Gifted And Disable Essay, Research Paper

Have you ever wanted to be smarter? Wished that you had all the gifts and

abilities that are associated with being a ?super human genius?? Coveted the

inconceivable abilities of masterminds such as Galileo and Einstein? Throughout

the history of man it has been these kinds of great minds that deviate from the

current method of thinking, in turn creating new lines of reason and more

holistic understandings of the world around us. We label them ?gifted and

talented? but they are truly our inventors, our leaders, our Mozarts and

Michelangelos. In spite of this they are at risk for extinction. Presently, the

sociocultural surrounding in which our children grow do not cater to the needs

of these gifted. Their cognitive abilities deviate from norm just as the

mentally retarded, yet they are rarely viewed as deviants who need special

attention. More often, they are viewed as better off than the majority to begin

with and, consequently, are expected to develop to their fullest potential

without much help. But just as athletes must constantly condition their muscles,

so must the gifted condition their minds. Although all states are required to

comply with the federal mandate of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (1991),

providing special education and services to the lower end deviants of the

intelligence curve, no federal law protects the other end of the curve. The lack

of a mandate, which would provide an appropriate, and nourishing learning

environment for the gifted has severe implications on their cognitive and

psychosocial development. Not once in the Individuals with Disabilities Act is

the word ?gifted? ever mentioned. Not one paragraph is dedicated to their

benefit. Luckily, 33 states have opted on their own to require their school

boards to create some form of gifted and talented programs. The problem is that

little over half of these state programs necessitate teacher endorsement. It is

not uncommon that state legislatures separate reimbursement for gifted and

talented programs from the broad and affluent category of special education. In

addition, the overall state reimbursement to local school districts is on the

decline. In 1994 a case debating this contradictory mode of reasoning arose in

Connecticut, one of the 17 states that doesn?t mandate any gifted and talented

programs. In a battle more over the diction of the present statute than of its

impartiality toward intelligence deviants, The Supreme Court of Connecticut held

that the state constitutional right to a free public education does not provide

gifted children with a special education program. This case has the potential of

making a major impact on the future of gifted education because it is only the

second ruling of a state supreme to address gifted education. Finally the most

recent and obvious sign that gifted education is being neglected was provided by

the U.S. Congress, when it cut the funding on the only federal act that allowed

for research into the various domains of intellectual deviance, the Jacob Javits

Act. Already 99.9% (literally not figuratively) of special education funding

goes to the lower end. Without the Javits Act discovering reasons why this

percentage should be more balanced, it may remain uneven. If these shaded views

continue to be supported both by legislators and electorate there will be

serious consequences on the development of gifted youth. Lacking appropriate and

motivational stimuli, gifted students will inevitably become bored and listless.

This is simply the first domino in a dangerous chain of cause and effect.

Boredom in turn leads to frustration towards their school, their parents for

forcing them to attend a place that makes the feel this way, their peers for

being content with their surroundings, and even themselves for not being

satisfied for what they are given. These mixed up emotions are a lot for any

child to handle, gifted or not. What is often negated from peoples mind when

evaluating the abilities of the gifted is that their talents are not infinite.

They are exceptionally smart but they are no more equipped to manage emotional

stress than any one else. As the frustration builds so do feelings of

helplessness in the ability to satisfy their need for creative stimuli. As a

result anxiety attacks are not uncommon in these children and neither are

episodes of depression. However, the most detrimental consequence of these

unjust inadequacies is that the gifted youth of our nation will never reach

their full potential. Already, studies have shown that 30%-40% of America?s

gifted children are underachieving (National Commission for Excellence in

Education). And at least 20% of the students who drop out of school are gifted.

Most gifted students also have difficulties in psychosocial development. One of

the first problems to arise is labeled as social immaturity and is followed by

difficulty in forming peer groups. Psychologists now think that this label is

incorrect and that these children are simply very different from the average

child. These undeniable differences, not immaturity, is what causes the kids to

have such a hard time making friends. They just can?t find anyone to relate

to. And the society in which they grow up doesn?t make it any easier for them.

Upper end intelligence deviants are labeled as brainiacs, geniuses, and

masterminds, who are already viewed as having more than the average person to

begin with. So when these children ask for special treatment they create for

themselves an image of selfishness. They are often distrusted, envied, and

feared. These powerful soiciocultural stigmas are a lot for a young child to

handle despite his or her intelligence. When the same society that sparks these

negative views also has high expectations of these children it will inevitably

create more confusion and frustration in their young minds. Consequently, they

will be even more likely to feel like outsiders in their own society. Physical

effects are rare, possibly because they are so difficult to detect. Poor posture

and avoiding eye contact are the two primary problems. All physical

developmental effects usually result from interactions between cognitive and

psychosocial difficulties. The long term effects and ultimate cost of failing to

provide a mandate with sufficient funding may exceed the expense of adequately

educating the nations most intelligent students. Who wants to be gifted in a

world that refuses to help that gift grow? These children have vulnerabilities

in addition to their gift that also need to be catered to. They need social

skill training in addition to academic learning. They need guidance in finding a

comfortable niche in society. But first they need to feel comfortable with

themselves as deviants that the world looks after and nurtures. They should view

themselves as an unusual and in expendable natural human resource. And they can

only do that if we show them. If our laws provide the funding and programs

necessary for them to feel supported and looked after they will grow up to feel

confident about themselves and their gift.