The Importance of Intellectual Peers for Gifted Students

Intentionally grouping students together to ensure they have opportunities to work with their intellectual peers is a critical practice for both academic and social development for students who are gifted. Intellectual peers are other students who demonstrate similar high levels of ability and potential for advanced learning, intellectual aptitude, and complex thinking. When students are placed in environments that challenge them intellectually and allow for meaningful collaboration, they are more likely to engage deeply, think critically, and develop overall. Academically, this can lead to increased learning and higher motivation. Socially, these groupings foster a sense of belonging and mutual respect among students who share similar learning needs, which is especially important for gifted learners who may otherwise feel isolated. To make this effective and equitable, schools must have systems in place (such as cluster grouping, flexible grouping, differentiated instruction, etc.) that identify and support gifted students’ unique needs. These structures ensure that all students have access to peers who challenge and inspire them, helping to cultivate both academic excellence and emotional well-being.

Gifted students possess unique cognitive, emotional, and social characteristics that necessitate differentiated educational experiences. Among the most impactful interventions for supporting gifted learners is the opportunity to learn alongside intellectual peers. Gifted students often require more complex and abstract content than what is typically offered in traditional general education classrooms (Reis & Renzulli, 2010). When surrounded by peers of similar intellectual ability, they are more likely to engage in challenging discourse, explore advanced ideas, and remain intellectually stimulated. This environment promotes deeper learning and prevents the boredom that can lead to underachievement (Gross, 2004). Peer interactions among gifted learners often support higher-order thinking. Intellectual peers tend to pose thought-provoking questions, challenge assumptions, and engage in meaningful debates, which fosters the development of analytical and evaluative skills (VanTassel-Baska, 2013). Such environments encourage intellectual risk-taking and cultivate the critical thinking necessary for lifelong learning.

Gifted children may feel alienated in typical classroom settings, where their interests and cognitive styles differ from those of their same age peers. Placing them with intellectual peers can reduce feelings of isolation and promote a sense of belonging, which is critical for social-emotional development. Belongingness enhances self-esteem and contributes to positive identity formation (Cross, 2011). Contrary to misconceptions, gifted children are not inherently socially maladjusted. However, they may struggle to relate to peers who do not share their interests or abilities (Winner, 1996). In classrooms where students are given the chance to collaborate with intellectual peers, they are more likely to form friendships based on shared values and passions.

Interactions with intellectual peers often help gifted students validate their abilities and reinforce a positive self-concept. In these environments, students feel intellectually safe and are more willing to express their ideas without fear of judgment (Neihart et al., 2016). This affirmation supports the development of healthy self-esteem and encourages personal growth. Gifted learners without opportunities to work with intellectual peers may become complacent or disengaged if not adequately challenged. Being among intellectual peers can foster healthy academic competition and provide models of excellence, both of which can increase intrinsic motivation and perseverance (Reis & Renzulli, 2010). Peer dynamics often serve as powerful motivators to strive for higher academic achievement.

On a personal level, my son craves the kind of stimulation that comes from being around intellectual peers – classmates who share his curiosity, creativity, and love of learning. We notice that when he's placed in classroom communities where he can engage in deep conversations, explore ideas beyond the surface, and be challenged by those around him, there's a noticeable difference in his overall happiness. He's excited to go to school, energized by the thought of what he might learn and who he'll get to learn it with. In these environments, he doesn't feel the need to hold back or mask who he is to fit in. He can be his true self – quirky, enthusiastic, passionate. These intellectual connections don't just support his academic growth; they feed his confidence, his sense of belonging, and his love for learning.

The benefits of grouping gifted students with intellectual peers are both profound and wide-ranging. Such environments not only meet the cognitive needs of gifted learners, but also support their social-emotional development. Educators should consider these advantages when designing instruction and educational leaders should consider the importance of scheduling when creating class rosters and placing students in courses. For parents, if this is not a concept you were aware of, this may be an area to explore. In our experience, having intellectual peers has improved our son’s sense of belonging and given him an opportunity to shine while being himself. It may benefit your child and others too.

References:

Cross, T. L. (2011). On the social and emotional lives of gifted children (4th ed.). Prufrock Press.

Gross, M. U. M. (2004). Exceptionally gifted children (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Neihart, M., Pfeiffer, S. I., & Cross, T. L. (Eds.). (2016). The social and emotional development of gifted children: What do we know? (2nd ed.). Prufrock Press.

