Have you ever been labeled as "gifted"?

I’d take that as a compliment

I’ve been called a gifted programmer for a while now (at least that’s what I tell myself).

I was in the gifted program in elementary school. Then I realized it was fucking stupid and I’d rather just be in regular class. All we did was play trivia games and “learn” about the presidents. It was a waste. I stopped being in it soon after.

They tell me that before the lobotomy I was gifted, but I don’t really remember it.

I was a “gifted and talented” child, and spent a portion of each week doing “smart kid” stuff. I really enjoyed it (actually, those are pretty much my only memories of elementary school). I was fortunate enough to receive similar opportunities until college. I think G and T classes are a mixed blessing. In my case, it allowed me to realize that I wasn’t weird for liking to read and being able to memorize. However, it can also alienate children by separating them from the larger group.

Hmm, I don’t think I was ever labeled as gifted and I find that in terms of children being gifted gets them nothing but isolation…and though people like successes and like calling others gifted or geniuses, god forbid that’s what one would call themselves…so I always thought the concept was stupid, though, of course, gifted people really exist

Yes, there is a difference between children.

There are pros and cons to the labeling. On the plus side, classes for gifted children engage them better. Regular classes can be very boring. On the con side, their socialization can be affected in a negative way.

Gifted is probably not a good term nor is talented. Those things have broader meanings. People can be gifted in many ways.

Yes and usually I take it as a compliment but sometimes it comes with expectations. I am a singer and have had some really great compliments over the years. My family of course are very proud BUT sometimes to the point where they expect me to want to sing and only sing. Now, to be honest, singing isn’t the be all and end all for me. I am much more passionate about other things, working with animals for example, but my family seem to think that by wanting to work with animals and not sing 24/7 I am wasting my “gift”.

The amount of times I hear “it is your duty to use the gift that God gave you, not everyone is as lucky as you are”.

Yes, I was in the “gifted” program in elementary and middle schools. I was taken out of “normal” class three or four times a week for our special class. Are some kids smarter than others? Yes. Without a question. Is it a “good” thing to label them that way? Eh, debatable. It certainly didn’t help with the whole “socializing” thing. From what I can tell now, looking back, it was designed to challenge us “smarter” kids, to make us actually use our brains and develop study skills. Since so much of what we did in “normal” class was so easy for us, we never would have developed those skills for when we needed them later in high school and college.

So it had positive and negative aspects. Which side of the fence it balances out on is up for debate.

My Jr. High and High School began a program called the Dimensions Program for Gifted and Talented Children (I guess DPGATC for short…someone didn’t know dick about acronyms). I was invited to participate, and yes, I do think it had more to do with thinking in a particular way than with just being smart. The point of the program was to provide additional, extra-curricular activities for children with a desire and curiosity. However my schoolw as smart about it, everything was after school, so I took a computer class (this was the mid 1980s, we worked on Apple IIes), a German class and an astronomy class. I would do this type of thing in tandem with math team and knowledge bowl, essentially it felt like being in sports, but for nerds. I think then it was really up to kids to tell others or not if they were in the program, no one was ostracized, no one was taken away from one thing to do the other, you were part of the class, but you also belonged to something else, and were doing things that interested you, which was the point, to give you an outlet fo your gifts if your gifts didn’t happen to involve a ball.

I’ve only gotten as far as “special.”

We are all gifted.

Just another politically correct way to describe us from them.

I was in the stupid GT classes all throughout elementary and middle school. As if I wasn’t and awkward enough child, being put in the Gt program made it extremely hard for me to be socially accepted. But I think that everybody is smart. I don’t like the classification of Gifted. In school, it was almost like you were telling the other kids that you were rich, and better than them. I hated it because of that, and to be honest, the program wasn’t teaching me anything I didn’t know. I love to learn, and I think the only I was ever challenged was when I was in High School. You know survival of the fittest.

I think the whole gifted child thing is a load of crap. Let a kid be a kid while they still can. Let them stay in the regular classes with their friends. My little cousin who was only about 8 at the time was labeled as gifted which I shocked about, to say the least. I, as well as many other family members, thought it would be the complete opposite. He always seemed very far behind for his age and had a hard time with speech and socializing. Turns out he was “gifted”. Not quite sure how the school came to that conclusion…

@ItalianPrincess1217 actually a lot of people found gifted in some areas have issues socializing…their brains are focused on things beyond what we need to do to ‘fit in’

@Simone Maybe true. But all of us are gifted or talented in our own ways. Who gets to decide which children are “special” enough to be in programs? I just don’t support it. Period.

