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3 myths about gifted students:

Many parents wish they had gifted children without realizing the implications of what it means to bring up a sensitive child who is a quick learner, often gets bored and is more comfortable with older children rather than their classmates. Let’s look at three myths about gifted children when it comes to academics: Gifted children get great grades Not all gifted children get good grades. Most children who are gifted usually learn how to read by the age of 5 and they will know more of the curriculum than other students. So why don’t all gifted children go to IITs and IIMs? This is because gifted children like to question and are problem solvers. This is an aspect which is not encouraged in the Indian education system. What many teachers do not realize is that it takes one sarcastic comment to hurt a gifted child. It also takes a good teacher to provide them with the opportunities. Some gifted children fear that anything less than an A is a personal disappointment. These children may also think a lot and may find it difficult to take risks. Gifted children are more intelligent than children of their age Gifted children learn faster, but this does not make them smarter in other aspects. A five year old may be reading books for 10 year olds and have the ability to spot mistakes but they may not have the emotional maturity. Gifted children have good jobs A study conducted in 2010 by British psychologist Professor Joan Freeman followed the lives of 210 child prodigies. It found that only six ended up becoming extremely successful. What to do As a student: If you think that you are a gifted child, approach your parents and ask them to talk to a teacher or a counsellor so you get the additional support apart from academics that you require. This will help you nurture your talents. If you are a parent and you think that your child is gifted: There is a gifted assessment test that a psychologist can conduct. There are gifted enrichment workshops that your child can take part in.  Also, make sure that you treat your child like any other child and provide them the love and support that they need. For a teacher: If you have a gifted child in the class, they may not like a fact or a problem explained repeatedly. A gifted child is more likely to ask questions that you may not have the answer to. You may not have that much time to deal with a gifted child individually, but you can spare 5-10 minutes after class and give them worksheets of the chapter taught in class but at a more advanced level. Source:INDIAN COLLEGES. URL : http://examhook.com/jee_mains.aspx