Raising Bright Sparks: Book 5 -Study Skills for Gifted Students

It is often incorrectly assumed that gifted students will succeed in life, irrespective of what happens to them today, in school. The frightening reality is that today, there are many gifted but underachieving students in schools; many gifted adolescents who drop out of school; many frustrated adults who have not achieved success academically, in their careers or by establishing positive relationships. Research has indicated that up to 50% of gifted students do not achieve at an expected level when academic achievements are compared with identified abilities. 10 – 20% of students who drop out of school are within the intellectually gifted range. Various disabilities can have a significant impact on the learning and achievement patterns of twice-exceptional students and a range of psychosocial and environmental issues have been identified as causal factors in underachievement.
It seems obvious that not all gifted students succeed without appropriate intervention to meet their complex academic, social and emotional needs. The past cannot be controlled – nor can the future; however what is done today can help to shape the future. As far as gifted children are concerned, tomorrow does not take care of itself. Virginia Satir makes it clear that action must be taken now when she wrote “The future starts today, not tomorrow.”