Teachers will spot a highly gifted child in their classroom almost immediately. It will be the child who always has their hand up to answer any question, the one who sometimes acts out when there is lag time in the classroom, the one who always has the assignments completed before the others, always with the correct answers.
Gifted children can be as difficult to deal with as a child with learning disabilities. Then tend to see things in black and white, with no room for gray areas. It is either right or wrong, not maybe. This is perhaps the most difficult trait for them to overcome and is something they will have to deal with and will be part of their personality make-up their entire lives. They tend to be inquisitive, organized, and show intense concentration in their work. They can easily work independently and are very goal oriented.
Being voracious readers at an early age, gifted children often have very highly developed language and speaking skills and their command of the language is another way to spot a gifted child. They also tend to offer long explanations for their answers rather than a three or four word response.
Teachers often rely on gifted children to help out the other students with their assignments. While some don't agree with this concept, it can benefit all concerned if property monitored. The student needing the extra help is able to further review the material individually with help from the student who has already mastered the concepts. The teacher can spend time with other students who may need more in-depth individual tutoring. And the gifted student has a job to do that will keep him or her occupied and prevent boredom and acting out.
Gifted children have difficulty making and keeping friends. Since they are thinking and operating above their age level, peers tend to be boring to them and they seek out older children to interact with. They may attempt to be friends with their peers, but unless the other child is able to communicate on the same level, the friendship doesn't give them enough stimulation to make it worth their time and effort. Many time they prefer the company of adults and gravitate to the teachers for conversation.
Creativity, no matter what the medium, is an important aspect to consider for gifted children. Whether it be music, art, writing, or inventing, these students should be encouraged to try all avenues as a way to express themselves and their desire to excel. Sports, whether team or individual competition, presents a way for the gifted child to stretch their skills, often leading the competition whenever they participate.
My daughter was identified as "gifted" when she was in the second grade. The program for gifted students offered by the school gave special emphasis on research and creative thinking and gave her a chance to interact with other students who shared similar interests. They attended special seminars and field trips that were not available to the rest of the students and she won many awards for creative projects developed through the program.
With their training in education, teachers should be able to identify gifted students as easily as those with learning delays or disabilities, and both situations call for some type of intervention to provide the best appropriate education for each. Most states mandate intervention in cases of learning disabilities or delays but there is no mandated procedure for dealing with a gifted child. It is up to the school district, the teachers, and the parents to make sure the gifted child receives the stimulation needed to become the person he or she is intended to become.