Gifted young adolescents: The synergy of self

Abstract

For gifted young adolescents, the task of self-formation is a complex challenge. While the 'burn to learn' among gifted individuals may be a hallmark of their approach to life, it cannot be assumed that self-knowledge will follow on as a matter of course. However, specially created opportunities for self-reflection that encourage gifted young people to consider and express their own versions of themselves can help to foster self-understanding and an ability to better communicate 'who they are' to others. This chapter draws from an Australian project that invited a group of gifted young adolescents to become authors about themselves and their lives, to explore a developing sense of self that might differ from mainstream perceptions. Narrative methods were used in tandem with email to create a synergistic space for dialogue that encouraged participants to reflect and to become self-aware. With listening as a focus, the investigation uncovered an array of voices that reveal the uniqueness, multiplicity and diversity of the participants. The approach taken offers one pathway to better self-knowledge in young adolescents and to an appreciation in others of the complicated task of self-definition that faces all gifted individuals.