Underachievement rates among those gifted children

[pengolodh_sc]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> wrote:
> Last time I posted on this thread I proved I didn't know what I was 
> talking about--and I appreciate Shaun pointing it out so gently. 
> 
> So I have been lurking since then, but I am curious about the 
> 50% statistic. If 50% of the gifted underachieve, how is that 
> different from saying, for example, that 50% of drivers are worse 
> than average, which is just what you would expect?

The way I interpreted Shaun, he (presuming I got gender correct - 
sometimes it is difficult to tell with a name) meant that 50% of the 
gifted were prevented from achieving what they had the ability, 
opportunity, and desire to achieve - they feel held back.  Case in 
point (though not directly a case of underachievement by Shaun's 
definition - I'll explain below):  

In 9th grade, I was constantly ahead of my class in math, and when I 
was very far ahead, the teacher dealt with it by ordering me (and one 
other boy similarly far ahead) to don't work anymore until the class 
had caught up.  This happened numerous times during the year, and the 
one-two weeks the class needed to catch up each time, I and Frank 
would spend chatting quietly enough to not disturb the rest of the 
class.  

Best regards
Christian Stubø