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Discussion Title: What is happening in the classroom to cause our gifted children such anxiety
Created by: salttlearn...
Created on: Sat, 11/03/2007 - 11:15am.

I am amazed at how the school system has failed our bright minds of today. It seems we have some kids who are fighting to learn the basics but are over the top in other things. What can we do as parents, teachers, government to change what is happening in the classroom. We do not seem to put value on skills that are necessary for survival in our world today. We have kids who cannot read and write who are ending up being passed into the next grade without getting the basics mastererd for that level. We as parents, teachers and government are the ones now who can do something about it. For now I have checked into schools that put an emphasis on the basics and unfortunately it seems you have to go private and pay through the nose to get these basic essential skills met. signed salttlearning

Author: lanie
Replied: 11/3/2007 12:25pm.

I completely agree that the traditional school system, (ie public school education) is failing our children, and is therefore, in fact, underinsuring the future, but I wonder if you could be more specific in explaining the anxiety that you feel is being caused to gifted children.  I am not sure that I got that from the piece you wrote, although, I agree wholeheartly with the things that you have stated.  It would seem to me that by definition, a gifted learner had bipassed and would indeed require more than just the basics in the way of advanced courses, exploration of concept, remediation and coordination of higher level thought, extended concept development, and such.  What exactly do you feel is causing the anxiety?

Author: chriscnaz
Replied: 11/7/2007 4:18am.

How old is your child?  If you had to describe the anxiety what does it look like?  Is it seen more in phsyical symptoms or internalizing what is going on?

School anxiety can come from many places both external and internal.

  • boredom because of not being challenged
  • gifted in some areas but struggling in others is difficult to understand and deal with
  • many gifted children are also perfectionists and put more stress on themselves than outside sources do
  • Are expectations too high, just because a child is considered gifted doesn't mean they don't have difficulties from time to time
  • Most gifted kids have difficulty finding a peer group that they fit in with
  • Many gifted kids have strong academic skills but lower social skills and struggle with day to day peers interactions

With your child and teacher try and find out where the anxiety comes from and together brainstorm ways to address it both at home and at school.  Don't discount even what younger children have to say, they may be able to come up with ideas to help that as adults wewouldn't think of.

Some good resources for parents of gifted learners

http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/pages/ed.gifted.html

http://www.geniusdenied.com/

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/

http://www.sengifted.org/