Five Things GT Students Need to Succeed

Thank you for an amazing school year! It was a wonderful experience getting to know these students over the course of the year while hearing their thoughtful reflections. Most of all, it was great to watch them form friendships and bond over the content we discussed. I'm excited to spend the summer planning for next year (thanks for the feedback on the lessons you found most impactful)!.

(Also, I'm ecstatic to hear many of you will be coming back next year as we make room for new friends and additional sections. Enjoy all of your summer camps. Maybe some of you will meet in person?!)

MINI-LESSON: Five Things GT Students Need to Succeed 

This week we discussed what students who are gifted need in order to thrive and succeed in life. In addition to this general information (see the list below), we also dived into a career case study (see attachments). 

We discussed what a “case study” is and how we can learn a lot from one while making abstract connections to our own lives. Sometimes lists and statistics are helpful as we keep our needs in mind; sometimes specific examples illustrate a thoughtful point. Below you will find some optional follow up questions for students to journal about in order to explore this week’s topic further. For example, can they think of anything else that should be added to the list of five things below? 

  1. Challenges (What approaches can you use if a class isn't challenging? How can you tactfully use assertiveness to address an issue of boredom with your teachers or caregivers?) 
  2. Self-Esteem (What does self-confidence look like and feel like to you? What does healthy pride look like?) 
  3. Talk-Time (Who can you talk to about all the amazing ideas in your mind? Who can you ask questions and connect with in your areas of interest?) 
  4. Self-Awareness (What are your systems for keeping track of what you are good at and passionate about? How often do you journal or do you have another system for reflection?) 
  5. Support (Gifted individuals have special needs. Who is your support system? This class can help with that. Thank you for coming with an open mind.)
Take care and have a lovely summer break! I look forward to seeing some of you for the Tuesday and Thursday summer sessions starting June 6th.





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