What Gifted Kids Are Like

Gifted kids are characterized by intensity, creativity, precocity, perfectionism, and idealism. They have an ability to hyper focus and have high energy levels. Very intelligent infants display much eye contact within weeks of birth, and they demand much interaction with adults. These kids can show hostility towards authority if their school lessons contain much information that they already know. They may have good social skills, but they can also seem bossy to others.

5 Levels of Giftedness

Level 1
120-129 IQ
90-98% test scores
moderately gifted
faster milestones than normal

Level 2
130-135 IQ
98-99% test scores
gifted
bigger vocabulary at earlier age

Level 3
136-140 IQ
98-99% test scores
eye contact from birth
highly gifted 

Level 4
141+ IQ
99% test scores
math in head at young age
exceptionally gifted

Level 5
141+ IQ
99% test scores
read college texts before 10 years of age
profoundly gifted

School Issues and Options

Schools, unfortunately, are not trained to recognize different ability levels. They are mandated by law to provide special services for developmentally slow students, so they focus their energy on learning disabled kids and kids with behavioral problems. They assume that gifted kids do not need any help or special services. Parents are told that their gifted kids need to develop their social skills, rather than academic skills, in the classroom. Therefore, gifted kids are often bored, which ofted causes behavioral issues. These kids feel different, and they are subject to bullying and teasing.

Solutions include the following: early entrance to school, gifted classes, skipping grades, homeschooling, online courses, tutoring, summer programs for the gifted, college courses for high schoolers, etc.

5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options by Deborah Ruf, 2009

I love the descriptions of gifted kids' behaviors at different levels of giftedness. They really give readers a sense of how kids think and act at different intellectual levels. I learned fascinating things about the geniuses that were described in this book. Most books on high intelligence do not scratch the surface of the very highest intellectual capacity of humankind.

I found it interesting that grade-skipping was common up until the 1950s. It was awesome that Ruf categorized some historical figures into her five levels of giftedness. In this book, 3% of the population is defined as gifted.

• Educational Options
• Books about gifted education
• AGATE - NY Gifted Education Association
• MENSA
• NAGC - National Association for Gifted Children