@ItalianPrincess1217 people relying on specific standards get to decide – it’s all arbitrary, isn’t it? but if you choose to support a societal institution like public education and societal institutions like psychology and statistics, then we, as a society, legitimize that field ‘experts’ get to decide

I was labeled gifted in 2nd grade. In my local district they did such tests to allow kids to attend special schools. I went to a gifted school until I was in 6th grade. I think the classification allowed me to build a good foundation so when I attended traditional schools, which were very lacking due to being in low income areas, I was able to excel despite the lack of resources.

I think smarter kids can fall behind and get bored easily if the curriculum doesn’t engage them. There are classifications for those below average so that they can get help. I see no problem with classifications for those above average so that they can meet their potential.

I’ve been considered “G&T” since first grade, even though I suck at math, I’ve always been in advanced classes.

Being in a regular class, judging by the curriculum I’ve seen them teach, would literally bore me to sleep.

In elementary school, I had plenty of friends, but since at our school it was called the “Magnet” program, kids occasionally called us “maggots”.

But now it’s mainly “OMG you like to read? Nerd.”

Doesn’t like to sound braggy

I was pegged as “gifted” at 4. No one ever ostracized me for my brains at school, but in my neighbourhood, where I was the only child in a school for “gifted” kids, I was ostracized from the other children on my block as we all went further into our educations. They went to the local school and I was bussed to school in a much richer neighbourhood.

That was worse than being gifted. Going to upper-class schools made me not fit in at home. I was basically being trained to be a rich white person, but one who went home every day to a black ghetto. My knowing Rachmaninoff or how to ride horses or appreciate Calder seemed to be of no use in my neighbourhood, where I knew mentioning such things would be seen as pretentious, at best.

The disconnect was jarring, to say the least.

Most of the kids on my block would have been be hard pressed to tell you who even Lorraine Hansberry, Alvin Ailey, Gwendolyn Brooks, Richard Wright or Ralph Ellison were, either, so it wasn’t just the black/white divide. It was a way of thinking about life, period, and what you could do with it that separated me from them.

I don’t think it’s about “giftedness”, per se, it’s about a way to help all kids explore what’s out there in the world and how they can find their place in it, and proportionally, very few kids honestly get that chance.

As the parent of a gifted child who attends a school without a gifted program, I can say that yes, there is a difference. Google it and read some articles about the challenges children face when they are gifted but are expected to function in a regular classroom. My daughter is often bored. She is often bossy, and has a hard time relating to her peers. She gets along better with adults and older children as far as conversation goes, but has the regular emotions of other children her age.

“Gifted” simply means having a higher IQ. The higher a child’s IQ, the more likely they are to struggle with regular classroom instruction. As one example, my daughter taught herself how to read sometime before she turned four. I’m not sure exactly when, because we didn’t realize she could actually read until one day when she picked up a brand new book and started reading it to us. She started kindergarten reading chapter books when most of the other kids were still learning to identify letters. She could write and was learning to spell. She could add three-digit numbers in her head. Can you imagine a kid with a 5 year old’s attention span sitting through day after day of material he or she has completely moved beyond? Needless to say, the teacher had issues with my daughter talking too much, being restless, and always asking questions about things that confused the rest of the class. However, not being more mature emotionally than the other kids made skipping a grade something we were not willing to do. Each school year is a struggle to find a balance between meeting her needs and meeting the needs of the teacher and class. Sometimes she has a teacher that is more flexible, and sometimes not. Honestly, her life (and our lives) would be much simpler if she weren’t gifted. But, we’d also miss out on a lot of amazing things.

Anyone who things giftedness is a load of crap should really read up on the subject. Gifted children aren’t more special than children with an IQ in the normal range, they just have different needs (similar to children who require special education) in the classroom. I’m sure some gifted programs are better than others, and being singled out can be hard on kids. As a bonus, it must also be rewarding for gifted kids to get to spend time with other gifted kids and learn that they aren’t as different as they can be made to feel in a traditional classroom.

I’ve never been gifted, but I hope my children will be. There are programs in schools for the mentally gifted that keep the kids from being as bored as they would be in regular classes. There are other perks, too. Teachers trust you more. They aren’t always on your case about stupid shit, like standing in line. You get more varied and interesting learning opportunities.

I had a lot of friends in college who were so bored in high school that they turned to drugs for entertainment. They were high throughout high school; never did a lick of work; and still got straight A’s. That’s just pathetic.

