South Carolina Consortium for Gifted Education

Where do you see yourself in these stages - keeping in mind that the path isn't always entirely linear, and the ages at which you find yourself in these stages may differ...?

These stages are outlined by Ellen Fiedler in her book: Bright Adults: Uniqueness and Belonging Across the Lifespan, by Ellen Fiedler: https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Adults-Uniqueness-Belonging-Lifespan/dp/1935067419

You can also explore developmental stages, à la Erik Erikson, adapted by Jennifer Harvey Sallin to a gifted developmental lens (which includes childhood developmental stages), in her article 'Gifted Adults & Second Childhoods: Revisiting Essential Stages of Development': https://intergifted.com/gifted-adults-second-childhoods/

Sometimes we get stuck at certain stages because of wounding or lack of resources. Gifted discovery, integration and healing affords us the opportunity to intentionally move through the various stages our life's arc with purpose, care, dignity and fidelity to our unique existential signature.

Stages models (like any models) aren't perfect, but they allow us to name important developmental needs, tasks, phases and identities throughout our life, and to arrange our psychological understanding and self-development efforts accordingly. Having *gifted-specific* modeling on developmental and life stages helps us do this in a way that *includes* our gifted experiences, needs and potentials, and treats them as *essential* to our growth, maturity and existential thriving.

General (non gifted-specific) models certainly apply to us (after all, we are human! ;) ), but they often leave parts of our non-normative experience out of the developmental overview, which can lead to lopsided development or key aspects of ourselves feeling left behind or forgotten - and to other more normative aspects of ourselves being overemphasized and relied on for holistic fulfillment. In that case, we can be "doing everything right" according to general human developmental tasks, but still be feeling unfulfilled, 'out-of-order' or fragmented, as it relates to our gifted-specific development.

We often see this with general self-help, business advice, spiritual direction and other forms of guidance too. The non-gifted specific measures, markers and paths outlined fit us to some degree, but then don't mention or provide guidance to the gifted parts of our experience.

That's why we do so much work to adapt general psychology to the gifted population! We aim to speak to and guide the gifted-specific part of your journey

On the blog today, Devon talks about perfectionism in gifted children, and how it can be supported, rather than corrected. Link in comments.

What Families Wish the ‘Experts’ Knew about Gifted or Twice-Exceptional Children Sometimes, the “professionals” don’t get it. Here’s what they might not understand.

"Acceleration isn't about rushing children. It's about allowing students to move beyond content they've already mastered." (Colangelo, Assouline & Gross, 2004; Assouline et al., 2015)

🔗 Register here https://www.trybooking.com/DMEEZ

This month’s SCCGE Gifted Educator Spotlight is shining on 5th grade GT teacher, Ms. Lasonnya Chisolm-Priester from Jasper County School District! Thanks for all you do for gifted education in South Carolina, Ms. Chisholm-Priester!

Supporting advanced learners starts with conversation. 💬

When families and educators work together with curiosity, care, and shared purpose, children’s potential has space to grow.

Questions parents can ask to better understand how their child’s strengths are being supported in the classroom:

• Are there enrichment opportunities for students working above grade level?
• How is instruction differentiated for advanced learners?
• How are you challenging my child?
• How do you monitor readiness for more advanced work?

These conversations can help families advocate for learning experiences that recognize and nurture student potential.

From the March 2026 issue of Parenting for High Potential. NAGC members receive print and digital versions of PHP quarterly. Not a member? Join NAGC today to receive your copy of PHP!

🔗 https://www.nagc.org/news/parenting-for-high-potential---march-2026

Metacognitive laziness is what happens when students let AI do the thinking work they should be doing themselves.

This is the concept Fan et al. (2025) use in their research paper on generative AI and learning. In simple terms, students may rely on ChatGPT so much that they stop monitoring their own thinking. They revise, accept, and move on, but they do not pause to evaluate, question, or reflect on what is happening.

The study is solid and important. It shows that AI can improve the final product, especially writing, but that does not automatically mean students are learning more. Better output is not always better understanding.

And yes, studies on the cognitive impact of AI are now emerging, and we should take them seriously.

But we also need perspective. Every major technology we have adopted since the invention of writing has changed how we think, remember, communicate, and learn. AI is no different.

The real issue is not simply that students use AI. The real issue is how they use it.

That is where our work as teachers and educators matters. Banning AI and calling it a day will not prepare students for the world they are already living in.

Our job is to teach them how to use AI critically: to question its output, verify its claims, evaluate its assumptions, compare it with other sources, and use it as a tool for thinking.

AI can weaken thinking when used passively.

But with the right pedagogy, it can also become a powerful space for practicing critical thinking.

Link in the first comment!