ls y=] ° r BA ts: In Their Own Voices "ating ing ig tthe sang tha wher sald work wit think har pre boring Donon?” Gregory aight. hin grade - ‘mara learned that "Thee kids re ‘quick, different, out-of the box, and unique in countless way Fun for some of them is reading the encyclopedia, or dissecting dead cockroach, or seeing who can solve a difficult math prob Temthe quickest. Our world need: people like this, yer cheir peer culture (and frankly, our whole socies’s sultue) often puts them down for being smare and curious and a bit strange or “weitd” This tone ofthe biggest tragedies of our time. Anyone who thinks gifted children, just by being gifed, have everthing, going for chem should take some time to alk with 2 group of Sifted kids about their though, eling, ad opinions and find ‘out what the word is realy ike for ther. ‘Tamara makes ita point wo do this couple of times a week with her students. Mose poignantly, one of them once said (0 het, “Miss Fisher, your classroom isthe ony place where I feel ike I can erly be myselé” ‘On one hand, how sad that thischil's fe is devoid of other places where she feels she can be hers On the other hand, at Teast cere is one place where se canng if te Caron Here, some gifted students ell what they lke about their GT chs: “Teves ses bea Im earning more ”(G aes) “Now I kaw Th not alone" Gout ges) “Ha ot harder and when i ly ard my head star 0 Inari san” Gur ges) “jst KNOWING thar her place here imteligence and bili aettched and appre, rater than seen aan incon enone is enough to ep me eig "(event grader) Gifed sents need some place go, some community ‘that they can identify with, some authority figure who can 1G ke the ‘heme song Ghen-—you know, vebady knows your mam, theyre alway glad you came, bh blah blab except hat Caria thewaitoe might norbethebex candidate w bea GT teacher “The mou imporan thing cough, i tha gifted Kid be accepted and understood, The trivshemed chapters ofthis brook have aimed to do just cha. For deer insights, we will tow eke olat what maybe going on inside the bain ofthe average (if) GT student. Ths no ay to find out what they thinking For example, letsimagine you area second-gade teacher nd that you havea ‘ery quiet and wel- behave teen siting atthe fron of your ‘lass Let ay that his stent’ name i Kare, Karen st there and follow along with the cence textbook, srt of 3s ach of the student inthe clas reads out loud about Sit ase Newton and his dacovery of gavin. Kaen gc good grades, demon- fates comprehension ils and never cases any touble for lnyone, Her only relly obvious fw is that sometimes she Shows up for school with her dre on inside out. AS you ‘momentary op the oral el-alng and dics che subject for moment, you notice that Karen making eye contact with 6 (Char 1: Tir Oe you and seems to be aware that there isan imporeane scienific conversation occurring which i deserving of her atention. ‘Olay, here gos: Is she thinking, "Wow! Sciences fic rating, and Isaac Newton was an important player in the study of gravitational pull, and how cool is that? No wonder hes in the teabooks!? No. No matter how complacent she appears onthe surface, no matter how she seems tobe soaking up the information like 4 good lice second: grade sponge, this is what she is ray thinking: “This is devastating! Here a guy who sat under ates sand had the misforcaneofaving an apple flln hishead. Thar ‘was if? That how he discovered gravity? Whoop-de-loo! He ‘could have been all that smar, Is not as if he could have been the first person to notice that when things fill, they fll downward. Were people so clueless before that? Dang, / could have discovered gravty—and I could have been famous fort” Karen decides then and there thar all ofthe easy discoveries are probably already taken. She aso holds Sir Isaac Newton in very lw esteem. ‘Bat ther teacher, you would never know from looking at hes. ‘Asyou scan the eyes of your students for signs of intelligent lite, How do you each them? How do you getinto the heads of your sifted students so you can beter understand wha’ appesing in cher and bestr help them to make the mos of thei edaca- tional opportunities? ‘Were found one scientific method of discovery to be invaluable. It works : Go ahead. Dosit be afraid. The truth shall set you fre. Ie might sake you cringe a litle, but a liele cringing never hurt any body, id ie Sowe've stepped ourona ledge, prepared our ringingfacial cexpresions and asked gifted children from across the counsrya caig if te Clare fev important questions about ther educations. Here, in thie ‘own voices, are thoughts from gifed kids From fre grade right ‘on up chrough college Some answers will surprise yous others ‘will not. Many answers will havea lot in common with each ‘other, while ochers are contradictory. That goes to show that ‘while its important ro understand the characteristics of gifted clilden in gener, hey are always aleo individuals. Elemerrtary Studente What are the advantages of being smart? | You can invent 1 Being able vo do ching that 1 never knew before. 