About “Gifted”

This time, I’ll be talking about “Gifted,” which is also in the blog title.

Definition of Gifted

　Recently, the term “Gifted” has become more common in Japan. When I was young, I never heard that term. Instead, we used words like “genius” or ‘prodigy’ to describe such children. While these were meant as compliments, they also seemed to be a hair’s breadth away from terms like “oddball,” “eccentric,” or “weirdo.” I remember being called in for a meeting with my elementary school teacher alongside my mother. I recall being told, “Satsuki-kun seems a bit different compared to the other children…” as if I were a problem child.

　Actually, the term “Gifted” does not have a universally accepted definition internationally; it is defined differently in each country.

United States

　The United States is considered a leader in gifted education, and its definition of giftedness is relatively broad.

　The federal government defines gifted children as “children who possess high achievement potential in intellect, creativity, artistry, leadership, or a specific academic field, requiring services and activities beyond the regular school program in order to fully develop their abilities.”

　Regarding IQ, which is gaining attention in Japan, while IQ 130 or higher is sometimes used as a general benchmark, it is merely one criterion among many, and intelligence is not defined by IQ alone.

　Experts in gifted education define gifted as a combination of the following three elements:

• Above-average ability
  This includes not only intellectual ability but also skills in music, art, sports, and communication.
• Creativity
  The ability to generate unconventional, original ideas and expressions.
• Commitment (Focus on tasks)
  Strong interest in a specific field and the ability to exert sustained effort.

　Education for gifted children is diverse, encompassing styles such as completing specialized assignments while enrolled in regular classes, attending special classes or schools, and grade-skipping systems. The educational approach focuses not only on cramming knowledge but also on nurturing curiosity and creativity.

United Kingdom

　In the UK, there may be a distinction made between “Gifted” and “Talented.”

• Gifted
  Children who demonstrate exceptional talent primarily in academic and intellectual fields.
• Talented
  Children who demonstrate exceptional ability primarily in practical fields such as sports and the arts.

　Previously, government subsidies were available, but due to financial constraints, that system has been discontinued. As a result, private schools are increasingly taking the initiative in providing Gifted and Talented education.

France

　In France, Gifted tend to be defined primarily by IQ compared to other countries.

• Definition
  They are fundamentally considered individuals possessing intellectual potential of “IQ 130 or higher.”
• Terminology
  In French, the terms “surdoué” or, more recently, “Haut Potentiel” (High Potential) are frequently used.

　Children with high IQs generally tend to achieve excellent academic results in school, so the importance of gifted education was viewed as lower compared to countries like the United States. In order to do so, education has centered around private schools.

Japan

　Japan actually has no official definition of “Gifted.”

• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
  The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology uses the term “children and students with exceptional talents in specific fields” and does not use the term “Gifted.”

　In 2021, the “Expert Panel on Approaches to Instruction and Support in Schools for Children with Exceptional Talents in Specific Fields” was established to discuss approaches to supporting children with exceptional talents.

　Recently, the term “Gifted” has become more common, though mostly on quiz shows. You often see phrases like “Gifted with IQs over 130” in the introductions.

There’s also a lot of mention of “MENSA.” It’s a global nonprofit organization open to people with high IQs—the top 2% of the population—and seems to serve as a status symbol proving one’s high IQ. I’m not very familiar with MENSA myself, so I can’t explain it well.

The Image of the Gifted in Japan

　In Japan, if you say you’re Gifted, people look at you suspiciously. I think this stems from Japan’s cultural background.

The Misconception That “Gifted = Superhuman”

　In Japan, the term “Gifted” seems to be understood with a very limited and unrealistic image of “a superhuman genius who can do anything,” rather than the meaning used in educational settings overseas.

　For example, if a self-declared Gifted does not excel in all academic subjects. If their abilities are disproportionately strong or weak in specific areas, deviating from the expected profile, they may face skepticism: “Are they truly Gifted?” or “Could this be a mere misunderstanding?”