The real point, as far as I’m concerned, is that all education should be individualized, and no one should know anyone else’s grades. In fact, children shouldn’t even know their own grades. Teachers should take students from where they are to where they are capable of going.

Of course, in a cookie cutter world, that’s impossible. But the lack of individualized instruction in most schools makes it worth spending a lot of time, effort and money in finding schools that will treat kids as individuals.

@MissAusten – That’s what happened to me in kindergarten, 1st & 2nd grades as well, as my guardian tried to keep me in a regular program. I was bored out of my mind!

I was labeled gifted in fourth grade, just because I figured out how to do calculus on my own. When I was going to grade school, you had to wait till college for algebra.

I was called gifted, yes. I knew how to read before I got to kindergarten; I was one of 4 people reading chapter books while everyone else was not. In those early years, it wasn’t anything different form regular class; we just separated into groups based on level for reading and other topics. In 4th and 5th grade I was part of the G&T program, which meant that some times during the week I would be pulled out of class with several other students and go to a different class with more “advanced” things. I really liked it, actually.

Beyond that, though, it wasn’t really significant. I just took the classes that seemed right for me, like APs and Honors classes and such. My elementary school “gifted” education didn’t really have any effect on my later classes. Though I do feel that it was a positive thing.

I do think some kids are more “gifted”, but I also think that there are ways of doing it so that people don’t feel isolated. I never felt isolated from anyone. It wasn’t enough separation from regular class to make me feel out of the loop or anything. I do remember other kids speaking negatively of the whole thing sometimes, but that’s expected. Some people just perform better in more accelerated programs and it’s fine to give them that opportunity and allow people who are willing and capable to broaden their horizons in that sense

And hmm…almost everyone who responded has been labeled “gifted”, huh? Methinks this label is not as special as some of you think it is. :)

I was never labeled as gifted. :)

I skipped grades, received honors, and realized it was a ridiculous label. I hated being the ‘smart kid’ so I pretended to struggle more, taught myself other courses during class, and helped tutor the kids around me. Sooner or later, I wasn’t so ‘special’ anymore and I was content. Some children will always excel in certain areas compared to others, that doesn’t necessarily make them ‘gifted’. I’ve seen classmates with that label fall under so much pressure from their parents and teachers that it drove them to an emotional breakdown. To be honest, I believe forcing kids into the category is only setting them up for disappointment further down in life.

I’ve been labeled ‘gifted’ throughout my school career (I’m a senior right now) and it is true to some degree, with certain subjects, although I wouldn’t describe my abilities as truly gifted, but simply very skilled and able.

Being ‘gifted’ is a mixed label; it’s good that people think highly of you and are confident in your abilities, but at the same time, most ‘average’ people will pretty much assume you know everything or will act negatively towards you because they see you as a threat or when you don’t get something right. There are also people that are out to prove that they are better than you/you’re not so great, which can get really annoying.

I guess I would have to say that I like being ‘gifted’ but I don’t like being publicly know as and portrayed as ‘gifted.’

Yes, I have been called gifted by several teachers. I see it as a compliment.

I’ve never been called gifted, other than at the art of talking possibly.
My son is very intelligent. He can read as well if not better than his almost 10 year old sister and he just turned 7. Last year his Kindergarten teacher was surprised to find out that he only did one year of preschool. She said most kids with his skills have had three years. I don’t know if he will turn out to be gifted, but right now he is doing pretty well.

@knitfroggy One of the difficult things for teachers in identifying gifted kids (besides many of them not knowing what to look for) is that it can be hard to tell the difference between kids who are ahead of their peers because they’ve been taught at home, or kids who are ahead of their peers simply because they are able to make connections without any guidance. Usually by third grade skills will even out among the class. If at that point you have a child that is still advanced for his or her age, more teachers are willing to consider that it might not be due to mom or dad “pushing” the kid.

One of the misconceptions of gifted children is that they do well in school. The kids who do best in school are typically intelligent high achievers. There are always exceptions, but sometimes kids who are gifted are never even tested because they have behavior problems, are seen as immature, or simply don’t care enough about school to put effort into it and show what they are capable of. My husband and his sister both qualified for gifted and talented classes in grade school. My sister in law was always at the top of her class, very dedicated, and put a lot of time into her studies, has her Master’s degree and a resume that is so impressive it’s scary. My husband got kicked out of private school for poor grades, barely graduated high school, didn’t go to college, and was in trouble a lot.

