Were you indentified as being "gifted" as a child? Is that label used too often, on non-gifted children?

Question

If you were labeled as gifted, do you recall how you were labeled?  Were you gifted in all areas or only one?

Did you take special classes in elementary/ middle school, and did you eventually prove to be "gifted" in some way (high scores on ACT/ SAT, entrance into highly selective programs/ schools, great achievement in life)?

Is the label used too often?  Do you know of children who are identified as gifted that are merely average?  Is it bad for an average child to be identified incorrectly as gifted?  

I would love to hear your opinions on gifted programs, the identification of gifted children, your own experiences, etc.

Holly R · Accepted Answer

I was admitted to the "talented and gifted" program at school. While I stayed mainstreamed, we did have additional projects and a couple other classes that we attended. Most of the "gifted" kids I see today are basically forced into it because their parent like the idea of it. I am actually against the accelerated programs. I think having social skills (mainly empathy) are important for really smart children. Most of the genious children that I see have serious social skills and would benefit from staying in classes with children their age. All too often they advance in school and are left without a positive social network. I graduated from HS as a junior and was constantly in classes with older kids that didn't really want me there. I didn't necessarily fit into that age group socially. IMHO, children can be challenged, encouraged to take on leadership roles, and get involved in the community. I do not believe that they should just skip grades. Obviously there are rare exceptions for the child prodigy that graduates from med school at 15...but for the general "smart kid" I think it is best to leave them where they are.

lundegaard_2 · Answer

I was labeled as gifted.  I remember taking some sort of IQ test that was administered by some guy who asked me questions and had me do little tasks and stuff.  I was pulled out of class a lot in elementary school, and in high school I was always in honors classes.

I think that gifted programs are good for the same reason that other special education programs are good; different children learn differently and hence should be taught differently.  The danger is, of course, tracking, where a child's entire K-12 course of study is determined by how she does on some test in the the second grade.  Kids should be reevaluated, parental input should be taken, but the programs themselves are not bad.

Anonymous · Answer

I read way ahead of my peers and also did very well in college (3.8 GPA)...but during my middle and high school years I was labeled a problem kid and was truant a lot and barely scraped by in the grade department...

Yes more children are labeled gifted than deserve it...definitely...

confused · Answer

Being gifted beats being called minimally execptional....

Anonymous · Answer

i am still told that I am a very sphsiel person...very sphsiel.

Blushcute · Answer

No, but i was a bit of a geek!!!!!!

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Were you indentified as being "gifted" as a child? Is that label used too often, on non-gifted children?

6 Answers