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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The NAGC’s Bold Step and What it Means for Your Gifted Child

What a way to start off a new job … with a bang! Paula Olszewski-Kubilius took over the reigns of the NAGC (National Association for Gifted Children – U.S.) at their annual convention earlier this month. She's also the director of Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development and a professor in their School of Educationand Social Policy.

In her inaugural message to NAGC members, ‘’, Olszewski-Kubilius states, “I suggest that we take a bold step and consider making talent development, rather than giftedness, the major unifying concept of our field and most importantly, the basis for our practice.” Critics were quick to contend that this was a bold statement for the new president of an organization which is considered to be all about giftedness rather than talent development; even going so far as to suggest it change its  name.

Nothing less than a firestorm has erupted in online gifted communities. Perhaps it is just the company I keep, but the cons sure seemed to outnumber the pros. It also re-opened some old debates between the importance of recognizing giftedness vs. focusing on talent development … talent development based upon principles of psychology rather than education. Many negative comments seemed predicated on this conflict rather than on an in-depth review of the underlying reasons why the NAGC has committed to heading in this direction.

It just so happens that yours truly had been plodding her way through a 45+ page monograph for three weeks prior to the publishing of the latest issue of Compass Points. I say plodding because it reminded me of why I dropped out of graduate school (thus my lowly status of blogger rather than college professor). 

To be honest, the monograph, "", was not written for a lay person. The provided by the journal in which it was published, Psychological Science in the Public Interest, did not do it justice. In fact, in some social media circles it acted like high-quality kindling on a fire that was just getting started. The monograph was written, however, in my opinion to serve as the basis for a fundamental change in direction at the NAGC. It redefined giftedness as “the manifestation of performance or production”, that “achievement is the measure of giftedness”, and that “eminence is the basis on which this label [gifted] is granted”.

  

The controversy online made this topic almost too hot to handle for this blog. I say ‘almost’ because the more I read about it, the more intrigued I became about digging deeper. Talk about emotional intensity … it’s like an American attending the World Cup! You love the game – fútbol or soccer, as we like to call it – you know some of the players, you have a general idea of who you want to win, but most of the time you feel confused and wish those around you would just stop blowing those !

So why did the NAGC decide that now was the time to change course? From a review of this year’s Gifted Child Quarterly – the official journal of the NAGC … and yes, I am a member – it became clear that articles were published in anticipation of this move to an emphasis on talent development. It should also be noted that all three authors of the ‘Rethinking Giftedness’ monograph – Rena F. Subotnik, Paula Olszewdki-Kubilius, and Frank Worrell – are also members of the Editorial Review Board at Gifted Child Quarterly. (More on the authors can be found .)

In the Spring 2011 issue of Gifted Child Quarterly one such article appeared entitled, “”. The authors – Dai, Swanson & Cheng – came to the conclusion after an extensive review of gifted research articles between 1998 and 2010 that there needed to be a clearer definition of giftedness that the entire gifted community could agree upon if any forward progress was to be made in gifted education; at least in the U.S. They showed a dramatic increase in the amount of research on giftedness and gifted education, but also an increasing divergence in the direction of that research. Basically, they were calling for new standards in the field.

What were the motives behind this move on the part of the NAGC? Is it their intention to replace the term gifted with talent development? Are the social emotional issues experienced by gifted children no longer valid? What role does the NAGC’s support of The Talent Act sitting in Congress have to do with any of this? And last, but not least, for whom does the NAGC speak? I look forward to hearing from the NAGC should they decide to address these questions.

In the final analysis, this blogger must ask, “What does this mean for gifted children?” Yes, remember them – the children – the reason we teach, research, and for whom we advocate for a clearer understanding of their needs and education? This change of definition will definitely make a difference for future generations, but in reality … probably not for our children today. Which begs the question – should parents even be concerned about this whole issue?

Do I think it’s important for parents to be concerned about the direction taken by an organization who is a major player in shaping gifted education policy in the U.S.? Why, yes, yes.I.do! Just as I feel that progress will only be made when parents step up to the plate and make their voices heard in support of their children. For too long – like forever – parents have sat on the sidelines complaining about the gifted programs in their local schools, the lack of funding at the state level, and the lack of federal mandates to validate the need for gifted education at all. You need to become part of the conversation or things will NEVER change. You will become grandparents complaining from your rocking chairs and wishing you had done something years ago.

A word to my international readers … this is not solely an American issue. All parents need to become advocates for gifted education to ensure a brighter future filled with opportunity for your children. Better still … we must all come together as a forceful reminder to the larger gifted community that it is about … the children!

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It’s Elementary … Working as a Team

 “It’s elementary, my dear Watson” … an oft quoted line of Sherlock Holmes is quite appropriate when talking about gifted children and the importance of the early years spent in elementary or primary school. It is here that the foundation of their lives is built. If a parent or school waits until a child is older to consider identification and appropriate educational placement, it can be an opportunity lost forever.