1 You ge done first and you ge more time to read. i Work is easy [We getto go wo GT and do hard, fun stu Being able to work ahead, The advantages of being smart are you can get scholar ‘hip to college and you can get a good job with lots and lots of money. i People admire me. | What ae the disadvantages of being smart? WL One of the bad things about being smar is somesimes you getall mixed up in your head and ic wuns int a big, 1H You mighe go fase and write the wrong answer. We end up running out of work 1 Sometimes when we go to GT, we have wo say in from rece to catch up on regular work, hap 13 a Th On Vi 18 You never really get to do anything in school because youle sor of ahead of everyone ele The disadvantages of being smart are that you get called 4 geek, and there are people who are smart that have been called erany. [BL Sometimes you ge stuf 50 csy that when something hard comes along, it rough because you te not used to i "Hlow would you define “smart”, 1 think means to think creatively | Smart means you have a thinking acrantage. [BI would define “smart” as people wko have known how to read, do math, have known history and have known ‘how co survive in the wilderness wit only alfa san ‘wich since chey were sx years od “What style ofteacher do you most like clear fom and why? Gharactristics). [The syle of teacher I ike wo lear fom isa teacher who stretches your ails. 1 Tlie the kind of teachers who ae challenging, and ike teachers who ifyouaska question they can answer itand they give you comments on papers. BL ike to learn from a teacher that ie nice and kind and does yellin an angry voice because I get scared of very loud angry voices. | What style of teacher do you lest ike wo lean from and why? (characteristics) _ 1 dont like teachers with low expecutions 1 She has too many rules weaig Life Caro 1 Non-inceracive. A very mean teacher because mean teachers will most likly kil you if you don’ spell “hypothesis.” HEI dont lke teachers tha read without expresion and. ‘who dort cally challenge you or dont ell laugh lo and who dont really do a lot of challenges or don't reward you ‘What do you wish your teachers knew oF understood about - you? wish I could think ofa bette way to sy this, but every single paper is too easy and ita waste of time for me. I wish they wouldni se me ik last resor of someone toallon 1 wish my teachers knew that sometimes I fel like Ym only leaning thing | aleady know: 1WC wish my teachers understood that Ihave a good brain and I wane 0 sei for school, Tam nor a nerd! ‘mT wish char kids understood that I need challenge. HL wish that people would understand that we just earn diferent "years that help to create a positive earning environment for Ides like your 11 They've taught mero keep stick ro ie 1 Theyre ok fr difren ways solve oer problems 1 They le me go to GT. hp 3: Ther om Vie We use lots of learning games. 1 They make me laugh. BA scrategy my teachers have used to create a positive learning environment isnot cusing, “What do you think teachers need to know about gifted students They need co remember that we want to learn, to, 1 I know this sounds mean, bur I rally don like to be with kids at a lower level 1 They nead to know that we get bored, WE NEED J4gDER woRket i To focus on all of us. She only focuses on the struggling kids tI wish that they would know ifwe ready learned it. 1 Sometimes we ge frustrated. BL We need to exercise our gifts more often, Ifyou cold change something about chook what would it be sand why? 1 Te-would be thatthe teachers would let you WI wish we could lean about everyting we want. BI would have students teaching tachers because they reed t learn somethings 1 le would beso boring. You would ger as much peace and quiet. I just makes your brain build up with ideas!ig if ee Caro 1H Oh, iewould be very bad! I probably would shrink back to alower level I would go somewhere where there was GT. Bt Mybeain would start hurt because I would not beable 1m That would be a BAD DEAL because my brain would break down without GT class. And for another thing I would ery Ie would be hard on me to not have GT; but then again, school would be easy. Middle-Grate Shdente ‘What are the advantages of being smart? 