Guess who had the higher IQ?

@MissAusten My niece was ahead in Kindergarten and she did about 3 years in a Montessori preschool. They did some testing on her and said it was inconclusive. The teacher seemed to think it was just that she did so much pre school. It really made my sister and her husband mad. They think their daughter is gifted. The school even told them, just exactly what you said, it would be more evident around 3rd grade. as I’m typing this Boy Genius is standing behind me reading everything! LOL

Yes, I taught myself to read (with the help of Mom) when I was around 4 years old, and I understood the concepts of elementary arithmetic before I ever started school. When I was seven years a teacher noticed that I exhibited advanced comprehension, and gave me a Stanford Benet I Q test (the only thing they had in those days). There was no “gifted” programs when I was in school, but I convinced most of my teachers to simply leave me alone and proceeded to educate myself.

Ja. I was identified labeled just that at the age of five. I remained in the G&T program for the rest of my education, attended a small public high school geared towards Math & Science, and now attend Carnegie Mellon University.

Up until High School I was very isolated, sometimes ridiculed by other kids. I was one of the kids who related better to adults and older kids. Hell, some of my closest friends are still more than a decade older than I am.

I am still completely socially awkward and haven’t mastered normal human interaction though. It’s something I regret most every day. It is in fact my single biggest regret in life, not being able to converse freely and normally. I still don’t understand small talk and simple conversation. I didn’t understand it so much and was so unable to relate to kids my age that I didn’t speak to other kids, or at all unless it was required, until I was about nine. I spoke to my family, adults, and my cats just fine.

As most of us are, I am my own worst critic. I do think the label and the expectation of a different caliber of performance definitely helped to reinforce feelings of inadequacy though. I beat myself up (and continue to do so) over all the smallest perceived errors or deficiencies. So much so that I’d refuse to turn in homework in middle and high school if it were not 100% and perfectly complete. Let me tell you, acing tests does not balance that out. I never received above a C in a math class despite being the top performer and student with most understanding in the majority of those classes. I’m still pretty insecure when it comes to things related to the concept of intelligence.

And oh god, being an angsty teenager was extra unpleasant. Angst because I wasn’t brilliant, angst because I wasn’t ignorant and blissful, angst because I was angsty, angst because others couldn’t have the same opportunities, etc. I think my angst was actually several children’s worth because I tried to angst from so many different angles. And then got upset at myself for being so utterly ridiculous in all cases.

Still, having TA’d in “regular classes” and been misplaced into them accidentally for the first few days a few different times, I’d definitely choose being labeled (at least in California’s Long Beach Unified School District,) all over again, along with all the isolation and stigma that comes with it, because it lifted me out of the hellhole that was the “normal track.” Those classes were boring, the teachers were despicable and hateful, and the kids were either incredibly dumb (which I maintain is generally because of circumstances, not natural ability,) or severely under-challenged and thus bored and unmotivated without an outlet for their frustration.

I know some (many, in fact, if not most. Especially the biggest trouble-makers) of the “regular” kids were equally bright, but they slipped through the system and had their love of learning beaten out of them. Seeing a kid’s spark so dim at such a young age is incredibly heart breaking. I stopped volunteering as a teacher’s assistant after a while.

Labeling is just not good. The G&T programs are good for some things. It’s excellent to be challenged and do something the school system regards as more worthwhile/interesting/higher-level, depending on the program there are more people one in such a position can relate to, but I think the idea of differences is mostly negative.

Bright kids in “regular” tracks end up feeling dumb, harboring resentment for the system, and being hindered by their situation. Actually average or dumb kids who make it into the “G&T” programs end up thinking too much of themselves and get broken by failure. Indeed, most of the brightest of us DO NOT SUCCEED in school. For many there’s a disconnect between work ethic and intelligence (if it comes easily and you don’t have to work at it, you just don’t develop that skill set,) and for some the system just doesn’t mesh well with their mode of operation and production.

There’s also altogether too much competition in such a divided system, when learning should be self-motivated, individually appropriate, and inclusive of collaboration and support amongst peers. I hated the antagonism within and without the G&T programs. That element didn’t exist in my high school, but six years worth was more than enough. It exists within the University setting too, although there are safe-havens.

Ultimately, I think it’s a failure at the root of the educational structure. (@knitfroggy) My roommate recently introduced me to the idea of the Montessori approach to education, and damn do I wish it had been adopted as the public model.

