What to Do With Gifted Students?

-- Cami Craig

Marsteller Middle School

Prince William County

Reader Nancy Klimavicz clearly has a very bright son, and he's to be commended for the learning he has done through his own initiative and by taking advanced courses. The family's frustration in his failure to gain entry into several Virginia universities is understandable but, I believe, misplaced. Yes, some of his high school courses may be too slow-paced for such a "gifted" person and, yes, he probably acquired more knowledge in his independent academic pursuits than he might have completing the required assignments of his high school courses. But the fact remains that he, apparently with his parents' support, chose not to complete the assignments he knew were mandatory for a high grade. That's his prerogative. But by exercising that prerogative he also must accept the consequences.

Perhaps the parents might want to consider the other lessons their son is learning from their attitudes. Is he "too smart" to be held to the same standards as the other students? Does he, as a student, get to determine the best use of his class and study time? Are all the dull tasks in life beneath some people? Might he find a way to make the dull assignments more interesting? If he's that bright, couldn't the assignments be completed quickly and easily?

Interestingly, his parents decided to leave him in public school because his weakness was social interaction. Are his social skills likely to be improved with an "I'm way too smart to do some work" attitude? If the boy lettered in sports, he knows that on a team the most outstanding athletes perform the same repetitious drills as the weakest members.

There are larger life lessons at issue here. Life is full of dull tasks that must be done, even though our time could be better spent. Some time during our careers, most of us wind up working with people who are either very bright or at least moderately dim. The ability to deal with all these situations effectively and gracefully probably gets us further than a truckload of book learning. Much has been written about how today's youngest workers find it difficult to adjust to workplaces where they aren't considered special and they are expected to start at the bottom with the lowly tasks that involves.

This is not an apology for teachers who don't find ways to stimulate their brightest students or for static environments where new ideas are squelched. But there is something to be said for "paying your dues" and growing in empathy and understanding. And there's even more to be said for accepting the consequences of your decisions.

Young Mr. Klimavicz no doubt will excel academically at any college or university he attends. Let's hope he's equally successful in other areas.

-- Cecelia Blalock

Howard County

Nancy Klimavicz's letter impelled me to write. I taught middle and high school English for 10 years, worked in college admissions for two years and have raised two daughters who are now a freshman and a senior in college. So I understand how difficult the college and grad-school search can be.

While Ms. Klimavicz obviously loves her son, her attitude is mistaken. How could her son's AP Chemistry teacher have awarded a higher grade than the C-plus he earned, when she admits "he didn't do all of his assigned work"? That wouldn't be fair to the students who did turn in all the assignments. Admissions counselors must evaluate grades as well as test scores. Neither one, by itself, "makes" the student. Admissions committees understand very well what that C-plus means; they also know that high school grades are excellent predictors of college grades. Moreover, no matter how much Ms. Klimavicz pays in state taxes, or how well her son scored on the AP and SAT tests, no public university owes him a place in the freshman class.

You're absolutely correct that our educational system is imperfect. Since public education serves all students, it may indeed "condone busywork" for those who are gifted. Still, even if classes like geography are taught to "a minimum standard," a student should complete all the assignments. Sometimes, even adults have to do things we don't like. Native intelligence doesn't automatically guarantee success; you have to do the work. In my view, students shouldn't be allowed to complete a large number of college credits through AP exams. Duke University, where my younger daughter is a freshman, limits students to six AP credits.

I congratulate Ms. Klimavicz's son for his scholarship to VCU. I certainly don't mean to attack another mom, as I'm far from perfect myself. Just ask my daughters. When my older daughter, a senior at William and Mary, declared in January that she "didn't know what to do with the rest of (her) life," I was positively apoplectic. Her story has a happy ending, too: she'll be starting law school at Villanova next fall.

Instead of "warning other parents," I would simply advise them, in Bette Davis style, to fasten their seat belts. Do your research, and make sure your student applies to a wide range of universities, both "safety schools" and "reach schools." Beyond the stress, the anxiety, the arguments and the disappointment of not being admitted to their (or your) dream school, there's hope for your student -- and for you.

-- Madeleine French

Fairfax