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Funding Gifted Education

"Obama Strips All Gifted and Talented and Advanced Education Funding". This headline from the article by Dick Kantenberger of the Houston Examiner.com spread like wildfire on Twitter this week. The 'terrible, horrible, no good, very bad' president has "totally stripped the only funding for gifted and talented education." Really?

The fact of the matter is that the federal government in the U.S. has never funded gifted education. The Javits Act, which is the first item mentioned in this article, was incorporated by Public Law 107 - 110 in 2001 (NCLB) and received only sporadic and scanty funding from the Bush Administration. Furthermore, Javits was strictly competitive grant money; not general funding of gifted education. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) proposed to replace NCLB, does provide funding for college prep courses, dual enrollment, early college high schools, and AP classes. () The district in which I work has already benefited from a state grant that funds these same initiatives with great success.

In the U.S., funding of gifted education has always been left to the states. If anything, the ESEA is an improvement over NCLB. Programs that include gifted children will now receive federal money.

That being said, where do gifted advocates turn to find funding for gifted education? First and foremost, I would expect nothing less than creative solutions from the gifted community. This is not a new problem. It is a challenge and who better to meet it than the gifted? It is also not a 'local' issue or a 'U.S.' only issue; it is a global issue that should be met globally.

My Twitter colleague, Gifted Phoenix, has proposed an International Federation of G & T Parent' organizations. I enthusiastically applaud his proposal and plan to support his efforts. It is time for gifted advocates (both parents and professionals) to stand together and resolve to raise awareness of the importance of funding gifted educational programs.

History has shown that governments are often unable or unwilling to fund their best and brightest due to economic circumstances and political agendas. The very nature of government elections periodically changes the political landscape of any funding makes it an unreliable source of funding. The alternative is to seek private funding from those with a vested interest in the outcome - universities, corporations, and non-profit foundations.

My final point is that like Gifted Phoenix and the members of #gtchat on Twitter, I believe the time is now to work together on finding the best possible solutions to fund global gifted initiatives. And remember - it is about "gifted children" whose potential must be realized in this generation to ensure a bright future for all children!

Creating a Global Gifted Community

Last week our local parents' group decided to reach out to gifted parents outside our local community, but still within our county. It's a bit of a radical concept for this area. However, it just seemed like this right thing to do. There is strength in numbers and we suspect that there are many untapped resources in our county.

This got me to thinking. Our group is an affiliate of the state advocacy group. Our state group is associated with a national (U.S.) group. Europe has the European Council for High Ability and the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children (3 U.S. groups are affiliates). Pacific rim countries will be meeting for an international conference soon.

So, what about people from all over the world getting together to discuss gifted children and their education? Well, a nascent group already exists on Twitter that meets via #gtchat on Fridays at noon and 7PM (EDT) to do just that. The moderator, Deborah Mersino (Colorado), has her own website @ www.ingeniosus.net as well as a Facebook page. This Twitter group is sprinkled with extraordinary parents, professionals, and teachers from around the world; each offering their unique perspective on gifted children. We all share the same frustrations with schools who don't meet gifted children's needs; classmates and teachers who don't understand them; and societies who do not value them.

The reason we need to consider ourselves part of a global community is simple. We can learn from each other and together make the world a better place for our children who, in turn, can make the world a better place for us all!

Redefining Giftedness - Another Perspective

The world of gifted education was all abuzz this week about the need to redefine "giftedness". The weekly gtchat on Twitter was tweeting about it. The National Association for Gifted Children in the U.S. rolled out a rare 'position paper' on the subject. This was on the heels of an article by Jim Delisle in Education Week, "What Gifted Learners Can Learn From Sarah Palin" (3/30/2010) which in essence made the case that only the top 1% - 3% of the population is truly gifted. His position, in part, stemmed from the belief that detractors of gifted education - believers that 'all are gifted' - were given the upper hand in the debate when the definition of giftedness was diluted to include 'less' than profoundly gifted individuals. It was also a week in which I began to research approaches to gifted education around the world for a presentation. Even discussing this topic produced strong emotions in parents and educators.

