A new online high school for gifted kids
7 years ago
Thursday, January 15, 2009
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To accommodate GT student’s asynchrony it helps if you have had children of your own. They may not be GT but they do the things that make you ask “What in the world were you thinking?” It helps to have a sense of humor in the classroom with these students so when they do something that is out of GT character they don’t feel threatened or embarrassed. Eighth grade boys exhibit this characteristic all the time. They can work a complicated physics problem but can’t remember their book, homework or a pencil. They also tend to blurt out things they think are funny, but the girls find “gross.”
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with I.Oliver. Having children of my own helps a lot. When your GT student knows a whole lot about the Revolutionary War, but forget to bring his interactive notebook, it drives me crazy. I have had GT kids who have trouble cutting or folding paper, but are geniuses at answering difficult questions.
ReplyDeleteThe asynchrony I see in students is one of the things that I love about teaching my 8th graders. Some of their comments create some wonderful teachable moments. Being aware that asynchrony exists is a valuable awareness for any teacher to have, especially a teacher of the gifted. I, too, agree with l.oliver and pcarr when they say that having children helps understand this characteristic.
ReplyDeleteI don't have kids of my own, but I am used to seeing this trait of asynchrony in students everyday (whether GT or SPED). I think, as a teacher, it definitely helps to have a sense of humor when interacting with these students. This trait can be frustrating and hilarious at the same time. Teachers need to be flexible and creative when dealing with students that are very intelligent but may be so disorganized you wonder how they got out of their house that morning. I have found it helps to use a lot of visual cues when working with kids like this.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it seems difficult to find resources that we need in our GT "toolbox." For example- one GT child reads, comprehends, and discusses all types of literature but doesn't understand how to carry a social conversation with peers or how to make friends. On the other hand, having book studies like this allows us to remember all the tools we do have: humor, patience, flexibility, and time.
ReplyDeleteI think a consistent connection to the web should definietly be in a teacher's tool box. I know I do not have all the answers to all the questions that may arise. One also needs to be flexible, understanding, and creative. This really comes in to play in the fourth grade classroom when a child can figure out various mathematics a year above grade level but is unable to cut out a human body for science correctly/neatly. Tools should be given to alleviate the frustration that may result i.e. the human body could be be partially cut out and the student may only need to finish thus completing it along with the other students. As well as it can be neat since they can take thier time due to fewer pieces to cut. I am not sure if having kids would matter, if you teach long enough you are able to pick up the 'norms' and identify the gifted just as well as someone with kids of thier own. - In both cases it just takes being observant and using what you see. - the key is using the information you gather.
ReplyDeleteI have dealt with atleast 2 children who were asychronistic. Actually, I rather enjoyed them. However, I completely understood and empathized with others (students and adults) who were NOT fans of the asychonistic students. They were (are) extremely intelligent, observant, deep thinkers, but their social skill were "untamed". They consistently blurted out inconsiderate, insensitive, and inappropriate comments. This is a tough situation for a teacher. I know that a million years in ISS and all the write ups in the world are not going to have any effect on these students' behavior. They were not being deviant, they are developmentally out of wack. Toolbox item #1: is GT awareness and #2:lots of patience!!!
ReplyDeleteI am slightly embarassed to say that even though I passed the exam and received my G/T endorsement I was not sure of what the word asynchrony meant. (Idon/t remeber hearing it in any of my G/T 30 hours. However, after reading the chapter that discusses and explains it--I get it! As I said in Question #1 my Kindergarten students are rarely identified before they enter and sometimes even leave my classroom. I definitely agree with slhardie the web should be in our toolbox but I think acevedo hit it on the head with G/T awareness and lots of patience. I am really enjoying reading this book and feel that it will help me to identify and hopefully accomodate these students when they enter my classroom.
ReplyDeleteThe key words for me are FLEXIBLITY and PATIENCE. I have seen chrarcteristics of asynchronous development many times in my classroom. My gifted 5th graders often show that they are eager and excited about growing up and learning about "grown up" things, and they have the intellectual capacity to have a stimulating discussion about an advanced topic. But then I will hear from a parent whose son was crying the night before because he was worried about dying and worried about the world coming to an end, and she did not know what to tell him. Or I think of my 5th grader that could not tie his shoelaces and was trying to get other kids to help him at recess. I also think of the girl who was very skilled at doing advanced math, and would often correct others, but could not stop picking her nose and eating her "findings."
ReplyDeleteI see it every day. It is very hard on the students because they are "out of sync", "not just with the world, but within themselves as well". The verbal, aggressive behavior can be handled in a straight forward, sensitive way. It is the quiet, introverted students that are more complicated to help. It is probably due to their personality that they withdraw. They are in their own world where no one else goes. They are highly sensitive and often seem awkward. On p. 46, it says these asynchrony, gifted children could do well to have both intellectual and age peers. That would be a good solution, when possible. I see the importance, as a teacher of the gifted, to accept who they are, whenever, and provide the emotional support and encouragement that will help them become all they are meant to be.
ReplyDeleteI agree with p. kassir when she gives flexibility and patience as key words for working with these kids. They are on opposite ends at times. How strange the world can look from the inside.
ReplyDeleteJCanon makes an interesting point regarding the complicacy in helping the "quiet, introverted students". I find that I tip toe around them. I do not want to reinforce any negative view thay have of the world or people, or their perceived people's view of them, so I do all I can to be positive around them even when they are obviously checked out mentally. In general, this practice helps in maintaining postive relationships in the classroom, but I am not for sure that the manner in which I handle these students is effective for their own social and emotional development.
