There are a lot of myths out there about gifted students. Today I want to highlight and debunk some of the most common ones we hear in the course of our work advocating for gifted kids.

Gifted Students Don’t Need Help

Gifted students have great potential, but they, like any other student, need guidance and support for it to be fully realized. Left without help, , leading to a dislike for school and low-achievement. The guidance of a teacher, parent, counselor or other supportive adult is crucial for the success of a gifted student.

Students with Learning Disabilities Cannot be Gifted

Some gifted students are twice-exceptional, meaning they also have learning disabilities, which makes it harder for their giftedness to be recognized. Most of these students have the and are often not served and challenged at the level they need. It is important for these students to both be challenged and receive help for their learning disability.

Gifted Students Always Get Good Grades

Gifted underachievers are a very real thing. Some students are bored and disengaged from being unchallenged in the classroom, therefore they stop really trying to get good grades. Other students that required work goes uncompleted. These students greatly benefit from the support of an adult to help break the cycle of underachievement.

Gifted Kids Excel in All Areas – Academic, Social and Emotional

Asynchronous Development, in which gifted kids develop academically, socially and emotionally at different levels, is one of the . For example, a first grade student may be reading at a sixth grade level, but be communicating below the ideal for their age. This can sometimes lead to in school.

Teachers Love Having Gifted Students in the Classroom

It is often thought that gifted children are model students, but, in reality, they can be disruptive and have that frustrate their teacher. However, this can often be avoided when students are engaged, challenged and matched with a teacher who understands and enjoys gifted children.

All Gifted Kids are the Same

Gifted kids are just as varied and diverse as everyone else! They have a wide range of abilities and interests, as well as social and cultural backgrounds.

What myths about gifted students would you like to debunk?

Like this post?ÌýÌýto receive more stories, information, and resources about gifted youth straight to your inbox.

With the end of the school year fast-approaching, you may find yourself looking for things to do with your child that are fun, engaging, and educational. ÌýAs some of you know, I’m a huge fan of tinkering and believe it’s important to incorporate opportunities for tinkering in children’s daily routines. ÌýI’ve culled the internet and found a number of fantastic activities, challenges, and experiments that may interest (you and) your child. They are all relatively affordable and can be conducted in the comfort of your own home. Please keep in mind that some of these activities require the help and/or supervision of an adult. So break out the cardboard, popsicle sticks, and tape and get ready for some fun!

1. Ìý

This website provides ideas for building several gadgets including pyramid catapults, propeller cars, slingshot rockets, and more!

This blog offers four different engineering challenges that require only popsicle sticks, plastic cups and wooden blocks. ÌýTest your child to build the tallest structure; build a structure on top of a single wooden block or cup; or balance a number of cups against several blocks. ÌýThe possibilities are endless!

3. Ìý

Learn about ecosystems and aquaponics by creating a mini ecosystem using a soda bottle or mason jar!

4. Ìý

Using household items only, challenge your child to package a raw egg so that it would survive–unscathed and unbroken–when dropped from a great distance.

5. Ìý

Learn about inertia, mass, equilibrium and Newton’s First Law by building inertia towers with blocks, index cards, and string. ÌýChallenge your child to pull the index cards from the tower without toppling the structure!

6. Ìý

This activity is a DIY version of the classic wooden labyrinth game where the object is to use to move a single marble through the maze without it falling through the holes. ÌýHelp your child construct their own labyrinth made of popsicle sticks and cardboard.

7. Ìý

In this fun experiment, your child will learn about DNA and how to extract it from the inside of their cheek with the help of just a few kitchen ingredients!

8. Ìý

Learn about buoyancy and put your engineering skills to the test by constructing a boat using solely cardboard and tape! ÌýHere’s the catch: make the boat large enough for you and your child to row across a pool. ÌýDon’t have a pool? ÌýConstruct a mini version and see how many pennies, wooden blocks, or objects of your choice it takes to sink the boat.

Do you have any favorite activities in your household? ÌýFeel free to share ideas and resources below!

Like this post? to receive more stories, information, and resources about gifted youth straight to your inbox.

Tiffany Kwong graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she received B.A.s in Sociology and Asian American Studies. She then pursued an M.A. in the Social and Cultural Analysis of Education at California State University, Long Beach. She enjoys working behind the scenes and playing a role in all of the programs and services ÓÅÃÛÊÓƵ has to offer and loves the incredibly warm and inclusive spaces ÓÅÃÛÊÓƵ has a way of creating. In her free time, she really enjoys cooking and sewing, especially in the company of family – the experience of spending time with her loved ones makes these activities particularly special to her.