Cultural resistance to self-promotion

　Japanese society has a deeply rooted culture that values humility as a virtue. Asserting one’s abilities or talents loudly is often perceived as an arrogant attitude lacking in cooperation.

　The phrase “I’m Gifted” may sound like the speaker is asserting, “I’m different from others; I’m special,” which could create psychological distance.

Doubts arising from ambiguous standards

　Gifted does not have official diagnostic criteria like developmental disorders. As a result, it is often determined based on self-assessment or solely on the results of private intelligence tests. Because of this, it tends to be viewed as lacking clear objective evidence.

　Because of that ambiguity, it seems to lead to the question, “Is that really true?” arising, causing the other person to adopt a skeptical attitude.

I was forced to be ordinary.

I never thought I was Gifted.

　In Japan, admitting to being Gifted carries a higher risk of encountering misunderstanding and fixed notions than in other countries. I believe this stems from cultural background and is unavoidable. The analogy of Gifted being like supercars has taken on a life of its own, leading to a situation where the diverse traits possessed by Gifted people and the accompanying challenges are still not sufficiently shared within society.

　My IQ is around 140. My standardized test scores during entrance exams also exceeded 70. However, I question how much one can truly understand through tests alone, and I certainly don’t excel at everything perfectly. Being a perfectionist, I was often nicknamed “Mr. Perfect” by my superiors at work, and frequently told things like, “If we leave it to you, even the most unreasonable requests will somehow work out perfectly.”

　Even so, I’ve lived my life without ever thinking of myself as Gifted. After all, I have things I’m not good at, and there are mountains of things I don’t know.

I’ve decided to accept that I’m Gifted.

　I developed depression and entered a period of reflecting on my life. During this reflection, I also came into contact with the lives of various other people. And when I encountered those who self-identify as “Gifted” (adding “self-identify” here may be considered disrespectful. However, since there is no clear definition, I have chosen to include this qualifier), I found numerous parallels with my own life.

　From childhood, I was raised to be “ordinary.” Stick out too far and you’ll get knocked down, so don’t stand out too much. It’s fine to be a top student, but don’t take risks like venturing into dangerous territory. Become a stable civil servant and have a family that’s generally considered happy. Do what everyone else does, and avoid doing what they don’t.
Even after being called in for a parent-teacher conference with my mother, I was told, “People say you’re strange, so just copy everyone else.”

　So I used to think that the sense of discomfort I felt in daily life meant I was the one who was wrong. That I was the one who needed to change, that I had to change.

　It’s wrong that I find classes boring. It’s wrong that I only connect with adults and can’t relate to my classmates. It’s my own fault if people don’t understand the words I use. It’s wrong that I hate injustice. It’s wrong that I notice contradictions in rules and textbooks. It’s wrong if I speak my mind but find no one shares my feelings.

　That’s how I’ve lived. Constantly telling myself I’m not special, just wrong.

　But then I came across stories from people who had gone through the exact same experiences I had consistently denied. There were just too many similarities—I couldn’t ignore them or pretend not to notice.

　The part of myself I had kept hiding, kept denying, kept pretending not to notice, kept rejecting—it wasn’t wrong after all. Tears welled up naturally.

　Even now, if someone asks me, “Are you Gifted?” I can’t say, “Yes, I am.” But I do think that might be the case.

I don’t think such a vague classification, which doesn’t even have a clear definition, holds that much significance.

My thoughts on Gifted

　I often hear Gifted being compared to supercars. I have a different feeling about it.

I feel that Gifted are like snowplows.

　It’s equipped with an engine different from ordinary cars and has special functions too. There’s no doubt it’s not an ordinary vehicle. However, those functions only come into their own during specific seasons and in specific regions. It’s too big for public roads, and it doesn’t go that fast anyway. If anything, it’s not really suited for driving on public roads. Yet, when the season, region, and environment align, it runs more powerfully than any ordinary car, maximizing its functions to perform at its best.

　I wonder if that car is Gifted.

And perhaps it is only when I encounter a season, a region, an environment where I can truly thrive that I finally come to recognize my own worth.