Why Gifted Learners Become Underachievers

Gifted children are eager to learn and to share what they know! They make connections quickly, readily recall information, and learn with fewer repetitions than their age-level peers. In group situations, they are often the first and many times the only child to raise their hand to ask or answer questions. Sadly, their enthusiasm to learn and share their knowledge often results in their being reprimanded. They are told to stop seeking attention or showing off and to give others a chance. These rebukes, which come from parents of other children, some teachers, or other adult leaders, put the gifted child in an uncomfortable spotlight in front of their age-level peers. Often they are told not to raise their hand or that they will not be called on to participate.

This criticism of gifted learners is both academically and emotionally damaging! Gifted children enter school with great expectations, and, in a very short time, they learn to be quiet and shadow the behaviors of their age-level peers. If they don’t conform to adult expectations they may be identified as having behavior issues. The negative feedback gifted learners receive from adults in leadership roles and eventually their age-level peers, for fully participating in learning, encourages underachievement and lack of engagement during school, clubs, and group competitions. Gifted children begin to view themselves as odd or different. They develop anxiety about how they interact in a group and isolate themselves from age-level peers as early as preschool. It breaks my heart to hear stories like the one in the following article. This squashing of gifted children’s enthusiasm to learn and share their knowledge leads to common myths like: Gifted kids are just fast starters — the others catch up in a few years; gifted children are socially awkward; and gifted children do not know how to work well in a group.

For more information check out this article: https://crushingtallpoppies.com/2019/11/01/when-you-shut-down-a-gifted-child-you-might-just-shut-down-a-gifted-child-for-good/

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