Hidden "Gifts"

I simply didnt see it.
While I didnt actually instruct the boy, I had spent some time with him, when administering standardized tests, helping out with field trips, etc.
He appeared to be a typical boy. Horsing around with the other boys. Sometimes, a little rambunctious. He most certainly didnt appear to be an academic. Never saw him reading or studying, like many of the gifted boys do when sitting in the schools cafeteria in the mornings, waiting for classes to begin.
Apparently, other teachers didnt see it eithersince this student made it to the third, almost fourth-grade, without ever being tested for gifted services.
Luckily, a colleague spotted his potential.
I dont know, she said (Im paraphrasing here). He seems to pick up things very fast. He always seems to want to share his answers. But he can give me a lot of trouble. I hope Im not wasting your time.
My response is always: what is there to lose? Lets test him.
Whenin doubt, test a child. Its better to spend 45 minutes to an hour, screening a child, then to let them slip through the educational cracks. (you may argue that testing a child can cause unnecessary stress or disappointment if the child does not score high enough, but I simply tell the child they are completing some educational games and do not elaborate on the screening. Parents are also advised to choose their discussions carefully).
So thats what I did. While screening the student, he struggled with some vocabulary questions, as many English Language Learners do. However, when he got to the non-verbal portion of the test, he lit up.
Oh, I like this, he said.
He spent minutes, what seemed like hours, staring at the complex patterns and puzzles, answering 42 out of the 46 questions correct. In the end, his non-verbal score was in the upper extreme, which helped bring his overall I.Q. composite score high enough to warrant additional testing.
The moral of this story is that sometimes potential or giftedness is hard to spot. Sometimes it takes several sets of eyes. Dont write off a child because they may have ADHD or misbehave. Dont write them off because they may not read novels or discuss technology like other gifted kids do in the cafeteria or during recess. If you think theres something there, recommend the child for testing. Error on the side of risk-taking. Take a chance on a child.