Chapter 6: On Boredom and Bullying: How Being Gifted, Bored, and Frustrated in the Classroom Can Lead to Being Bullied or Being a Bully at School

This chapter furthers the discussion of the role of curriculum and programming in fostering a bullying environment. Smith and Westbrook share findings from case study research, that reveal chronic boredom in the classrooms that persistently lack adequate intellectual challenge, and results in acute frustration and ramps up both forms of bullying. The authors suggest ways of managing boredom and frustration so that gifted students can flourish, and to minimize bullying at school. Self-defense mechanisms of gifted students such as the use of heightened skills in reasoning and literacy to take down their bullies in a more subtle, sarcastic ways are also highlighted.