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When your little girl exchanged smocked dresses and lace for stone-washed denim and neon, you probably noticed a change in attitude as well. Possibly you even noticed a decline in school performance. What happens to girls who are gifted? Why do so few women attain positions of eminence in society? Many authorities in the field of gifted education consider girls as a special population of gifted individuals deserving particular attention.

According to research, gifted girls often have higher career aspirations during pre-adolescence than as adolescents. When gifted girls enter middle school, there is sometimes a noticeable drop in desire for achievement. Teenage gifted girls also tend to subdue academic abilities in order to "fit in" better with peers. The most difficult and sensitive time for gifted girls to balance all of the pressures of peers, family, and school usually occurs at the onset of puberty. Much research still needs to be done on factors affecting the performance of gifted girls, but interventions need to begin now.

How can we help gifted girls? First, we need to look past the stereotypes society has created to see individuals with high capabilities. Then we need to nourish those capabilities by providing time and facilities for pursuit of interests, both at school and at home. Gifted girls need guidance about career choices, social relationships, and coursework. They need to know that it's okay to be adventurous and to set high standards for achievement. These girls particularly need to experience acceptance of and reassurance about who they are. Gifted girls need to be encouraged to continue any earlier interest in mathematics and science, possibly through mentorships with women in these fields. Finally, gifted girls need "elbow room," to reflect and explore and dream.

If you would like more information about gifted girls, you might read the book, Smart Girls, Gifted Women, by Barbara A. Kerr (Ohio Psychology Publishing Co., 1987). Another book which might be helpful is The Gifted Kids Survival Guide II by James Delisle and Judy Galbraith (Free Spirit Publishing, 1987).

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