Happy Birthday, Gifted Parenting Support!

Gifted Parenting Support celebrated 2 years of blogging this past week! It has been an adventure beyond our wildest dreams and has opened up a multitude of doors within the gifted community.

We are fast approaching 35,000 page views and we’re read in over 80 countries! Who would have guessed we would be here just 2 short years ago. It is a testament to the fact that parents of gifted children have a deep concern about parenting and educating their children. We are also pleased at the number of teachers who visit and comment on our blog. This is proof positive that parents and teachers can work together!

Since our first post, Gifted Parenting Support has expanded to Twitter ( @ljconrad ) and we now have our own page on . This has afforded us the opportunity to have an even greater influence with gifted parents, teachers, and advocates around the world. Social Media has added new meaning to the term ‘24/7’.

In the coming year, we hope to add new links and features to the blog. As with any new venture, it is a work in progress. The topics of interest within the gifted community seem endless. We’d be remiss if we did not draw your attention to our blog roll. There are many excellent blogs on the Internet dealing with the subject of giftedness. Please take time to visit them.

Another excellent resource for parents and educators is the weekly #gtchat on Twitter moderated by yours truly. Global #gtchat was offline for a couple months after founder Deborah Mersino moved on to a new position. She is deeply missed, but she will always be remembered for her innovative and collaborative work on Twitter in raising awareness of the needs of gifted children.

Fortunately, through the generosity of the , #gtchat is once again tweeting each week at 7PM EDT/6PM CDT on Fridays. TAGT has provided a page for gtchat on their  as well as a weekly poll of potential topics for the chats and a transcript of each chat. You can follow the latest news on Twitter ‘ @gtchatmod ‘.

There are also two other excellent chats concerning gifted and talented on Twitter that you will want to check out if #gtchat’s time is not conducive to your schedule. The NAGC (US) @NAGCGIFTED has a chat on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 PM EDTand #gtie, a chat from Ireland, begins at 9PM on Sunday evenings (local time)/4PM EDT(US).

Our inspiration … the reason we blog … will always be the gifted children of the world. It is not about careers, our own prestige, or bragging rights ~ it is about our children! Special thanks to all those who join in the adventure!

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Gifted Education Awareness Week – Namibia

I would like to thank Roya Klingner from the Global Center for Gifted Education for inviting me to blog as a part of Gifted Education Awareness Week in Namibia.

Namibiais a young nation which only gained its independence 30 years ago. It is a large but sparsely populated country located on the southwest coast of Africa. Namibia’s many natural resources include diamonds, uranium, and zinc () and recently discovered off-shore oil reserves. “Unfortunately, the country’s high per capita GDP, relative to the region, hides one of the world’s most unequal income distributions.” () Fewer than 33% of its students complete grade 10. The USAID reports unemployment rates as high as 40% to 50%. Yet even in this less than perfect environment, there exist teachers who are motivated to identify and instruct gifted learners.

One organization, Namibian Dreams () founded by two aid workers in the country aptly describes the situation, “[There are a] saddening number of cases where children who had obvious potential found themselves demoralized by circumstances -- disease, poverty, or familial strife, to name just a few examples -- and resigned to a life without any hope for future educational or professional advancement. Far too many children in Namibia are prohibited from realizing all the possibilities available to similarly gifted children in more developed parts of the world. That does not mean they have any less potential than these more privileged children, only that some work is required to make the most of this potential.”

In a report from CfBT Education Trust on Early Childhood Care (), obstacles to providing quality education in southern Africa– including Namibia– were delineated. Many aid organizations seek to help the region, but “joint approaches are often cumbersome affairs, and organized largely by donors with little local ownership.” Furthermore, cultural differences affect how outside contributions are viewed by the indigenous population. “Although culture is always hard to define and locate, from a number of perspectives the North American/European emphasis on individuality, competition and consumerism is deeply antithetical to more communal ways of living and to respectful treatment of the environment. …African states…have produced their own African Charter of the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which stresses the responsibilities children owe to their families and society and the obligation of the child ‘to respect his parents, superiors and elders at all times and to assist them in case of need’.” In short, cultural attitudes too often hinder awareness and consideration for the needs of gifted education in the region.

