Help them identify a cause, interest, concern or volunteer activity at school where they can invest their energies. With their strong sense of social justice, gifted students long for a meaningful expression of their caring nature. Appeal to their commitment to social justice Gifted students will readily work on memorizing multiplication tables, for example, if they appreciate that it serves a greater purpose.ģ. When rote learning or a routine task is necessary, though, they will cooperate if they understand its value. Gifted students are too "smart" to buy into learning that seems pointless they need to believe that it has some value, purpose and greater meaning.
McCoach and Siegle (2003) found that students had little motivation to exert effort if they could not find any value in the identified academic goals. Siegle and McCoach (2005) have emphasized the importance of helping gifted students find what motivates and interests them. While all students deserve an opportunity to discover their passions and interests, gifted students, in particular, will quickly resist the meaninglessness of rote learning. Engage their need for meaningful learning And they can invest their energy into challenging academic work.Ģ. Ability grouping lets gifted students engage in like-minded dialogue and creative exchange, without the fear of criticism for being "too smart." Even though they still may view themselves as different from most of the school population, they can identify with and relate to a niche of peers who understand and accept them. Vogl and Preckel (2014), for example, found that gifted students who attended gifted classes had better relationships with their teachers and more interest in school than those placed in regular classes. Gifted students benefit both academically and socially from ability grouping, or at least clustering with gifted and high ability peers. Allow gifted students to work and play together Some options for increasing engagement with school might include the following:ġ. Matthews and McBee (2007), for example, noted that gifted underachievement is "relatively malleable and may change rapidly following a suitable modification to the academic and social environment (p. With some changes in how they are treated, disengaged gifted students may start to feel more connected and involved. How can gifted children develop a sense of connection to their school? Landis and Reschly (2013) also identified the importance of student engagement in the prevention of gifted underachievement and dropping out from school. It would follow, then, that finding a means for engagement with school, and some connection with teachers and the school community is essential for gifted students. According to this model, unless these factors are present, students are unlikely to feel motivated to achieve. Their Achievement Orientation Model outlined several factors necessary for success, and included: 1) a "positive valuation" of the school's goals 2) viewing the school environment as supportive and 3) finding academic tasks meaningful. Siegel and McCoach (2005) highlighted this dilemma among underachieving gifted students. When students feel disparagingly toward their school, they may lose all motivation to achieve. Gifted students who believe they have been marginalized and ignored, who realize that they can coast through school and remain "under-the-radar," and who lose respect for teachers and administration, often become cynical and angry. While this might rekindle some of the spark, it cannot fully repair the trust already breached by the school. They attempt to advocate within the schools, pleading for some enriched or accelerated learning options, or supplement on their own with extra-curricular activities. Parents sometimes intervene when their child's motivation lags. Inherent in this is the painful awareness that the school culture does not fully accept them. They receive both straightforward and covert messages to quell their excitement, slow their pace, and conform to their peer group. Eager to learn, explore, create and engage in meaningful dialogue, their intensity may be too much for teachers or other students to tolerate. Most gifted children burst onto the scene with enthusiasm to spare. Of course, they don't start out like this.
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