Essential Guidelines for Teachers of Gifted Learners
What every parent and teacher of gifted children should know.
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This advice is relevant for teachers at any grade level. It’s original title was The Do’s and Don’ts for Teachers of Gifted Students. And, if you’re the parent of a gifted child, feel free to share this with your child’s teacher(s). That said, here’s some of my advice after years of studying giftedness and what gifted school children need in order to thrive.
First, do familiarize yourselves with gifted behaviors and characteristics.
Then, don’t hesitate to ask other teachers and your principal for their ideas and advice. In the earliest grade levels, most parents of gifted children are just starting their own journeys to understand what giftedness is and what their really smart child needs and likes, so although you should listen to them, try to develop a collaboration of some sort.
Do Provide Intellectual Challenge
…during each day in school from the beginning of your time with the student. Gifted children learn to underachieve in the early grades. Accomplishing what their classmates accomplish is done with no effort, no practice, and great speed. Test anxiety, perfectionism, and fear of failure may all be associated with this early conditioning and lack of challenge in school. A child who has had no opportunity to practice, to develop organizational and study skills — because nothing asked of her requires any thought or effort — is the child who is likely to crumble in confusion and self-disappointment when she runs into a challenge for which she had no opportunity to prepare!
Do give the child many opportunities to read books, even textbooks, beyond grade level.
Find materials that cover the same topic you are covering with the entire class but that are at a higher difficulty level and see if the child can read, understand, and discuss from that material. Announce what you are doing via sending notes home and also invite parents to find and share materials. Try to arrange this opportunity as often as possible in the school setting.
Do give the brightest few students in your class time
… to read alone, or build something, or listen or watch something from the huge range of possible videos available while you work with the majority of the class and ask those few students to summarize what they read by writing or recording at home later for homework. It will make it even better for you and them, if you allow the brightest students to work together on some of these assignments and activities.
If you are feeling very energetic, read the material yourself and develop summary, synthesis, and interpretation questions for these students to guide their responses to the material. Don’t try to do it all by yourself, either. Find other teachers who have students who are ready for higher level materials and instruction so that you can share the planning and teaching. Invite parents or community volunteers to help you with this task.
Do use alternate materials from the regular curriculum, like library books, for example, whenever possible.
And there are some fantastic work sheets available that are brain teasers, problem solvers, etc., so look for those as good ways to keep bright and gifted students engaged while the rest of the class is going through typical grade-level material.
Don’t ask your gifted student to do all tasks and assignments that fit the whole class.
Is there really any learning to be gained from every worksheet or end of chapter assignment that is available? If a 1st grader is reading chapter books from the 3rd grade level or beyond, why would you have that same child go through a 1st grade reader or workbook with children for whom the grade level material is more appropriately paced? Don’t stop the student’s forward progress by worrying about them running out of things to learn.
Do look at the information about all your students’ ability profiles.
Almost all children take ability and achievement tests multiple times in school during their school years. Talk to whomever you need to so you can see the results and get any of your questions answered about what the test scores mean. This will help you know if there are any quiet or hiding gifted children in your class. You may discover the trouble-maker or class clown is just trying to keep himself amused! Work with those students to discover what is going to work. Not every child is the same and whatever you have available to keep the child meaningfully engaged, provide it. Keep in mind: these children are going to meet all the expected standards even if you don’t drill them on it.
Don’t expect that gifted children’s talents are even.
If you have an incredibly math-able or reading-able child in your class, performance at the same level in both subjects may be expecting too much. There are highly gifted children who are evenly talented but be alert to those who are unevenly talented and don’t assume they are being difficult with you by not performing equally high in all areas.
Don’t focus the challenge on either the child’s strengths or weaknesses.
Allow the child to really pursue her highest interests and abilities. Help the child recognize which skills and knowledge will still be important for a normally functioning adult citizen. A child who is ready to do math several years beyond grade level may not be reading at that same level. Help the child see why being a good reader and writer will still be important. In other words, recognize the necessary “hoops.” But don’t expect you can make an area for which the child has less talent “catch up” with the strength area. Sometimes leaving the child less time and energy to continue in the strength area — by concentrating only on weaknesses — does lessen the gap, but this certainly is not progress!
Do give compliments to the gifted child for her abilities and efforts.
Gifted children need recognition for their abilities from people whose opinion matters most to them just as much as anyone else. Try to be particularly aware of when a child really has put a great deal of thought or effort into something and needs encouragement. If the child has talent in an area (art, music, games, anything) acknowledge it. Look for ways to help the child know himself. Point out when the child’s effort has resulted in improvement.
Don’t expect effort when no effort is required.
In order to successfully teach gifted children, the teacher must provide frequent opportunities to learn material appropriate to the child’s ability level. If you can already tie your shoes, for example, how do you show more effort at shoe tying and do it better? Complimenting children for the completion of activities that require little effort and no real learning only teaches conformity and people-pleasing skills. It does not advance the child’s knowledge or academic skills. Children intuitively know this and do not value compliments or good grades “awarded” for pointless work.
Don’t hold the gifted child up as an example
… for other children to emulate, compete with, or follow. Remember that most classes are deliberately set up to have students with a wide variety of talents and abilities. When less able children are already trying their best, it is hurtful to imply that they could compete with the highly gifted child if they only tried harder! Each person is unique and abilities affect interests and goals as much — and often more — than effort. Comparisons might make the gifted child tone down her abilities so as not to feel freakish or disliked. Comparisons can put all the children in an untenable, unfair position.
