Do you know what are the main characteristics of a gifted student? Have you ever come across this type of student in the classroom? Well, if you're a teacher and haven't gone through this type of situation yet, it's likely that you will and it's important to know about the subject to develop effective work.
For those who don't know, the gifted or with High Abilities are individuals who have higher mental capacities than the general population. in general, that is, they are those who have special abilities compared to other people with similar characteristics, for example, with the same age.
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As an educator, it is essential to know the characteristics of these individuals, the main ones being: ease of learning and assimilating content, agility to process complex information, need to explore topics in depth, high level of creativity and curiosity, great ability to analyze and solve problems and critical sense enhanced.
Even in the face of these specificities, many educators do not recognize the need to develop their own teaching strategies for these students. To escape this common sense, it is important to start from the premise that success as a teacher is directly related to their interest in getting out of the 'comfort zone' and contributing to the student's advancement in various aspects.
See too:How to deal with undisciplined students
In order to teach effectively and accurately, it is often necessary to bet on a targeted treatment, which certainly requires more dedication on the part of the teacher. The first step is to know the style and needs of the students who are present in the classroom and try to develop their skills.
To work with super talented students, you can adopt basic strategies, which tend to be very effective and productive in the school environment. Check out these tips and try to put them into practice:
Learn to detect the characteristics of highly intelligent students
Gifted students can belong to different groups and, contrary to what many think, they are not always the best behaved. Given these conditions, the most important thing is that the teacher knows how to identify the main characteristics of those who have these skills, which have already been mentioned above. After that, you need to be aware that these students learn in a different way and that your role as an educator is to meet their academic needs. But even in cases where there is no certainty that the student has high abilities, the teacher's encouragement is very welcome.
Bet on targeted strategies
Believe me: you will not harm a gifted student by offering him different learning conditions. When passing a work to the class, for example, create opportunities for these students to complement the content and present a more advanced result. Good educators seek effectiveness in the learning process and, therefore, take into account the level of ability of their students and do not rely solely on age. Of course, strategies designed for gifted students will not work for the entire class. therefore, it is important to emphasize that the way you work must be directed, with a focus on opportunities.
Encourage the participation of gifted people in competitions
This tip is very valid for parents and teachers who live with gifted people on a daily basis: encourage them to participate in competitions. In addition to being something that provides knowledge, it also expands and improves their skills, allowing them to feel good about themselves and their performance. With a simple internet search it is possible to find a variety of competitions and challenges that they can enter.
Be alert and stay in touch with parents
As much as teachers are primarily responsible for the development of gifted children at school, it is essential that parents follow the entire learning process of their children. But, for that, the educator must encourage this participation, so that both are integrated in the process as a whole.
Stimulate the good mood
Generally, gifted people tend to be more rude and sometimes have difficulty speaking. interact, mainly because they have a more evolved intellectual level than the other children in the your age. But this can be softened with small daily stimuli. You can bet on interactive activities that awaken the sense of humor of the gifted. Since they love to know new things, use fun dynamics and always be around.
Don't make them a substitute teacher
Due to the fact that gifted children are more agile and more punctual in performing the exercises proposed in classroom, many teachers end up confusing these students with “substitute teachers” or monitors. But it is important for educators to understand that each student's way of learning is different and it may be that the gifted, as tutors, create a negative experience for all involved.
Help them understand that mistakes are part of learning
One of the most striking characteristics of gifted children is perfectionism. Generally, people with high intellectual abilities consider it unacceptable to make mistakes, mainly because they set very high standards. This, of course, can be harmful over time, so it's critical that parents and teachers step in and help them understand that mistakes are part of learning.