#20: The Gifted Program
If you were in the GATE program in elementary school, you might have mixed feelings about it. The program, which stands for “Gifted and Talented Education,” is meant to foster advanced learning and enrichment for kids who are educationally advanced compared to their peers. This sounds great, but it can have some unintended consequences.
Some people have shared that being labeled “gifted” can make some kids feel alienated and isolated. They’re sometimes put into classes with older kids, making it harder to socialize. On top of that, the pressure to perform well is too much for some. As a result, some kids who were labeled as “gifted” grow up with self-esteem issues and anxiety. Do you have experience with the GATE program? What do you think?