Do demonstrate how to prioritize, schedule, and let go.
Many gifted individuals discover early that they have many interests and can get more done than most other people. Sometimes they get over-involved and can’t decide how to lower their stress and their commitments. Many gifted children are perfectionists. They obsess over the correctness of an assignment or they can’t even get started because they are not sure they understand fully what the teacher wants. Often the gifted child thinks the assignment requires more than it does or that the teacher ever intended. Listen carefully to see if this is your student’s issue. Sometimes you have to help the student do less!
Gifted people need down time and processing time, so they must learn how to pick and choose carefully in order to allow the time necessary for emotional growth and self-discovery. Help them learn to recognize the difference between their own goals and someone else’s. Teachers can be especially helpful in this task when they allow the gifted student to omit or greatly shorten exercises and homework that constitute unnecessary review of already known or learned skills. The saved time frees the energy of the child for more meaningful reading and activities. Help them learn that some assignments are necessary “hoops.” For example, breaking down a major writing or research project into smaller parts keeps it from being overwhelming later. This approach assumes the teacher already knows that the overall project is appropriate for the ability and readiness level of the student.
Do give the gifted child the information
… that you are aware of their relative ability level. If you don’t know how to do this or don’t feel comfortable, get professional help to prepare yourself. This is not the same as saying, “I know you’re smart so I expect more of you.” Instead, “I know you are very capable and I am trying to give you materials and instruction that challenge your thinking and fit your abilities. I also am aware that sometimes you feel this makes you stand out and look too different. Let’s be sure to work together on this so we can help you learn and feel as though you fit in.” Children who are within a normal, average range can certainly handle that they “fit in” and are normal. Children who differ from the norm — and who therefore experience many things in life differently for that reason — need help in understanding why. I believe the specifics can be shared by the time the child’s mental age is about 12. Take the time to learn about levels of giftedness and the differing abilities and needs of children within the brightest segments of your classes. See 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options (Ruf, 2009).
Don’t worry that helping gifted students know themselves better
… will lead to a “big head,” a know-it-all attitude, or undo vanity. True giftedness that is understood by the possessor leads to a more open understanding and acceptance of others (if it has been explained well). The more intellectually gifted a person is, the more likely they will know how much they don’t know yet. Don’t worry that the child will feel superior to you; children need to look up to adults and you are better equipped than you may realize.
Books and Writings by Deborah Ruf, PhD
5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options in 2009. This is the original 5 Levels of Gifted book for parents and educators. Moderately Gifted, Highly Gifted, Exceptionally Gifted, and Profoundly Gifted children are the subjects of this book (78 of them) and their early milestones, behaviors, and parent journeys through how to raise and educate these children is a must-read. Parents who read this book can estimate their own children’s eventual IQs surprisingly accurately by the time they are age three to about six years old, before it is effective — or reliable — to have them professionally tested.
Here are links to the 5 Levels of Gifted book on Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/5-levels-of-gifted-deborah-ruf/1126358834 and Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-School-Educational-Options/dp/0910707987 or directly from the publisher: https://www.giftedunlimitedllc.com/store/p12/5_Levels_of_Gifted.html
The 5 Levels of Gifted Children Grown Up: What They Tell Us (2023). This is a 20-year longitudinal study follow-up about the original gifted child subjects in 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options (2005, 2009). In it, Dr. Ruf covers every conceivable topic to ask the 60 of the original study group of 78. She also shows readers how it is that people of the same original promise to succeed have vastly different outcomes. https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-Children-Grown-Up/dp/B0C9SHFRLH or https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-5-levels-of-gifted-children-grown-up-phd-deborah-l-ruf/1143719859?ean=9798988323709.
Keys to Successfully Parenting the Gifted Child (2023). Need answers fast on what to do now? This is a short book — 80 pages including pictures — that is a great starter for parents just wanting some answers … fast! The content was originally from a PowerPoint I created for the parents of gifted children presentations around the country. The contents zero in on some of the most important things about raising gifted children that parents want to know. On Amazon, Keys to Successfully Parenting Gifted Children (2022, 2023) Print and ebook. The Nook version is also now on B&N.
Losing Our Minds: Too Many Gifted Children Left Behind (Oct. 2024). This is the first book in a Trilogy meant especially for educators, parents, adult gifted, and therapists. Questions for discussion are at the end of every chapter. The book provides a detailed analysis of the different levels of giftedness, the concept of “good fit” in educational settings, and the impact of various school environments on gifted children. It also includes personal stories and experiences of gifted children and adults, highlighting the challenges they face in finding appropriate educational and social environments. Available now on both Amazon and B&N. It is not the old purple book from 2005. Also, the Kindle and Nook versions are formatted so readers can click back and forth easily and find their place again. Follow this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DL3BSC9X or this link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/losing-our-minds-deborah-ruf/1146410968?ean=2940185888872
Environmental, Familial, and Personal Factors That Affect the Self-Actualization of Highly Gifted Adults: Case Studies (D. Ruf, 1998) doctoral dissertation. Free PDF https://dabrowskicenter.org/ruf
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