While certain tasks or assignments may come easier for gifted students, it does not mean that they do not struggle or have setbacks. In many cases, due to the very high expectations gifted students set for themselves, they can face even greater challenges than other students. It is also a misconception that gifted students have a clear path set out for their future from a young age. Thus, it is important for these advanced learners to be able to read accounts of the challenges (academically and personally), inspirations and ultimately, triumphs of some the worlds鈥� most influential people.

Here鈥檚 a list of inspiring books about individuals who have made contributions in the areas of science, technology, literature and music:

Bill Gates is the co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation and philanthropist.

Book: Who is Bill Gates? (2013)听 by Patricia Brennan Demulth (author) and Ted Hammond (illustrator) details how a persistent and gifted young boy from Seattle became one of the leading entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution. For younger readers.

Joshua Bell is an acclaimed violinist who made his听听debut at age 17 with the听. He has since performed with many of the world’s major orchestras and conductors and has recorded more than 30 classical albums.

Book: The Dance of the Violin (2017) by听听(author) and 听(illustrator) tells the story of a young Joshua Bell who challenges himself to play a difficult听 piece of music at an international competition. During the performance he makes a mistake, but garners the courage to start again and put forth his best effort.听 For younger readers.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez was a Columbian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and journalist affectionately known as Gabo or Gabito. He won the Nobel Prize winner for Literature in 1982 and is considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th century.

Book: My Name is Gabito (2007) by Monica Brown (author) and Raul Colon (illustrator) beautifully chronicles Gabriel Garcia Marquez鈥檚 life from his childhood in Columbia to his later years as a celebrated author.听 For younger readers.

Sally Ride Ph.D was an American听physicist听and听astronaut. In 1983 she became the first U.S. woman to go into space.

Book: Sally Ride: America鈥檚 First Woman in Space (2014) by听听recounts the story of the woman who broke gender barriers at NASA and went on to found Sally Ride Science, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting STEM literacy for young people. For teens and above (LGBT issues discussed).

Jane Goodall is a primatologist and听anthropologist. Considered to be the world’s foremost expert on听chimpanzees, she is best known for her over 55-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania.

Book: Jane Goodall: The Woman Who Redefined Man (2008) by Dale Peterson details the triumphs and setbacks of Goodall鈥檚 life, including the private quest that led to her now-famous activism. For teens and above.

Carl Sagan Ph.D was an astronomer, writer, and creator of the television series, Cosmos that helped popularize science.

Book: Carl Sagan: A Life in the Cosmos (1999) by William Poundstone recounts the life of a gifted young man whose interest in the stars and life on other planets propelled him to become science’s first authentic media superstar, making science accessible to the general public. For teens and above.

You can find more inspiring role models in the book, , Maurice E. Fisher Ph.D & Eugenia M. Fisher, Ed.D, Editors and Michael E. Walters, Ed.D & Harry T. Roman, M.S., Senior Writers.

Tell us who inspires you by sending your own book recommendations!

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

Lisa is the mother of 3 gifted children and lives outside of San Francisco.

In high school, I was identified as a gifted and talented student by the Research and Guidance Laboratory for Superior Students at the University of Wisconsin. I know this because my mother saved 2 reports from the laboratory. The reports contained testing results and interviews.

The first question on the report asked about my reaction to being identified as talented. My answer:

鈥淚 believe I am not exceptionally talented and that 8th grade reading scores couldn鈥檛 possibly tell. I have no feelings about it.鈥�

I was 17 at the time I said this. I was one of 1800 students in my high school and deeply involved in the theater program. I was popular among my peers and I had a serious boyfriend. I also got a 鈥淐鈥� in French that year. No wonder I was dismissive of my academic 鈥渢alents鈥�.

