"To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge it, requires brains."
– Mary Pettibone Poole
Not all Bright Children are Gifted
Photo from: www.bertiekingore.com
One of the most common mistakes teachers make is to nominate students for gifted education who are fantastic students -- but not gifted. High-achieving students, like the one in the cartoon to the right, are often teacher-pleasers. They want to do their best in school, and they try hard. They often get high grades and are a pleasure to have in class.
Not to say that gifted learners do not display those same characteristics, but a GT student is more likely to question your teaching than to happily absorb it. "While high achievers are valuable participants whose high-level modeling is welcomed in classes, they learn differently from gifted learners. In situations in which they are respected and encouraged, gifted students' thinking is more complex with abstract inferences and more diverse perceptions than is typical of high achievers" (Kingore, 2004).
For more information, consider the following list from Bertie Kingore.
Not to say that gifted learners do not display those same characteristics, but a GT student is more likely to question your teaching than to happily absorb it. "While high achievers are valuable participants whose high-level modeling is welcomed in classes, they learn differently from gifted learners. In situations in which they are respected and encouraged, gifted students' thinking is more complex with abstract inferences and more diverse perceptions than is typical of high achievers" (Kingore, 2004).
For more information, consider the following list from Bertie Kingore.