Advanced learners can become mentally lazy, even though they do well in school. We have evidence (Clark 1992, Ornstein and Thompson 1984, Whitrock 1977) that a brain loses capacity and “tone: without vigorous use, in much the same way that a little used muscle does.” If a student produces “success” without effort, potential brainpower can be lost. In many cases, advanced learners make good grades without learning to work hard. Then when hard work is required, they become frightened, resentful, or frustrated.
Advanced learners may become hooked on the trappings of success. They may think grades are more important than ideas, being praised is more important than taking intellectual risks, and being right is more valuable than making new discoveries. Unfortunately, many advanced learners quickly learn to do what is “safe” or what “pays” rather than what could result in greater long-term learning.
Advanced learners may become perfectionists. We praise them for being the best readers, assign them to help others who can’t get the math, and compliment them when they score highest on tests. When people get excited about their performance, these students often assume it’s possible to keep being the best. Because they attach their self-worth so much to the rewards of schooling and because those rewards are accessible for years at a time, advanced learners often don’t learn to struggle or fail. Failure then becomes something to be avoided at all costs. Some advanced learners develop compulsive behaviors, from excessive worry to procrastination to eating disorders, and occasionally even suicide. Many advanced learners imply become less productive and less satisfied. Creative production typically has high failure to success ration. Students who have the capacity to be producers of new knowledge, but who are afraid of failure are unlikely to see their productive capacity realized.
Advanced learners may fail to develop a sense of self efficacy. Self-esteem is fostered by being told you are important, valued, or successful. Self-efficacy, by contrast comes from stretching yourself to achieve a goal that you first believed was beyond your reach. Although many advanced learners easily achieve a sort of how low self-esteem, they never develop a sense of self-efficacy. These students often go through life feeling like imposters, fearfully awaiting the inevitable day the world will discover they aren’t so capable after all.
Advanced learners, like all learners, need learning experiences designed to fit them. When teachers are not sensitive to that needs, they may set learning goals for advanced students that are too low or that develop new skills too infrequently. Then, if students are successful anyhow, they often fail to develop the desirable balance between running into walls and scaling. Advanced learners share other learners’ needs for teachers who can help them set high, devise plans for reaching those goals, tolerate frustrations and share joys along the way, and sight new horizons after each accomplishments.