The Big Bad Wolf Retrieved from http://www.stickergiant.com/tattoo-art_big-bad-wolf_eafs21
How might gifted students react to being restricted by a traditional setting?
Gifted students respond in many ways to not being challenged. Below, I’ve written about three types of responses and also two ways to help each student have a more positive experience at school:
School’s a joke…
Jim Carrey with a yo-yo. Cited from http://www.plunderhere.com/BRUCE-ALMIGHTY--Jim-Carrey-Jennifer-Aniston--DVD--D3-,name,3040321,auction_id,auction_details
Matthews and Foster (2009) discussed how some students can get bored easily and channel their energy into becoming class clowns. This is a student who is bored in a traditional setting at school but bursting with creativity and humour, a Jim Carey type of character. They are likely to channel their energy into making their friends laugh, writing comics, and basically seeing school as stage to have fun…well that’s if the teacher is lucky! Alternatively, this student could make it their mission to make fun of the teacher, and are likely to do so in a way that brings great hilarity to his or her peers. What is more, this energy can also be channelled into creating peer victims in the classroom.
How are you going to meet the needs of this student?
- He/She needs to perform so please provide positive learning opportunities for this.
- Provide learning activities that allow him or her to solve problems that they consider relevant.
Time for Sleep….
Sleeping Student. Retrieved from http://www.inquisitr.com/89196/breaking-teens-texting-all-night-are-tired-in-school/
This student is completely uninspired by the traditional classroom. If you are not careful, you will lose them and it’ll be hard to get them back. This student is not being nurtured; they are prevented from being allowed to grow; they need some freedom in the class.
How are you going to meet the needs of this student?
- Provide activities that engage.
- Get to know the student; get to know what will motivate.
Hermione Granger. Retrieved from http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Hermione_Granger's_watch
This student is exceptionally bright and wants to please. I’m thinking of a Hermione Granger style student who is industrious and driven to do well at school. Even in a traditional class room, this student will succeed, but are we really providing optimum opportunities for him or her to unleash his or her talent?
How are you going to meet the needs of this student?
- Provide problems that force them to think outside of the box to solve. They are motivated to succeed, and need to be challenged to think of new ways to experience success.
- Provide leadership opportunities in the class; they will run with these and be a positive driving force for their peers.
Please post some more responses to what can happen to a gifted student when his or her needs are not met.
Unfortunately, some bright kids have not had their needs met in my class. Click on “Caging Birds and Creating Beast” to see my mistakes and adaptations I could have made.
Professional Goal: Provide leadership opportunities for all students.
Goal for Students: Effectively use leadership opportunities.
Question: What type of gifted student is most/least likely to receive the required adaptations and why?