ReplyDeleteI find the asynchronous development so interesting. What I find humorous is that even the GT kids find it perplexing to be asynchronous. But the hardest part is when fellow educators do not understand this and then think that the GT kid is just not trying in other areas or get upset when the GT kid acts like his age and not his IQ. Like L. Oliver said above, it really helps to have a sense of humor when working with these kids. You also need to understand child development so you can know where the child is in each area and meet their needs appropriately in each area.
ReplyDeleteI think a frequent comment from teachers is, "How did this kid get into GT? He doesn't even_____(fill in the blank: turn in homework, remember his notebook, make his journal entries...)." I think this is largely due to a lack of understanding about asynchrony. I so agree with oliver and the comment about needing a sense of humor. The most important message from this chapter is that regardless of their intellect they are children first. Understanding this is key to being a gifted teacher of the gifted. I totally had a Vijay chewing on his pencil, his sleeve, etc. This kid had the most brilliant observations about almost any topic, though. I also liked the reminder that gifted kids are not exceptional at everything (p. 47).
ReplyDeleteDear JCanon,
ReplyDeleteOn page 46, it also says that "like little orbiting magnets, they somehow gravitate toward one another. They share similar interests and communicate in similar ways." When I talk to the parents of my gifted 5th graders, I often hear them tell me how their children find the other gifted children when they get to middle school. Even students that did not know each other in SPIRAL (because they come to Bendwood on different days), they find each other in middle school and become good friends. I find that so neat!
What a great chapter! On page 41 it is mentioned that educators work with children and their abilities, "but the child part has to come first". It is refreshing to communicate with professionals who are willing to share their thoughts as well as what tools are needed to teach the children who are GT. I agree with all the previous blog comments regarding the Tools that would be most helpful...I would add understanding.
ReplyDeleteDear jcannon and p.kassir,
ReplyDeletePage 46 is an amazing page..."little orbiting magnets", what a great visual that explains so much!
I always love the "Toolbox" type questions because it is always growing and expanding for every child, every situation, every activity that we do. The tools needed for GT children are in my opinion patience, and the ability to answer the why's. As a Pre-Kindergarten teacher my children are NEVER identified or screened, so I just go with the assumption that they are all GT.
ReplyDeleteOver the years I know of several students who after two days in class, I knew.
Child #1: On the second day of school asked "Why do the lights come on when you flip the switch. Where does electricity come from?
-Most of my students were still crying because they wanted mommy.-
Child #2: This student came into the classroom and started his year by telling me the name of every dinosaur he knew. When they lived, what they ate and ended the year by writing a book about dinosaurs and building a model for the class of various eras.
Child #3: Came in at the beginning of the year reading fluently and became very frustrated when her classmates could not read a simple childrens book with her.
When you treat all students as GT you end up with many why questions. The average 4year old asks 435 questions a day, and I have 24 studens. No wonder my Brain hurts everyday
This chapter was so interesting! The asynchrony I see in the kiddos I teach is what I enjoy the most. It is what makes them stand out. They make me smile with their stories and their imagination constantly astounds me! I see that alot of kids lack a filter and they say everything that comes to mind. This is both a good and a bad thing. The other kids don't 'get' alot of what they are talking about. This ends up isolating the GT kids further. I agree that patience and flexibility is absolutely the key when working with these kids.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Wegschec, it is hard to know how to help the kids when the struggle with the social interactions. I see so often the kids just don't know how to interact with other kids. They are drawn to adults. This has been a struggle for me. I agree that humor, patience, and flexility and the best tools that we have.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great chapter. I enjoy things that help to remind me for the great benefits and joys found in the things that make us different and special. I agree with p kassir in that flexibility and patience are paramount in dealing with asyncronistic students (truly any student in you classroom will benefit from this).
ReplyDeleteAcevedo brought up a good point in that it is vital to empathize with the non-asyncronistic idiviuals learning within or working with your class when there are asyncronistic learners present. I especially see the need for communicating with specialist/support staff that come in contact with these children to assure that they understand the precious mind they are dealing with and don't view some of the attached behaviors as opositional defiance.
I am truly amazed by the gifted kids that I have been lucky enough to learn from. Since my first year of teaching, I have had at least one "wise beyond their years" kid who demonsrates his/her exceptional brain one minute, but then shows their true age the next. For instance, I have a student now who can speak philosophically about deep world issues and then turn around and become giddy over a kooky pen.
ReplyDeleteI find the biggest challenge for me is remembering that this highly intellectual mind that I am teaching is still a child. They could easily research and write eloquently about the horrors of slavery, but are they emotionally ready for it?
I agree about flexibility!
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost would be the tool of understanding. In the process of meeting the intellectual needs, social and emotional needs must not be neglected. I currently have a first grade gifted student who struggles with relating to the other children. His quirky behavior puzzles them and presents challenges for development of a cohesive learning environment.
ReplyDeleteI agree with I.Oliver. Reflecting on my own children's development does help in understanding asynchrony. The well rounded individual does not simply appear, but develops in zig zag fashion. It is very important for us to remember that this development is a process, and as others have said, to also remenber that these gifted children are still, first and foremost, children.
ReplyDeleteJennbl has brought up a good point about communicating with the specialists/support staff regarding the asynchronistic learners. Without that type of communication it would be very easy to misinterpret behaviors.
ReplyDelete