Gifted kids

Main characteristics of gifted children

Gifted children make up about 2 to 5% of the population and exhibit an IQ greater than 130 in specialized intelligence tests. Their main characteristics include: 1. Rapid learning at very young ages 2. The ability to create small or major inventions intuitively, without going through the necessary stages of learning 3. Intense focus on their area of interest, to the extent that they become isolated from the outside world 4. High curiosity and exceptional memory. 

Many also attribute additional common characteristics to gifted children. They often display strong intrinsic motivation, a tendency for generalization, a rich vocabulary, humor, imagination, sharp critical thinking, keen observation skills, interest in others, a strong sense of justice, and maturity in play from an early age. Some researchers even extend these characteristics to physical attributes, suggesting that these children are on average superior in physical development and health compared to their peers.

However, research has revealed that alongside these advantages, gifted children often face significant psychological challenges. Their social and emotional lives are disrupted at a rate of 20-25%, twice as high as the general population. Their differences from other children are quickly perceived by both themselves and their peers, often leading to communication difficulties. It is not uncommon for gifted children to try to hide their abilities, particularly during middle childhood, in an effort to be more accepted by their friends. Interestingly, giftedness appears to weigh heavier on girls, as gifted girls exhibit higher rates of depression, psychosomatic problems, and lower self-confidence compared to gifted boys.

Gifted children with learning difficulties

Many children may be gifted yet display few or none of the aforementioned traits. These are often children with asymmetrical brain development, excelling only in the functions controlled by the more developed hemisphere. For example, a child with a more developed right hemisphere may excel in mathematics, music, or art, but struggle with language and theoretical subjects, which are controlled by the left hemisphere and vice versa. Such children often have uneven academic performances and are not generally regarded as "good students," let alone recognized as gifted.

Research findings on this topic are telling. A study of a thousand high-performing teenagers revealed that 95% showed uneven abilities, particularly between mathematical and verbal skills. High performance in mathematics and science was often accompanied by average or below-average performance in language-based subjects. In another study, psychologist Bloom from the University of Chicago analyzed the biographies of 20 world-renowned mathematicians and found that none had learned to read before starting school, despite excelling in mathematics even before school age; notably, 30% (six out of twenty) had reading difficulties. A similar study on inventors with exceptional mechanical and spatial skills found that many had reading and writing challenges in childhood and were not regarded as "good students." An interesting example is Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light and the telephone, who was expelled from school after just three months because his teacher deemed him "mentally slow."

Educating gifted children

Proper education for gifted children begins with the accurate identification of their talents. Giftedness is typically defined as having an IQ >130 in IQ tests evaluating both linguistic and mathematical abilities. However, these criteria can exclude many gifted children with uneven skill distributions, such as those talented in music, arts, or mathematics but less capable in language.Therefore, selection should be based not only on intelligence test scores but also on demonstrated performance in the child's area of excellence. Successful education also requires specialized teams visiting schools and kindergartens to identify gifted children using appropriate assessments.

Selection as "gifted" should lead to attendance at suitable schools, not necessarily separate institutions but schools equipped with the necessary labs, tools, and trained educators to cultivate their talents to the fullest. Many experts advocate for gifted children to study in regular schools with the general population, receiving specialized instruction for a few hours a day to avoid social isolation and resentment from peers.

In Greece, however, there is limited provision for the specialized education of gifted children, unlike in many other European countries. Although the establishment of music and sports middle and high schools represents a step forward, it is not enough.There are still hundreds of talented children in painting and other fine arts who must pay for private training to develop their skills or wait until university to pursue their passions systematically. Additionally, brilliant minds in the natural and theoretical sciences often get lost in the crowd, attending classes far below their intellectual capabilities for years. These children should receive reinforced education to fully exploit their potential and be supported by the state for further studies and even professional development. Unfortunately, most are neglected, until they are discovered by foreign universities or companies, where they move abroad and contribute their talents elsewhere.The education of gifted children is crucial, as its quality can directly affect not only the future of these children but also their families and the entire nation. It is therefore in everyone's best interest, especially policymakers', to invest in this area.