I remember in elementary school being absolutely devastated that I was not selected for the G&T kids program. This was the dawn of my self esteem issues, actually.

I don’t blame the program for not selecting me, but I do blame them for making me feel like crap. Before that, it never occurred to me that I wasn’t good enough for certain things. Instead of motivating me to be better, it ruined school for me. When the other kids went to the library for their special G&T class, I couldn’t concentrate the entire time they were gone. I no longer saw the point in anything and stopped trying for the rest of my educational career.

I was quite smart and was excellent at memorizing things, so I always did well in classes, but I knew I’d never reach a certain caliber, so I didn’t even attempt to. Of course it’s not all the program’s fault. It’s in my nature to do and learn what I want and not what’s in someone’s curriculum, which is sometimes to my detriment. However, I believe that such programs, more often than not, reinforce how well the overachievers are doing, while keeping the ones who are struggling feeling inadequate.

I’ve come to learn, and become comfortable with the phrases “Such is life,” and “Life ain’t fair.”

I’m laughing now, reading what @Beta_Orionis has written. My sentiments exactly.

@Beta_Orionis Montessori is really amazing – my oldest has been in it since he was 2 (and before than him and I did Mommy & Me classes there) and I can’t get him any of his age toys that won’t bore him so I now get him developmental toys for 5 years olds though he’s 3…I don’t think he’s a genius or anything but he’s exceptionally bright and I credit a lot of that to Montessori and a bunch of it to genetics, ;)~

@Simone_De_Beauvoir :D My mom attended Mommy & Me classes with me too! From what little i know about the Montessori schools, I am determined to investigate programs more thoroughly and send my kids to one when I ultimately have children.

I’ve been labeled as “unique” and I’m okay with that. I like being different – just like everyone else.

Milo here; Need you ask?

I was labeled as “gifted” but I was also labeled as “does not work to potential.” Back in the Dark Ages when I was in elementary school there was no “Gifted and Talented” program. Instead there were the fast class, the normal class, and the slow class. I was always in the fast class, and then was given a pass to the library whenever we worked on something I already knew.

Apparently I knew how to read when I was three, but I wouldn’t admit it until I was 6. Back then folks learned to read in first grade, so in my mind I needed “permission” from the teacher.

Two schools put me in the slow class because I came from out of state. At one school I was moved into the fast class after 6 weeks, so I would give the other “slow” students “equal chance to express themselves.” In the other, the teacher marched me down to the office after two weeks and demanded I be removed from her class because I talked dirty. I had brought up the possibility of Oedipal implications in a play we were discussing. She didn’t know exactly what that was but she knew it had something to do with sex and she wanted me out of there.

As far as Montessori goes, I sent my kids to a Montessori school because its curriculum is very similar to what my mom and dad presented at home. I love the ability to progress at one’s own pace and encouragement to find what you love. It was definitely the ideal environment for my daughter, but somewhat less so for my son because he needs more structure.

I was in the “gifted” programs in elementary and middle school. My high school didn’t exactly have a gifted program, but most of my classes were with students the year above me.

Anyway, I hated it. We were treated like statistics rather than like people. Nobody cared if we were happy, as long as we had a positive effect on the school’s standardized test scores.

I was a ‘gifted’ kid in a time when there weren’t any programs in place for such children. By high school, I was bored out of my mind and so sick to death of school that I ended up dropping out. I hated school so much that I didn’t go to college either, something I profoundly regret.

Two of my children are gifted (@mangeons is one of them), and were identified as such in kindergarten. They attended a magnet elementary school for gifted kids, and had a much different, much better experience than I had at that age. I am 100% positive that it was a beneficial thing for them. If for no other reason than the fact that they were surrounded by kids like themselves and so were not ostracized for being smart. Of course, there were many other benefits as well. They learned how to think in a way that most of us never got in school.

Daughter #1 is now in 10th grade, maintaining a 4.0, and taking two college courses. Daughter #2 is now in 9th grade, taking a rigorous course load but having trouble maintaining her grades (not because she doesn’t understand, she just doesn’t do the dang work!)
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My third child is bright (above grade level in both language arts and math). The differences between them:

A bright child will be one or two grade levels above average in one or more subjects. A gifted child will be two or more grade levels above average in all subjects. For example, children 1 and 2 were reading at a college level by 6th grade and learned pre-algebra in elementary school. Child 3 is reading at about a 9th grade level while in 7th grade, and is a year (maybe 2) ahead in math.

