Brenda Bryant Brittani Martin Brittany Dykes Nikita Wilcox Underachievement Brenda Bryant Brittani Martin Brittany Dykes Nikita Wilcox

What is underachievement? Disagreement between a child’s school performance and some type of ability score like an IQ score. This is more of a technical definition. We have to dig deeper to truly understand underachievement in gifted children. Disagreement between a child’s school performance and some type of ability score like an IQ score.

Definition of Underachievement continued…… A behavior that is a problem of attitude or work habits. Content and situation specific -Children often succeed in activities outside of school such as work, sports, etc. -Children may do poorly in most subjects and very well in one. - Their interest and talent may lie elsewhere. A behavior that is a problem of attitude or work habits. “Underachiever”

Signs of Underachievment The discrepancy between potential(as seen from test scores, products, or observations of parents, relatives, or neighbors) and achievement in school is a significant identifier of underachievement. A significant number of underachievers respond to similar challenges in more or less similar ways. The discrepancy between potential (as seen from test scores, products, or observations of parents, relatives, or neighbors) and achievement in school. A significant number of underachievers respond to similar challenges in more or less similar ways.

Signs of Underachievement Continued. Common Characteristics: Low self-esteem Consistently negative attitude toward school and learning Reluctance to take risks or apply one’s self Discomfort with competition Lack of perseverance Lack of goal-directed behavior Social isolation Weaknesses in skill areas and organization Disruptiveness in class and resistance to class activities Common Characteristics: Low self-esteem Consistently negative attitude toward school and learning Reluctance to take risks or apply one’s self Discomfort with competition Lack of perseverance Lack of goal-directed behavior Social isolation Weaknesses in skill areas and organization Disruptiveness in class and resistance to class activities

Factors Possible Home Causes Conflict between parents Overprotectiveness by parents Over empowerment of children Too much or too little attention Health problems Sibling rivalry Feelings of pressure An anti-work attitude or overemphasis on work Possible Home Causes Conflict between parents Overprotectiveness by parents Over empowerment of children Too much or too little attention Health problems Sibling rivalry Feelings of pressure An anti-work attitude or overemphasis on work

Factors Possible School Causes Lack of challenge Too much or too little competition Conflicts with teachers Unidentified learning disabilities A move to a more or less difficult school Peer pressure Lack of opportunities to be creative Lack of structure or too much structure in the classroom Mismatch between students' learning preferences and intellectual strengths and the classroom strategies, expectation, and environment Possible School Causes Lack of challenge Too much or too little competition Conflicts with teachers Unidentified learning disabilities A move to a more or less difficult school Peer pressure Lack of opportunities to be creative Lack of structure or too much structure in the classroom Mismatch between students' learning preferences and intellectual strengths and the classroom strategies, expectation, and environment

Underachievement is Perceptive Some may think underachievement is an F while other may think underachievement is a B+. Self confidence plays a huge role in underachievement. If a child sees themselves as a failure than they eventually see themselves as weak in academics. Self confidence plays a huge role in underachievement. If a child sees themselves as a failure than they eventually see themselves as weak in academics.

Labels Do not label the child as an underachiever. Instead label their behaviors as underachieving. For example… DO NOT say: Jane is an underachiever. Rather say: Jane is currently underachieving in math and science. Do not label the child as an underachiever. Instead label their behaviors as underachieving.

Family Roles Gifted children thrive in a mutually respectful, non authoritarian, flexible, questioning atmosphere. Gifted children need reasonable rules and guidelines, strong support and encouragement, and consistent positive feedback.

Supportive Strategies Gifted children need adults who are willing to listen to their questions with out comment. Show genuine enthusiasm about students observations, interest, activities, and goals. Be sensitive to problems, but avoid unrealistic or conflicting expectations and solving problems that gifted children are capable of managing. Gifted children need adults who are willing to listen to their questions with out comment. Show genuine enthusiasm about students observations, interest, activities, and goals. Be sensitive to problems, but avoid unrealistic or conflicting expectations and solving problems that gifted children are capable of managing.

Intrinsic Strategies See intellectual development as a requirement and not merely as an interest, a flair, or a phase that a child might outgrow. Provide an early and appropriate educational environment that stimulates an early love of learning. See intellectual development as a requirement and not merely as an interest, a flair, or a phase that a child might outgrow. Provide an early and appropriate educational environment that stimulates an early love of learning.

