Being gifted can be defined in numerous ways; some of us are naturally talented with learning instruments or languages. Others are athletic phenoms. For those who are exceptionally curious, public schooling may be paradoxical to one's desires to learn.
The conversations I've had with gifted individuals in-person and online reverberate with disappointment of the education system, and insatiable appetites for knowledge. Some people were born to sing, others dance.
Many gifted people are born to acquire and apply knowledge. It is like breathing.
To limit a gifted person's abilities to seek and acquire knowledge can have severe consequences in the future. Some of these consequences may be: feelings of resentment towards others who don't have a similar perspective on acquiring knowledge, impaired social skills, limited ranges of emotional expression, increased self-doubt with one's gifts or talents.
Over time, having one's intellectual curiosities unfed can lead to feelings of inauthenticity, frustrations with learning, feeling robotic or repetitive, or resentments for others who don't understand. Many gifted students can become bored because their schooling isn't considered stimulating. Many can also start acting out in class or on the playground because they are being misunderstood, or frustrated with having their needs unmet.
Some ways to reduce boredom in the classroom (for all students):
creative options for assignments
reading lists for each topic of study
open discussion times (for more vocal students to participate)
mentoring & tutoring (gifted students can find purpose with giving back)
student teaching (students may be able to share additional resources or information related to the topic being studied)
allow doodling during lecture
social groups (gifted students may feel less misunderstood when meeting others who think similarly)
To read more of my Quora response on giftedness & boredom, click here.
More Quora answers on Giftedness:
