What Makes a Gifted Student?

[Anonymous]

Thought I would share, especially since there has been so much insistence that "giftedness" is measured by a single test score on a single day, and the only people that are "gifted" are those students that scored in the top 2% - 5% on that specific test on that specific day.

I especially like this part of the blogpost:

Many parents and even teachers equate giftedness with good grades, high test scores, and better behavior than other students. While this may be a sign of giftedness, these parameters could leave many gifted students unidentified.
Students who are unruly, have attention issues, lacks good grades, or have no interest in completing homework or participating are not generally thought of as being gifted over others who behave the opposite. Chew on this: when Albert Einstein was a young boy, he was thought to be dumb and was set apart from other students.
While high scores and good grades can be an indicator of giftedness, there is more to earning that label. While many test students for good memory skills or the ability to analyze data, children also need to be creative and proactive in their interests.

http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/what-makes-a-gifted-student/

[Anonymous]

He was thought to be dumb because he didn't talk - not because of any of the behaviors that you listed. Your point is...that quiet kids are often gifted? If so, I agree. If your point of referencing Albert is something other - what is is it?

[Anonymous]

I see the problem going the other way. In Fairfax at least, wayyyyyy to many kids being called "gifted." A full 18% of the students are so labeled, and that would be higher if more parents fought like hell like hell to get in like so many of those who were initially denied did.

[Anonymous]

Other scales for giftedness:

Teacher evaluation
http://www.giftedresourcecouncil.org/pdf/S13_Teacher_Evaluation.pdf

Australian checklist
https://www.education.tas.gov.au/documentcentre/Documents/Gifted-students-Checklist-for-Parents.pdf

Ruf scale
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.talentigniter.com%2Fruf-estimates&ei=40TgUeHMMumCygGt14HgDw&usg=AFQjCNHAZFhbd314FwGstA-EQiLwR0mjaA&bvm=bv.48705608,d.aWc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see the problem going the other way. In Fairfax at least, wayyyyyy to many kids being called "gifted." A full 18% of the students are so labeled, and that would be higher if more parents fought like hell like hell to get in like so many of those who were initially denied did.

Why not fight like Hell when your kid has the scores, test numbers and GBRS and other kids had none of the above and got in 1st round? I fought like hell by paying the cost for a WISC and my DC got in on appeal. I would happily pay for the WISC for those who cant afford it if their kid has all 4s, in the pool and decent GBRS. FWIW - the only truly gifted are those with an actual WISC score that actually measure intelligence. The NNAT and FxAT are not IQ tests, BTW.

[Anonymous]

A proud, motivated parent with a huge ego!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see the problem going the other way. In Fairfax at least, wayyyyyy to many kids being called "gifted." A full 18% of the students are so labeled, and that would be higher if more parents fought like hell like hell to get in like so many of those who were initially denied did.

Why not fight like Hell when your kid has the scores, test numbers and GBRS and other kids had none of the above and got in 1st round? I fought like hell by paying the cost for a WISC and my DC got in on appeal. I would happily pay for the WISC for those who cant afford it if their kid has all 4s, in the pool and decent GBRS. FWIW - the only truly gifted are those with an actual WISC score that actually measure intelligence. The NNAT and FxAT are not IQ tests, BTW.

WTF? So my child that did not require an IQ test to be admitted to AAP is not truly gifted? And a WISC is an estimate of intelligence, albeit a more accurate estimate that NNAT or CogAT. PP is what is wrong with the system. People assuming that intangibles can be measured.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see the problem going the other way. In Fairfax at least, wayyyyyy to many kids being called "gifted." A full 18% of the students are so labeled, and that would be higher if more parents fought like hell like hell to get in like so many of those who were initially denied did.

Why not fight like Hell when your kid has the scores, test numbers and GBRS and other kids had none of the above and got in 1st round? I fought like hell by paying the cost for a WISC and my DC got in on appeal. I would happily pay for the WISC for those who cant afford it if their kid has all 4s, in the pool and decent GBRS. FWIW - the only truly gifted are those with an actual WISC score that actually measure intelligence. The NNAT and FxAT are not IQ tests, BTW.

WISC score alone doesn't make someone is "a gifted student." And it certainly is not the only way to measure giftedness. You are making this up; I don't know where people come up with this nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see the problem going the other way. In Fairfax at least, wayyyyyy to many kids being called "gifted." A full 18% of the students are so labeled, and that would be higher if more parents fought like hell like hell to get in like so many of those who were initially denied did.

FCPS makes it very clear to it does not label students only services in keeping with educational best practices. Therefore no FCPS students are labeled gifted. The county provides advanced academic services. It's only some of the parents who label their kids gifted.

[Anonymous]

As the article said, giftedness can be trained. Let's hope that we can train our kids to get to level 4 or level 5 from the baseline

[Anonymous]

Another good excerpt from the article:

The technical definition of gifted is “having great natural ability“, but there is much more to it than that. It is more difficult to define than one would imagine. The main idea behind giftedness is that the child leads the direction of what they want to experience, rather than someone else.

If at 20 months my tiptoe walking son had been coached, coaxed, and led to walk that way by myself or my husband it would not necessarily be a sign of giftedness because he could do it. His doing it on his own out of natural curiosity or ability is what would make him gifted.


Cited From: http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/what-makes-a-gifted-student/#ixzz2YsLgrLaz

Thanks, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Another good excerpt from the article:

The technical definition of gifted is “having great natural ability“, but there is much more to it than that. It is more difficult to define than one would imagine. The main idea behind giftedness is that the child leads the direction of what they want to experience, rather than someone else.

If at 20 months my tiptoe walking son had been coached, coaxed, and led to walk that way by myself or my husband it would not necessarily be a sign of giftedness because he could do it. His doing it on his own out of natural curiosity or ability is what would make him gifted.


Cited From: http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/what-makes-a-gifted-student/#ixzz2YsLgrLaz

so this saying it is evident without having to get a WISC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Another good excerpt from the article:

The technical definition of gifted is “having great natural ability“, but there is much more to it than that. It is more difficult to define than one would imagine. The main idea behind giftedness is that the child leads the direction of what they want to experience, rather than someone else.

If at 20 months my tiptoe walking son had been coached, coaxed, and led to walk that way by myself or my husband it would not necessarily be a sign of giftedness because he could do it. His doing it on his own out of natural curiosity or ability is what would make him gifted.


Cited From: http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/what-makes-a-gifted-student/#ixzz2YsLgrLaz

so this saying it is evident without having to get a WISC?

Actually, it sounds more like WISC plus GBRS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see the problem going the other way. In Fairfax at least, wayyyyyy to many kids being called "gifted." A full 18% of the students are so labeled, and that would be higher if more parents fought like hell like hell to get in like so many of those who were initially denied did.

+1000 Fairfax has so overdone it with the AAP nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see the problem going the other way. In Fairfax at least, wayyyyyy to many kids being called "gifted." A full 18% of the students are so labeled, and that would be higher if more parents fought like hell like hell to get in like so many of those who were initially denied did.

+1000 Fairfax has so overdone it with the AAP nonsense.

Couldn't agree more. Fairfax County: are you listening? AAP needs to be scaled way back. The majority of these kids should be in Gen Ed. And Gen Ed needs to be beefed up.