I thought one of the "characteristics" of the gifted child was competitiveness? Or is that what they call the drive to learn?
Hmm, I've never heard that, Wren, that a characteristic of gifted children is competitiveness. Have you got a citation?
Personally, I think competitiveness is an entirely different issue than a drive to learn, and almost opposed, if you think about it. A drive to learn is a drive to better oneself -- there's no competition in that at all, really, except against the clock or against one's self. There's no winner or loser -- there's just one child's drive "to know" for his own pleasure.
For what it's worth, I was completely under-challenged in school (despite a one-year grade skip) and my ability to learn for the love of learning was lost by about age 8. I was done putting effort into school. So by the time it got remotely interesting (high school, for me), I didn't know how to study -- I studied the very least I needed to and did well mainly on my prodigious ability at multiple choice tests.
I did well in school -- I have two bachelor's degrees from recognisable schools. But I feel I could have actually learned more and enjoyed more while I was there, if I had a better work ethic.
And *that* is what I'm hoping to accomplish for my son when I post here. I'm trying to make sure that he keeps that zest for knowledge that he has now.
