No Child is Just Born Gifted - NAGC

whether expressed in cognitive abilities suchas the capacity to generalize, conceptualize,or reason abstractly, or in specific abilitiessuch as creative behavior, results from theinteraction between inherited and acquiredcharacteristics. This interaction encompassesall of the physical, mental, andemotional characteristics ofthe person and all of thepeople, events, and objectsentering the person’sawareness. Our reality isunique to each of us.What Is MoreImportant,Nature orNurture?An endless interactionbetween theenvironment andour genetic frameworkcreates our intelligence,even our perception ofreality. This process beginsvery early, as soon as thefertilized egg attaches to thewall of the uterus. As thecells divide and the fetusbegins to grow, the environmentalready begins to exerta determining influence.One could not say from thisinteractive point of viewwhich is more important —the inherited abilities or theenvironmental opportunitiesto develop them.Restriction on either nature(genes) or nurture (environment)would inhibit the high levels ofactualized intellectual ability we callgiftedness.Our genes are not a limit, but providea rough outline of the possibilities for ourlife. While genes provide us with our ownunique menu, the environment makes theactual selection within that range ofchoice. Any reference to “High-IQ genes”must be seen as a misnomer because thediscernible characteristics of an organismalways depend on its particular environmentalhistory.Environmental interaction with thegenetic program of the individual occurswhether planned or left to chance. Byconservative estimates, this interaction canresult in a 20- to 40-point difference inmeasured intelligence. Teachers andparents must be aware that how westructure the environment for childrenchanges them neurologically and biologically.Without opportunities for appropriatechallenge, talent and ability may belost. From an overwhelming body ofresearch, we must conclude that thedevelopment of intelligence includes bothnature AND nurture.Who Are Gifted Learners?At birth the human brain containssome 100 to 200 billion braincells. Each neural cell is in placeand ready to be developed, ready to beused for actualizing the highest levels ofhuman potential. With a very smallnumber of exceptions, all human infantscome equipped with this marvelouscomplex heritage.For example, two individuals withapproximately the same genetic capacity9for developing intelligence could beregarded as potentially gifted or aseducably retarded as a result of theenvironment with which they interact.While we never develop more neural cells,it is estimated that we actually use lessthan 5 percent of our brain capability.How we use this complexsystem becomes critical toour development of intelligenceand personality and tothe very quality of life weexperience as we grow.Those who work with giftedchildren must acquire anunderstanding of the powerof the interaction betweenthe organism and itsenvironment.When the brain becomesmore accelerated andadvanced in its functionthrough this interaction, theindividual shows characteristicsthat can be identifiedwith high intelligence. Someof those characteristics canbe seen as the direct result ofchanges in brain structures.These changes continue tooccur as long as appropriatestimulation is available. Overand over brain researchpoints to the dynamic natureof the brain’s growth and theneed to challenge theindividual at that individual’slevel of development forgrowth to continue. Unchallenged,the individual willlose brain power.Although each child will expressgiftedness in his or her unique way,behaviors often observed among thesechildren include intense curiosity,frequent and sophisticated questions, anaccelerated pace of thought and learning,complex thinking, often connectingseemingly disparate ideas, persistence inpursuing interests, and early developmentof language and mathematical skills.Emotionally gifted children mayshow a heightened awareness of “beingdifferent,” unusual sensitivity to theexpressed feelings and problems of others,early concern for global and abstractissues, idealism and concern for fairness

