Extremely gifted children do not have interests in common with their age-peers. This, coupled with the gifted child s introversion, intensity, and novel way of doing things leads them to be labeled odd by their classmates. According to Winner, gifted students who do not find others who share their passion for learning and mastery are at risk of isolation and loneliness. They are also at risk of becoming arrogant on the one hand or underachievers with low self-esteem on the other. The children who are farthest from the norm, the highly gifted, face the most problems.
All Children Are Gifted .
Extreme giftedness creates a special educational need, just as does retardation or learning disability. Winner reminds us that no one cares that musically gifted children are given special musical training. But trying to gain support for academically gifted to attend special school classes is another story. If all children are gifted in school skills, then it must follow that special education is not needed. When programs for the gifted are offered, Winner claims they are often minimal programs designed to fit the moderately gifted.