

If you read my last blog, you know that I try to keep my stuff organized. I like to go through my old units looking for things that need to be used. Last blog I started the ABC’s of Parenting Bright Children. This was a list that was compiled by KIDS Work Studios and presented in a workshop that I attended back in 2000. So, here is the rest of the alphabet…

M-Make time to talk quietly with your child when there has been a disciplinary lapse, whether at home, at school, or in a social situation.

N-Never try to argue through discussions. Bright children are usually strong-willed and have a well-developed sense of duty.

O-Offer them choices. Encourage in them the ability to make decisions.

P-Plan time to be together with your kids. Listen to what they have to say. It isn’t as much what you do for them, as what you do with them.

Q-Provide quite challenging things to do with your child. Expand those interests and open new horizons.

R-Encourage respect and common courtesy for others. Being bright is no excuse for bad manners.

S-Set a good example of being a worthy person.

T-Treat your child’s teachers with the utmost respect and admiration. Teachers and Parents should have common goals and may employ different methods to achieve them.

U-Utilize better ways of showing your child when phrasing a question or making a suggestion if needed. For example, never say, "That’s a dumb idea; I have a better one!" Say instead, "Would this be a good idea?"

V-Value you child's talents and creativity. "Multiple Intelligences" by Howard Gardner help children to realize the many different ways they can be smart.

W-Work on respecting your child and his or her knowledge. Be open minded and ready to listen.

X-Extend your knowledge base by brushing up on giftedness by reading books, attending seminars, and exposing yourself to new areas of expertise.

Y-Yearn to keep a level head and a sense of humor. Though your child is smart, there is always someone smarter. Remember, everyone is a genius at something.

Z-Zip through life with the satisfaction of knowing you are doing your best, although the joys of excellence are tempered by frustrations with school, lack of understanding by many and the fact that your bright child(ren) will keep you busier than you could ever imagine!

Above all, have fun with your children! Laugh often and look for the silver lining in every situation. It is a great thing when you can laugh at yourself. This lets your children know that you are not always perfect. Perfection is a topic for another blog! As is the apple not falling too far from the tree!

Happy Parenting!