Gifted children exist in all regions and countries of the world. In virtually every setting, raising awareness of their existence is the first step in providing for their education and well-being. The next step is to ensure that teachers are provided with knowledge of how to meet the needs of these extraordinary children and then to implement appropriate educational programs. Thanks to the Global Centerfor Gifted Education () for taking the important first step! 

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Irish Gifted Education Awareness Week … May the Road Rise to Meet You!

It is an honor to be invited to guest blog for Irish Gifted Awareness Week 2012. This year’s theme is “Gifted Children Inside and Outside the Classroom”. As a frequent contributor to a gifted chat on Twitter, I have been privileged to get to know many people in the gifted community in Ireland. My own interest in global gifted education initiatives further prompted me to learn more about Ireland’s current state of affairs with regard to this community.

Irelandcan be proud of the many initiatives that are underway there. In addition to , Irelandis also represented on the Executive Council of the by of Dublin. An immensely informative website and source of excellent webinars, Giftedkids.ie, can be found .  An exciting program supported by this site, , is yet another initiative based in Irelandthat supports a virtual reality for gifted children. Of course, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the blog by that developed from the friendship of two women who recognized the power of parents to make a difference in the lives of gifted children.

The current economic climate has been difficult for Irelandas well as many other countries. It is during times like these that a nation’s thoughts turn to the next generation and to a brighter future. Oftentimes, a country will experience a ‘brain drain’ in response to this situation. Fortunately, forward thinking educators and parents in the gifted community have been working hard to raise awareness of the need to provide an appropriate education in the classroom and activities outside the classroom to meet the social and emotional needs of the exceptionally-able student. The at Dublin City University, is a good example of this.

Every society needs to understand that nurturing these young minds is essential to growing a robust economy by putting university graduates into the workforce who exhibit leadership and critical thinking skills. It is a vital first step in competing on the world stage. Innovation and creative thinking have long been known as the path to a sound economic future.

As parents and educators continue to work together to support academically gifted and talented children in Ireland, I believe that the road will surely rise to meet you! 

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The Real Lesson to be Learned from Finland

The world of education is all a flutter about Finland! Year after year, Finnish students finish at the top of international assessments. Educators from around the world are beating a path to Finland in hopes of finding the magic elixir to their success.  

Granted … Finlandis a great place to visit, but we all can’t live there! The fact of the matter is … that’s what it would take to duplicate its success. There are about 5.3 million people who call Finlandhome; 93% are Finns and 7% are not. 100% of its population attend or have attended school and 93% graduate. It boasts a 100% literacy rate. Wow-za! Who wouldn’t want those numbers? Throw in the fact that Finlandis one of the wealthiest countries per capita in the world and has the smallest gap between their lowest and highest achievers … and you have a grand slam!

Think this all happened by accident? Do the Finns possess superior genes? Is it something in the water? No. I don’t know. And no. And why would I be writing about this anyway? Finlanddoes not provide ‘gifted’ education per se. All children are included in the same classroom with few exceptions. The simple answer is that I believe there are lessons to be learned, but that it won’t work everywhere. This last point is significant because there are countries (my own included) that seem to think imitation will bring the same results to their shores.

After weeks of research on my part, it appears the Finns have managed to create a public education system that resembles homeschooling in the U.S., but on a grand scale … the best of both worlds. Finnish children are nurtured both at home and at school. They do not start school until the age of 7 and are expected to be reading by that time. 75 minutes of each school day is dedicated to outdoor recess. They are not bombarded with high-stakes testing and the avalanche of test prep that surround these tests. How ironic that other countries currently choose an approach to surpass Finlandthat is the antithesis of the Finnish system?

Teachers are well-educated; an education subsidized by the government. The majority of teachers in Finlandpossess master’s degrees. Teachers belong to a strong union. Teachers earn the respect of the public. They receive professional development on a weekly basis. At the elementary level, teachers and students bond by staying together as a class for up to 5 years. To ensure that each child succeeds, Finnish teachers are given the freedom to control their own curriculum and methods of assessment rather than dictated to by a national policy deeply entrenched in the numbers game. When teachers are encouraged to be creative and innovative, students are the benefactors.  