1 An advantage of being smarcis that sometimes my brain calculates answers before I think about them. Wt chink the advantages of being smare ae that you usu- ally ge beter grades and you are complimented on stuf you go right. EI can help all my fiends with theie homework if they need help. And i gives you a good feeling tobe able to do that—to help someone ras thei grades ‘Whar are the disadvantages of being smart? 18 dont like it when people ty to chea off my papers oF get mad at me when I wont give them an answer I The disadvantages of being smart are being chosen bbecause you are smart, not because you are a good fiend. Everyone relies on you to get the right answer Always having to he the “teacher” for other students hg Te on Vie 'W_ People may make fun of you. Ie might be harder to make fiends 1 Other people dont understand you. They might think youre stuck up ora know-it-all, BL When everyone wants help, you donlthave enough ime ‘odo what you want v do. How would you define “smart”? ‘Smart is knowing more than the teacher teaches you. |W. You dont have to be taught over and ove. ‘What syle of teacher do you most like to lea from and why? (characteristics) Wf ask lor of questions, they dont get frustrated. Tike learning from a teacher who realy understands me and who knows my abilities. WA reachcrwho is creative nd make estns INTERESTING. Bi ike to learn things from teachers who relae themselves toseudents. Then you cn listen and absorb more things from them than teachers who place themselves on a throne ‘What syle of teacher do you leat like to learn from and why? (characteriatice) 1 Teachers who ignore kids they dont ke. (8 dont like to learn from teachers tht want suff to be done their way, che “my way or che highway” option.ig Life Char ‘What do you wish your teachers knew or understood about yout 1 Even chough Iskipped a grade, Ido not Fe smarterthan everyone ee. 1 [ dont like to look at teachers but do listen to what they sy. [Bi Juscbecause Pm smare doesnt mean that Im goingtoget straight As. STILL MAKE MISTAKES! ‘What do you wish other kids new or understood about you? WI like being differen. 1 Something I wish kids knew about mei eventhough in some cass Tn more academically advanced, 'm going ‘through the same chings they are. 1 Tm noe perfec. Whenever I get something wrong, they act like I should know everything and gece rght. [Tey dont always have ro come t0:me for help. ‘What kinds of strategies have your teachers wed over the years that help to create a positive learning environment for students like you? 'W Some of my teachers have had me do harder versions of the asignments. Well, cha thing called the Principals Office. They make challenges, lke if we were doing a one-step ‘equation, then for us they would make a two-step equa m4 ger 5 The On Vie ‘What do you think teachers need to know abeut gifted students? We can lose our homework sometimes. 1 WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, By [think tha teachers need to know that were noe gifted in everything. We may excel in some subjects, while in ‘others we are nota great. Wee jus kids BL We learn differently shan notmal students Ifyou could change something about school, what would itbe and why? IW I would change the way tha gifted kids get treated 50 they ate challenged more. |W "The asignments are stupid, asking us the same bloody ‘questions over and over, making us © bored with them ‘that we will speed through them and then miss the easy problems. ‘What would school be like for you if there were no gifted and talented program or clas? Why? lal We wouldnt ge to hang out wich kids ar the same aca- demic evel during choo! ime. i Tewould be hori! For eight years of my life Ive been in GT You grow nit. I guess ou could ps0 farasto say you get addicted ti. You get rally annoyed easly without it ‘This challenging learning environmen: really allows you ‘open up and she yous felings wich feling of safer, Bi would be diferent. I probably would still be in cighthrade math if chere wasnt a GT program. But ‘now I'm in enth-grade math, wo yeas aheadnig fn te Clase igh bot ant Coleg Glee Whar are the advantages of being smart? Everything. Well, not relly. rs easier to be depressed when you area philosopher. 