Emotional Distractions
Some students are so overwhelmed by their emotional needs they have little time, mental energy, or focus left for school. Families go through stressful times that are temporarily overwhelming, such as the loss or serious debilitation of a family member, the loss of a job, or the deployment of a parent. After an adjustment period, most students adapt to these circumstances, but others struggle to recover from the stress. On the other hand, there may be ongoing stress in the family such as frequent and intense arguments, abuse, or abandonment.
Some students use school problems as a tool in their emotional conflicts with parents. School failure is often a very powerful source of stress and aggravation to parents. For students using passive-aggressive strategies, seeing their parents in stress and dismay could be precisely what they are trying to achieve.
Helping highly capable students envision themselves as scholars can sometimes give them an identity through which they can feel both comfortable and accomplished. Work on Curriculum of Identity as a part of the parallel curriculum model by Carol Ann Tomlinson, Sandra Kaplan, and others provide a framework for teachers to help students develop the identity of a scholar. If you want to understand this concept more, ask your child's gifted resource teacher or gifted teacher to have a discussion about what it means for a child to embrace the identity of himself as a scholar.
Investigate Further
Some students use school problems as a tool in their emotional conflicts with parents. School failure is often a very powerful source of stress and aggravation to parents. For students using passive-aggressive strategies, seeing their parents in stress and dismay could be precisely what they are trying to achieve.
Helping highly capable students envision themselves as scholars can sometimes give them an identity through which they can feel both comfortable and accomplished. Work on Curriculum of Identity as a part of the parallel curriculum model by Carol Ann Tomlinson, Sandra Kaplan, and others provide a framework for teachers to help students develop the identity of a scholar. If you want to understand this concept more, ask your child's gifted resource teacher or gifted teacher to have a discussion about what it means for a child to embrace the identity of himself as a scholar.
Investigate Further
As a parent you may need to consider counseling services to help your child learn better coping skills if she has emotional concerns that significantly affect her school performance. Because of the importance of this difficult decision, some options for researching the topic further are available if you open the link above.
NOTE: This topic is too large to address within this site. A website is planned that will specifically focus on the social and emotional development of gifted students.
NOTE: This topic is too large to address within this site. A website is planned that will specifically focus on the social and emotional development of gifted students.
References
Bainbridge, C. When your child needs a counselor know how to find the right one. Retrieved from the About.com. Online Web site: http://giftedkids.about.com/od/socialemotionalissues/a/When-Your-Child-Needs-A-Counselor.htm
Hoagies' Gifted Education Page. (2012). The all things gifted page. Retrieved from the Hoagies Gifted Education Page Online Web site: http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted. (2012). Resource Library page. Retrieved from the Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted Web Online site: http://www.sengifted.org/resources/resource-library
Tomlinson, A.T., Kaplan, S.N., Renzulli, J.S., Purcell, J., Leppien, J. & Burns, D. (2002). The Parallel Curriculum: a design to develop high potential and challenge high-ability learners. Corwin Press. Thousand Oaks, CA.
Webb, J. (2001). Tips for selecting the right counselor or therapist for your gifted child. SENG Newsletter. 2001 1(2) 4, 3-4, 8. Retrieved from the SENG Online Web site: http://www.sengifted.org/archives/articles/tips-for-selecting-the-right-counselor-or-therapist-for-your-gifted-child
Hoagies' Gifted Education Page. (2012). The all things gifted page. Retrieved from the Hoagies Gifted Education Page Online Web site: http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted. (2012). Resource Library page. Retrieved from the Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted Web Online site: http://www.sengifted.org/resources/resource-library
Tomlinson, A.T., Kaplan, S.N., Renzulli, J.S., Purcell, J., Leppien, J. & Burns, D. (2002). The Parallel Curriculum: a design to develop high potential and challenge high-ability learners. Corwin Press. Thousand Oaks, CA.
Webb, J. (2001). Tips for selecting the right counselor or therapist for your gifted child. SENG Newsletter. 2001 1(2) 4, 3-4, 8. Retrieved from the SENG Online Web site: http://www.sengifted.org/archives/articles/tips-for-selecting-the-right-counselor-or-therapist-for-your-gifted-child