These questions are not easy to answer. However, we can get a better idea if we look at the characteristics of three different types of children: High Achievers, Gifted Learners, and Creative Thinkers. These categories were developed by Dr. Bertie Kingore and they go a long way in helping us recognize gifted children, including those who don't do well in school. The chart below provides some of the comparisons among these three groups.
| A High Achiever... | A Gifted Learner... | A Creative Thinker... |
| Remembers the answers | Poses unforeseen questions | Sees exceptions |
| Is interested | Is curious | Wonders |
| Is attentive | Is selectively mentally engaged | Daydreams; may seem off task |
| Generates advanced ideas | Generates complex, abstract ideas | Overflows with ideas, many of which will never be developed |
| Performs at the top of the group | Is beyond the group | Is in own group |
| Learns with ease | Already knows | Questions: What if... |
| Needs 6 to 8 repetitions to master | Needs 1 to 3 repetitions to master | Questions the need for mastery |
| Enjoys the company of age peers | Prefers the company of intellectual peers | Prefers the company of creative peers but often works alone |
| Completes assignments on time | Initiates projects and extensions of assignments | Initiates more projects that will ever be completed |
| Enjoys school often | Enjoys self-directed learning | Enjoys creating |
| Is highly alert and observant | Anticipates and relates observations | Is intuitive |
| Is pleased with own learning | Is self-critical | Is never finished with possibilities |
| Gets A's | May not be motivated by grades | May not be motivated by grades |
