I'm the parent of "gifted" children, and found that the tests these days are pretty objective, focusing on identifying traits in order to optimize the curriculum for all students. In spite of different capabilities, kids in an age group are emotional peers, and keeping them together is an important goal. Therefore, it's important not to view the process as stigmatizing or as a popularity contest. Different kids have different needs, and parents who desperately want their children to be labeled as "gifted" risk ignoring the true nature of their children, possibly doing more harm than good. I've found it expedient to treat "giftedness" as another learning disorder, or at the very least, a special need, which helps to keep my parental ego out of the equation.
For example, one of the key traits for identifying the gifted kids is the ability to learn without repetition. They absorb and retain information instantly, and often become bored or restless if they aren't continually challenged. You might be surprised to learn that among the gifted children are often kids with behavioral problems or full-blown ADHD. But it makes sense when you realize that the symptoms can flare up while the teacher is repeating lessons for students who need it, leaving the others to their own devices.
Some gifted kids are well-rounded, while others display traits that make them gifted in specific areas (excellent pattern-recognition and large vocabularies can be indicators). A good program will identify these traits and tailor an approach that works best for the individual. It may sound complicated, but I've seen it handled effectively in my children's public school, so it's definitely attainable.
Your answer helped me realize that being gifted is just a part of the equation. A child's emotional, physical and other needs are important too. It's as if there is a distortion in the lens with which people view such kids, resigning them to one-dimensional caricatures, while losing out the essence of who they are.
For example, one of the key traits for identifying the gifted kids is the ability to learn without repetition. They absorb and retain information instantly, and often become bored or restless if they aren't continually challenged. You might be surprised to learn that among the gifted children are often kids with behavioral problems or full-blown ADHD. But it makes sense when you realize that the symptoms can flare up while the teacher is repeating lessons for students who need it, leaving the others to their own devices.
Some gifted kids are well-rounded, while others display traits that make them gifted in specific areas (excellent pattern-recognition and large vocabularies can be indicators). A good program will identify these traits and tailor an approach that works best for the individual. It may sound complicated, but I've seen it handled effectively in my children's public school, so it's definitely attainable.