Profoundly Gifted Student, 14
Davidson Institute for Talent Development
This personal narrative by a profoundly gifted student, 14, that reflects on his educational journey and observations of radical acceleration.
“One size fits all” is a ridiculous statement. Everybody is unique in his or
her own special way, so one size couldn’t possibly work for every person. In
education however, public schools have to group kids together to get them
through school in a somewhat efficient manner. Public schools clump kids based
on age, but that doesn’t work for everybody. Public schools will provide some
extra help for a below average student with special needs. But what about the
other side of the spectrum? Do the smart kids need anything special? The
generally accepted answer is “No” because people believe that smart people can
take care of themselves. However, that is not the case.
I was unusual. I was born four weeks early. When I was one, I screamed for one
hour straight, at 5:00 p.m. sharp, every day. My parents soon figured out the
explanation: I was bored, and I needed to burn off energy. Later, when I was
four, I started misbehaving. I was mean to other kids and my younger brother,
and I was disrespectful to adults. Again, the problem was attributed to my
boredom. I started kindergarten early at a small private school, and I returned
to my nice and respectful self. Private schools can be more flexible than the
general “one size fits all” belief, and provide a more personalized education,
which was exactly what I needed. I later realized that without private school to
allow me to progress at my own pace, I would have lost all interest in school
and developed serious behavioral issues. As I progressed through material that I
had already been taught, my behavior worsened. I was a child with “special
needs”, but mine were unusual. I didn’t need extra help understanding concepts;
I just needed to stay challenged.
When my parents realized my need for challenge, they strove to provide it. When
I was provided with harder material, I became excited with my work, and my love
of learning was formed. If I mastered concepts ahead of average pace, I was
advanced to new material. In this way, I was kept thoroughly challenged and
happy. I was the top in my class, I had several friends, and my life was great.
When I progressed to the third grade however, I had already gone through most of
the third grade curriculum. My teacher, the principal, and my parents all
thought that I should be advanced to the fourth grade. I was thrilled by the
idea of more challenging material and I loved the idea of skipping a grade. To
me, skipping a grade was an oft talked about event, but I had never heard of it
happening. For that reason, I was excited to be the first person I knew that had
ever skipped a grade. I also wanted to make my parents proud. I knew that
skipping a grade would be difficult, and I was determined to show my parents
that I could and would succeed. Above all, I knew that I had to be challenged,
and I was sure that a new grade would leave me thoroughly engaged.
The decision was made, and I was sent to the fourth grade. It was considered a
“trial run” by my parents and teachers; just a test to see how I would acclimate
to the new setting. The first few weeks in the fourth grade were crazy; I had to
catch up on previously assigned work. Additionally, the teacher was glad to have
me as her student; however, the rest of the students all seemed a little wary
and on edge.
When I advanced to the fourth grade in the middle of the year, I was first met
with shock; people couldn’t believe that I would break out of the age-based
grade system. It seemed to me that most other students felt threatened by my
unusual situation, and as a result, they automatically became defensive.
Connections with old friends were somehow broken, and I was forced to make new,
older friends. I felt proud of what I had accomplished, but I felt alienated as
well. My parents were constantly encouraging me and assuring me that I had made
the right choice to move ahead at my own pace and break away from the
constricting standardized mold.
As I met new people, I was constantly explaining why I was two years younger
than the “correct” age for my grade. People were always a little shocked. Adults
were the nicest; they always encouraged me, and they thought my accomplishments
were neat. In elementary school, the kids were bad, but when I went to middle
school, the kids were terrible. I was fortunate enough to go to private school
for those grades, and I know that the small school environment made me hundreds
of times safer. I felt hated, and I know that I unintentionally made others feel
stupid. I didn’t try to hurt others, but I loved to answer questions correctly.
After the seventh and eighth grade, I was ready to advance to a new grade. I
skipped the ninth grade, and when I reached high school everything changed. My
school was a sixth through twelfth grade school so I still saw the same kids as
I had previously. I had already been with most of them in class, since I was
advanced in almost everything. Some of the kids accepted me, which was
refreshing, and others were still annoyed. By this point, I was a twelve year
old high school sophomore.
When I reached the eleventh grade, I felt like I finally belonged. I had finally
found a size that fit my unique and unusual situation. I was accepted by
everyone because I was familiar. I had several friends, and I felt like a normal
high school student. I was a perfect “A” student, and I was enjoying my classes.
People started asking me for help with their homework, and I was glad to oblige.
I did what I could to help others with what I was good at, because I hoped to
dissipate the remaining tension that surrounded me.
I am technically a high school senior this school year, and I am only fourteen.
However, I have already taken my senior level classes. I am taking all my
classes at the University of Colorado, and I have noticed one tremendous
difference between college and high school. The college students I have met
treat me with respect, and think that skipping grades is cool. It is such a
relief.
I have had a unique experience of advancing through school at a different rate
than others. This situation gives me the opportunity to observe how the behavior
of my peers changes from one grade to the next. The most amazing change I have
noticed is between twelfth graders and college freshmen. People seem to mature
into adults in the span of a year; instead of feeling threatened by my
situation, they think it is cool, just like other adults.
My educational career has had a considerable impact on my life, and the first
grade that I skipped was definitely the most significant and life-changing.
Without that extra challenge provided by the new grade, or if I had been
confined to a “one size fits all” education, my life would have been
irreversibly altered. I would have shirked my classes, engaged in immoral
behavior, and ruined my life. That first grade has profoundly affected my view
of schooling as well. My success in that transition from third to fourth grade
encouraged me to pursue my love of learning regardless of superficial grade
levels.
I am but one of many advanced kids who excel at school and all of us need
something extra to help us succeed. Although I excel at school, I am not perfect
at everything. Too often the smart kids suffer from overwhelming peer pressure
and a lack of flexibility from schools. A “one size fits all” style education
can put a damper on the futures of some above average students and can all but
extinguish their bright futures.
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