Although gifted children often achieve well and share leadership in early grades, middle school provides special obstacles. Peer and media pressures can harm social, emotional, and intellectual confidence to discourage gifted children from leading the way. Counselors, educators, and parents can help children to cope with these pressures by providing social and emotional guidance, appropriate curriculum, and opportunities for leadership in creative extracurricular activities.
Research findings from my book, Growing Up Too Fast: The Rimm Report on the Secret World of Americas Middle Schoolers, and findings based on clinical work with middle schoolers will be shared.