We discovered this article on CafeMom.com and figured it would be beneficial to our readers. According to psychologist Devon MacEachron, PhD, when parents suspect that their child may be gifted, often they are correct.
A specialist in assessing children who are gifted, MacEachron provides some broad traits that are exhibited in children who are often identified as gifted. In addition to being deeply observant, gifted kids tend to have some of the following six signs:
- They are early achievers. Perhaps they have developed skills in reading, talking, or figuring out math problems sooner than their peers.
- They are really perceptive and curious. An example might be wanting to know how things are made and put together. Often, they ask why?
- They tend to need less sleep. They wake up early, dislike naps, and tend to balk about going to bed at night.
- They have high energy. They want to be engaged in activity constantly.
- They can be very sensitive. Often, gifted children tend to be uncomfortable around bright lights or can be adverse to loud environments. They may show a high level of empathy.
- They look alert. Often gifted children have a disposition of focus, engagement, and concentration.
If these qualities sound like your child, our G&T 101 Gifted & Talented Program is a great fit for them. Studies show that a common issue with gifted children is that they can get bored in regular classroom settings and may act out. That is a good indicator, according to Dixon, that your child may need a more rigorous classroom setting. Our program provides that.
Gifted students have special needs. They require a more quickly paced and in-depth instruction. Some schools have gifted programs which students can test into – something that our G&T 102 Gited & Talented Test Prep can help with. If their school does not, a good pair of options is having your child enroll in our G&T 101 or summer programs that have a curriculum designed for gifted children. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all blueprint for the development of gifted children, what is important is that parents find ways to satisfy their child’s sense of curiosity and embrace it.