In the U.S., a disturbing trend has emerged to eliminate gifted education by saying that all children should receive gifted education ala Finland. Perhaps in a perfect world where all children began life in a setting such as Finland, this could be an achievable goal; but they do not. To impose this logic on a school system without Finnish parameters is ridiculous.

This country is witnessing the loss of a generation to the lunacy of No Child Left Behind where the best and brightest were not only left behind but ignored. And we wonder where all the gifted under-achievers came from? This one piece of legislation alone is one of the greatest travesties bequeathed to our children from a system controlled by wayward politicians and the burgeoning peripheral industries that supported NCLB’s testing mania.

If the world wants to compete with the likes of Finnish students, it should look beyond the test scores to understand that the key to success is ‘mastery’ of content in the early years of education rather than ‘exposure’ to content because instructional time is reduced for test preparation. Pasi Sahlberg of Finland’s Ministry of Education and author of the book Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland? states that, “We prepare children to learn how to learn, not how to take a test.” This is the real lesson that should be learned from Finland. 

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Best Practices in Gifted Education

There are times when I think that the ‘best practice’ for gifted education would be to hand the gifted child an iPad and walk out of the room! Of course, this would be the antithesis of what many believe to be  education and far too many gifted children do not have access to this technology. Not to mention, every child … every child … learns differently. Gifted kids are no different in this respect.

So, what exactly does “best practices” actually mean and how does a parent determine if they are being used in their child’s school? Best practices imply that teachers are using instructional strategies that have been proven effective and are research-based.

If you have a good rapport with your child’s teachers, talk to them. They can tell you about the gifted program. Ask if they are being provided with professional development in gifted education. Sadly, we all know the answer to that question. In lieu of that approach, ask other parents who have already had children participate in programs in your school. They should be able to tell you how classes are conducted and how the program is structured.

Essential to a strong gifted program is the use of a research-based method of identification. Talent Searches have a long history of solid research to support their use as a means to identify academically gifted children. In the U.S., the Talent Search model is offered by , , – Western Academic Talent Search, (Belin- Blank), and as well as others.

Gifted education can be taught in a variety of settings. If the school is full inclusion with no separate gifted program, then your child should be given differentiated instruction within the regular classroom. This means ‘different’, not ‘extra’ work. The curriculum needs to be matched to your child’s abilities. To ease delivery of instruction, cluster-grouping should be used with differentiation.

Pull-out programs can give the gifted teacher a bit of leeway in how the classroom instruction is delivered. Teachers may use enrichment activities, independent studies (your child’s choice), Socratic seminars (teaching by asking questions and followed by discussion), and higher-ordered thinking skills exercises. Innovative approaches may include developing skills for mathematically precocious children through subject acceleration, learning journals, and exposure of younger children to discussion of special interests they may have.

In programs not constrained by prep for standardized testing, some practical strategies which can be used in the gifted classroom include providing each student with an individual challenge in their areas of academic strength, a rigorous academic curriculum, and presentation of above grade level content. Provision for prior learning should be assessed and credit granted for material already learned as an antidote to boredom for most gifted students. 

In a perfect world, gifted children would also be able to work and learn with their ‘ability peers’. Multi-age gifted classrooms benefit both younger and older students. The older students peer-mentor the younger ones and the younger students share with those who are ‘on the same wave-length’! Even in a not-so-perfect setting, school districts can provide opportunities for elementary and secondary gifted students to socialize through participation in district-wide programs, field trips, and academic competitions with other schools.

Certainly one of the most researched and a cost-effective best practice in gifted education is acceleration. This can be achieved with early entrance to primary school, subject acceleration, full grade acceleration, ability grouping across grade levels, dual enrollment in university classes while still at the secondary level, and early entrance to college.

Another relatively new way of instruction is to use distance learning with a gifted teacher as a facilitator on-site or virtually. This provides high quality curriculum to students anywhere in the world ~ rural, inner-city, international. Programs are available from (CTY), (EPGY), (GLL), , and ; to name just a few.