Reis, S. M., & Renzulli, J. S. (2010). Is there still a need for gifted education? An examination of current research. Learning and Individual Differences, 20(4), 308–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2009.10.012

VanTassel-Baska, J. (2013). Curriculum planning and instruction for gifted learners (3rd ed.). Prufrock Press.

- Dr. Jenna Cramer

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Science and the Arts

By Dal Drummer • November 10, 2025

Almost every week we see headlines in the news lamenting the current state of students and education. Titles such as these – “Chronic Absenteeism Continues to Plague School Systems,” “Why Do Students Spend So Much Time on Their Phones?,” “Should Phones Be Banned From the Classroom and Will That Improve Test Scores?" – are prolific and often worrisome. This often leads to proposed solutions, some which undoubtedly have been tried (both successfully and unsuccessfully) in the past. Why do educational leaders (and politicians) continue to “reinvent the wheel” by proposing and utilizing the same (but re-branded) solutions to student learning problems over the years, dropping one after another in favor of a latest “trend” that will supposedly fix everything? Why aren’t we getting results? I feel the above questions are related and may have an easy solution, one that has produced many studied and practical results. It is a solution that I have experienced in my decades of teaching as well. Recently I read an article in K-12DIVE entitled Drawing connections between art and science can improve academic outcomes by Briana Mendez-Padilla. K-12DIVE is a news outlet that provides business journalism and in-depth reporting on trends in the pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade education sector. In this article, students in Mississippi had persistent low test scores until the school decided to make changes and incorporate the arts (and even artists) to work with and alongside the sciences. As a result, test scores rose significantly, as did social interactions between students. In this article, the author points out that today’s teachers are often competing with technology for kids’ attention. Just taking away technology doesn’t insure greater learning, nor does ignoring it. Teachers need to utilize what attracts kids to technology if they want better attendance and better learning. The author points out that students learn best in different ways (as we know); some students have auditory learning preferences, some kinesthetic, and some visual. Some learn best by reading, others not. Many of today’s students are also heavily into music, movement, and video. This is evidenced by their “plugged in” behaviors and their preference for online creation and viewing. It then stands to reason that the more ways a teacher can present material or allow students to learn using their technology, the more the students will be involved in their learning. Learning or showing evidence of learning can be much more than drawing a picture of the plant cycle (straight out of the science book) or making a shoebox diorama, practices of the past. As educators, we need to move our practices into spaces that our students inhabit. Some simple examples about different ways of learning/demonstrating wave action using science and the arts together could be students acting out wave action through dance using their different music choices (singly or in groups). Teachers could also, using light, prisms, and paints, show how colors can mix and affect how we see our world, and then critically analyze the use of light and color in water portrayed in historic and contemporary works of art (found online, of course). Or students could create music that they feel mimics wave action, mixing and remixing existing music or creating their own. Many of them have technological expertise and a great desire to use it. By teaching our curriculum in their world, using the arts as a vehicle, will, many believe, generate renewed excitement in learning. Finally, in order to develop curricular connections between science and the arts, administrators have to deliberately set aside time for curricular collaboration. Collaboration isn’t something that just magically happens; it takes time, interest, and creativity to connect them, a marriage of will and skill! Professional development time should be used to develop curricular connections, therefore enhancing teachers’ skillsets. Better teaching makes for better student outcomes. Coordination between the arts and sciences shouldn’t take much of a monetary investment; it can often be free, and the results can be priceless. Many free connections exist within community arts organizations, and they can enhance a school or school system. I know this because of my decades of experience as a visual arts specialist and arts coordinator in Milwaukee’s Lincoln Center of the Arts. The arts and sciences have much in common. In fact, through the Renaissance period, the arts and sciences weren’t two separate fields. They were one! They have many connections. Let’s put them back together using today’s technology! See a need for this in your child’s school? Share this article (and others) with them. For more information I direct you to the following articles. https://artsintegration.com/what-is-arts-integration-in-schools/ https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/articles-and-how-tos/articles/collections/arts-integration-resources/what-is-arts-integration/ https://www.edutopia.org/topic/arts-integration/ - Dal Drummer, WATG Board Advisor

My Session Takeaways from "I Can't Hear You Because My T-Shirt is Too Itchy" – A Guide to Working with the Sensory Needs of Neurodivergent Learners by Dr. Matthew J. Zakreski, Psychologist

By Sarah Kasprowicz • November 10, 2025

Highlights Dr. Zakreski’s guidance on supporting neurodivergent gifted learners by asking targeted questions, recognizing sensory cues, and preventing overload.

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