A student engaging in inappropriate behavior to avoid participating in an activity. An avoidance response.

A student’s avoidance of participation in activities. An avoidance response.

An underachiever’s focus of blame on the school or an authority figure, outlining points of failure in detail to avoid taking responsibility for their outcomes.

The focus of an underachiever (gifted or another student) on nonproductive actions to avoid effort toward success at school.

A student’s belief that they can grow and improve their capabilities over time through learning.

A student’s belief that they cannot grow and improve their capabilities.

A situation in which a child decides there is no point in trying to achieve goals based on repeated experiences in which they’ve found no linkage between work toward goals and outcomes.

A student’s sense of their own ability to make decisions and determine their own outcomes.

A teaching tool in which a group of several students stand in a circle and discuss a subject with questions and prompts from a teacher which encourage further thinking and learning.

A technique that helps students (both gifted and other) probe their own emotions and beliefs.