Suffice it to say, there are many different ways to provide gifted learners with programs that can help them reach their full potential. Parents need to be knowledgeable about what is available (and you certainly should know after reading this post!), and then advocate for implementation of programs in their school district. You would be surprised at how many teachers simply never knew so many possibilities existed! 

Yes … there will always be resistance on the part of some educators, but you’ll never know if you don’t try. One thing I can assure you is that parents must learn to take the high road – be respectful yet forceful – or you’ll never get anywhere. Treat decision-makers as you would like to be treated.  If you don’t succeed within the system, consider opportunities outside the system. In the end, it is a parental ‘best practice’ to do what you feel is in your child’s best interest.   

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Technology for the Gifted Classroom

Yes, I know; this is a blog to provide support to parents. And I try to keep on topic; it is in the interest of parent-teacher relations and for homeschoolers that I decided to talk about tech tools for the gifted classroom. One can never have too many tools in the toolbox when it comes to teaching gifted kids.

There are, in fact, so many resources available to educators and parents that it would be impossible to cover them all here. The criteria that I considered when choosing tools were cost, ease of use, and availability.

All of these tools are available online and are free. Some have additional upgrades, but I don’t consider them necessary. School administrators are under extreme pressure to cut budgets and home budgets are already tight for many homeschoolers. So, free is nice!

Ease of use is an important consideration as well as professional development (PD). PD budgets are often the first thing to go when districts are looking to cut costs. Technology is great, but not if the teacher has no idea how to use it. Utilizing technology tools such as podcasts, webinars, and Skype can be a very cost-effective way to provide PD for teachers. They can also be utilized for personal development outside of school.

It is important to remember that technology is an enabler; not a replacement for authentic pedagogy. Instructional technologies empower educators to facilitate learning, increase student engagement, differentiate curriculum for each student’s learning style, and connect classrooms around the world. Students, in turn, can collaborate with gifted peers anywhere and at anytime while fostering problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and teamwork. They can communicate with master teachers, create new and innovative content, and learn at their own pace.

My first stop on the Technology Tool Tour (TTT) would have to be . Recently, Google made access to these tools seamless with their search engine. Once on the Google Search homepage, roll over the Google logo at the upper left-hand part of the page to reveal all they have to offer, Google Docs is a collaborative tool that allows multiple people to access and edit a document online from anywhere. As a bonus, it auto-saves every few seconds. Google Calendar can be accessed by anyone you grant permission to use. Teachers can place upcoming assignments and projects on the calendar and students can view from school, home or even on the bus ride home. Google Books, Search, Translate, and Scholar are great resources for research materials. Google Earth can make geography lessons come alive!

Other programs on the TTT, include:

            – design quizzes & tests; administer them; & grade

            – add to ‘favorites’ as well as search tags you set up

            – doc sharing site, accessed from multiple platforms 

            – share ideas, text alerts to students, conduct polls, & share files

            – accessed from any device; record student presentations

            – ‘ideas’ are searched & pinned to the user’s board. 

            Podcasts – For ‘flipped’ classrooms & to view a wealth of PD podcasts .

            - teachers can make tutorials for staff & faculty.

                                              

              –  free, video calls; connect classes, teachers, & students.

Finally, our TTT draws to a close with a look at social media tools; many of which you are undoubtedly already familiar with and will need little explanation. has a neat feature called Groups which can be open, closed, or secret. Taking privacy into consideration, closed groups would be the best choice for classroom. Here students can collaborate on projects, share research, and ask questions of the teacher. Google + has a similar feature called . Virtual Reality programs such as (older students with adult supervision) and (Ireland) provide virtual classrooms where students can engage in global projects, conferences, and lectures from world-class educators. And last, but not least … … perhaps the greatest source of PD, late breaking news and trends, and a great place to grow a personal learning network (PLN) with other professionals and educators.

Of course, there are literally thousands of other sites on the Internet that provide tools for teachers and the classroom. Hopefully, I have whetted your appetite to explore the ones I’ve mentioned and then look for other tools on your own!

