#5: Exceptionality

The term "exceptionality" applies to children with extremely high I.Q.'s and those who are mentally "disabled" in some way. While it seems that these groups are the two ends of the spectrum, it really depends on what spectrum is being considered. The majority of people, and thus the majority of teachers, are in neither of these groups. When instructing students, the spectrum that places these groups of students on the two ends is typically how well students learn from how the teacher presents information. This does not necessarily mean that all students on the lower end are not capable of learning, but that they do not learn from the same way information is presented. A mark of autism is actually having incredible intelligence in a particular area. This could be an academic area such as math or physics (take Albert Einstein, for example) or a topic such as painting or sailboats. Teachers should be aware of these differences in children as to not write off some children as not being able to understand. For instance, if I have a student in my class who is autistic and profoundly fluent in math, if I take the time to use analogies relating to math (which could help all the logical/mathematical intelligent students in the room), I have a much greater chance of helping this child understand the lesson.

With both groups of children, it is important to realize that if you are not in one of the groups, you do not truly understand their perspectives on their surroundings. A significant similarity between these groups is social levels. Considering primarily autistic children in comparison with very high I.Q. children, the social skills are nearly identical--from the irritation to tags on clothing to the feeling of being overwhelmed in a room full of people. Many people assume that talented and gifted children (at the extreme levels) are simply smarter, but they do not realize that these children absorb the world in a very different way. The brain functions at a much higher level and thus they take in a great deal more information. When this happens, they need to stop and process the information in order to not completely shut down. In my experience with one particular student with an I.Q. of 162, the similarities are uncanny. The feeling of being different and misunderstood is a part of life that is extremely hard to overcome, which is more understandable when one realizes that a very small percent of people can truly relate to the way the mind works at that level. It is natural for members of the average group--whether in intelligence, money, etc.--to assume that those in the upper group are simply more privileged and thus do not need any particular behavior. There is a reason that science and education have grouped these two groups together. Teachers need to take the time to understand all their students and how they learn in order to most effectively teach them all. We as people should never assume anything about another individual and their perception of the world.

In the following clip from the T.V. show "The Big Bang Theory", the sensitivity of extremely high I.Q. individuals is demonstrated when Sheldon's couch cushion has been disturbed and he can feel the difference in the cushion.