Is there a Sheldon Cooper in your midst?
Currently I am taking classes to add the Gifted endorsement to my educator certification. This page is intended to represent some of the characteristics that can be seen in the gifted student - whether or not the student has been placed with gifted status. All the characteristics of this page have been compiled due in part to the reading of Growing Up Gifted by Barbara Clark. It is intended to make some correlations between the gifted characteristics and how they may manifest in the real world. Fortunately, there are some very pointed pop-culture visuals for this comparison. As I was reading the descriptions, the face of Sheldon Cooper (played by Jim Parsons) kept presenting itself in my mind. I realize that the character of Sheldon Cooper is described more of an academic genius, however, I feel genius is just the academic slice of giftedness. With all said, please enjoy my rendition of parent information regarding a gifted student within the family.
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Cognitive: Mass amounts of information and high propensity of recalling the most minute of details. (Clark p.47) Photographic is a misnomer; I have an eidetic memory, as I've told you many times, most recently last year during lunch on the afternoon of May 7th. You had turkey and complained it was dry. |
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Cognitive: High level language development. (Clark p. 47)
The use of big words may not be necessary in company and may come across as the gifted student being a "show off."
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Cognitive: Unusual capacity for processing information (Clark p. 47) Due to the interruption, student could show signs of resentment |
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Affective: Large accumulation of information about emotions that has not been brought to awareness (Clark p. 49) |
Cognitive: Early differential patterns for thought processing (Clark p. 48) thinking differently (in color, with manipulatives, etc.) 
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Affective: Heightened self-awareness (Clark p. 49) To be comfortable, needs must be met. Knowing your needs helps |
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Affective: Perfectionist tendencies (Clark p. 50) Routine can be part of the need to be perfect Note: full 3 minutes is not required to get the point. Stop at 2 minute mark. |
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The Obligatory Reference Section
Clark, B. (2013). Growing up gifted, developing the potential of children at school and at home. (8th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Clark, B. (2013). Growing up gifted, developing the potential of children at school and at home. (8th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson