Q. i was jw if there was any gift experiance site dedicated to teens as most of them are anoyingly for over 18's . .. grumble ..
ty : )
a gift experience is like were you can go white water rafting or to a theatre and dinner ect
http://www.thanksdarling.com/
but ones with more for teens and couples : )
ty : )
a gift experience is like were you can go white water rafting or to a theatre and dinner ect
http://www.thanksdarling.com/
but ones with more for teens and couples : )
Answer
What is a gift experience site?
What is a gift experience site?
Why are gifted people such underachievers?
Vera Lynn
My teenager stepdaughter has been considered "gifted" since the 3rd grade. However, she doesn't even try to succeed in school and makes D's and F's on her report card and won't put out the least little bit of effort on anything. So I started talking to people with experience with gifted people and looking on the internet and found out that many gifted people have a problem being chronic underachievers. They do worse in school than kids with learning disabilities! And as adults they tend to sabotage every opportunity for success. Not to mention the problems they have with social skills (can't relate to "normal" people and getting frustrated) and horrific disorganization. So what I'm asking is there anyone out there with a gifted child who is exhibiting these problems and has any pointers on how I can help my stepdaughter to not totally self destruct! This gifted thing seems to be more of a curse than a blessing.
Answer
First of all, many children who are gifted find school so easy from the get-go, they never develop the organizational skills and work ethic, if you will, to be high achievers. I think this may be the most important reason that gifted people are often underachievers, not because they are gifted. Our public school system, and in fact many private schools, are unable to offer highly gifted kids the speed and depth of learning they can absorb. There are programs out there, but you have to search for them, they are rarely offered on a silver platter to a parent!
She's already a teenager, so her behavior patterns of low achievement are well established. Some serious intervention needs to be done to salvage her potential, in my estimation.
When I was in school, grading was on a curve. I remember it being great fun to see how low of a score I could get, and how little work I could do and still get A's and B's. I once got a B on a chemistry test that I only scored a 54% on because few people in the class did well on it! To this day, I tend to daydream and put things off and do them in a half-hearted manner and I'm middle-aged.
Here is a link to an article I just love that can explain this somewhat. http://www.stephanietolan.com/is_it_a_cheetah.htm. What it says is that if you don't allow the gifted child to perform at the high level they were designed to do, they will still be gifted, but may lose the ability over time to ever exhibit this characteristic to its fullest.
I knew two other gifted kids who started acting out early because they couldn't stand to have to keep doing hand-outs and spend time doing things they already knew. They, fortunately, had parents who understood this and addressed it. But I think of all the ones who's gifts and lack of correct placement in classes pretty much ruins who they might be.
The social skills are often because they feel different from the other kids they are with. My mom, who is highly gifted, never had friends. She felt like she was "from another planet" she thought so much differently than her peers. Being appropriately placed as well as highly supported and encouraged from their family does wonders for this. Suddenly they are with other kids who are just like them and their family understands what is happening in their head! What a wonderful thing! Also, I think introversion tends to be more common in highly gifted children.
I don't know how old your step-daughter is, but many states have talent searches that kids can participate in. The kids in this are offered "above level" testing; your step-daughter would probably take the ACT or SAT test. This identifies their current achievement level (she may surprise you on what she really knows) and can open doors for summer and other programs, for gifted kids if she scores high enough. If she has already been identified as gifted, and you don't think she's learned enough, because of her lack of attention in school to do well on the test, have her study for it, for crying out loud! There are books offered through each testing corporation that offer actual SAT and ACT tests to take as practice. It would be a shame to miss out on something she could learn with a little studying if she is truly gifted. She would be placed in an environment with other students like her and teachers who know how to teach gifted kids.
The problem could be related, as the other answerer said, to the divorce or death of one parent (I obviously don't know your circumstances). These major life changes can lead to depression and lack of enthusiasm as well as acting out to "punish" the remaining parent or new step-parent. This is just throwing out info since I don't know anything about your family other than what you have said.