and justice, and high expectations for selfand others. Gifted children often show anunusual asynchrony or gap betweenphysical and intellectual development anda low tolerance for a lag between personalvision and physical abilities. Mostinteresting is the gifted child’s earlyawareness and expression of heightenedperceptions, preference for creativesolutions and actions over predictableones, and early use of hunches and bestguesses.The best way toidentify high levels ofintellectual development,or what we callgiftedness, is to observethe child at play in arich, responsiveenvironment. Duringthe early years it isimportant to providelots of opportunitiesfor children to interactwith interesting, novel,and unusual experiencesthat allow themto stretch just beyondtheir current abilitylevel. All children musthave experiences attheir level of developmentbecause it isduring early childhoodthat intelligence isnurtured and giftednessis developed. The most importantchallenge for teachers at home and atschool is to stay just ahead of the child inpresenting materials and experiences —not too far ahead and yet not presentingtoo much repetition. Creating an environmentand experiences that respond to thechild with an appropriate balance of thefamiliar and new is the best way toprovide for optimal development.Provide for Early LearningParents are their children’s firstteachers, and they need to providea rich, responsive environment andguidance based on the unique needs andinterests of their children. You will bemost effective when you create theappropriate emotional and social climateand are sensitive to your infant’s uniquepersonality and development. Followingare some activities to optimize developmentand learning based on observingyour child’s rhythms, abilities, andinterests.Beginning very early:• Respond to your infant’s signals andencourage attention and active involvement.• Play games using lots of sensory activities— tickle; squeeze; rock and move; useHigh intelligence, whetherexpressed in cognitiveabilities such as the capacity togeneralize, conceptualize, orreason abstractly, or in specificabilities such as creativebehavior, results from theinteraction between inheritedand acquired characteristics.different textures against the baby’s skin;use lots of different sounds.• Place mobiles and moving toys in andaround the crib.• Have a variety of patterned materialsavailable for your baby to see.• Talk to your baby during all caregivingactivities.• Show lots of affection; cuddle and pat.Around 4 months of age or before:• Place an unbreakable mirror in the crib.• Provide stacking toys and objects forthrowing, banging, and moving.• Play games with fingers and toes; playpeek-a-boo.• Talk to your baby and encourage baby’suse of words.• Take trips around the community.• Read books to your baby.10• Provide social interactions for your babywith adults and older peers.By 10 months of age or before:• Provide a wide variety of toys andhousehold objects for stringing,nesting, digging, pounding, screwing, andconstruction.• Provide tape players, magnets, blocks,puzzles, books, and art materials.• Play guessing games, matching andsorting games, fingergames, circle games,and treasure hunts.• Read to your child;make books of thechild’s activities —scrapbooks, color, andnumber books.• Take neighborhoodlearning excursions;develop collections.• Organize a safephysical environmentthat allows for a varietyof sensory experiencesand explorations.Allow your child todictate when and howlong an activity lasts. Byadding ideas andenthusiasm, parentsintroduce the world oflearning to their childin exciting and pleasurableways. Love oflearning and discovery is a deep motivationfor every child; all the parents needdo is encourage and respond.The Importance ofParentingFamilies have long-term effects ontheir children in many ways. Theycreate the attitudes and expectationsthat allow high levels of development.Some of the most importantparenting factors are articulating yourbeliefs about success and failure and youraspirations and expectations for achievement,teaching and modeling strategiesfor self-control and responsibility,providing a variety of language opportunities,and developing a close familyenvironment.As gifted children grow, they willrequire more complexity and more

opportunities to nurture their rapidlyexpanding and curious minds. Thefollowing are a few activities parents canprovide from kindergarten throughouttheir child’s school life:• Give your child access to new ideasand information by including him or herin discussions at dinner and during familyconversations.• Research ideas together; show yourchild how you gather information foryour work and personal interests.• Share your enthusiasms with yourchild.• Provide choices and alternatives asmuch as possible and include your childin decision making wherever appropriate.As soon as children can understand theconsequences of an action they should bepart of the decision.• Model clear and open communicationprinciples such as not blamingothers, making expectations known,identifying and speaking from one’s ownbeliefs while accepting the beliefs ofothers. Help your child use these principlesin communicating.• See and use problems as opportunitiesfor learning, and help your child dothis in his or her life.• Reduce tension for your child, asgifted children are known to put excessivepressure on themselves to achieve or to be“perfect” in what they attempt. Share yourstrategies for accepting less than perfectionin yourself. Also, have flexible rulesthat change appropriately and withdiscussion, share the establishment ofguidelines and goals, and acknowledgeand point out strengths as well as areas inneed of development.• Acknowledge your child’s accomplishmentseven though everyone mayexpect him or her to do well.• Help your child understand whatgiftedness is and the implications of thislevel of brain growth, including theresponsibilities your child has to helpnurture this dynamic process.• Provide a safe place for your child todiscuss problems. Listen without judgmentas your child explores his or her feelingsand possible solutions. There are manypeople who will not understand giftedchildren’s intensity and the needs thatrelate to their advanced and acceleratedbrain process. Your home may at times bethe only place your child feels protected.• Mostly, just enjoy living with yourgifted child. While it is a never-endingchallenge, it is an unbelievable joy!The newborn child is amazinglycompetent and able to learn. With loveand careful attention, parents and teacherscan provide the opportunities to optimizeevery child’s potential and realize eachchild’s giftedness. No child is just borngifted.Dr. Barbara Clark is a Professor in the Divisionof Special Education and Coordinator forgraduate programs in the area of gifted educationat California State University, Los Angeles, .Dr. Clark is the author of the widely used text,Growing Up Gifted (5th Edition, 1997) andOptimizing Learning (1986), both publishedby Merrill/Prentice Hall. She has taughtpreschool children on commercial television asthe teacher of Romper Room and in both regularand gifted classes at the elementary level inpublic schools.