Gifted Program
Designing an effective educational program for working with gifted and talented children poses a number of challenges that don't necessarily pertain to academics alone. Just as when designing an educational program for any child, the child's temperament, emotional development, and interpersonal social skills must be addressed alongside the academics.
One method of working within the general public school system, even those without a specifically designated gifted program, is to move the gifted child into a class of older adults studying at the grade level the gifted child has attained. Skipping grades like this puts a child into the midst of older children going through what might be a significantly different phase in sexual, physical, and emotional development.
Another way of relocating an exceptional child within the parameters of still another typical gifted program is to group together the gifted and talented children within a specific school or school district. Children representing all age levels might participate in a given area, making interpersonal skills with children of all ages an important consideration in designing a program for these exceptional children.
There are some personality traits that seem to be strongly associated with children of advanced achievement, whether or not they are enrolled in any specific gifted programs during their school years.
These children tend toward depression and harbor feelings of remorse, often characterized by thoughts of "I should." Gifted students sometimes employ self-deprecating humor to offset their shyness. They report feeling plagued by feelings of guilt and shame, often exacerbated by their tendency toward procrastination.
All these feelings and character traits stem from the high level of perfectionism exhibited by students eligible to enroll in many a gifted program. When perfectionism is understood and used effectively, it can lead the way to the desire for excellence in an exceptional individual. When perfection becomes stifling, however, frustration can become a most undesirable result.
To awaken a child to his or her fullest potential, any gifted program must take into consideration all aspects of the special child's life, without focusing too much attention and effort on intellectual pursuits alone. Regardless of a child's learning capacity, a well-rounded education will serve best in the long run.