1 eis not so much about being smart but about having & spark inside that can be coaxed to lame, Tam able to carry on intelectual conversations with people much older than me.I feel more confident about School than mose people do Being smart broadens your perspectives because you ate able o understand many things from various areas ic encourages learning of those things you dont know. i The main advantage of being smart, for me, was not having to work as hard at leming concepts or memora- inginformation as most of my classmates, which feed me up to work more creatively and independently I think I was ableto do more, in terms of enrichment activites ike special-interest classes, independent projets, and extra curricular activites, ‘What are the disadvantages of being sar? There are afew disadvantages of being smart. You are bored lor in class and you become restless very cal 1M A disadvantage ofbeingsmartisthat Iam constanly put ino the “smart” group and always expected to i every- ‘one else expectations of that group. I, in turn, become way to hard on mysel 1 just imagine how wonderful would be ogo to school and fel cotallystetched—pushed to my limits and past (Cher 13: in Their Oo Voies Instead, cis my responsibilty to push myself and map ‘out the edges of what I can do. 1 Being smar puts you on a different level of expecation ‘oui expected tobe atthe top of our clas, pas every tes, and succeed at everything you do. Hi Teachers usualy keep to their own agendas and just forget about the smart kids. WT chink a lot of cynical thoughts sometimes and then wonder if would be happier if werent a intelligent. (On top ofl that, I fel separate fiom everyone sein my age group. Its very hard for me relate wo peopl. 1 There will alvays be chose who refuse to undersand motivation and its purpose in my eyes, and who will cither do their very most to bring me down or clutch ‘onto me fora fee ride to the tp. How would you define “smart”? 1 If you are academically smare, then you do. well in School, but ifyou are emotionally smart, then you may snot be very good at math or any ther subject, but you can tll how pope are feling and can figure out what you can do to help them, 1 Smaris being smare enough to krow you dont know ‘everything but stupid enough to want to, 1 helive “smart” isa term often sed to describe the ability to regurgtare answers, which is noc alvaysas negative ait sounds. However, intelligence isthe bly to deduce one's ‘own concsions. [would much rar be ineligent. BLT would define “smart” as a natu passion 10 gain knowledge and, more importantly che necessary persis: tence and patience embedded with that pasion.ign Life Charo Chr 13 Their Oo Vies ‘What syle of teacher do you most ike to lear from and why? 1 Tate having to be taughe by teachers who make you (characteristics) follow the pace ofthe slowest srudent Like a teacher who gives me a goal that I chink willbe impossible co each, but by the end ofthe year Ihave achieved it.I ike this because it shows me that Ihave made visible progress, ike teacher who have a new project or challenge ready forme when [finish another. like vachers that ae con- tantly asking the class thought-provoking questions. ike o learn from teachers whose emphasis is learning not difficuley, hecause isnot relevant fr a class 10 be really difficult, Learning matters more. 1am more influenced by teachers who show that they love what they do. When iti apparent that they love what they do, that energy is intoxicating and ic makes sme want to learn why, and it makes me inersted in what they do, Profesors and teachers I enjoy the most are those who structure thelr cases with independent discovery pro- jects, with availabe support for questions ike to learn from a teacher who can guide me from theory to applicability. I appreciate knowing why it's ‘important for me wo lear something and how I can use it, However, I dant like being condescended to. ‘What style of teacher do you leas like to lear from and why? (characterstis) 1 I dont appreciate teachers who only accept of look for correct answers, or go stright from the textbooks. I ‘think teachers who do those things could loosen up a Tce and sil tay on ease 1 The syle of eaching thats my leant evorte the type thar does nothing but ecu the clas onthe ides ba suc unwiling to hear ous o¢ question various bel Tm never comfortable leaming frm people who make themselves superior to their studers, who don care about what they teach, of who dost take charge. find ichard lean fom teachers who simply ell you tw openabook, rea chapter do "bok work” and give tua tet over thar chapter. Teachers who dost update leson plans to ft the real word. ‘What do you wish your teachers knew or understood about you? WT wish that my teachers understooe that Tam usualy ‘only eriousin class, and chatisnt how my wholelifeis. 