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GT Voice … the Perfect Start to the New Year!

Last December (2010), I wrote a post entitled, “Vision 2011: Digitally Connecting the Global Gifted Community”. In it, I expressed the hope for a worldwide effort of committed individuals who would make gifted advocacy their cause.

            “Every year the world loses the contributions of brilliant minds because we haven’t found a way to work together. Where would humanity be today if every gifted child were identified; if the needs of every gifted child were met both academically and emotionally; if the dreams of every gifted child were realized? If somewhere in your own education you learned to think critically, the answer should be quite clear. Connecting and working together is the only real choice.”

One group who came into existence in 2011 that met this criterion was GT Voice in the U.K.I am honored to be a Founder Member of this group; if only from afar … across the pond. I have followed every step of their development from the early meetings of the initial working group to the formal organization of GT Voice.

This group has painstakingly endeavored to put together a first-class organization. Many members are also associated with other gifted support groups in the country, but GT Voice does not want to be seen in either direct or indirect competition with them. As an inclusive network, it is entirely independent of other organizations and political affiliation. It receives no government funding and operates as a non-profit.

GT Voice is “a national network for the support and nurture of the gifted and talented young people, their families and educators”. Although primarily focused on gifted and talented education in the U.K., the new Board of Directors has strongly encouraged international participation by all those who have an interest in gifted children – parents, teachers, administrators, and advocates.

Speaking of the Board of Directors who was elected in September, let’s meet them! Denise Yates was elected by the Board to be the inaugural chair and has been the Chief Executive of the NAGC – UKfor over 3 years. Dr. Paula Radice is the Deputy Head of a large primary school and a Gifted & Talented Leading Teacher. Anna Comino-James has served on the NAGC’s Council of Management for many years and set up The Potential Trust Fund to ensure the organization’s financial survival. John Stevenage is the Chief Executive of British Mensa Limited as well as managing the High IQ Society and Mensa Publications Limited. Dr. Johnny Ball worked for 30 years in various projects for BBC and Central TV. In the 1990s, he was president of the NAGC for six years. Chris Leek is the Chairman of British Mensa and led the High IQ Society for 8 years. He also served as Chairman of Mensa International for 4 years. Matt Dickenson is the Achievement Director of London Gifted and Talented. He will also be the guest speaker at the Bavarian Center for Gifted and Talented Children’s Global Virtual Meeting in Second Life on January 28^th  (see my last post for details on how to participate). Aileen Hoare is the Chair of North West Gifted and Talented and creator/co-founder of Day a Week School. Tim Dracup is a NAGC Trustee and former national lead in England’s education ministry (1996 – 2009). As an independent consultant, Tim was one of the initiators of GT Voice.

For parents interested in gifted advocacy, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the process from a group of committed leaders in the field. GT Voice actively encourages participation on the part of parents; a rare occurrence in the gifted community. They will be publishing a free monthly e-bulletin to update, inform, involve and recruit members. Each issue will include informative and provocative articles by Board Members.

I encourage all my readers – both parents and educators – to take advantage of all this group has to offer! Their website can be found . Their charter can be found . Their constitution can be found . And a membership form can be found . In the future, GT Voice will be launching a Google Group where members can gather to discuss issues important to the group. A redesigned website is set to launch by March 2012.

Your participation in GT Voice will be part of a global initiative in support of all gifted children. Outside of the U.K., there will be no meetings to attend; but, your views and concerns will be heard and taken into consideration by the group. You can read more about future plans at Tim Dracup’s excellent blog, Gifted Phoenix, found .

So, what are you waiting for? Readers of this blog are always asking me how they can become involved but express concerns about time constraints. Well, I am offering you the perfect way to become a supporter of gifted education without straining your daily calendar or budget (there is no membership fee)! Click on the link above (oh heck, it is again) and do.it.now! See you at a Google Group soon!

