Identity Conflicts in Gifted Adolescents
By the Duke University Talent Identification Program Identity formation, a major event in adolescence, is the process by which individuals define themselves. It involves exploring the questions “Who am I becoming?” and “What will I do with my life?” Like gender, race, ethnicity, and class, giftedness is an aspect of identity. For gifted adolescents, it […]
Listening For What Gifted Children Don’t Say
By the Duke University Talent Identification Program Gifted children often talk a lot. Their early vocabulary astounds their audiences and attracts amazed praise. The frequent and extraordinary approval reinforces their verbal skills and, by classical conditioning, causes them to feel intelligent while they’re talking. It’s no wonder they’re often so willing to share their knowledge—sometimes […]
Fostering Self-Discovery in Adolescence
By the Duke University Talent Identification Program Every January I look forward to teaching Psychology 137, “Adolescence,” an undergraduate course. I tell my students that one of my objectives for the class is to create an understanding and an appreciation of adolescence, of the incredible development—equaled only in infancy—that takes place during the teen years. […]
Negotiating Downtime with Your Child
By the Duke University Talent Identification Program When our 12-year-old daughter, Lauren, began to respond to our simplest requests with anger and resentment, my husband, Bill, and I pressed her to explain why she felt so offended. Her exasperated response, “I never get a moment’s peace,” confounded us. She spent huge amounts of time in […]
Mastering Organizational Skills
By the Duke University Talent Identification Program My child’s grades are suffering. He is acing all his tests but is getting marked down for not turning in homework. He forgets to bring home the assignment or the book that he needs to do it, or he leaves the homework at home or in his locker. […]