It is never necessary to bore a kid at school. The real problem exists within the structure, not within the child. When someone has skills, interests or abilities in many areas, making choices about both one's immediate behavior and about one's future plans becomes difficult. Frequent time-outs are cruel, total rejection. Teachers and parents need to teach kids that conformity is a question of ethics and common sense which balances personal freedom with social acceptance.
Conformity is a choice relative to personal values and social values.
It is not the messages sent, but the messages received and interpreted by a person that influences his self-concept. When teachers or parents use sarcasm, or when kids pick up subtleties and double meanings, the intended message is lost. Kids need to be told point-blank that they are accepted, loved, respected and trusted, and the message must be backed up by actually being treated with acceptance, love, respect, and trust. Back to A Glossary of Gifted Education. Back to Steve's Education and Society page.