In order to understand what it means to be gifted, it is important that we understand what the term “gifted” really means.
My definition of giftedness
There are many different definitions of the term, depending on who’s research or book (or blog) you are reading. Below is the definition that I use most frequently on this site:
“Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally.” *
Giftedness is more than giftedness does
Did you notice that the above definition said nothing about how amazingly smart that individual is, or how great they are in their field of practice? Most of the focus on giftedness tends to follow these questions: How do we find these gifted kids? Once we find them, how do we motivate them? Once we motivate them how do we get them to use their talents and gifts to the maximum extent possible? Michael Piechowski said :
“For many theorists and researchers, explaining giftedness means describing the conditions that produce gifted achievements. Trapped by the metaphor of “gifts”, they believe that the most important aspect of being gifted is the ability to turn “gifts” into recognizable and valued accomplishments. These models and theories regard gifted children much as farmers regard cows and pigs, with an eye to getting them to produce more.**
Giftedness is about much more than what a person can produce or create. It is not about being the smartest kid in the class, or being that person that can defeat anyone at trivial pursuit. It is not a label that is reserved only for people that win the Nobel Prize or perform at Carnegie Hall either. Giftedness is a developmental condition that exists regardless of what that person is producing at any given moment. It is the fertile soil that, if properly tilled and cared for, has the capacity to produce wonderful and amazing crops.
Not just a childhood thing
You may have also noticed that the definition above did not say anything about children. If you have spent any amount of time searching on the internet for a definition of giftedness, then you have undoubtedly come across dozens of other definitions, like this one from the Javits Act of 1988:
“The term gifted and talented means children and youths who give evidence of higher performance capability in such areas as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the schools in order to develop such capabilities fully.”
While this is most appropriate for schools to help understand and identify gifted children, there is an unspoken message saying two things: Giftedness only exists in children, and it only pertains to the educational environment. Nothing could be further from the truth.
If we compare giftedness to other developmental conditions, such as Dyslexia, we can see the absurdity of those two assumptions. Dyslexia is a major problem for students because it interferes with their ability to learn. But no one ever dreams to say that dyslexia magically disappears when that student graduates from high school, right? In fact, dyslexia is often a much larger problem in adulthood because it has the potential to interfere with that person’s ability to get a higher-paying job, which is why there is so much literature on the condition today.
As with any other element of human development, giftedness is a continuous, life-long process. It is not something that people “grow out of” just because they graduate high school. It does not cease to exist solely because there aren’t any adult versions of standardized tests that quantify the need for specialized attention. It exists, like any other developmental condition, across the life span. And its presence only becomes MORE evident as a person ages, not less.
How do I know if I am gifted?
Let’s face it, we both know that you probably aren’t here for casual reading pleasure. Unless you are trying to find information for your students or children, you are probably here because you want to know whether or not the word “gifted” has any place in your personal vocabulary, right?
Well, go ahead and click on the link below to take a (relatively) short test that may help you find the answer you are looking for.
*- Columbus Group, 1991
**- Grant & Piechowski, 2004