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Every Child Has A Gift

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By AMY ELLINOR, Tribune Correspondent

Published: November 23, 2007

When I first became a teacher, I would thank my lucky stars I didn't major in physical education. It seemed those teachers were always answering to parents who thought their child should be starting in the game or making the varsity team. Then, when I got my certification to teach gifted children, I realized it isn't just sports.

Parents went to great lengths to get their children into the gifted program whether they belonged there or not.

To be academically gifted, a child must have at least a 130 IQ on a standardized intelligence test. I can recall one mother who took her daughter to be privately tested not once, but three times, with three separate psychologists, hoping her child would score higher by remembering the questions.

Maybe it's all the Baby Einstein videos. Maybe it's that Florida's public schools rank 30th in the nation. Perhaps parents are looking for an edge in college acceptance. But it seems parents have honed in on the gifted label to give their child an advantage whether it's appropriate or not.

According to Jane Clarenbach, director of public education at the National Association for Gifted Children, the truly academically gifted comprise 5 percent to 7 percent of our population. (Some states, including Florida, will make an exception for a child who is "under-represented," which the state defines as "groups who are limited English proficient or who are from a low socio-economic status family.") The kids admitted to a school gifted program have the 130 I.Q. and, according to Clarenbach, are strong in "schoolhouse subjects" like reading, science and math and may already know 60 percent to 75 percent of what they're supposed to learn that year.

The intention is to provide services to kids who have educational needs that can't be met in the regular classroom setting.

"If your child seems to be happy and challenged," Clarenbach says, "then you are in the right place."

For parents who believe there's just something really special about their child, they are probably right.

Clarenbach, like most educators, believes that traditional "schoolhouse intelligence" is only a part of the picture. For years, educators have been finding the talent in every child by using Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences.

Gardner, an educational psychologist and Harvard professor who recently spoke at Edison College in Fort Myers, believes there are eight intelligences in which a child may excel:

Linguistic intelligence is a sensitivity to the meaning and order of words, advanced vocabulary, writing skills, understanding of grammar.

Logical-mathematical intelligence is ability in mathematics and other complex logical systems; the child looks for patterns when solving problems.

Musical intelligence is the ability to understand and create music. Musicians, composers and dancers show a heightened musical intelligence.

Spatial intelligence is the ability to "think in pictures," to perceive the visual world accurately and to recreate (or alter) it in the mind or on paper. Spatial intelligence is highly developed in artists, architects, designers and sculptors.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is the ability to use one's body in a skilled way for self-expression or toward a goal. Mimes, dancers, basketball players and actors are among those who display bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

Interpersonal intelligence is an ability to perceive and understand other individuals — their moods, desires and motivations. Political and religious leaders, skilled parents and teachers, and therapists use this intelligence.

Intrapersonal intelligence is an understanding of one's own emotions. Some novelists and counselors use their own experiences to guide others.

Naturalistic intelligence is the ability to recognize and classify plants, minerals, and animals, including rocks and grass and all variety of flora and fauna. The ability to recognize cultural artifacts such as cars or sneakers also may depend on the naturalistic intelligence.

So what do you do if you have this absolutely fabulous child and you think he or she needs special attention? Find your child's talents, give them a name and provide opportunities for your child to show them off.

The following tips from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development can help you help your children shine.

Linguistic Tips:

Take them on frequent trips to the library.

Make sure they have access to a variety of books and, if possible, books with read-along cassettes.

Ask them to keep a journal or diary.

Ask them to write and read aloud a summary of your family's weekly activities.

Logical-Mathematical Quick Tips:

Go to science museums.

Use the nutritional information on food labels to create a low-fat, low-calorie family diet plan.

Play monopoly or chess.

Ask them to help you determine your budget for your next vacation.

Musical Quick Tips:

Offer plenty of opportunities to sing or play musical instruments at home.

Listen to music together and discuss how the music makes them feel.

Watch a television show together and ask them to describe the kind of mood the musical score creates. Would the show be as powerful without the musical score?

Encourage them to pursue hobbies such as singing in the choir and playing musical instruments.

Interpersonal Quick Tips:

Ask them to help younger siblings or other children with their school work.

Let them help determine where the family will go on vacation this year, requiring a survey of other family members presented at a family meeting.

Encourage them to join academic study groups or to form a study group.

Allow them to volunteer in the community.

Intrapersonal Quick Tips:

Give them a diary and encouraging them to write in it often.

Hold goal-setting sessions and let them decide how to contribute to the family. (Set a goal to make the bed every morning, for example.)

Establish a quiet time in the family schedule, immediately before or after dinner, perhaps.

Encourage them to express emotions, asking them to explain how they feel about family, school, friends and so on.

Naturalistic Quick Tips:

Go bird-watching and ask them to identify birds by either looking at their markings or by listening to their calls.

Ask them to read the newspaper and predict what local and national events will have an impact on the environment and Earth's inhabitants.

Plant an herb garden and ask them to describe how each of the herbs is used in cooking or medicine.

Take trips to natural history museums to see how biologists and anthropologists classify living things.

Spatial Quick Tips:

Stock your home with art supplies, so your children can create their own paintings, drawings, sculptures and models.

Allow them to decide how they would like to arrange their bedroom furniture (ask older children to sketch the new arrangement first).

Ask them to use a map to determine the quickest route to a new shopping center or amusement park.

Encourage them to pursue hobbies such as photography, videography and chess.

Bodily-Kinesthetic Quick Tips:

Play games such as Charades or Twister.

Ask them to help you bake a cake or help you with your gardening.

Go hiking or encourage them to play a sport.

Take a sign language class with them.

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