O'Neill Public Schools

We must accept children for who they are,

 not what they can and cannot do

                                           Intelligence

 What is intelligence?  When asked this question, most people consider a person with intelligence as someone possessing a high IQ and fast processing skills.  Snyderman and Rothman define intelligence as “the ability to reason, solve problems, think abstractly, and acquire knowledge.  Intelligence is not the amount of information people know, but their ability to recognize, acquire, organize, update, select, and apply it effectively.”  Educators continue to debate the meaning of intelligence. 

Howard Gardner (see resources) has changed the way many people interpret intelligence.  In his Multiple Intelligences Theory, he states that there are eight intelligences: linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, spatial, body-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist.  He believes that schools should help students reach goals that are appropriate to their particular area of intelligences.

Giftedness

Does intelligence relate to giftedness?  Yes, it does, but the meanings are not the same.  A child’s intelligence is only one area of their giftedness.  Gifts that children posses are their natural abilities to do something well in at least one domain.  Children can have gifts in many areas including music, art, academics, and leadership.  Students do not have to be good at everything to be gifted.  For example, a child might excel in math and music, but not at reading.  Also, a student’s area of strength is not always of greatest interest to him/her.

Joseph Renzulli (see resources) describes two kinds of giftedness, schoolhouse and creative-productive giftedness.  Schoolhouse giftedness can easily be identified using standardized achievement tests.  Therefore schoolhouse gifted students will be likely to do well in school.

Creative-productive giftedness, as shown in the figure below, demonstrated to be the interaction between above-average intelligence, creativity, and task commitment when they occur together in a particular area of interest such as art, reading, or science. 

 This type of giftedness places a premium on original products that solve a real-world problem with a specific audience.  It is important to remember that not all of the rings are of equal size.  Some children may be more creative than they are motivated.  Although some children need more support, this does not make them less able.  Renzulli believes that this type of giftedness occurs in certain people (not all people), at certain times (not all times), and under certain circumstances (but not all circumstances).  Our responsibility as parents and educators then is to provide opportunities for students to develop in all these areas.

Talent Development

Nurturing giftedness is key in talent development.  Talent signifies superior mastery in a child’s area of ability.  This is why talent development is crucial in the lives of gifted children.  Imagine a child with a gift to sing beautifully.  If this is not nurtured, the gift will not be developed into a talent. 

Advice for parents

Above all, keep in mind that no matter what your personal conception of giftedness is, love your child for the unique person he/she is, and support the interests and abilities your child has.  It’s all right for your child to have an intense love for science, but is not interested in reading literature.  It’s all right for your child to become a vegetarian because he doesn’t want animals to die.  It’s all right for your child to want to know what infinity is at age 5.  And it’s all right if you, the parent, don’t have all the answers.

Resources

The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids   by Sally Yahnke Walker

Free Spirit Publishing, 1991

Helping Gifted Children Soar by Carol A. Strip, Ph.D with Gretchen Hirsch

Gifted Psychology Press, Inc., 2000

Growing Up Gifted by Barbara Clark

Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1997

Intelligence Reframed

Basic Books, 1999

“The Three-Ring Conception of Giftedness” by Joseph S. Renzulli

http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~nrcgt/sem/semart13.html

Questions or comments, please contact Jennifer Selting Bauer at jbauer@esu8.org .

Pages last updated on: 12/16/2005