There is an erroneous opinion that the main efforts of school psychologists should be directed to students with deviant behavior. At the same time, it is forgotten that work with gifted children is also a leading activity. If the family needs to see the child’s abilities on time, then at school it is necessary to support, develop, and prepare the necessary ground for future implementation.
In everyday life, giftedness is considered synonymous with talent, while in psychology the definition of this concept is slightly different. This is a quality of personality, expressed in the successful development of any types of activity, while combining with interest in them. Whether such a child grows up as a brilliant, talented person depends on a lot, including on how well thought out the work with gifted children is at school.
First you need to identify these guys. There are students who immediately stand out against their peers. In such cases, the teacher usually seeks help from a psychologist. Sometimes, according to the results of the standard methods for planning, he finds them himself. In any case, classic tests (for example, Eysenck, Amthauer, etc.) are enough to diagnose. Further, a more detailed study of the personal properties and characteristics of such students is needed.
The ideal option is when working with gifted children in elementary school. After all, the sooner it starts, the more likely it is to get positive results faster. Stimulation of the creative abilities of such children is carried out both in the lesson and in extracurricular activities. It is advisable to attract them to various circles and sections that are close to their interests.
If in the classroom work with gifted children is most often carried out by a teacher, then the psychologist, like the class teacher, has the responsibility for everything else. It must be remembered that these students have a number of problems associated with their adaptation in the team and to the school in general. For example, in most cases, they are not interested in peer games that they have long outgrown, hence the isolation and position of the "outcast" may appear. They are often distinguished by non-standard solutions and unwillingness to obey generally accepted standards. Due to the internal need for excellence, many gifted students have low self-esteem and a feeling of dissatisfaction.
In time to recognize and correct these and other problems - this is one of the tasks assigned to the school psychologist. Also, work with gifted children should include conversations and seminars with their teachers. Teachers are often afraid and avoid such students, since they can ask an original question, which is confusing, and also require a lot of attention. The teacher should prepare for classes with these students especially carefully, without fail, selecting additional material. The goodwill and understanding of the psychological characteristics of this group of students is one of the basic principles that a teacher must adhere to.
An important point is to interest the child in learning, which is quite difficult. Psychologists are advised to diagnose the abilities of these children quite often in order to monitor dynamics. In addition, it is worthwhile to conduct a study of their personality characteristics, as well as motivation. If necessary, individual consultations or remedial exercises are conducted.
It should be noted that well-organized work with gifted children will make it possible to receive winners of olympiads and competitions at various levels, as well as a versatile and talented personality, whose success was also facilitated by a school psychologist.