Do any of you feel that you and/or your children are sometimes/often misunderstood by administrators, teachers, professors, psychologists, or even therapists because of giftedness? For instance, if you or your child indicates that a class is not sufficiently challenging, this might be taken as arrogance though this was never the intention?
ALL.THE.TIME.
It is a shame that a statement is not accepted at face value, treated as authentic, and utilized to gain insight and discuss perspectives.
At a plein air painting gathering... each artist's work is different, and in looking at each piece, one can easily see where each artist had set up his or her easel... the view communicated on canvas is different for each artist, depending on their perspective and distance from the scene depicted. If our society would process a statement about the easiness (or lack of challenge, or boredom) of a class, in the same way we easily see an artist's relative positioning to their subject as revealed through their painting, it would make a positive difference. The goal of communicating is ideally to enhance understanding, and that implies we are beings with different experiences, perspectives, and knowledge bases.
If you and/or your child has or still encounters this, how do you deal with these irritating incidences?
Sometimes ask/probe/clarify. Sometimes let it go.
Is this feeling of being misunderstood something we must become accustomed to?
It depends on the situation: in random, casual conversations people may wish to let it go. In relationships where more may be at stake, it may be worth investing the time in further conversation to clarify... hopefully with the idea in mind that everyone benefits from enhanced insight and understanding. When deciding, it may be helpful to also keep in mind that gifted are a minority (1%-10%) of the population.
It has been a battle to minimize the damage that one comment made... I don't think even the most seasoned teachers truly know how deeply some of these children feel and how long and intense their reactions can be to a negative response.
On another
current thread, a parent mentioned intensity and asked if it gets better... I didn't even think to answer about school...
