Four Questions to Ponder When Your Kid is Heading to High School
- by Lisa Frieda Cossham
- 🕒 4 Min Read
Dichotomy between High School and Secondary School: The significant aspects to ponder over when transitioning educational institutions. - The significance of factors when pupils switch educational institutions
In the present day, parents often believe their children are cleverer than they truly are: Only a meager 2% of kids are genuinely gifted. Yet, they still wish for their child to have every opportunity possible, especially as job requirements continue to evolve.
- High School
- Exceptional Intelligence
The Real Deal on Giftedness
According to the norm, being "highly gifted" implies kids who fall within the top 1 to 3% of the entire populace in terms of cognitive abilities. However, the broader categorization of gifted children extends to those within the top 10%, per Gagné's definition[1]. So, about 10% of school-going children are considered gifted, with only a fraction of them categorized as highly gifted.
Why education Matters for Highly Gifted Students
Achieving advanced educational qualifications like the Abitur (a German high school diploma allowing entrance to university) is of immense importance for several reasons for highly gifted students:
- Career and Academic Growth: The Abitur serves as the key to higher education in Germany, opening doors to various careers and universities. Highly gifted students who excel academically and attain their Abitur can pursue advanced degrees and careers in fields like science, engineering, and technology, where their talents are most appreciated[5].
- Cultivating Learning Skills: Being part of challenging academic programs helps gifted students hone essential learning skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and time management. These abilities are indispensable in the current competitive job market[3].
- Bridging Developmental Gaps: Gifted students often contend with asynchrony, where their expertise is advanced in certain areas yet behind in others. Completing the Abitur can help them tackle these discrepancies and remain committed to learning, preventing dropout rates related to underchallenge[2].
Present-Day Struggles
Despite their potential, gifted students confront challenges within the contemporary educational system. Many institutions favor homogeneous age grouping over tailored ability grouping, which can restrict the development of gifted learners. Moreover, research reveals that between 18% and 25% of gifted students leave high school prematurely due to disengagement and minimal support[2].
Ultimately, even though the specific percentage of "highly gifted" children isn't specified, it's evident that fostering their education, especially through accomplishing qualifications like the Abitur, is essential for their academic and career success in today's job market.
In the context of high school education, nurturing the intelligence of gifted students can significantly contribute to their future career growth, as advanced qualifications like the Abitur open doors to various opportunities in fields such as science, engineering, and technology. Additionally, enrolling in challenging academic programs not only helps these students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and time management skills, indispensable in today's competitive jobs, but also bridges developmental gaps and encourages a lifelong commitment to learning.
