ERIC EJ769913: Alex's Gifts

2007·1 MB·English

by  ERIC

Alex
is clearly gifted when observed
through one lens and yet obvi-
ously lagging when viewed from a different angle. He
knew his letters at 20 months, but didn’t learn to tie
his shoes until the middle of second grade. He taught
himself to read just before his third birthday, but in
third grade he still doesn’t have any close friends. He
A le x ’s
reveled in his discovery of factorials shortly after he
turned 5, yet stubbing his toe can trigger an hours-
long meltdown even as he approaches his 9th birth-
day. Alex’s academic gifts are stunning, but so are his
G i f t s
emotional and interpersonal shortcomings.
Alex is the oldest of three siblings ages 8, 5, and 3.
He was born when we were 30 years old, and we had
minimal contact with infants or small children until
he arrived. Aside from the woman at the local Thai
by an Anonymous Parent restaurant predicting when he was in utero that he
would be very smart, the pregnancy and birth were
normal. He was a healthy, happy infant, achieving
the usual developmental milestones at the expected
times until he was 15–18 months old.
Not having much experience with children, we
didn’t realize it when he started outpacing his toddler
peers. It didn’t seem unusual that he could do sim-
ple jigsaw puzzles at 18 months when we also knew
that he did not say many words. He began counting
objects at 21 months and also recognized most of the
alphabet. At 23 months he called himself “A-L-E-X
Alex” and shouted out the letters H-O-L-Y B-I-B-L-E
in the middle of Christmas Eve church services. He
was very entertaining, and we were entirely oblivious
to our unusual situation. We knew he was intelligent,
but were unaware that he was gifted.
20 summer 2007 • vol 30, no 3
Somewhere in his terrible twos, knows the capital of Mongolia finds with his siblings, thereby teaching
we recognized that he was not only it difficult to locate someone with his them academic information while he
tremendously stubborn but also an interests and life experiences. So does acquires social skills in return. We also
extraordinarily bright boy. This real- an 8-year-old who does algebra and make sure the other two kids know
ization shared space in our psyches can hum Australia’s national anthem. that they have special gifts as well—a
with a difficult pregnancy resulting in While we applaud and encourage sense of humor, being a good friend,
the birth of Alex’s sister shortly before Alex’s academic progress, we also want a loving personality, caring for other
his third birthday. During the 4–5 to see him develop socially. people. They are intelligent, so they
months prior to his party, we were Along this vein, we try to find peers see their academic skills developing
consumed with pregnancy complica- with one similar interest, say chess, and they accept that Alex is older and
tions. Concurrently, it was clear that and foster that relationship with the therefore knows more. Sometimes
Alex was getting the academic stimula- hope that other intersections will the younger kids have to sacrifice
tion he craved at his daily Montessori
program. The intersection of these To our amazement, a month before
events directed us to try to improve
his third birthday he could read
his social skills. Although he was obvi-
simple words. It wasn’t long
ously ahead of the curve academically,
before he could read anything he
he had difficulty relating to his peers
and would choose independent activi- wanted. It was at this point that
ties over social interaction. We wanted we realized, as Alex’s parents, we
to turn his attention to developing his
were beginning a lifelong search
interpersonal skills because his sister’s
for balance—for him and for the
arrival was imminent and we wanted
him to develop peer friendships. rest of the family.
Alex had other ideas about where
his efforts should be focused. While
we were trying to teach him to say develop. The most successful result their time to observe or participate in
“please,” “thank you,” and “excuse is that Alex now gets along well with something beyond their comprehen-
me,” he decided to teach himself to his classmates and can function in the sion and other times Alex is forced to
read. To our amazement, a month school environment with little dif- go to the park or endure a festival in
before his third birthday he could read ficulty. He plays with other children the name of family entertainment.
simple words. It wasn’t long before he at recess and navigates social interac- Because Alex’s talents lend them-
could read anything he wanted. It was tions in the academic environment. selves to sedentary activities, we try to
at this point that we realized, as Alex’s He has yet to find a best friend, but balance these interests with physical
parents, we were beginning a lifelong his sister and brother force him to deal exercise. Often it takes real effort to
search for balance—for him and for with a variety of social situations and get him outside, but once he’s there
the rest of the family. to develop appropriate interpersonal he plays tag or ball with his brother
Because his interests were and are connections. The best thing for Alex and sister. He also goes through spurts
mostly academic, we try to encour- is having two siblings who are bright of shooting hoops, hitting a baseball,
age these foci while also continuing and who interact with other people in or tossing the football on his own.
