Characteristics

=Characteristics of gifted mathematics students=

What follows is a list of some of the behaviours one will expect to observe in mathematically gifted students in their classroom. It is important to note that this list is not exhaustive, nor is it prescriptive. It should not be used as a basis to label students, nor is it expected that gifted students will show all of these behaviours. These behaviours are most likely to be seen in a learning environment suitable for gifted students. These are adapted from //Gifted and Talented Students// (Moltzen, Riley & McAlpine, 2000)

Learning characteristics

 * Displays logical and analytical thinking
 * Is quick to see patterns and relationships
 * Masters new content quickly
 * Stives for accuracy in solutions
 * Easily grasps underlying principles
 * Likes intellectual challenge
 * Jumps stages in learning, or in problem solving
 * Seeks to redefine problems
 * Finds as well as solves problems
 * Reasons things out for him- or her-self
 * Formulates and supports ideas with evidence
 * Can recall a wide range of knowledge
 * Independently seeks to discover the why and how of things

Creative thinking characteristics

 * Produces original ideas
 * Displays intellectual playfulness
 * Demonstrates awareness of aesthetic qualities in mathematical expressions
 * Generates a large number of ideas
 * Takes academic risks
 * Experiments with new and novel ways of solving problems
 * Seeks to discover unconventional relationships

Motivational characteristics

 * Strives for high standards of personal achievement
 * Is self-directed
 * Is highly self-motivated and sets personal goals
 * Is persistent in seeing problems to completion
 * Becomes absorbed in problems
 * Tends to be self-critical and evaluative
 * May prefer to work independently

These characteristics closely relate to the three concepts in Renzuli's 'Three-ring' model. It is important to note that many students may display many characteristics from one set, and few from another. In particular a large number of gifted students find school un-motivating and therefore show few characteristics from the last set. Another factor to be aware of is that many of these characteristics may be displayed in the classroom in negative rather than positive ways. this could include:
 * A knowledgeable student dominates the classroom discussion
 * A student who learns rapidly, may complete work and then appear to be off-task
 * A student who strives for accuracy may constantly correct other students, and the teacher
 * A student with intellectual playfulness may not be paying attention in class
 * A student may become absorbed in a problem that is not related to schoolwork
 * A student may resist working in groups as they profer to work independently
 * A perfectionist student may avoid some tasks for fear of failure
 * There are many ways a student may display 'bad' behaviour if they are bored and frustrated with an unsuitable programme