1 ‘wish they understood that !am not oo concerned with any grade Thave had teachers tell eta lighten up about ‘my grade. Usually che only eason thet Ihave given them to sy such a thing that Iocasionally ask ro ce ifm, smisinganything. In my opinion, thisisone of the worst ‘things they could tell me. Sometimesit seems that teach- rs think tha just because Icome vp to them and tll them that chey have graded one of my papers wrong instead of just laving it, they automatically think that all are about is my grade, This snot tue. 1 wish that my eachers understood that care about my ‘rade, moreso than they do, nd th forgotten home- work assignment oa poor gradeis neta personal affront to them, but an accidentign ite Charm 1 Twould ike my teachers to know tha lik wo figure seu ‘ut for myself and tha they dont need to give us home- ‘work on simple chings that dont est my knowledge. I wish my teachers knew I dideit need things beaten into iy head 50 times to get me to remember something. I wish my teachers sealized how much Icareaboutearn- ing and that they need to let the people who want to lear, lean! | wish my teachers understood that Ihave many things ‘going on and I get overloaded and stressed out. wish they would be more lenient on due dates. Sometimes theres just too much all atone time. I wich they could ell when Id been up all ight reading Jane Eyre and chat it shook me to the bedrock and understand chat was why my homework was ali ack- luster. I wish they could see thatthe book was more important. wish they could se that I hadnt spent my night watching television and avoiding work, spent it renovating myself I wish they could sce that T want them to make their clas what keeps me up at night. I wish they would. WI wish my teachers understood that Iam ambitiout I just have appalling time management skills. HLL wish my teachers understood that I work best on my ‘own; need help, | ask fort. [dont ike group work oF someone breathing down my neck. ‘What do you wish other kids knew or understood about you? 1 wish other kids knew that I dont ery to be an Yover- achiever” and cha Iam just a normal student trying to dowel in schoo hp 13 Te om Ve 1 I would like for my “pees” co understand cha my fil. ‘resin socal incractions do noc ranslate into me giving them the cold shouldes 1 I wish that other students would understand that I do not like it when they ty to compare chemselves to me. think everyone has their own char:terstis, |B L wish oher kids understod that the reason Lam so dil- ‘gent in my studs is because i it a way for me to challenge mel. [challenge myselfto get my work done ‘Quickly and nicely. Kids always wonder why I do 50 ‘much homework and take so many clases. Is my only ‘way to enjoy school ‘What kinds of strategies have your teachers used over the years that help to create «positive learning environment for sudents lke you? Ihave had teachers who have given the lass an assign- ‘ment thats open-ended, and so for those of us chat may ‘ced a challenge, we can do as much work as we want, instead of some classes where we may jst fill in the answer toa question, They use things chat we like todo w show us what they want us to know. “The mos “positive learning environments” Ihave been subject co are clases in which [am most independent, am allowed space to think, and am given back my fre ddom of expression, (8 The times chat Ihave hada postive earning experience are when teachers acknowledge meand go the extra ep tochallenge me.I get realy bored, nd once 'm bored, | jst shutoff and havea ba atiudeiLife Charo ‘What do you think teachers need to know about gifted student? I chink chat teachers need to know that we have adiffer- ‘ent line of thought and that we need more of diferent things an les ofthe same old, same old I chink that some teachers need to understand tat there is such a thing as gifted seudent. All tudents are not ‘created equal Forcing 2 gifted student to repeat topic which they have already learned noe only doesn teach them anything, ican cause chem to lose intrest, some- times resulting in serious drop in grade. [think teachers need to know that when we are bored, ids noe that we are being ude or dsinerested, ts just ‘that we arent lening anything new, and as rel, we feel we are wasting our time. 1 "Teachers need co know that we don view ourselves as superior to our peers in any way: it just that we want to be challenged a bie more. 1 I think chat teachers need co know that gifed students hhave the ability to take cheie knowledge othe next level and may need help o do 0. 