However, giftedness can be observed through:
- Underachievement
- All of the students in Lou Anne Johnson's class are underachievers. However, the 3 main characters Emelio, Raul, and Callie are classified as gifted. They are the "ring leaders" and the class follows and agrees/disagrees with what they say. They are unwilling to learn and doubtful of Lou Anne's abilities when she enters the classroom. They do not volunteer to participate and do as little as possible (until they are motivated by Ms. Johnson).
- Violence and friction amongst other gifted students
- Emelio and Raul have a couple of verbal altercations that eventually lead to a fight. Raul and his friend are suspended from school. A huge part of their altercation is the friction between Raul beginning to try and learn and Emelio resisting. After the fight, they remain friends and they do not fight again. This "peace" can be attributed to them being challenged intellectually.
- Ability to see cause-effect relationships and look ahead
- Emelio, possibly the smartest and most gifted student in the class, is doubtful of Ms. Johnson. He is unyielding and is unable to be reached through the many tactics she has tried. Emelio's resistance, in part, comes from his ability to doubt Ms. Johnson's words and efforts. He can "connect the dots" and see 5 steps ahead, when his classmates are fixated on the here and now.
- Fast learning pace
- Once they have become "believers," the students in Lou Anne's class learn at a rapid pace and are able to understand poetry on a deep and abstract level. They are able to make connections between the songwriter, Bob Dylan and poet, Dylan Thomas.