I hope my long-winded response will help you. I have spent the last 14 years studying resources and articles, talking to people, driving my son to special advanced classes and am very passionate about appropriate education for gifted kids. My husband and I have a highly to profoundly gifted teenage son. We happened to be in a good school district where the administration was willing to work with us in part because we were willing to help out where they couldn't help us because of financial and time constraints. I urge you and your husband to follow up on this and be proud you have such a special human being as a child! The Hoagies site I have included in my sources is a comprehensive site and will have articles to help you if you spend some time looking through it. Please do this for your step-daughter and good luck!!!
First of all, many children who are gifted find school so easy from the get-go, they never develop the organizational skills and work ethic, if you will, to be high achievers. I think this may be the most important reason that gifted people are often underachievers, not because they are gifted. Our public school system, and in fact many private schools, are unable to offer highly gifted kids the speed and depth of learning they can absorb. There are programs out there, but you have to search for them, they are rarely offered on a silver platter to a parent!
She's already a teenager, so her behavior patterns of low achievement are well established. Some serious intervention needs to be done to salvage her potential, in my estimation.
When I was in school, grading was on a curve. I remember it being great fun to see how low of a score I could get, and how little work I could do and still get A's and B's. I once got a B on a chemistry test that I only scored a 54% on because few people in the class did well on it! To this day, I tend to daydream and put things off and do them in a half-hearted manner and I'm middle-aged.
Here is a link to an article I just love that can explain this somewhat. http://www.stephanietolan.com/is_it_a_cheetah.htm. What it says is that if you don't allow the gifted child to perform at the high level they were designed to do, they will still be gifted, but may lose the ability over time to ever exhibit this characteristic to its fullest.
I knew two other gifted kids who started acting out early because they couldn't stand to have to keep doing hand-outs and spend time doing things they already knew. They, fortunately, had parents who understood this and addressed it. But I think of all the ones who's gifts and lack of correct placement in classes pretty much ruins who they might be.
The social skills are often because they feel different from the other kids they are with. My mom, who is highly gifted, never had friends. She felt like she was "from another planet" she thought so much differently than her peers. Being appropriately placed as well as highly supported and encouraged from their family does wonders for this. Suddenly they are with other kids who are just like them and their family understands what is happening in their head! What a wonderful thing! Also, I think introversion tends to be more common in highly gifted children.
I don't know how old your step-daughter is, but many states have talent searches that kids can participate in. The kids in this are offered "above level" testing; your step-daughter would probably take the ACT or SAT test. This identifies their current achievement level (she may surprise you on what she really knows) and can open doors for summer and other programs, for gifted kids if she scores high enough. If she has already been identified as gifted, and you don't think she's learned enough, because of her lack of attention in school to do well on the test, have her study for it, for crying out loud! There are books offered through each testing corporation that offer actual SAT and ACT tests to take as practice. It would be a shame to miss out on something she could learn with a little studying if she is truly gifted. She would be placed in an environment with other students like her and teachers who know how to teach gifted kids.
The problem could be related, as the other answerer said, to the divorce or death of one parent (I obviously don't know your circumstances). These major life changes can lead to depression and lack of enthusiasm as well as acting out to "punish" the remaining parent or new step-parent. This is just throwing out info since I don't know anything about your family other than what you have said.
I hope my long-winded response will help you. I have spent the last 14 years studying resources and articles, talking to people, driving my son to special advanced classes and am very passionate about appropriate education for gifted kids. My husband and I have a highly to profoundly gifted teenage son. We happened to be in a good school district where the administration was willing to work with us in part because we were willing to help out where they couldn't help us because of financial and time constraints. I urge you and your husband to follow up on this and be proud you have such a special human being as a child! The Hoagies site I have included in my sources is a comprehensive site and will have articles to help you if you spend some time looking through it. Please do this for your step-daughter and good luck!!!
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
No comments:
Post a Comment