TheTopTenSkillstoCultivateinHigh

PotentialStudents

JannH.Leppien,Ph.D.

MargoLongEndowedChair,Centerfor

GiftedEducation

WhitworthUniversity

Spokane,WA

jleppien@whitworth.edu

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http://tinyurl.com/j9dfvfy

RobertSternberg,anotedcognitivepsychologistwhostudies

talentandintelligence,believesthatcreativityisachoice,

onethatinvolvestakingrisksthatsometimespaysoffand

sometimesdonot.Yourgifttoyourstudentsistoencourage

him/hertotakerisksandtosee“so-calledfailures”as

opportunitiestolearnandimprove.Youcandothisby

modelingrisk-taskingandeffectivecopingwithsetbacksand

“bumpsontheroad.”2

Whatcanyoudotohelpyourgifted

childdevelopresiliency?

1. Encourageyourstudentstotakeacademicrisks.Achievementsaremoresatisfyingwhen

theyinitiallyseemedoutofreach.Don'tletyourstudentssettleforshortcuts,orlavish

praiseoveraccomplishmentsthatcometooeasily.Urgeschoolstoprovideappropriate

giftededucationservicesthattrulychallengeyouradvancedstudents.

2. Distinguishbetweenprocessandoutcome– Offeranappreciationofhowlearningisa

processinvolvinguncertainty,excitement,confusion,andarangeofunsolvedmysteries.

Yourstudents’jobistotakeonchallengesheorshehasnotalreadymastered.Letyour

studentsknowthatyoucareasmuchabouthowheorsheapproacheslearningaswhatis

produced.

3. Teachcopingstrategies– Helpyourstudentslearnhowtoacceptdisappointmentandloss

withouteitherblamingothersorengaginginharshself-criticism.Teachhowtoputadversity

intoperspective.Helpyourstudentslearntocomfort,soothe,distract,seeksupport,and

appropriatelydischargefeelings.(Note:Sometimestheseskillsmaywarrantsupportfroma

therapist.)

4. Emphasizevalues– Promotetheimportanceofethicsandintegrity,cooperationand

collaborativework,andtakingresponsibilityforone’sroleintheclassroom. Letyour

studentsknowthatactionsandbehaviorsspeakmoreaboutcharacterthan

accomplishments,andthathowonebehavesismoreimportantthanalwaysbeingthebest.Dr.GailPost,LicensedPsychologist.

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Optimists:

ü believethatsetbacksorfailureare

temporaryandwillperseverebecausethey

havehopethatthingswillchangeforthe

better—andtheycanbringaboutsomeof

thatchange(e.g.,studyharder)

ü tendtolimittheeffectsoffailurerather

thanperceivingthemasmajorcatastrophes

ü findasolutionandwaytoimprovethe

outcomeratherthandissolvinginto

hopelessness

ü takecreditforsuccessesandrecognizethe

roleofoutsidefactorsindisappointing

outcomes.

Goal:Tohelpchildrenbe

accountablefortheirfailures

andaddressanyareasof

weaknesswithoutlosing

confidencetotryagain.

Pessimists:

üblamethemselves

whenthingsgo

badlyanddonot

takecreditwhen

theyworkoutwell

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ü beingabletoinitiatelearning

independently

ü settingindividuallearning

goalsandfollowingthrough

onthem

ü identifyingwhatoneneedsto

learnanddoinorderto

completeaproject

ü beingabletomonitorand

evaluatethesuccessofone’s

learning

ü accessingtheappropriate

resourcesneededforlearning,

suchasseekinghelpfrom

knowledgeableothers

Alertteacherstoa

child’ssignificant

interestsandpursuits

outsideofschool,

therebygivingthe

teacheranopportunity

tocapitalizeonand

connectlearningat

homewithlearning

withinschool.5 6

MartinLutherKingexplainedthat……

ØNoteverybodycanbe

famous,buteverybody

canbegreat…because

greatnessliesinserviceto

others.

Melissa Poe -- Environmental Activist and founder of Kids F.A.C.E.

