The Social and Emotional Characteristics of Gifted Children Sycamore Canyon School

1. The Social and Emotional Characteristics of Gifted ChildrenSycamore Canyon School Presented by: Rachel Guyette Elementary School Counselor May 28, 2009

2. Challenges faced by Gifted ChildrenCognitive complexity can be paired with emotional intensity • Perfectionism • Underachievement • Friendships • Stress

3. Eight Great Gripes of Gifted Kids • No one explains what being gifted is all about- it’s kept a big secret. • School is too easy and too boring. • Parents, teachers, and friends expect us to be perfect all of the time. • Friends who really understand us are few and far between. • Kids often tease us about being smart. • We feel overwhelmed by the number of things we can do in life. • We feel different and alienated. • We worry about world problems and feel helpless to do anything about them.

4. Perfectionism • Encourage your child to take risks and provide them with strategies to overcome their anxiety or apprehensiveness. • Allow your child to see your imperfections and model coping strategies. • Play games with no winners or losers or activities that are not graded or judged. • Increase your awareness of the phrase, “Do your best.” • Set realistic expectations. • Pursuit of excellence vs. Perfectionism. • Savor in past accomplishments.

5. Underachievement How to foster an achievement oriented child • Value academic tasks: Encourage your child’s interests and foster multiple opportunities for them to explore passions and be challenged. • Self worth: Build their confidence level and provide specific compliments that focus on effort. • Environmental perceptions • Self regulation: Teach time management, study skills, coping strategies, and personal standards.

6. Stress • Practice physical relaxation exercises such as belly breathing, stretching and visualizing positive images. • Create rituals for relaxation activities such as taking a bath, listening to soothing music, drawing, writing in a journal, or taking a walk. • Role Play stressful situations. • Be in tune to how you are handling your stress in front of your child. • Respond with empathy and provide a few choices or strategies to calm down. • Be flexible, accepting, encouraging and patient.

7. Friendships Difference You are alone In your long exploration Of the world of difference. Yet, as the light consoles the darkness And the flame consoles the desolate wick, So a friend brightens the darkness in your heart And makes life a joy 8 year old Jessica Bloom From the Davidson Institute for Talent Development.

8. Friendships • Connect with other GATE students • Academic Summer Camps • Engage in after school activities that build friendships. • Help your child build bully resistance skills

9. GATE RESOURCES BOOKS: • When Gifted Kids Don’t Have All the Answers By: Jim Delisle, P.h.D. and Judy Galbraith, M.A. • The Colorado Handbook for Parents of Gifted Children By: Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented • The Gifted Kids Survival Guide By: Judy Galbraith, M.A. • Stress Can Really Get on Your Nerves! By: Trevor Roman and Elizabeth Verdick • Perfectionism: What’s bad about being too good? By: M. Adderholdt-Elliott • Once Upon a Mind: The Stories and Scholars of Gifted Education By: Jim Delisle, Ph.D. • Managing the Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted By: Connie Schmitz and Judy Galbraith, M.A. • Guiding the Gifted Child By: James Webb, Elizabeth Mackstroth, and Stephanie Tolan • The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids By: Sally Yahnke Walker Websites and Articles: • http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/ • How Not to Talk to Your Kids The Inverse Power of Praise By: Po Bronson • www.sengifted.org • http://www.gt-cybersource.org/ • http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/index.htm • http://www.familyeducation.com/home/