So, why the uproar and why the dissent? There's a reason for so many definitions of what is gifted and we must consider the motivation of those writing the definitions. Understanding "why" these divergent definitions evolved and "why" many want to keep the status quo on current gifted thinking will bring us all closer to an understanding of being gifted.

I think the question being raised is not defining gifted, but rather, "Is a child gifted enough?" Right or wrong, it is the quantifiable measures (IQ, test scores, grades) that will determine if a child is labeled 'gifted' and not the subjective traits observed by the examiner. In a world of dwindling economic resources, do we advocate for the top 1% to 3% ... the top 10%? If you are the parent of a profoundly gifted child, your answer is easy. But, what if your child is among the remaining 7 out of 10?

If the push to narrowly define giftedness cuts out 70% of those now identified as gifted, can the gifted 'community' withstand the resulting schism? For psychologists and educators who don't have children who would be affected by the change to the definition, the debate is academic. For parents; not so much.

In truth, I think a more explicit definition is needed. We certainly need to silence the 'all children are gifted' [not specifying academically gifted] mantra because it simply isn't true when it comes to intelligence and talent. Consensus building is a much more viable option. I am finding that approaches to gifted education (and thus, giftedness) vary widely across the globe; much more than I ever anticipated. Once we can all agree on the terminology, a global approach to advocacy could be key to improving educational programs worldwide.

New to Gifted Parenting? Educate Yourself!

Few people know when they become parents for the first time that they are also entering the world of gifted parenting. Even though they may have been labeled gifted themselves, they soon come to the realization that "they aren't in Kansas anymore".

The first inklings of giftedness can be observed very early as developmental milestones are reached well in advance of what the parenting guides tell you. Or, you may not even realize that your child is gifted until a teacher approaches you with a request to evaluate. Either way, the news should be welcomed with a desire to learn everyting you can to become your child's advocate and supporter.

Today, resources abound on the Internet, in bookstores, and hopefully from your local school district. Avail yourself of all these resources, but then trust your intuition. You know your child best. Work at keeping the lines of communication open throughout the many phases of their development between you and your child. National groups such as the , the , (for profoundly gifted) all provide a wealth of information on their websites.

Networking with other parents is a good way to learn about gifted education in your school system. The types of programs offered can greatly impact your child's education and vary widely from school to school. You will soon realize that as the parent of a gifted child, you will become their chief advocate. If parents in your school have organized into a formal group, it would be advisable to join it. There is strength in numbers.

In the U.S., there are several different approaches to gifted education. I will explain just a few of the options. Schools can use a "pull out" program where students leave the regular classroom to go to a resource room with a teacher who focuses primarily on gifted education. This model is generally used in elementary schools. It may mean that your child spends an entire day, a few hours, or a specified length of time in the resource room for enrichment and/or acceleration. Another option that many schools rely solely on is the practice of inclusion. This is becomming more prevalent due to budgetary restraints. Students receive differentiated instruction within the regular classroom either from the regular education teacher or a gifted educator. A relatively new program called RTI (Response to Intervention) which is used across the spectrum to assist struggling students is beginning to be used as an intervention method for gifted students. A simple adaptation to the overall program allows schools to add a gifted category to the interventions offered. Once your child enters middle school and high school, most parents see a stark difference in what a school district offers as gifted education. Based on the myth that gifted students always rise to the top and don't need any special help, secondary schools begin to tell parents that AP and IB classes constitute the district's gifted education. However, by this time in your child's life you know that this is simply not true.

Trying to find the best opportunities for your child is often a heart-wrenching process. Hard choices must be made. Do you stay where you are and accept what is offered, stay and try to improve the situation within your local school, move to another school district, look for an accessible charter school that offers gifted education, or homeschool your child? You must decide what is right for your child and your family.

There is one final alternative that I would like to offer if you must stay in a less than ideal setting. Do not rely on the school as your child's sole source of education. Take an active role in teaching your child or find others who can teach them in their areas of interest.

Parenting in itself can be a long and winding road. Gifted parenting adds many challenges along the way. In the end, you will find that it was all worth it!

Enrichment During School Breaks

Soon, schools will be entering their summer break in the U.S. Whenever your school has an extended break, consider it an opportunity to enrich your child's life by taking advantage of programs through universities, summer camps, and travel.

