The Myth of the Gifted Child

The Myth of the Gifted Child written by Jennifer Senior and in the Feb. 8 issue of New York magazine brings up so many concepts that seem already confirmed by years of studies in childhood development it makes it clear how ridiculous this frenzied race to have our children overachieve is. The tests that many parents push for their children to succeed in are largely unapplicable to a child’s future success. Unless…your idea of your child succeeding is attending a top tier private Manhattan school and going on to an Ivy league college of astronomical expense. It turns out that each of these exclusive private schools which place such importance on a child’s specialness require different tests for entrance. At the age of 4, they are placing a level of importance on a test which can’t really estimate much of the potential of a child as the development of a child’s mind is fluid at this age.

Is it the theory that if you pay for it, its better? If you have to be invited to join this renders your child, and thus you, a member of an exclusive group which somehow makes you more special and deserving of being included in this exclusive class. Since most of these tests must be given on a one on one basis by a trained individual and cost in the hundreds of dollars the barriers to exclusivity are already in place. Throughout the article there are references to class status and family income as tools for success. It seems as if in the NYC private school system your income is the strongest tool guaranteeing educational success. There is no room for the unrecognized student born of middle or lower class with an uninformed parent. The real irony is that in studies noted in the article, following a group of tested and gifted children, several of the rejected children went on to win Nobel Prizes, become accomplished musicians, and generally have lives of intellectual note. Not as much could be said of the studies’ subjects.

Why is that we feel we must- at the youngest of ages, be putting labels on the potential of our children? And why are the titles of ‘gifted’ or ‘special’ allowed for the few with the bank books to finance it? How sad it will be for future generations when the brilliant scientist who might save generations from cancer, the amazing musician who will write a song that will touch millions, or the incredible strategist who will negotiate a peace in the Middle East, is never found, never discovered just so some wealthy benefactor can say every generation in his family went to Dalton and then on to Harvard.