"Gifted learners are children and youth with outstanding talent who perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment." --- U.S. Department of Education, 1993

Giftedness often surfaces as early as two or three years of age, long before the schools formally identify it. A close friend of my son's began picking out tunes on the piano at eighteen months. My daughter began reading independently at age two-and-a-half. Some exceptional children understand basic principles of algebra before they enter kindergarten!

The U.S. Office of Gifted and Talented provides the following characterization of gifted preschoolers (age 2-5):

• uses advanced vocabulary for age
• has the ability to make interesting or unusual shapes or patterns through various media: blocks, play dough, crayons.
• ability to assemble puzzles designed for older children.
• sense of humor used in general conversation.
• understanding of abstract concepts such as death and time.
• mastery of new skills with little repetition.
• demonstration of advanced physical skills.
• demonstration of advanced reasoning skills through explanation of occurrences.

Even when children are identified as "gifted," most states do not fund special programs for them, because of compelling arguments to devote special resources to those who underperform academically or in the arts, rather than to those who excel. That leaves the responsibility for the education of gifted children, for the most part, in the hands of teachers and parents.

Some teachers embrace the challenge by attending special training programs for adapting their curriculum to meet the needs of gifted children in their classes. One teacher recently wrote me the following letter about a program at the University of Connecticut (UCONN):

"I am a seventh grade geography teacher, who became disenchanted with traditional education's treatment of gifted students. For that reason, a few years ago, I searched for a premier gifted education Master's degree program, thinking that I needed alternatives to bring back into my classroom. I had noticed that my gifted students needed just as much encouragement, challenge, motivation, and emotional support as my regular and special education students did -- perhaps more. These were the only students in my classroom to remain unsupported, and I saw many wasting away. I was overjoyed to find that one of the best resources for gifted education is right in my home state of CT. The US National Research Center for the Gifted and Talented, headed by Dr. Joseph Renzulli and Dr. Sally Reis, is housed at UCONN."

Reis and Renzulli define giftedness as a blend of Above Average Ability, Task Commitment, and Creativity, brought to bear upon areas of performance or interest. The general areas are similar to categories in a library: Mathematics, Philosophy, Religion, Life Sciences, Visual Arts, Social Sciences, Language Arts, Physical Sciences, Law, Music, Movement Arts.

"People from all over the world come to UCONN just to be trained by Reis and Renzulli," the teacher continued. "Every summer they run a two-week institute in gifted education called Confratute. All kinds of people attend the programs there, from educators to parents to counselors. It's a great resource.

"Best of all, they have an incredible resource network. The people associated with this program even started their own printing company, Creative Learning Press, which is now independent. They carry all sorts of books that you should devour.

"My favorite introductory book is "Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom," by Susan Weinbrenner. When I train my colleagues in gifted students' needs, I use many materials from this text, since everything a teacher needs to compact curriculum for these kids (documents, anecdotes, methods, materials) is included. It's easy to use and very teacher-friendly.

"Another favorite is the "Gifted Kids Survival Guide" by Judy Galbraith, which has other versions for parents and older students. There are more resources than I could even mention here, but get their catalog and enjoy!"

(The Web address for Creative Learning Press is listed at the end of this article).

Parents say that they need help from teachers to serve the needs of their gifted children. One parent wrote me the following eloquent letter:

"I am the mother of a gifted child. I was first able to make this claim when, at the end of third grade, he was selected for placement in a full-time gifted program, an Academy in my state that accepts 28 students. This is the only program in the state that serves the needs of advanced students on a full-time basis.

"It saddens me whenever I think of the thousands of students who might qualify for such a program, whose needs go unmet. Tens of thousands of dollars are spent annually by the government to bring sub-par students up to minimum standards, while those with true talents and a gift for learning go ignored and unchallenged in the "typical" classroom.

"Perhaps it is 'politically incorrect' to support such programs when many of our schools are overcrowded, and many of our students are achieving at embarrassingly low levels. But I think it is time for our school boards and parents to begin looking at ways to accelerate and advance the means available to those whose needs are no more or less 'special' than those of children with physical, emotional, or learning disabilities.

"I have three children, only one of whom has been identified as "gifted" thus far. The identification takes place too late and was actively discouraged by many of the educators and board of education representatives I met. How many truly bright, motivated kids are we losing before the 4th grade effort to identify them? How many are acting up, acting out, or are simply numbed into mediocrity by a system that places ALL its efforts and dollars toward lifting up those below the median and completely ignores those who are capable of higher levels of achievement?

"It is hard to raise a gifted child. They tend to be demanding, insightful, and wise beyond their years -- a joy and a burden. They challenge us by demanding that we answer all sorts of questions, from the simple to the sublime. They are worthy of our efforts, and I am tired of watching the school system gloss over their needs and cast them aside in favor of those who, in their view, need our help more."

Even in districts that identify and serve the needs of gifted children, many children with exceptional abilities may be left out. For example:

• Children from poor socio-economic backgrounds and/or minority racial backgrounds are significantly less likely to be identified as gifted in school-based screening programs.
• Children most likely to be nominated are compliant, hard workers who rarely challenge the teacher's authority.
• The extremely bright or the creative, curious and questioning students, who may be stubborn, rule-breaking, egotistical or otherwise high in nuisance value, may not be the teachers' favorites, but they sometimes are the most gifted.
• Giftedness and eligibility for gifted programs may not be synonymous. Eligibility can change from year to year for the same child, even though the child's talents remain the same.

Resources:
Kidsource: extensive listing of articles and links about gifted education: http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/help.gift.html

Center for Talented Youth (CTY), Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland: summer institutes for talented youth
http://www.jhu.edu/~gifted

National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT) at the University of Connecticut (UCONN):
http://www.ucc.uconn.edu/~wwwgt

Creative Learning Press:
http://www.creativelearningpress.com