ja_mageia

Not necessarily. In fact, it is not uncommon for gifted children to underachieve in school especially if they are studying the standard curriculum in a regular classroom. There are many reasons why an intellectually gifted child would receive average, or even poor, marks -- boredom with the curriculum is just one of them. Research shows that all students need teaching strategies and differentiated programming that matches their "zone of proximal development" in order to achieve their full learning potential. This means that the material being taught and the way it is being taught must be challenging enough to engage the student, but not so difficult that it discourages them.

Sometimes, when gifted learners are taught challenging material for the first time, this will result in getting lower marks than they had previously. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Gifted students often need more learning challenging in order to have an incentive to develop good study habits and time management skills.

Do you really want the first time they have to apply themselves to earn an A, or even face turning around a failing grade, to be in a senior secondary or even university course?

Gifted children can start to coast if not challenged and will not "learn how to learn." Sometimes gifted children who have not been challenged consistently throughout their school lives struggle when they reach university and are required to do more than memorize and regurgitate information.

Also, it is a myth to believe that "gifted children will make it on their own despite any special programming."

The answer to that myth is: "It is a fact that many dropouts in high school are bright children who have found little meaning in the school experience. Some studies have shown that up to 59 per cent of the gifted are working below the level at which they are capable." (Garnet Millar, Willow Creek School Division, Alberta)

You may want to read through the entire myths and stereotypes section, which includes the fact that underachievement in gifted people begins as early as the third grade.

Visit this page for a checklist of characteristics for underachieving gifted children.