Show:
Characteristics
Identification
Education
100
All GT students get high grades.
MYTH Under-achievers make up a big segment of the GT population, and for many reasons (boredom, fear of failure, lack of engagement, trauma at home, the same as anyone else).
100
Most programs define giftedness as having an IQ two standard deviations or further above the mean.
TRUE IQ is an imperfect measure, but often used for educational placements (this means about 125 or above for GT). Consider, anyone with an IQ two standard deviations or more below the mean typically receives special education services.
100
Enriched, AP, accelerated, and honors, Gifted all mean the same thing.
MYTH Gifted is not about harder or faster versions of the usual curriculum. True gifted differentiation is focused on critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and independence in learning more than emphasizing content.
200
Giftedness is rarely combined with another exceptionality
MYTH Gifted students have the same (and sometimes higher) rates of exceptionalities as other populations. This can be learning or physical disabilities, emotional and psychological disorders, heightened sensitivities and social struggles, etc.
200
The National Association for Gifted Children estimates that 6-10 percent of students are academically gifted.
TRUE Compare this to the estimates of students receiving special education services (around 12 percent by some reports). Both ends of the academic spectrum are significant portions of the population, but the consideration of services is vastly different.
200
Gifted students statistically make the most yearly academic gains of any student population.
MYTH The NAGC reports that GT students are the population making the LEAST gains each year since they are often not pushed beyond grade level content which they may acquire quickly or know already.
300
GT students are not necessarily gifted in all subject areas
TRUE Giftedness isn’t about being “smart” across the board, and GT students can struggle in any class. We’ve all heard about how Einstein was a terrible speller.
300
To get into our GT program, you must have high MAP or MEA scores and good grades.
MYTH Our GT program, like most around the country, is based on measurements of critical thinking and creativity skills. Current or past academic success is not a requirement--GT students do not always perform well on such measures.
300
GT programs tend to be elitist and violate fair and equal education.
MYTH We know that educational equality is not about identical education but about equal opportunity for growth. GT education is not about giving identified students something better, but about giving them a fair chance.
400
All students are gifted
MYTH Warning! Sports metaphor: Not all basketball players are gifted, right? We don’t let every kid play varsity. Why would all students be academically gifted? Maybe telling some kids they are “not gifted” is uncomfortable, but perhaps it is the term we should change instead of the academic service.
400
GT programs are historically biased in favor of caucasian students
TRUE There is a big movement in GT education to improve identification procedures to better represent socioeconomically, culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse populations.
400
GT students should be not utilized as role models and helpers for teaching struggling peers.
TRUE Most students will respond best to goals and models that are just beyond their current reach rather than seemingly too far away (i.e. “It’s easy for the smart kids, and I’m not like that.”) Also, sacrificing one student’s learning for another’s is inappropriate and unethical.
500
GT students can be academically successful without educational support
MYTH Warning! Sports metaphor: Athletes with Olympic potential are not expected to flourish without proper coaching. Why do we tend to think that GT students don’t need us? Despite appearances, GT students do not typically possess better self-direction or self-management skills than most students. We are not excused from teaching them because they may grasp concepts more quickly.
500
Gifted kids are defined as those who exceed developmental rates for all areas compared to peers.
MYTH GT students may, and often do, lag behind peers in any developmental area.
500
Schools are required by federal law to provide accommodations to gifted students.
MYTH There are no federal laws requiring schools to have any sort of GT programming, giftedness is not covered under FAPE, and no federal money is invested in support of gifted education.