Children 1 and 2 constantly asked for more and more difficult things to learn. For instance, the minute child 1 had been exposed to multiplication in school, she begged me to teach her division. Which I then proceeded to do, incorrectly! It had been so long, I’d forgotten how. Child 3 was perfectly happy learning whatever was being taught, even though she picked it up easily. Maybe it’s just a matter of burning curiosity.

Children 1 and 2 had trouble relating to ‘average’ children of their own ages. Child 3 has always been a friend to everyone, and has no trouble making new ones. She is also blessed with an enormous amount of empathy and insight into human nature. You could say that she is ‘socially gifted’. :)

@tinyfaery GA.I agree wholeheartedly. I have seen too many kids become disruptive and destructive in classes where they are working far below their potential due to boredom and so if a child is showing more signs of talent/knowledge/intelligence/progress (pick the word you are most comfortable using!) in a certain area then they should be able to work towards that potential.

That said, I think it is also very important that, by allowing the “gifted” kids to reach their potential,we don’t make any other child feel bad.

yes I was, and I don’t think it helped me in the long run. It made me lazy because I assumed that you can get by on talent alone. Nobody taught me about hard work, which I had to discover after the age of 17.

I was labeled gifted as an elementary student, and all it did was set the foundation for what would become my cynicism towards and contempt of honors classes and the like.

in elementary school, they pulled me into the ‘gifted’ program when i was in like first grade. now i hear they’re doing it even earlier, but at the time it usually wasn’t until 2nd or 3rd grade for the most part. i don’t know if that was a good thing or not. most of the kids in there were absolutely wild. bouncing off the walls. i was really really really quiet and resigned.
i suppose i don’t really see the point of it. i liked the gifted classes i had, but we didn’t do anything…special? i remember them reading harry potter to us. and learning about boats for like absolutely no reason.

i haven’t thought about that in such a long time. how weird

I was labeled gifted and talented in elementary school. I didn’t find out until I was an adult though. My Mom was concerned I would be singled out for being G & T. Unfortunately, I got bored in all of my classes up through high school and almost failed out. I really think it depends on the person. It would’ve been great for me to know, but for others it could be a detriment.

@SarasWhimsy I didn’t tell my kids until the oldest had been in the magnet program through 2nd grade. I didn’t want them to think they were more ‘special’ than other kids. All they knew was that they were in the right school for their ‘level’. I finally had to tell them when I figured out that they had assumed that meant they were in an easier school than most kids!

Sounds as if Fluther is somewhat like Lake Wobegon. You know, where “where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”

Of course, anything is possible on the Internet.

@Darwin lol, my kids aren’t…I have no illusions about their abilities

@Darwin

I can’t help but think it’s a little far-fetched. Then again, different sites have different types of people on them. Maybe we just attract smarter people? :)

Well, if I hadn’t been labeled “gifted” in school, I wouldn’t have answered the question. I suspect people who didn’t have anything more interesting than “No” to add just stayed away.

The principal of my grammar school called my mother in to tell her that I had scored the highest in my 4th grade class on an aptitude test. My mother didn’t mention that to me for years.

My mother once told my brother and I that we had both taken IQ tests in school, and one of us scored higher than the other. She didn’t remember which one, either that or she just wouldn’t admit to remembering.

If it’s the latter, I have to give her points for great wisdom, because I’m pretty sure my brother would have scored higher, and he doesn’t need anything else to brag about, you know? :-)

As some of you have said, gifted just means they might need a different approach in the classroom, but my experience is, they are often thrown in with driven high achievers (or those whose parents are) and there are unique challenges as a result.

My son has always blown the top out of standardized testing, as in mostly highest marks district has had on the tests, yet he is wildly inconsistent in the classroom with day to day stuff. Test him, fine, but the process of daily school work is difficult for him to get a handle on. I put zero pressure on him, and he says he’d rather be in non-honors classes and just keep learning more on his own (which he does, via internet instruction in a wide variety of things.).
I have adjusted my expectations from the earliest days when teachers and schools seemed intent on finding out why he aces tests but struggles with other work. He is uncomfortable with the gifted label as well, so I just figure let it play out.
We all know intelligence measurement devices are pretty broad strokes, and really may not be particularly useful in the long run because of the vast differences all of us manifest what we know and how we really learn.

@freescotland Welcome to Fluther!

I have been labeled a high scorer on verbal and quantitative aptitude tests. So what? I still can’t work my digital camera ever since I lost the manual.