Praise vs. Encouragement Overemphasis on achievement or outcomes rather than a child’s efforts, involvement, and desires to learn about topics of interest is a common parental pitfall. Pressure to perform emphasizes outcomes such as winning awards and getting A’s , for which the student is highly praised. Encouragement emphasizes effort, the process used to achieve, steps taken toward accomplishing an goal and improvement. It leaves appraisal and valuation to the child. The line between pressure and encouragement is subtle but important. Overemphasis on achievement or outcomes rather than a child’s efforts, involvement, and desires to learn about topics of interest is a common parental pitfall. Pressure to perform emphasizes outcomes such as winning awards and getting A’s , for which the student is highly praised. Encouragement emphasizes effort, the process used to achieve, steps taken toward accomplishing an goal and improvement. It leaves appraisal and valuation to the child. The line between pressure and encouragement is subtle but important.

Remedial Strategies Avoid discouraging children by domination, insensitivity, silence, or intimidation. Avoid comparing children with others. Show children how to function in competition and how to recover from losses. Avoid discouraging children by domination, insensitivity, silence, or intimidation. Avoid comparing children with others. Show children how to function in competition and how to recover from losses.

Classroom Interventions

Strategies Supportive strategies - Classroom techniques and designs that allow students to feel they are part of a “family," versus a “factory". Intrinsic Strategies - A classroom that invites positive attitudes is likely to encourage achievement. Remedial Strategies - students are given chances to excel in their areas of strength and interest while opportunities are provided in specific areas of learning deficiencies. Supportive strategies - Classroom techniques and designs that allow students to feel they are part of a "family," versus a "factory," include methods such as holding class meetings to discuss student concerns; designing curriculum activities based on the needs and interests of the children; and allowing students to bypass assignments on subjects in which they have previously shown competency. Intrinsic Strategies - A classroom that invites positive attitudes is likely to encourage achievement. In classrooms of this type, teachers encourage attempts, not just successes; they value student input in creating classroom rules and responsibilities; and they allow students to evaluate their own work before receiving a grade from the teacher. Remedial Strategies - students are given chances to excel in their areas of strength and interest while opportunities are provided in specific areas of learning deficiencies. This remediation is done in a "safe environment in which mistakes are considered a part of learning for everyone, including the teacher.

What can parents do about their child’s underachievement? Arrange for regular communication with your child's teacher about the problem. Join a parent support group for gifted children. Arrange for an evaluation by a school or private psychologist who specializes in helping gifted underachieving children. Read literature about children and underachieving to get a better understanding of what your child is going through. Avoid conflicts with your child's teacher that may lead the child to blame the school for his/her problems. Continue to encourage your child's interests, regardless of the level of school success. Do not use talent development as a reward for academic achievement. Encourage your child to participate in enrichment activities that involve other achieving gifted children. Don't give up on your child. Many children do overcome their underachievement while others continue similar behaviors throughout adult life. If the pattern has continued for more than one school year, it is important to get help. It is easier to change the pattern if you identify it early.

What are the most promising solutions to underachievement? Examine the problem individually Create a Teacher-Parent collaboration Stay focused on the child’s gifts Create an individual plan for the child Examine the Problem Individually. Underachievement covers a broad spectrum of situations from a minor school problem with a fairly obvious cause to a more entrenched long-term pattern. Since underachievement is such a varied and complex phenomenon, each case must be examined individually – with no preconceptions. Create a Teacher-Parent Collaboration. Teachers and parents need to work together and pool their information and experience regarding the child. Most interventions involve parent-teacher collaborations, where they can coordinate their efforts and help the child progress more effectively. Stay Focused on the Child’s Gifts. When examining a child’s underachievement, always begin by focusing on strengths; a deficiency approach encourages the child to focus on weaknesses even more than before. At each point the investigation needs to find the most effective ways to involve the child in the pursuit and exploration of personal talents and interests. This builds the confidence and strength the child needs to manage problem areas. Create an Individual Plan for the Child. The plan designed for the child has to emerge from the nature of individual gifts and the root causes of the underachievement. Research on culturally different and disadvantaged gifted students has produced a number of effective models that educators can use to help reverse underachievement. These models show how factors such as cultural difference and impoverishment lead to underachievement and the kinds of interventions children need to overcome the barriers that have isolated them from their own talents.  

Sources http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/underachievement.htm http://giftedkids.about.com/od/schoolissues/p/underachieve.htm http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/underachieving_gifted.html http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/eric/e544.html http://school.familyeducation.com/child-psychology/gifted-education/38653.html http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10094.aspx http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10442.aspx http://www.appliedmotivation.com/gifted_and_talented_underachieve.htm http://www.sengifted.org/articles_counseling/Grobman_Underachievement_in_Exceptionally_Gifted_Adolescents.pdf