Only 20% of individuals diagnosed as gifted are women in Spain. In the United States, the figure increases to 40% for girls compared to 60% for boys. Could we perhaps think that these figures indicate that gifted girls fail more than boys? It is very likely, since their identification and detection are more difficult and, therefore, many of them do not even know they are gifted and cannot be offered an education appropriate to their characteristics and needs (Berché, 2000).
In the early stages of life, girls have developmental advantages over boys: in some ways, they are more robust babies, learn to speak very early, and can count before boys. They usually obtain higher scores than boys in intelligence tests during preschool years and are ready for schooling at an earlier age (Berché, 2000).
Girls often outperform boys in Primary Education and their results are more satisfactory; they drop out less and do not experience as many failures, however, the number of gifted women seems to decline with age. In fact, by the third year of primary school, these girls who appeared gifted lose their leadership and do not show any particular advancement over their peers (Berché, 2000).
By the time they reach High School, there are clearly more gifted boys than girls and, subsequently, the number of gifted girls continues to decrease, except in areas that are traditionally feminine. Upon graduating from school, the number is reduced even further (Berché, 2000).
Despite the data revealed previously, gifted women are an endangered species. In fact, those who have escaped the traditional female socialization process have greater opportunities to maintain their giftedness. Many of them have avoided it by being only daughters or the first daughter in a family with only girls, or the first daughter born many years after a male child. In these cases, fathers have higher expectations for their daughters, and many were mischievous as girls and played more with boys than with girls (Silvermann, cp. Berché, 2000).
Role models have been crucial, especially for mothers who work outside the home. Grandparents, uncles, mentors, and other significant people form an essential support system for the development of talent in women, who in these cases tend to identify with their father.
Many changes can occur with the assurance that the great potential of the gifted female population has not been lost. The first of these changes can involve parents’ information and perspective on the importance of fostering their daughters’ aspirations and abilities. It is important for the father to be involved in education as he plays a very important role in the development of his daughter’s talent (Silvermann, cp. Berché, 2000).
Strong involvement, with a tolerant father, can contribute to earlier experimentation with atypical activities for females. Paternal encouragement for a girl’s work on a scientific project, a math problem, etc., greatly matters; these experiences help that girl feel confident that her abilities align with those of the opposite sex (Silvermann, cp. Berché, 2000).
The strong influence of the father, male teachers, husbands, and boyfriends can provide women with the certainty that the aptitudes of masculine endeavors do not need to jeopardize heterosexual goals. In this sense, early experiences with tolerant fathers can “inoculate” these women against later pressures to conform to appropriate gender roles, and predispose them to seek companionship in men united by their unusual interests (Silveramann, cp. Berché, 2000).
Some aspects of a father’s behavior that are fundamental for the development of giftedness in girls are listed below (Berché, 2000):
– High expectations for work.
– Not acquiring differentiated toys for boys and girls.
– Avoiding being overly protective.
– Encouraging her to have a high level of activities.
– Allowing her to get dirty.
– Believing in her abilities.
– Supporting her interests.
– Identifying their gifted daughters in preschool years.
– Finding gifted playmates for them to identify with.
– Fostering interest in mathematics outside of school.
– Encouraging her to take all possible math courses.
– Introducing her to different career paths.
– Having a mother who works at least part-time outside the home.
– Spending some free time with the father doing “masculine” activities.
– Participating in household chores just like the parents.
– Assigning chores without basing them on sex.
– Repressing the use of sexist language and jokes at home.
– Watching television programs that are stereotyped for both sexes and discussing them with children of both sexes.
– Teaching them to treat others equitably, since, according to traditional stereotypes, the role that both sexes represent, which they see outside the home, is different.
As educators, knowing how to distinguish girls who exhibit characteristics of giftedness can be essential for their development. At ISEP, the Master’s in Special Education includes specific training in high intellectual abilities.