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Global Virtual Meetings in Gifted Education

I often hear parents and teachers lament the fact that there aren’t enough hours in a day or going to lectures and conventions are just too expensive; and they are right! However, these experiences can make the journey for the parent of an intellectually gifted child so much easier … an elixir for the age-old complaint ~ “if I had known then what I know now”. For teachers of high-ability students, professional development can make the difference between a mediocre teacher and a highly regarded teacher who understands the nature and potential of their students.

In a world of tough economic times and shrinking school budgets, there is a bright spot in the world of gifted education. Those who are willing to give up ONE HOUR a month to attend an online conference will have the benefit of not only listening to world renown keynote speakers, but also be able to ask them questions one-on-one as well as meet new friends and colleagues in a global setting. Did I mention that it is totally FREE and you never have to leave your house (think carbon footprint, scruffy jeans, beverage of choice at hand)? Did I mention it is for only one hour a month? (Okay, I did mention that.) And the best part ~ you can sit next to ME!

How is this all possible you may ask? Roya Klingner, head and founder of the Bavarian Centerfor Gifted and Talented Children, had the incredible foresight to start building a conference center in Second Life years ago in preparation for these conferences. In Roya’s own words, “The purpose of the conference is to cultivate a global virtual meeting, sharing knowledge and experience about gifted education for students, educators, teachers and parents.” The first meeting was held in August, 2010.

Have I piqued your interest yet? Well, take a look at this video produced by Roya to see past speakers at her conferences.

So, exactly what is Second Life? From their , “Linden Labs was founded in 1999 by Philip Rosedale to create a revolutionary new form of shared online experiences known as Second Life. … Second Life is the leading 3D virtual world filled with user-created content and immersive experiences.” The actual program launched in 2003 with a free client program called the Viewer which enables its users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars. For more information, see . 

To see the full list of academic organizations currently using Second Life … including the University of Texas, University of Warwick, Tasmanian Polytechnic, Oxford University Computing Services, University of New England, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Penn State World Campus, Texas A & M, Stockholm School of Economics, and Rutgers University … click .  Because residents are free to choose their activities in Second Life including those which are non-educational, it is open only to people 18 years of age and older.

Ready to get started? The first step is to  join Second Life and create an avatar . To participate in the meeting, you will need a headset. A microphone is optional as you may communicate via keyboard if you prefer. About 10 minutes before the conference is to begin, click . This link will take you directly to the building where the meetings are held; usually on the roof. It may be helpful to go earlier in the week to acclimate yourself to Second Life and get comfortable navigating there.

The next "Global Virtual Meeting for Gifted Education in Second Life" will be held January 28th 2012 at 3PM EST/9 PM CEST (Germany). The invited speaker is Matt Dickensen (UK). He is Equalities and Achievement Director with London Gifted & Talented, leading the REALProject (Realizing Equality and Achievement for Learners) the first systematic attempt to improve the quality of G&T education for pupils from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and those learning English as an additional language (EAL). Prior to joining LGT, he taught for twelve years and was also Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning at the National Academy for Gifted & Talented Youth (NAGTY).

Now take a look at this lineup!

- February 25th 2012...Josh Shaine (USA)

- March 24th 2012...Prof. Dr. Ernst Hany (Germany)

- April 21th 2012...Cindy Sheets (USA)

- May 26th 2012...Prof. Dr. Françoys Gagné (Canada)

Roya Klingner is a brilliant, international advocate and speaker in the gifted community. Her dedication to gifted children is unsurpassed. She has tirelessly worked to put together the Second Life conferences. I have seen many articles about these conferences, but rarely see the authors show up at them. Not only have I attended practically every conference, I promise to save a seat for YOU! No excuses!

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Giftedness or Talent Development?

For some, this post could well have been entitled, “Much Ado about Nothing”. For others, however, it is an issue of grave importance. This is a follow-up to my last two posts about redefining giftedness in the U.S.

A funny thing happened on my way to write this post … I learned that this discussion is nothing new – it was discussed in the 1800’s, 1930s, and virtually every decade thereafter. The difference today is that some researchers are now saying we must bid adieu to the term ‘gifted’ in favor of the more palatable term ‘talent development’ if the gifted community is to be found acceptable and worthy of public funding.