1B chink many gifted students are passionate about certain things and ifteachers encouraged these areas, it would be ‘beneficial for the growth of ft stents Ifyou could change something about school, what would itbe and why? IFT could change anything about school, it would be to ‘create more advanced classes and to sort them so they ae available all hroughout the day, noe crammed into the las wo clas periods. "Tha way, students who choose to ‘excel are not forced to choose between the four advanced classes they want. Chap nT om Ve iI would change how strict the classes are. I dont like being punished for other people's actions, and you learn much beter if you like the atmospher. IF could change something about schoo, ie would be that the “advanced” classes were’ just cen as some- thing to put on a resume, but raiher as an actual advanced class where we were fice of the kids who just do enough work co ge the grade but dnt really care. I would make clases based on inteligence. This was more relevant when I was younger because now I can take AP clases, and the GT dass, and Honors class ‘When I was litle I was ofen bored to tears in classes, going over times tables forthe thie tme...agin, when I got ast week IFone of ewo students don understand it, they juse do it again. Also, sudents should be ‘rewarded for going beyond, nor for doing what they are SUPPOSED to do. For example, some kid at my other School were given candy for doing the: homework. did ‘my homework but was aot given cand. These kids get in thei head thar mediocrity is okay as long as you do what you ae supposed todo, IF could change something about schoo, ie would be the amount of time that ie wasted. I think there ae such beter ways to use time, bur as studens, we have ro say at school and ware large part of our day. I would want to have more AP and alternative subject classes so tha smarter students can lean more and learn new things no typically caught in high schoo. 1 wish my teachers werent under such pressure to make ‘everyone feel good about themicles chrough grade inflation, because university profess aren. I wish my teachers had higher standards forall of us and a magicIte Lif te Ceo wand to motivate the lss- motivated so asses woulda't be such a drag. ‘What would school be like for youif there were no gifted and talented program or class? Why? think schoo! would be prety boring because woulda’ have class to look forward o. I fel more comforble and relaxed in GT because | know that I dont have to have any specific persons ideas being woven into my work. Everything that I doin here can be unique and original 1 There would be far more werk and less real ering 1 chink hat perhaps I woulda have found my interes in photography uncil much late: Because T got ro choose a ‘photography-based project lin GT clas) 1 was able to find what motivates me eatly on. I was beter prepared then to decide what I wantel to do in che fare 1 I would haveboen more confused sbout myself The GT program helped me undertand that there are mote people out there who are like me, and tht it isa bad thing "There you have it—straight from the mouths of gifted su dents. No middleman to «wist cr tame their words. Ie is fascinating not only to hear direty from the students about their experiences, but also ro watch he changes as they progress in maturity. As we discussed in the chapter on humily, we often worry abou GT students thinking theyre superior in some way, and tis cemping to remind chem otherwise. But as wwe listen to them grow olde, we sc thac time it a good teacher and helps them to pur things in proper perspective, and matu rity catches upto abil. ‘We can als se that each child speaks from his own exper ences, Just at ied children have diferent passions and interests, they aso have different expectations, needs, and priorities. ‘The realy cool partis that you don' have to guess and hope that you accidentally hia home run with your eyes closed, All you have wo dois ask! ‘Wait a minute! Okay, maybe thats not all you have to do Some kids havea difficult time communicating inthe ta ‘ional manner or dant feel comfortable expressing their needs voally. They may need to writ cheir feelings down on paper ‘They may need co communicate with someone they east and who has already established a relationship with them. Bar the poine is thatthe answers for any given child are found within that child. Books on giftedness wil help. Knowl ‘edge of general traits of ied individuals will help you to know ‘what to look for. Knowledge of techniques to help you meet their needs is critical However, dont forge that the mos important sousce for information on whata student needs isthe student herself You cant translate any of the other knowledge inwo solutions wiehout knowing the individual ‘Dont us take our word frit. Youve got some prety Ine: ligen Life in that classroom of yours. Ask che seudents!