Reducing Stress in Gifted Students

Reducing Stress in Gifted Students.
Source: http://www.edgotago.com/pb/wp_2d620fbf/wp_2d620fbf.html
Source: "Gifted Voice" Newsletter

Most gifted students are typical children and have the same needs as others - physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and social needs. Giftedness, however, can sometimes add an extra dimension of intensity or depth that results in additional stress.

Causes of extra stress:
- accepting their exceptional skills, talents, and abilities as well as admitting their weaknesses/limitations
- trying to be understood and accepted by other gifted students, "normal" peers and adults
- understanding the difference between pursuing excellence and trying to achieve at a perfectionist level
- developing acceptable socializing skills with people
- developing a healthy self-concept and self-appreciation
- dealing with people who stereotype and have unrealistic expectations of them
- understanding the ways in which they are like and different from other students

To reduce stress, consider the following:
- develop a solid understanding of giftedness
- recognize efforts, achievements and improvements in a way that is free of unrealistic performance expectations
- provide opportunities to engage in challenging and exciting activities that test abilities without any pressures
- help them develop patience with themselves and others
- provide opportunities to be safely and extravagantly creative
- distinguish between hard-and-fast rules and those that can be changed
- help students learn when and how to share creative perceptions, insights and thoughts appropriately with others
- show what is and is not in their control i.e. their energy and attitudes but not their marks or awards
- allow and accept stronger emotional responses within limits
- provide methods for dealing with "boring" subjects and the occasional incompatibility with teachers
- provide counselling and advice when needed
- set appropriate expectations for effort and achievement
- decide on appropriate goals given strengths and weaknesses
- engage in activities with gifted peers as well as others
- provide realistic expectations as to what they can and can’t solve in life
- help students learn how to make life meaningful
- accepting and loving them the same as other children
- do not allow giftedness to be an excuse for rudeness, inappropriate behaviour or words
- provide opportunities for silence, contemplation, reflection, meditation
- encourage participation in sports and other physical activities in different environments
- encourage doing things for fun once in a while, not always for educational purposes

Source: http://www.edgotago.com/pb/wp_2d620fbf/wp_2d620fbf.html
Source: "Gifted Voice" Newsletter

Additional Resources

"What should gifted students do once they achieve great academic results? When marks are super high regularly, it usually means that learning skills are well mastered, motivation and responsibility are high, and there is probably plenty of enjoyment and satisfaction in the effort. Once that level of operation has been reached, gifted students can be led into other areas to further enrich and enhance their lives."
Source Quote: "Gifted Voice" Newsletter http://www.edgotago.com/pb/wp_2d620fbf/wp_2d620fbf.html

Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities

Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities
"Children who are gifted and learning disabled have an excellent chance to become successful adults. Once the learning disability is diagnosed, coping strategies can be integrated into the child's life. It is important to provide the child with a stimulating, intellectually challenging environment that includes support for the learning disability."
Quote Source: http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/article_1523.shtml

Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities

Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities : Lost Treasures

Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D.

"How is it possible for a child to be both gifted and learning disabled? When giftedness is thought of as learning-abled, it seems incomprehensible that a person could be simultaneously learning-abled and learning-disabled. However, when giftedness is seen as developmental advancement or as advanced abstract reasoning ability or as asynchrony (the discrepancy between mental and chronological age), it becomes conceivable that a bright student may have difficulty reading, writing, spelling, calculating, or organizing. Giftedness can be combined with blindness, deafness, cerebral palsy, other physical handicaps, and psychological dysfunctions. It provides no immunity against physical diseases and accidents that impair functioning."

Quote Source:

http://www.dirhody.com/discanner/gtld.html

Strategies to build a Classroom Community of students

Strategies to build a Tribe Learning Community (TLC)

Tribes is a way (process) of working with others to build a positive environment. This in turn helps promote the social and emotional well being of a child, thus leading to a caring, cooperative and collaborative learning environment.

Gifted Children with ADHD

Gifted Children with ADHD

What are Learning Disabilities?

What are Learning Disabilities?