Teachers’ Impact on GT Students’ Academic Success

How do teachers’ perceptions about intelligence and giftedness affect how they identify and teach diverse gifted students? Attitudes and perceptions can have a profound effect when deciding who and how to educate gifted students. With recent awareness being raised around the lack of diversity in gifted programs, it’s critical teachers understand the intricacies of intelligence and its relationship to learning as well as how giftedness is defined. How teachers perceive intelligence and giftedness affect their relationship with students and their parents.

Does exposure to undergraduate courses in gifted education or certification make an appreciable difference in how teachers approach gifted education? It seems so obvious – exposure to knowledge about gifted education whether as an undergrad or in PD can influence how it’s approached in the classroom. Without a solid foundation in gifted education, the influence of colleagues or even preconceived notions can negatively influence interactions with students. Some studies show that nothing can overcome entrenched personal beliefs. (E.M. Miller 2009) Certification can be an important way to foster a greater understanding of how to meet the needs of gifted children. For example, how to differentiate for gifted learners.

Are positive teacher-gifted student relationships predictive of higher levels of academic success? When teachers are secure in their belief in their own ability to teach gifted students, GT students are more motivated and enthusiastic about learning. Positive relationships between teachers and gifted students can lead to higher quality learning environments, This can increase the probability of higher levels of academic engagement and success. (Kenter et al,, 2008) Teachers can exert important influence on academic success of gifted students when they have a deep understanding of gifted students’ characteristics.

When schools do not have provisions for gifted education interventions such as ability grouping or acceleration, it may negatively impact teachers’ views of how to educate GT students. (Lassig, 2009) Lack of PD in gifted education can place teachers at a disadvantage in meeting academic and social-emotional needs of GT students. When administrators do not value gifted education, teachers may fail to gain expertise in identifying students as gifted or in differentiating instruction.

GT students may not exhibit any more or less signs of stress that age-peers, but this does not negate its existence in these students. Lack of motivation, underachievement, and habitual truancy are all red flags. Asynchronous development plays an important role in why it’s important to identify social-emotional stress in GT students. Too often, adult incorrectly assume that intellect is on par with social-emotional development. GT students can struggle with unrealistic expectations placed on them; both externally and internally. This can lead to academic failure and low self-esteem.

What strategies can teachers implement to mitigate perfectionism/underachievement and have a greater impact on GT students’ academic success? Acknowledging and taking seriously perfectionism and underachievement is a positive first step in developing strategies to mitigate these issues in GT students. Developing positive personal relationships with students, providing appropriate challenging materials, addressing social-emotional needs, allowing time to work with intellectual peers and differentiating instruction can all impact academic success.

A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.

Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 1PM NZDT/11 AM AEDT/1 AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community. Also, checkout our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.

About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com

Resources:

Threat or Challenge? Teacher Beliefs about Gifted Students and their Relationship to Teacher Motivation | Gifted and Talented International Journal

What it Means to Teach Gifted Learners Well | NAGC GIFTED

Factors That Promote/Inhibit Teaching Gifted Students in a Regular Class: Results from a Professional Development Program for Chemistry Teachers | Education Research International

The Effect of Training in Gifted Education on Elementary Classroom Teachers’ Theory Based Reasoning about the Concept of Giftedness (pdf) | Journal for the Education of the Gifted

Teachers’ Perceptions of Supporting Gifted Learners in General Education Classes (pdf) Dissertation | Doctor of Education | Jennifer S. Williams | May 2019 (Carson-Newman University)

A Sample of Gifted and Talented Educators’ Attitudes About Academic Acceleration (pdf) | Journal of Advanced Academics

Teachers Say the Darndest Things (About Intelligence)

High School Teachers’ Perceptions of Giftedness, Gifted Education, and Talent Development | UNT Digital Library

Teacher Expectations and Self-Fulfilling Prophesies: Knowns and Unknowns, Resolved and Unresolved Controversies | Personality and Social Psychology Review

Fourth-Grade Teachers’ Perceptions of Giftedness: Implications for Identifying and Serving Diverse Gifted Students (pdf) | Journal for the Education of the Gifted

Perceptions of Preservice Teacher Candidates towards Gifted Education Training and Obtaining the Gifted Education Endorsement Certificate in Florida (pdf thesis)