Addressing the Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Learners

1. Division of Advanced Learning’s AIG Booster Shot Series: Social and Emotional Needs of AIG Learners Session #3: Asynchronous Development, Impostor’s Syndrome, and Social Development in AIG Learners

2. Social and Emotional Needs of AIG Learners:

3. Some realities… • Research and experience confirm that AIG learners face issues related to self-concept and peer relationships. • The more gifted a student is, the more likely he or she is to experience social and emotional challenges.

4. When Characteristics Cause Issues Characteristics: Resulting Issues: Impatience with peers Not able to relate to peers and vice versa Seen as a nuisance by peers • Learns quickly/makes connections • Sophisticated sense of humor/deep concern for issues • Strong emotional reactions • Incessant talking

5. 3-Minute Reflection • How might over-excitabilities and intensities impact AIG learners’ social and emotional wellbeing? Reviewing the role of over-excitabilities: • Psychomotor • Sensual • Intellectual • Imaginational • Emotional

6. Fact: Most gifted people specialize in one or more areas but are relatively “normal” in others. Reality Check: This difference in development can create stress in AIG learners. Asynchronous Development

7. Asynchronous Development Scenarios: • A student learns easily but gets upset when things don’t go his way or gets easily frustrated by challenges. • Young children play with blocks while discussing different political ideas.

8. 4-Minute Reflection • How do your students demonstrate asynchronous development? • What challenges do they face because of this type of development? Identifying asynchronous development

9. Fact: AIG learners spend a significant portion of time on work that is not challenging enough for them. Reality Check: This persistent lack of challenge impacts how AIGs see themselves. Impostor’s Syndrome

10. The Road to Impostor’s Syndrome: • Little challenge leads to a lack of study skills, leading to… • Inability to deal with challenges later, leading to... • AIGs appearing “ungifted,” leading to... • “If they gave me something really hard, I coudn’t do it.” • “I’m not as smart as they think I am.”

11. 5-Minute Reflection • What do you observe when your AIG students are challenged? • How do they respond? • How can your observations inform your instruction? Reflecting on the need for challenges for gifted learners

12. Fact: We develop social skills over time and through interactions with others. Reality Check: AIG learners need time together in order to develop social skills with others like themselves. *Consider student groupings! Social Development

13. 4-Minute Reflection • Do your AIG students have enough time together? • How might they get more time together? • Do your students struggle to relate to their peers? • How might you support them? • Brainstorming opportunities for AIGs to develop social skills

14. Supporting AIGs’ Social and Emotional Development: • Provide differentiated counseling as needed • Teach them what it means to be gifted • Help them identify their strengths and weaknesses • Allow them to have time together • Seek to understand them and the issues they may face

15. Some Final Thoughts… • How are your AIG students struggling socially and emotionally? • How might you continue to support them? • Next session: Perfectionism and Underachievement in AIGs