In some schools, gifted kids receive an IEP. What goals might a school consider to assist in their social and emotional development?

In some schools, gifted kids receive an IEP. What goals might a school consider to assist in their social and emotional development?

In the program I taught in during the 1970s, all gifted students were considered part of the special education population of that state. Each one of the over 100 students in my elementary pull-out GT program had to have an IEP. Needless to say, it was an enormous task to complete paperwork for such a large population using a form designed for a small population-all in a time before computers!

Some generalizations had to be formulated by our team of teachers for the various categories of goals and then applied, as appropriate, to the students in the program. When it came to social and emotional development, we looked at the areas relating to self and relating to others. Over the years, I believe this simple tactic worked well for clarifying dimensions that can be positively impacted by the schools.

For example, in terms of class cohesion, goals involving respecting others ideas and feelings as well as learning skills to enhance peer relations were universals for students. These are important in every classroom, not just with gifted. The difference is that young gifted students often seem oblivious to the effect their actions or statements have on others. A goal of participating in conflict resolution helped teach them an intellectual process to deal with differences of opinion. As individuals, general goals included communicating feelings and needs, acting responsibly, and coping with frustrations that arose. More specific goals were needed for those gifted who saw rules as only one of many options, assignments as choices, and anger or withdrawal as an appropriate response to requirements they didn’t like.

Interestingly enough, a small percentage of the students in our program were identified when they had been recommended to be tested as emotionally disturbed. The sheer boredom of the regular classroom had led them to act out in ways that caught the attention of the teacher and administration. Their IEP’s often had to include achievement motivation, accepting more challenging tasks, and acting independently to pursue and complete ideas. For all of the students in this district pull-out program, the positive influence of being with their intellectual peers assisted with their social and emotional growth beyond what could have been done in one-on-one tutoring or solitary enrichment within a regular classroom setting.