Identifying students as gifted can be as much a curse as a blessing. While it can allow for the student to receive academic instruction and materials closer to their ability level, in some cases, it may also set students up for failure in other areas of life. For example, according to Dr. Joan Freeman, a specialist in the needs of gifted children, many of these students have an “unstoppable urge to create”. (Cummins, 2015) Where other students find comfort in routine, they can become bored quickly and often change the rules to fit their academic level. While in schools, we nurture and accommodate this urge to create and change, often these students struggle when entering the workplace to understand and perform to their employer’s expectations.
A gifted learner’s social and emotional traits can also play a factor in how they learn. Research indicates that giftedness is associated with intellectual, emotional, imaginational, sensual, and psychomotor “over-excitabilities”.(Gifted and Disabled, 2017) These over-excitabilities can make it hard for gifted people to process society’s social norms and expectations. Recent studies of gifted and talented children indicate that gifted children typically also have disabilities in language-related or social skills. (Gifted and Disabled, 2017) It is important to remember giftedness is far more than just a student’s academic ability. As teachers of gifted students, it is vital to understand the developmental, social, and emotional factors they face even before focusing on academics. If we do not look at the student as a whole, we will never meet all the student’s needs.
Giftedness affects all areas of a person’s life and potential for success outside of the classroom. This leads us to the expectations of adults labeled as gifted when they were children. As a society, we automatically assume these students will be leaders in their field and show great successes based on their academic abilities. However, while we as teachers are always encouraging and promoting our students to do their best and meet their goals, we often set higher goals and expectations with gifted students. In many cases, these students are expected to always be on the honor roll or set classwork standards. However, while it may be realistic for gifted students academically to meet these goals, we are failing to consider the social and emotional piece of gifted learners. Unfortunate, the result of this the potential for adults burning out as children and therefore not wanting to enter career fields where high-level expectations and work output are the norms.
By only identifying and reacting to gifted students’ academic abilities, we run the risk of leaving them emotionally and socially unprepared for the world. Teachers must set realistic goals and expectations for gifted learners outside of academics. These students need to be encouraged to work within set limitations and boundaries with their peers. If we do not set them on a course for understanding and creating within societies norms and expectations, they may struggle to become successful, well-adjusted thriving adults.

References
Cummins, D. (2015, July 15). The Problem with Being Gifted. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/good-thinking/201407/the-problem-being-gifted#:%7E:text=Just%20being%20labeled%20%22gifted%22%20can%20create%20emotional%20and,score%2C%20and%20the%20second%20was%20chosen%20at%20random.

Gifted and Disabled. (2017). Autism Coach. https://autismcoach.com/gifted-and-disabled/#:%7E:text=Interestingly%201%20in%2010%20children%20within%20the%20autism,likely%20to%20have%20anomalies%20in%20the%20left%20brain.