Ø Melissa Poe was 9 years old when she began a campaign for a cleaner environment by writing a letter to then President Bush. Through her own efforts, her letter was reproduced on over 250 donated billboards across the country.

Ø The response to her plea for help was so overwhelming that Poe established Kids For A Cleaner Environment (Kids F.A.C.E.) in 1989. There are now 300,000 members of Kids FACE worldwide and is the world's largest youth environmental organization.

Kids For A Clean Environment, Kids F.A.C.E.

Ø Kids For A Clean Environment, Kids F.A.C.E.®, the world's largest youth environmental organization

Ø At 9 years old, I started the club for kids after seeing a program on TV, Highway to Heaven, that made me think, "What will the future world be like if we don't help take care of the environment today?" I didn't want to grow up in a world with a polluted environment. At the end of the program, however, Michael Landon, the actor, said something very important. He said, "It's not too late. People who care will do something!"

Ø Melissa Poe

Aubyn Burnside with Suitcases for Kids

Ø When 11-year-old Aubyn Burnside heard about how many children in foster care programs are forced to carry their belongings in garbage bags because they cannot afford suitcases, she was shocked and saddened. "I thought they must feel like garbage themselves," she said. So, Aubyn founded Suitcases for Kids, dedicating herself to ensuring that every child in foster care would have a bag of his or her own.

Since then……Ø In the beginning, Aubyn spent her time making

posters and local speeches in her community of Hickory, North Carolina.

Ø She received nothing, but was determined not to give up, Aubyn and her mother visited the Salvation Army, and purchased 31 suitcases for $15. This helped launch her organization and eventually donor suitcases started arriving in mass quantities.

Ø Six years later, Aubyn collected over 25,000 suitcases, and her charity has chapters in every state and in over ten foreign countries. She has been recognized in the National Geographic Hall of Fame, inducted into the National Caring Institute in Washington, D.C., and received an award from Prudential for spirit in her community.

Everyonewhoworksathighlevelsof

achievementandcreativitywill

encounterandneedtolearntodeal

withstressandanxiety.Asteachers

andparents,youcanbeginearlyto

helpchildrenwiththesefeelingsso

thatratherthanshyingawayfroma

challengingcoursethatrequiresoral

presentations,choosingnottorunfor

aschoolofficebecauseitinvolves

makingapublicspeech,ornot

submittingastoryorartpiecetoa

competition,studentsembracethese

asopportunitiestolearnfromand

viewthemassteppingstonestoward

theaccomplishment

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BEINGWILLINGTOWORKATSOMETHINGFORWHICH

SUCCESSORHIGHACHIEVEMENTISNOTGUARANTEED!!!

Musiciansimprovetheirtechniquewhenthey

performwithotherhighlyskillsmusicians.

Studentsimprovetheirargumentswhen

engagedindiscussionswithotherstudentswho

challengetheirideasandassertions.Itisnot

alwayseasy,however,toputyourselfinto

situationsthatrequireyoutoworkontheedge

ofyourexistingcompetenciesandmany

studentssteerclearofthese,preferringto

continuedoingwhattheyaregoodatand

confidenttheywillsucceedat.

Parentsandteachershelp

children

totakeintermsof

opportunitiestogrowand

improvesignificantly,

,and

oftheoutcome

afterwards.Getting

is

criticaltoenablingachildto

reachthehighestlevelsof

performanceheorshe

desires.12

1. Workinginatalentdomainover

time

2. Maintainingeffortdespitefailures,

plateaus,andsetbacks

Parentsandteacherscanhelpby

exposingchildrentoawiderangeof

fieldsandtopicsofstudythrough

informal(e.g.,tripstomuseums)and

formal(e.g.,enrichmentcourses)

learningexperiences.

Wedothisalotwithyoungchildren,butis

importanttohelpmiddleschoolandhighschool

studentsalsoinvestigatefieldsandcareersto

findtheirpassions.