I knew my own children would not be as dismissive. I asked them the same question. This time, I used the word 鈥済ifted鈥�, a word they know well. This is what they said:

1. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know, I鈥檓 not the biggest fan of that word. I think it鈥檚 used in a way it shouldn鈥檛 be. It is elitist. Why don鈥檛 they just say smart?鈥�

2. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel like I鈥檓 that much smarter than anyone else. I know some people did tests on me and I have a higher IQ, but it doesn鈥檛 make me feel any smarter.鈥�

3. 鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 an attempt at a compliment, without really getting there. It means I do exceptionally well when I am in the right environment. Being 鈥榞ifted鈥� means I was the right person in the right place at the right time. If I was the same person in the wrong place at the wrong time, I would be a 鈥榮lacker鈥�.鈥�

See if you can match the child to the response:

A. 18 year old highly creative son. I called him 鈥渓azy鈥� before I discovered he was gifted. In 6th grade, he moved from public school to a private school for gifted students. Subject of 鈥�鈥� post.

B. 15 year old son. Highly sensitive and highly gifted, he spent his early years academically out of sync with the rest of his class and taught by teachers who either disregarded his abilities or were hostile to his parents鈥� interference. In 5th grade, we moved him to a private school for gifted students. Subject of 鈥溾�� post.

C. 12 year old daughter, currently in 6th grade, who has attended a private school for gifted students since kindergarten. Subject of 鈥溾�� post.

Answers: 1B, 2C, 3A

Each child saw the word 鈥済ifted鈥� based on his or her own experiences. In one of these answers, I see rejection of a word that began a battle over curriculum between frustrated parents and hostile teachers. In another, I see an expression of insecurity that comes from interacting with classmates who win national awards and perform at Carnegie Hall. In the third, I see the articulation of anxiety that results when a child is pushed by his parents to perform in an inhospitable environment. What I don鈥檛 see is any acknowledgment that this word might describe who they are. In 33 years, nothing has changed. What does it mean when the very children who are identified by the word 鈥済ifted鈥� reject it?

I wanted to tell my children what 鈥済ifted鈥� meant, but I couldn鈥檛. The experts have not agreed on a single definition. () As far as I can tell, it is a term created by educational professionals to describe individuals with abilities different from (not better than) typically developing peers who require curriculum modifications in order to meet their academic and social-emotional needs. If I have correctly captured the definition of 鈥済ifted鈥�, then doesn鈥檛 the term focus less on the students鈥� 鈥済ifts鈥� and more on their needs? Couldn鈥檛 you also use this definition for children with other types of learning differences or special needs?

I think we need to ditch the word and come up with another. No one embraces the term. 鈥淕ifted鈥� has an image problem. Most people see it as a genetic and inherent quality that remains static throughout a person鈥檚 life and confers unmitigated advantages to the individual. My experience, and that of my children, tells me that the characteristics associated with being 鈥済ifted鈥� can be assets in some environments and liabilities in others.

So, what word should we use? Can鈥檛 we appropriate some other term that identifies these students but doesn鈥檛 elicit the same negative response? How about 鈥渟pecial needs鈥� or 鈥渓earning difference鈥�?

In the meantime, let鈥檚 address some of issues that lead to these misconceptions about giftedness. Until we figure out how to adequately identify gifted children in all racial and socio-economic groups, the term will be considered elitist by some. Until we accept the social and emotional characteristics associated with giftedness, many of which bring challenges along with the 鈥済ifts鈥�, these children will just be 鈥渟mart鈥�. And, until we stop demanding that children perform in order to prove their gifts, we will always have the misunderstood 鈥渟lacker鈥�.

Like every other parent, I want my children to understand and appreciate the qualities that make them unique. They have rejected the term the educational community has proposed for them. That鈥檚 okay; they can define themselves any way they鈥檇 like. Until we find a new term, I will continue seek out others who speak the 鈥済ifted鈥� language. It鈥檚 nice to have sympathetic company when you feel misunderstood.

What has your experience been with the term 鈥済ifted鈥�? Please share in the comment section below.

Like this post? Please share!
听 听