to foster peer relationships. Alex’s pre- the expected fashion. The 2005 NCAA basketball tour-
ferred activities are so different from Of course, having three children nament caught Alex’s attention and
most children his age that he finds means that we have to balance all of years later it still leads him to reen-
it difficult to begin and to maintain their needs. This is true for any family act college games where he scores for
friendships. After all, most people with multiple children, but more so both teams (thereby turning basket-
strike up relationships with peers who for a household where one member’s ball into a math exercise). Recently,
have similar interests and maintain skills are extraordinary enough to the best motivating factor for getting
those that include people who have consistently draw an unequal portion him moving comes from school; he
outlooks or ideals like their own. A of the available attention. Sometimes, learned in health class that exercise
preschooler who cubes numbers and Alex is willing to share his knowledge is an important component of being
gifted child today 21
Alex’s Gifts
a healthy human being. Because he x 3 x 2 x 1 (i.e., 7 factorial) possible that we are proud of him and his suc-
tries to be perfect, this is one of the 7-digit combinations that could be cesses. After all, we often focus, with
few times where his drive for flawless- constructed. This is how Alex discov- professional help, on the areas where
ness comes in handy. ered factorials. he needs improvement. As with every-
This perfectionism is difficult most The next day, he offered the follow- thing else, we try to walk that fine line
other times. His intelligence allows ing observation to his father: “Daddy, between not enough and too much
him to learn many things quickly any number factorial must be equal to when discussing Alex’s talents.
and to do them correctly with little zero because if you start at a number Parenting Alex presents us with
effort. When he is unable to pick up and then keep multiplying it by the some of our biggest challenges and
skills easily, he often gives up or will next lower number until you get to he gives us more than we imagined
not attempt an activity if he believes zero, then you will end up multiplying a child could give to his family. We
he will not succeed immediately. This the total by zero, and anything times have received endless lessons in the
is not necessarily true in academics zero is equal to zero.” When informed amazing capacity of the human brain
where he feels comfortable with his that the definition of a factorial is to
and in how deep our reserves of
skills, but in social or physical coordi- stop multiplying at one instead of at
patience really go. We all continue to
nation arenas he often withdraws. We zero, Alex unhesitatingly responded,
work hard at making our household
consistently express that we expect “Well, in that case, we don’t have to
peaceable and balanced. Our family is
only a whole-hearted attempt and that go all the way to one; we can stop
better for having him in it, and he is
perfection is impossible for humans, at two, because after we multiply by
more complete as part of our circle.
but this is an area that continues to two, then whatever the answer is, if
GCT
challenge Alex. It helps when he sees we then multiply it by one, we will
us make mistakes (which we some- still have the same answer.”
Parent Resources
times overtly make). We also attempt A more philosophical example
to show how we mitigate the effects of occurred at age 5. After several time
Barkley, R. A., & Benton, C. M. (1998).
the error through laughter or by cor- outs during the day for behavioral
Your defiant child: 8 steps to better behav-
recting the mistake. issues, Alex excitedly initiated the fol-
ior. New York: The Guilford Press.
Another point of balance comes lowing exchange:
Greene, R. W. (2005). The explosive child:
with pride in Alex’s accomplishments.
A new approach for understanding and
We love him and he is our child, there- Alex: “Mommy, Daddy, I
parenting easily frustrated, chronically
fore we derive great pleasure from thought of the hardest inflexible children. New York: Harper.
talking about him. We continually question in the world.” Gurian, M. (1999). The good son: Shap-
learn from him and want to share that Mommy: “Yes, Alex, what is it?” ing the moral development of our boys
with others. When does that become Alex: “Who made God?” and young men. New York: Jeremy P.
bragging? Does anyone believe that Tarcher/Putnam.
these things happen? Sometimes the As we struggled to reply, he walked Kurcinka, M. S. (2000). Kids, parents, and
stories sound very unlikely. away. It turns out that he wasn’t really power struggles: Winning for a lifetime.