If you live outside of the U.S., you may have a puzzled look on your face about now. Talent development is an important initiative during the current Hungarian EU presidency’s term in office. April 9, 2011 was declared European Talent Day. Other countries, several of whom are among the top performers on the OECD’s PISA Assessments, are making talent development a national priority in lieu of the availability of natural resources.

Facebook discussions have revolved around two main concerns – talent development as a means of producing eminence within a specific domain and giftedness as a response to meeting the needs of the whole child including social and emotional issues.

This blog has advocated for talent development in the past. There is a great need in the world today for ‘producers’ ~ those who can answer the ‘big’ questions and find solutions to the many pressing issues in our world today. However, this needs to be done in concert with remembering the uniqueness of each child and their differential needs; separate and beyond the needs of other children. It is curious to me why some leaders in the gifted community feel the need to eliminate one approach in deference to the other.

Here’s the deal for parents of gifted children – you and your child need to decide what is most important to your child. There is no right or wrong answer. Many parents are extremely comfortable seeing their children as high-achievers; producers. Many gifted children thrive on maintaining a 4.0 average with top scores on every test they take. They have the potential to attend the top universities and attain success in whatever field they choose. Others are happy seeing their child excel in whatever area they choose regardless of which path they follow to get there. Some will experience difficulties and require additional support throughout their lives; others will not.

What nearly all parents want most for their children is that they find peace and happiness in life doing whatever it is they choose. Few will accept the judgment that their child’s giftedness is solely dependent upon whether or not they achieve eminence in any field. If this were the case, there would be little reason to support any gifted child beyond the most profoundly gifted. Should we choose to support only those who have the potential to achieve eminence in their fields? In my humble opinion … not so much.  

There are many organizations in the U.S. and around the world whose mission it is to support gifted children in various ways. Here are a few links to various groups. If interested, take a look!

WCGTC ( )

SENG - US ( )

NACG – UK ( )

GT Voice - UK( )

GHF - US ( )

NACE - UK( )

AAEGT – AUS ()

NZAGC ( )  

HKAGE – Hong Kong ()

IRADTE - EU ( )

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A Response from the NAGC

In my last post, I discussed the ongoing debate within the U.S.concerning statements made by Dr. Paula Olszewski-Kubilius both prior to and after becoming the president of the NAGC. Since that time, the NAGC and Dr. Olszewski-Kubilius have both responded with written statements  and  .

It was noted in one of the responses that statements were being conflated on certain gifted blogs. To make sure my readers are clear, I delineated three separate writings: 1) a monograph co-authored by Paula Olszewski-Kubilius and first published in January of 2011, 2) an article in Compass Points – “Taking a Bold Step”, also by Paula Olszewski-Kubilius sent to members in November 2011, and 3) an article in the Spring 2011 issue of Gifted Child Quarterly (not addressed in the responses).

The NAGC, in their response, also mentioned their position paper, Redefining Giftedness for a New Century: Shifting the Paradigm found , as the official position of the organization which this blog did not address. Readers will have to discern what they will from the statements by the NAGC. I will take them at face value at the present time that remarks made by Paula Olszewski-Kubiliusreflect her own personal opinions and not the official current position of the NAGC.

I would like to point out that I have great respect for the work Dr. Olszewski-Kubilius has done at Northwestern University and her dedication to their Center for Talent Development (take a look ). I applaud her courage for starting the conversation about talent development. I have spent the last couple weeks researching her writings and have learned much about her philosophy. Although I don't agree with all the conclusions to which she has come, there can be no doubt about her sincerity in helping children develop to their full potential. 

In my next post, I will discuss my interpretation of the differences of opinion between giftedness and talent development. For the record, I think both should play a role in the identification of and the delivery of services to gifted children rather than having one replace the other.  

Other blogs have also commented on this situation.:

The blog Gas Station Without Pumps has a good post on the Rethinking Giftedness monograph, entitled “What is Giftedness?” found  .

From Asynchronous Scholars’ Fund, “Shifting the Paradigm: Asynchrony and the High-Potential Child” found is another response to the NAGC.

From the blog Wicked Smart, there are three posts related to this discussion found , , and .

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