Moral Development

Not only are gifted children well ahead in their thinking, they are ahead in their moral development as well.

When reading about moral development in children you read names like Kohlberg and Dabrowski.

Kohlberg stages include many levels of development. It begins with the idea that initially children follow rules to avoid being punished.

Then they do things for others so that they will do things for them. By the time many gifted children start school they are beyond this stage.

The third stage involves conformity. Doing what pleases the majority is considered morally right.

It continues with avoiding social dissatisfaction and cherishing duty and rules.

Later, a concern for individual rights, fairness, and an evaluation of rules and principles develops.

By the end of elementary school, many gifted children are passed this stage. Many adults never get to this point.

Gifted children are morally sensitive. They care about and can think about fairness and justice.

Dabrowski developed 5 stages of moral development. He wrote about gifted children in terms of their intensity and sensitivity and how this affects their passage through these five stages.

As children become teenagers and discover their own identity, by determining what they value and believe in, they pass through Dabrowski's stages.

Dabrowski and others suggest that gifted children feel deeply about issues of justice, truth, and what is fair.

Gifted children also feel that adults should be able to do something concrete about what isn't right and are often disappointed when the adults in their life seem unable to do so.

Many gifted children question rules that they feel are unfair and stand up for classmates who are being bullied. Their sense of right and wrong is often profound.

Sometimes this strong sense of fairness may result in the child feeling guilty. They may feel the need to talk about the situation they face and ask questions.

This is where parents are able to guide their children. Talking about situations, and answering questions for your child is a good way to help them make decisions.

They want to know what parents feel about fairness and what is right. They learn by watching how parents conduct themselves as well.

From Moral Development to Challenges