At age 4, Alex was playing with interested in the answer to the ques- New York: HarperCollins.
foam numbers in the tub. He was tion. Instead, the question was the Kurcinka, M. S. (1998). Raising your
spirited child: A guide for parents whose
using seven different digits to create answer: The real question that he was
child is more intense, sensitive, percep-
7-digit numbers. After re-scrambling pondering was, “What is the hardest
tive, persistent, energetic. New York:
the digits three or four times, he came question in the world?” The answer
HarperPerennial.
to an important realization: “Wow, was “Who made God?” When he
Nelson, J., Erwin, C., & Duffy, R. (1998).
it’s going to take me a really long came to us, he wasn’t really interested
Positive discipline for preschoolers: For
time to make all the numbers that I in us telling him who made God, he
their early years—raising children who
can make with these digits.” Given simply wanted to report the findings
are responsible, respectful, and resource-
his interest, we helped him compute to his own research problem.
ful (2nd ed.). Rocklin, CA: Prima
how many possible 7-digit numbers We try to discuss Alex’s achieve- Publishing.
exist. Through the Socratic method, ments both rationally and minimally. Phelan, T. W. (2003). 1-2-3 magic: Effec-
we assisted Alex in determining for I’m sure we sometimes go overboard, tive discipline for children 2–12 (3rd
himself that there were 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 but it is important for Alex to know ed.). Glen Ellyn, IL: Parent Magic.
22 summer 2007 • vol 30, no 3
a d v o c a c y
Sandra N. Kaplan, Ed.D.
Differentiation: Asset or Liability
for Gifted Education?
T
The proliferation of definitions and practices related of gifted students. For example, during the study of
to differentiation has resulted in the overpopulariza- the Industrial Revolution, the teacher differentiated
tion and subsequent diffusion of the term. The con- for gifted students by defining their goal to write
cept of differentiation has been used traditionally to a persuasive essay to substantiate the positions of
recognize and support the differing needs, abilities, either the roles of employers or employees regard-
and interest of students. Today, this very same term ing working conditions. Other students in the class
could become a liability for gifted education. Ideas were assigned the task of completing a paragraph by
used to advocate on behalf of a cause have a defini- filling in words or drawing a picture to depict their
tive life span. The question is whether the idea of position related to the same issue. If the teacher
differentiation is at the point when it has lost its
had considered that all students regardless of their
vitality to be a part of the advocacy efforts on behalf
abilities needed to learn how to write a persuasive
of gifted students.
essay and had adjusted the levels of success to meet
The point where differentiation becomes a liabil-
individual or group abilities to attain the same goal,
ity rather than an asset to gifted students is when it
differentiation could have been an asset rather than
loses its identity as a defined and specific set of cur-
a source of ire by peers and parents. When the prac-
ricular and instructional practices. When differen-
tices of differentiation resemble the practices of
tiation assumes its definition in relationship to the
tracking or are perceived as the right of a teacher to
contemporary demands of the public and educators
establish predetermined or fixed ends for students
rather than retaining its definition as a response to
that inhibit their opportunities to learn, differen-
student-centered issues and needs, it is possible that
tiation has the potential of becoming a liability to
the effectiveness of differentiation to advocate for
the very populations it is trying to serve. When the
students is compromised. The comprehensiveness
practices of differentiation are recognized as the
of the definition of differentiation as a means to
obligation of the teacher to adjust the teaching and
recognize how individuals differ in the context of
learning means to the fixed or defined outcomes of
teaching and learning must be held constant if dif-
learning, differentiation has the potential to serve
ferentiation is to be an integral feature of the advo-
the needs of all students, as well as to underscore the
cacy platform for gifted students.
needs of the gifted students.
The point where differentiation becomes a liabil-
The misuse and abuse of any educational practice
ity rather than an asset to gifted education is when
the term is used as a subtle means to exaggerate dif- have ramifications that diffuse its original intent.
ferences among learners and subsequently to create Educators of the gifted can use the popularity of the
the very elitist perceptions of gifted education that concept of differentiation as an important catalyst
most advocates are trying to dispel. When differen- to support the education of gifted students as long
tiation is used to justify educational practices that as they are clear about the intent of differentiation
alter the ends or goals of learning rather than the and the elements that must be included in defining
means to these ends, it has the potential to become the concept in order for it to be an asset to gifted
a deterrent rather than a facilitator to the education students. GCT
gifted child today 23