So often, parents don't take the time to find out what's available in their area. Some programs can be very expensive but are great if you can afford them. However, many are low-cost, no cost, or have financial assistance/scholarships available.

Talk to your child about their interests. Depending on their age, either you or your child can research what they'd like to do. Gifted teachers/coordinators, parent support groups, and the Internet can all reveal potential activities.

The objective is not to turn the break into another school term! Your child needs to be engaged in the process and willing to participate. It can be fun and pique their interest at the same time.

Personally, what worked best with my family was turning family vacations into learning experiences. It didn't matter if we were in the Rocky Mountains, on the Pacific coast, at Niagara Falls or at Epcot in Disney World - we turned it into a learning experience.

For example, my daughter was fascinated with dinosaurs as are many young children; but as a gifted child, her fascination went far beyond reading books about dinosaurs. Living near Pittsburgh, our first trips were to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaur bones and to learn everything we could about them. Whenever a famous paleontologist was in town, meeting them or going to a lecture became a family outing.

When we went on vacation to Colorado, Dinosaur National Monument was on the itinerary. While visiting relatives in Texas, we made sure to visit the famous dinosaur tracks. Even while visiting colleges in NYC, we took time to go to the American Museum of Natural History. Today, she is in college majoring in Cultural Anthropology with paleontology still on the back-burner and my son recently moved to Colorado citing memories of family trips there when he was younger!

Oftentimes, my husband and I thought our children weren't paying attention, but years later we have seen these experiences bear fruit in their lives. We have witnessed how our children view the world, the expanded interests they have pursued, and the maturity they have gained through participatory learning. Education outside the classroom can bring about powerful changes in the life of a gifted child.

Updated: April 1, 2015
Photo courtesy of .

Gifted Education Around the World

If you live in the U.S. and are the parent of a gifted child, you may have given little thought to how parents in other countries cope with their gifted children and their education. In fact, you probably haven't even considered that there are gifted children elsewhere with the exception of foreign students who come to study at our universities. Hopefully, this post will open your eyes to the incredible resources that can be found outside the U.S. and inspire you to want to learn more.

Today, I want to discuss how people approach gifted education within their own countries. In the upcoming weeks, there will be conferences on giftedness in Al-Ahsa, Saudia Arabia and in Sydney, Austrailia. Also, there is a National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) in the U.K. The countries may be different, but the challenges are remarkably similar. The symposium in Saudia Arabia will focus on pre-school and early gifted education programs and identification practices. The Asia Pacific Conference will cover learning communities, dual exceptionality, curriculum, and advocacy among other topics. In addition to NAGC in Britain, a national Gifted Students Academy will open in September of this year. This program will work in conjunction with secondary schools offering enrichment opportunities, student workshops, and teacher training to name just a few of their objectives. The program is sponsored by a consortium of over 20 training companies and individuals.

Many countries have no policy on gifted education and devote little to no resources for educating gifted children. However, parents are working to raise awareness and to petition their governments and departments of education for assistance. They have utilized the Internet to find information and encouragement from parents around the world. These parents have found success in forming advocacy groups for their children.

Ultimately, the more parents continue to communicate and network using social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook, the more advances will be seen in gifted education. If you would like to share your experience in parenting or teaching gifted children, I encourage you to leave a comment here at my blog.

GPS - Follow My Blog for Support

GPS - Gifted Parenting Support! If you enjoy reading this blog, consider following me. In the upcoming weeks and months I plan to share with you the experiences I have raised two gifted children who are now young adults. I will also be providing links to resources for gifted education, gifted parenting, and using social media to connect with other parents and professionals in the field. One friend recently told me, "I wish we had known then what we know now." The purpose of this blog is to bring information and support to those who are just beginning the journey of raising your gifted child. So, I encourage you to add your name to the list of "Followers" and check back often!

Parent Advocacy - Strength in Numbers

One of the best ways to advocate for your child and a strong gifted program in your school is to join a parents' group or organize other gifted parents into a group. As the old adage goes, there is always strength in numbers. Parents' groups are more likely to influence school administrators and school boards when they speak with one voice. This involves communication, organization, and co-operation on the part of parents.

