How should we organize education for gifted students?


A child with high potential is not exempt from academic difficulties. By identifying the uniqueness of gifted students at a very young age, the school can offer appropriate academic adjustments. Therapeutic support may be necessary for high-potential (EHP) or intellectually precocious (EIP) children. Collaboration between the teaching team and parents is also aimed at preventing academic failure and disengagement. Our school for EHP and EIP children provides education that promotes the development of young people by offering learning experiences tailored to their profile and challenges. 

Challenges in the education of gifted students

It is not uncommon for intellectually gifted students to experience difficulties in certain areas. It is essential to identify these challenges and take them into account. Gifted children often face many obstacles at school.

  1. Gifted children tend to get bored if the teaching they receive is not sufficiently stimulating. 
  2. Young people may have difficulty concentrating at school if the educational activities are too repetitive. This is why the academic results of gifted children are sometimes well below their abilities.
  3. When the lessons do not stimulate the gifted child enough, he or she may feel a lack of motivation. The work will be “sloppy,” and the student will express a lack of interest in school.
  4. Gifted students sometimes have behavioral problems in class. This is often due to their greater need for stimulation compared to other students.
  5. During their school career, some gifted children feel left out because of their differences. Their intellectual giftedness is unfortunately sometimes the cause of social difficulties at school. Integration problems among gifted children can also lead to unhappiness.
  6. Young EIP or EHP students sometimes have difficulty respecting strict rules or instructions. The rules of the school or class impose a framework that may not be questioned. The child may reject these requirements, considering them too restrictive.

Solutions and programs for organizing the education of high-potential students

Parents and teachers must put in place support tailored to each high-potential child. Each gifted student should benefit from an education that matches their exceptional intellectual abilities. Here are the main solutions frequently implemented in specialized schools, such as the Galilée school, to achieve this:

  1. It is essential to identify the strengths and abilities of each gifted child. Through this work, the teaching team highlights the student’s potential. This process allows the child to gain self-confidence and further develop in the areas where they feel most comfortable. 
  2. Offer the gifted child challenges that match their intellectual potential. These initiatives keep the child constantly stimulated and prevent boredom in class, which encourages greater interest in school learning.
  3. Children with high potential are often overflowing with imagination and enjoy creative activities
  4. Gifted children often express significant needs for independence. To help them flourish, our school offers an educational approach aimed at prioritizing autonomy, making them as responsible as possible. 
  5. Supervise high-potential children across all disciplines by being available and attentive to them throughout their school career. 
  6. Provide children with lessons that meet their need for stimulation. Learning foreign languages from kindergarten is one example. There are also acceleration programs, dual-level classes, or optional subjects. The key is to choose a curriculum that fits the child’s profile. 
  7. Our school works closely with parents. Our team listens and empathizes with you to help each high-potential child overcome their difficulties.

Advice for parents and teachers of talented students

At school and at home, gifted children express needs and difficulties that must be addressed to help them grow and stay focused. These four tips are designed to help parents and teachers better understand them in order to provide appropriate support.

1. Build self-esteem

Some gifted children tend to devalue themselves. Aware of their precocity, they are often very demanding of themselves. To reassure them, you can explain that we learn from our mistakes. This is how we grow. By making mistakes, the child will learn how to avoid them in the future. Don’t hesitate to ask them how a difficulty could be addressed. This advice, of course, applies to all children, including those who are not precocious.

2. Encourage understanding of their intellectual development

Gifted children reason very quickly. This way of thinking sometimes leads to careless mistakes. To help them avoid “skipping steps,” consider asking how they arrived at their answer. By breaking down their thoughts and taking their time, the high-potential child will become aware of the benefits of this new way of reasoning.

3. Help the talented child organize their thoughts

High-potential children tend to switch topics quickly. Several ideas, without any obvious connection, can emerge at the same time and be developed almost simultaneously. This characteristic is known as “tree-like thinking.” You can help them sort out their thoughts by refocusing them on the initial topic.

4. Nurture their intellectual curiosity

Gifted children need constant stimulation. Following an adapted school program is an effective solution. In their family life, parents can also fuel their curiosity through extracurricular artistic activities. 

Gifted students face many challenges during their schooling. Solutions exist to help high-potential children thrive. By opting for an accelerated school program while also deepening their learning, they will find material to nourish themselves intellectually. In all cases, collaboration between teachers and parents is essential. It will help you better understand the child’s unique qualities and needs, in order to put in place appropriate support.