Trinity you said <<I'm curious how you can state that "small percentage of people with IQ's of 130 and above display such characteristics" I have many dear friends and have no idea what their IQ's are. I don't know what my own IQ is.>>
Of course my observation is far from scientific but I have in fact talked with quite a large number of high school students (over 150 to date) who are identified as gifted; the vast majority of them are cognitively gifted besides also being academically gifted and a much smaller number who are also creatively gifted. I volunteer at my son's high school in the GT Office to help the GT coordinator take inventory of the GT kids on his roster. Although all of these kids are simply delightful to meet with and their intelligence practically sparkles in their eyes I can say that I intuit that not a majority of them has the kind of sensitivity that Delisle and Roeper mention and which I see in my daughter and other family members.
I also advocate on the Gifted and Talented Board in our school District and as such have met with adults who more likely than not also have high intelligence, yet I have not recognized that high sensitivity and caring in them.
You said <<I will say of the few people who's IQs I know, that they seem to have the full range of human strengths and frailties.>>
True enough; if only teachers were convinced of that also, but they do seem to assume that gifted kids should be good at everything.
<<The word "Gifted" iteslf is a very difficult one.....it seems to instantly put everone on the defensive, as if it imply that some people are "gifted" and everyone else is "worthless.">>
Gifted people are merely different! They can become "worthless" especially when formal schooling saps them of motivation.
<<I've settled for "children who are not appropriatly challenged by the normal age-appropriate cirricula" when trying to Advocate for my son. Any suggestions will be much appreciated.>>
I think that is what all children deserve; to learn something new and hopefully in an engaging and exciting way as well; not simply by "drill the skill". There are some good resources; I particularly like the following as an inroduction for teachers.
http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_sc/gen/HSTPR078.PDF