The first step is to talk with other parents in your child's school to determine if a group already exists. If you are new to a district, you can contact the director of special education for information. You can also check the school district's website or your state's department of education website. Information may also be found online at the where state organizations are listed by state.

If you cannot find a local group but do find one at the state level, investigate the possibility of starting your own group. Talk to other parents to determine the level of interest. Express the benefits to these parents and then decide if you want to proceed. It has been my experience that once a parent initiates the formation of such a group, most people will look forward to joining in when they see the value of the group.

As stated earlier, communicaiton, organization, and co-operation are key to successful parent advocacy groups. Begin by gathering contact information. This can be as simple as asking gifted parents you know for their email address. However, in some situations this can be a daunting task due to privacy laws. Most parents will be happy to share this information. Another way to start the process is to contact your district's special education director, gifted co-ordinator, or gifted teacher. Print an invitation for parents to meet together and discuss the formation of the group. Ask the school district to distribute it to gifted students. If your district already provides meeting space to other outside groups such as the PTA or a band booster club, they should also provide your group a place to meet. Depending upon the response you get, this initial meeting can also take place at someone's house or a local restaurant with a meeting room.

Most state gifted organizations provide guidelines for organizing a local group or chapter. This information can be found on their website either as a download or through the mail. When this resource isn't available and your group decides to organize on their own, simply utilize organizational information from any state gifted site you find online through a search engine.

Finally, co-operation between parents can determine the effectiveness of your group. It is human nature for a parent to be concerned primarily about their own child or children. However, once they realize how much more influence the group can have on what the school district is willing to provide, they should see the benefit to supporting all gifted children.

A strong parents' advocacy group can mean a strong gifted program. By working together parents can foster a good relationship with teachers and school administrators. This ultimately should be the goal of all parents of gifted children.

Are You Raising a Gifted Bully?

Bullying has been in the news a lot lately. It has been around since man had his first sentient thought. It has always been an ugly reminder that being human does not mean we are kind, compasionate creatures. Unfortunately, bullying is all too often ignored or swept under the rug as something each of us just has to 'deal with'.

Most people see bullies as being the bad kid on the block who intimidates weaker kids on the block or the jock who is always picking on the nerdy kid. However, gifted kids can be bullies, too.

An important part of raising a gifted child is to guide them toward an understanding of what it means to be gifted. If you encourage them to believe they are better than everyone else based upon their intellectual abilities without regard to the responsibility it brings, you may be raising a bully.

Sure, gifted children are bullied by their peers. However, parents of these children need to teach them the social skills to understand how to deal with bullies and not succomb to their level of behavior.

I cringe when I hear gifted kids disparage those kids who are in Learning Support. It happens much more often than people realize since the push for inclusion has become the standard in most schools. It is heartbreaking to see a child be called a 'retard' who doesn't have the mental capacity to 'deal with it'.

I am not saying that all gifted kids are bullies. What I am saying is that parents of gifted children have the responsibility to make sure their child does the right thing when it comes to bullying - tell an adult immediately if they are bullied and tell their parents. And above all, respect the gifts they have and act as a positive role model for those around them.

What if my child is not "identified" as gifted by my school district? (Part 2)

Something to remember - school districts often do not make decisions based on providing additional services to groups outside the box. Gifted Education is often seen only as a drain on their budget rather than as a source of pride for the district.

If you find yourself outside the box, there are many resources on the Internet to be found. One of the best programs in the country is located at Johns Hopkins University's
located in Baltimore provides independent testing. They offer online classes and summer programs. Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh has a which also provides independent identification through their Explore test. Stanford University's in Palo Alto provides for Open Enrollment in their programs which is independent of school district recommendations. It is as simple as doing a search for gifted programs through universities in your area.

Some of the most important education of a young mind does not take place in a classroom. Time spent traveling and exploring their surrounding environment can make a lifelong impression on a child. Trips to large public libraries, science centers, art museums, natural history museums, and cultural events in your local area can easily provide the 'spark' to ignite their imagination.

Always keep the lines of communication open with your child and learn what their interests are when you consider ways to engage them in learning. Few gifted kids are enthusiastic about education if they aren't interested in the subject matter.
Keep in mind that the journey through life for a gifted child can be both lonely and awe-inspiring. Your role, as their parent, can be pivotal in the path they choose.