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  • Essay / Gifted Underachievers - 943

    Sylvia Rimm and Linda Emerick both discuss turning around underachieving gifted students. Both articles address the characteristics and/or behavior patterns of underachieving gifted students as well as how the process of underachievement can be reversed. Rimm states that “being intellectually or creatively gifted does not guarantee educational or creative success or productivity. There are risks and pressures that… distract potentially high-achieving children (Colangelo & Davis, 2003, p. 424). Both authors agree that risks and pressures that can lead to underachievement include the pressure to succeed and the feeling of inadequacy when goals are not achieved (Emerick, 1992, p. 140). As negative experiences continue, Rimm and Emerick agree that a poor attitude toward school prevents them from controlling their educational future (Colangelo and Davis, 2003, p. 425, Emerick, 1992, p. 140). Because their intelligence is no longer evident, they are often not recognized or denied appropriate educational services. (Colangelo & Davis, 2003, p. 425, Emerick, 1992, p. 140). Although both authors agree that underachieving gifted students have similar characteristics and/or circumstances that foster their attitudes, other influences such as being outside of school activities and the role of siblings are not mentioned in either article. Emerick points out that underachieving students may also have a strong interest in an extracurricular activity and that this interest is vital to reversing underperformance. According to the research study, these underachieving students maintained their interest and engagement in their extracurricular activities despite their academic underperformance (Emerick, 1992, p. 142). Although Rim...... middle of article...... lack of time includes procrastination, incomplete homework, and careless work (Colangelo & Davis, 2003, p. 425). One of the main points highlighted in Emerick's study was the need for their relevance in the classroom. As a teacher, I believe it is important to help students understand how what they are learning is relevant to their lives. However, after reading Emerick's study, I think it is important to utilize each student's individual interest in the content we are studying. By discovering outside interests and incorporating these ideas into the content, it can “motivate the student to learn and provide a pathway for acquiring various skills related to academic success (Emerick, 1991, p. 140). » By creating a bridge between content and interests, the goal is to motivate underperforming students as well as find ways to keep other students engaged at school..