Helpingstudentsunderstandthatpeoplewho

makecreativecontributionstosocietywereinit

forthelonghaulandthatcreative

breakthroughsdonotcomeoutoftheblue

withoutcommitmentandhardworkover

extendedperiodsoftimeisalsocrucial.

http://whatsnext.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/11/t

aylor-post-for-blocks/

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http://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_du

ckworth_the_key_to_success_grit.html

CharacterLabatPenn-

https://characterlab.org/tools

Regulationofbehavior,attention,andemotiontomeet

personalgoalsandstandards

ü Self-controliswhatenablesastudenttostayfocusedona

day-to-daybasistomeetthemanysmallergoalsthatare

involvedinreachingbiglifegoals.

ü Self-controlinvolvesbeingabletodelayimmediate

gratificationsoastoremainfocusedonalargergoal.Thisis

animportantskilltomodelandteachyourchild.

ü Inextremecases,whenthechild’seducationalenvironment

doesnotmatchhisorherability,parentsandteachersmust

advocatestronglyforchangesincurriculaorprogramming

ratherthanallowchildrentounderachieveormentallycheck

outof“boring”or“slow-pace”classescompletely.

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“Makingschoolmoremeaningful…isamongthemostpromising

strategiesforreversingacademicachievement.”

Evenifyourchildorstudentisachieving

satisfactorily,makinglearningmorepersonal

andmeaningfulcanonlyenhancemotivation

andcommitment.

Howdowedothisasparentsandteachers?

Onewaytoencouragestudentstopursuetheir

interestsoutsideofschoolviaformalprograms

orlearningontheirownathome.Assumea

supportiverole,providingresources,supplies,

andencouragementandconnectingchildren

tootheradultswhomaybehelpfultothem.15

Growthmindsetorabeliefthatability,includingintelligence,can

change,grow,andimprovewithpractice

andstudy,iscrucialforsustainingalong-

termcommitmenttothedevelopmentof

one’stalents.

INCONTRAST

Afixedmindset,orabeliefthatoneisbornwithacertainamount

ofabilityorintelligencethatisfixedand

immutable,canhinderperformanceand

achievementevenamongthemosttalented

individuals.

Childrenwhoholdagrowthmindset

abouttheirabilitiesandintelligence

willpersistthroughdifficulttimes

andreboundfromsetbacks(e.g.,

poorgrades,notbeingselectedfora

program)morereadily.

Themessageswegivechildrenabout

theirperformancesandgrades,

specificallythetypeofpraise,can

influencetheirbeliefs.Praisethat

focusesonrecognizingand

rewardinghardworkandfeedback

thatiscenteredonimprovement

andgrowthwillpromotehealthy

attitudestowardbothabilityand

effort.

Howdoparents/teacherscultivatea

growthmindset?

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Thereisvalueinspendingtimealone.Whetherself-imposedor

theresultofexternalconditions,thisalonetimewasused

productivelybyindividuals—topursueindependentprojects,

readbroadly,writeinjournals,practicemusicalinstruments,

makeart,orstudy.

Modelingofindependentpursuitshelpstoencourageand

facilitatetheuseofaquietplacetodowork,study,practice,

engageinhobbies,dabbleinnewinterests,orjustretreattofor

reflectivethought.

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Duckworth,A.L.,Peterson,C.,Matthews,M.D.,&Kelly,D.R.

(2007).Grit:Perseveranceandpassionforlong-term

goals.JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,92,1087-1101.

Duckwork,A.L.,Quinn,P.D.,&Tsukayama,E.(2012).What

NoChildLeftBehindleavesbehind:TherolesofIQand

self-controlinpredictingstandardizedachievementtest

scoresandreportcardgrades.JournalofEducationalPsychology,104,439-451.

Dweck,C.S.(2008).Mindset:Thenewpsychologyofsuccess.NewYork,NY:Ballantine.

Neihart,M.(2008).Peakperformanceforsmartkids:Strategiesforensuringschoolsuccess.Waco,TX:

Prufrock Press.

Seligman,M.E.P.(2007).Theoptimisticchild:Aprovenprogramtosafeguardchildrenagainstdepressionandbuildlifelongresilience.NewYork,NY:MarinerBooks.

Siegle,D.(2012).Theunderachievinggiftedchild:Recognizingandreversingunderachievement.Waco,

TX:Prufrock Press.

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