Gifted Kids: Your Child Could Be The Next Einstein

Have you ever wondered if your child is gifted? Many parents do this, looking for the traditional signs: the expression of a gift in verbal, numerical, or spatial reasoning. However, the truth is that not all gifted children display their talents in these media.

These three areas are highly regarded for good reason. Used together to measure an individual’s overall IQ, or intelligence quotient, these three indicators are quantified and averaged into a score, or overall IQ. The average IQ is 100; a score that would indicate that a child can solve problems and analyze situations on a par with the average intelligence of those in the same age group.

Traditional measures of gifted children

When a child has an IQ significantly above average, they are considered gifted. However, there is more than one level of gifted when talking about an extraordinary child. The first milestone is around the 130 mark, building up to 150. This range is where children will often perform one or two grade levels above their peers. They can understand more complex concepts and ideas than what they are taught and seek greater challenges.

The next level is that of the gifted: those children with an IQ of 180 or higher. It is difficult to quantify numerically the level of intelligence displayed by children at this level. It manifests itself not only in the knowledge they retain, but also in their ability to solve complex problems, understand the intricate rules of geometry and algebra, or instantly memorize musical compositions as early as four years old. Children who are so gifted will display their gift in a host of wonderful situations, starting at a very young age and almost always looking for an intellectual challenge.

A comparison of gifted and non-gifted children

As reported in Gifted Child Quarterly in July 2000, Thomas Oakland, Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Florida, evaluated a sample of 1,554 gifted and non-gifted students between the ages of 8 and 17. He used the Student Styles Questionnaire, an advanced measure of extraversion, creativity, decision-making style, and a general preference for order.

The results show many general correlations in gifted students across the group. Some of his finds include:

o Gifted students are 29 percent more likely to have active imaginations than non-gifted students.

o Gifted girls are 55 percent more likely to have active imaginations than non-gifted girls.

o Girls in both groups preferred to make decisions based on values ​​rather than logic.

o Gifted children are 28 percent more likely to prefer to make decisions based on values ​​(rather than logic), compared to non-gifted children.

o Although more girls than boys prefer organized styles to a more flexible style, gifted students generally do not show a preference for organization over flexibility.

o Gifted and non-gifted students do not show differences on measures of extraversion.

While these results show that there is an overall difference between gifted and non-gifted students, there is a greater correlation between a child’s performance and the ability of parents and teachers to understand the child and how they interact with the world. In general, regardless of intellect, children do better in school when their parents and teachers understand the individual profile of the child’s personality traits. When their unique temperament and approach to life are actively involved and nurtured both at home and at school, the child will almost always perform better, in some cases even bringing out traits of a gifted child that may not have been present. been exhibited before.

Recognize if your child is gifted

The key to recognizing that your child is gifted is not simply looking for their ability to compose music at the age of four or solving a 2,000-year-old math problem by the age of 10. There are a number of signs to look for, many of them they are much more subtle than the broad spectrum of the IQ test. The following signs are all good indicators that your child may have above average intelligence. Look for them early and follow up:

o A long attention span.

o Preference for novelty.

o On the activity to the physical sensations.

o A good souvenir to recognize the previous experience.

o Early onset of language.

o Intense curiosity, drive, and persistence.

o Obsessive interests.

o Metacognitive ability (ie, the gifted think about how they think and can talk about their learning and problem-solving strategies).

o Usually the ability to read one to two years before starting kindergarten.

o The ability to excel in abstract logical thinking.

o A fascination with numbers and number patterns.

o Typically a more reclusive or introverted nature.

o Preference for older children.

o Difficulty finding compatible partners of any age.

o Twice as many social or emotional problems as average children.

o Fiercely independent and non-conformist character.

o The ability to derive pleasure from work.

o Positive self-esteem about their intellectual capacity.

However, one thing you should always remember is that not all children are the same. The biggest problem with measures like the IQ test is that they generalize a large number of traits. Your child’s emotional development, home life, social experiences, and overall outlook on life can all affect when and to what depth their gift is expressed. In some cases, a child may not display her gift until he is almost fully developed, well into adulthood. In other cases, it can appear shortly after birth.

The best thing you can do as a parent is to nurture your child’s development, no matter what they show, helping them strive to be their best while respecting and supporting their unique personality type. Only through this level of understanding can you provide an environment where a child is comfortable exploring all the possibilities that come their way and quite often you will surprise them with what they are capable of.