Thanks for sharing the article - interesting read.
I'll have to say that my own experience with raising three gifted kids - one of them high gifted - is different than the scenario the author describes (kid getting all A's, whipping off a week's homework in a short amount of time) and more like the experiences of the historical students he mentioned (Beethoven being told he was hopeless, Einstein dropping in and out of school, etc.). None of my kids have been motivated by grades (although they could calculate down to the number of problems on a specific math assignment that needed to be completed to pull a C). In fact, my son's were so poor in mid-school (the high gifted child) that I had to fight to get him tested for gifted. I remember the school counselor telling me, "Being placed in gifted should be a reward for exceptional performance. Your son just has behavior problems." I reminded her that gifted was for kids who were not being served by the regular classroom. When she reluctantly authorized the testing, my son qualified in all three exceptionalities.
They weren't overly motivated to please their teachers, either. Last year was the first year in six years I didn't receive almost daily emails from my youngest's teachers telling me of his latest off-beat ideas, comments, or failure to properly complete an assignment as assigned. And not because my son miraculously overcame all his quirks but because he had a seasoned, patient teacher to "got" him and redirected and motivated him in ways no other teacher had.
I'd be curious how many parents have the straight-a-ers and how many are in my boat.
