Exceptionally Gifted Those students currently in the Clayton Gifted Program with identified IQ scores of 145+ will automatically be considered the "pool" of students identified as exceptionally gifted, and will receive supplemental resource services as part of the Clayton Gifted Program. Obviously, an IQ score alone does not define a person, and exceptionally gifted children cannot be recognized immediately just because their IQ score is high. We can, however, identify in those students characteristics that are commonly shared by many exceptionally gifted children. The Davidson Institute for Talent Development, an organization dedicated to recognizing and meeting needs of exceptionally gifted children, has developed a useful list of common characteristics shared by many exceptionally gifted students:
"That depends . . ." A student who consistently answers questions with "that depends..." is your first clue of extreme intelligence. Exceptionally gifted children demonstrate a need for precision in thinking and expression.
An extreme need for constant mental stimulation.
An ability to learn and process complex information rapidly.
A precocious ability to perceive essential elements and underlying structures and patterns in relationships and ideas.
A need to explore subjects in surprising depth, to understand the why and how as well as the what.
An insatiable curiosity; endless questions and inquiries about how things work.
An ability to focus intently on a subject of interest for long periods of time.
An inability to concentrate on a task that is not intellectually challenging, such as those that involve repetition or that present material in bite size pieces.
A propensity toward underachievement, particularly in females and adolescents who want to "fit in" with their classmates.