Young gifted children need to be challenged during the beginning years of school. For too many of these kids, it is easier to take the path of least resistance rather than the road less travelled. Elementary school is a ‘breeze’ for many gifted children. They know the curriculum inside and out even before they open a book. In the first few years it is like a game for them. Always knowing the answers, their little hands are the first ones up when the teacher asks a question. After multiple wrong answers are given, the teacher finally calls on them. With beaming faces, they give the correct answer and receive appropriate praise from the teacher. Although parents may see this as an ego boost, in reality it is setting a bad precedent. Without proper guidance these children may become boastful and alienate classmates or become bored and mischievous. The latter often resulting in numerous trips to the principal’s office or phone calls home.

There are some ways to break this cycle, but it involves parents and teachers working together as a team. Yes, I realize that this can be a problem when one of the parties does not want to engage in the process. As a parent, however, if you want everyone invested in your child’s best interest you must be willing to attempt to build strong relationships based on mutual respect. This requires a great deal of diplomacy and work on the part of the parent. When you are working with educators you need to act professionally, keep your emotions intact, prove that you know what you’re talking about through written documentation and use of appropriate educational language, and know the law in regard to gifted education in your school’s jurisdiction. Basically, you need to know how the system works, who the decision makers are, and what you hope to achieve for your child’s education; not an easy task for a young parent.

Building a strong support system for an elementary level child should be the ultimate goal of every parent. Model the behavior you wish your child to display. Remember that education is so much more than what you learn from a book. Learning how to work well with others to achieve your goals is one of the most important lessons in life we can teach our children. In fact … it’s elementary my dear parent!

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Parenting Gifted Children … Does it Have to Be So Hard?

When I first started contemplating parenthood, I shared the idyllic dreams of many wannabe parents of what life would be like with children. Visions of … “Mommy, I love you!” … danced in my head. Never, ever, did I think it would be as difficult as it has been and this has come as quite a shock to me! No one said it would be easy, but … geez … did it have to be this hard?

Recently, I started taking a more serious look at the books written about parenting gifted children. And wow, there are quite a lot of them! Most are excellent resources, well written, and offer good advice to frazzled parents. I would recommend them to anyone. In fact, I’ll include a short list at the end of this post.

That being said, I began to look back at my experiences with my own children. They are both in college now, thankfully; so, I have much to reflect on concerning their early years. The information available to me as a young mother was not much more than what my mother had used … Dr. Spock and Dr. T. Berry Brazelton. Widespread use of the Internet was in its infancy and I had no idea that they were ‘gifted’ … amazingly bright kids who seemed to win arguments more than they should, but gifted?

Information is power and the earlier a parent has it, the better! Although it’s good to know how to be a good parent, in the case of a gifted child … it’s also good to know what you’re dealing with. It helps to prepare you for the rapid-fire advancement through various stages of development with a little asynchronous development thrown in for good measure. Make it a point to learn what your school district offers in the way of gifted programming K – 12, who is responsible for administering and providing services, and what the law is regarding gifted education in your state/country. This can be done even before your child sets one foot in school.

Now that you have that down, let’s talk about potential problem areas when parenting a gifted child. I have already mentioned one of the most difficult challenges – asynchronous development. Most people don’t even know what that means and you may not either; but, you’ve ‘seen’ what it looks like. Gifted kids can be brilliant at a very young age, but this frequently doesn’t match their social and emotional maturity. In fact, the discrepancy between brain function and maturity can make for some very unpleasant situations. Knowing that this is relatively common in gifted children and being prepared to deal with it is half the battle.

Another challenge faced by gifted parents is realizing early on that nobody cares more for your child and their education than you. The buck stops here. Not only must you be the one to advocate for your child at school; you must also take responsibility for providing supplemental learning opportunities outside of school. This can take various forms such as afterschool programs, classes at universities that offer gifted programs, summer camps, cultural experiences, and travel to historical locations to name a few. It can also be as simple as a trip to the library or a nature hike. Talk often with your child and find ways to spark their curiosity.

Did you hear the part about “talk to your child”? Since they seem to be asking questions incessantly, this shouldn’t be hard to do. Talk about many different topics … they are usually up for a debate anyway! Talk to them about those things you value most and why you hold certain beliefs. They won’t always agree with you, but one day they will thank you for it. Never be afraid to say, “I don’t know”. Consider it an opportunity to learn together. Buckle up – it’s a wild ride!

In the final analysis, it’s you and your child … that’s just how it is. It is a journey you take together and do the best you can. Laugh with, love, and enjoy them, because in the blink of an eye – they are on their own. If you do your job, it will be the happiest time in both your lives!

And now for a brief list of books (in no particular order) I (and a few of my closest friends) like on gifted parenting …

• Living With Intensity (Susan Daniels/Michael Piechowski)
• Emotional Intensity in Gifted Children (Christine Fonseca)
• The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids (Sally Walker)
• Guiding the Gifted Child (James T. Webb, Stephanie Tolan, et al.)
• Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children (Barbara Jackson Gilman)
• Raising a Gifted Child (Carol Fertig)
• A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Teens (Lisa Rivero)
• Making the Choice (Corin Barsily Goodwin/Mika Gustavson)
• When Gifted Kids Don’t Have All the Answers (Jim Delisle/Judy Galbraith)
• Raisin Brains (Karen Johnson Isaacson)
• 5 Levels of Gifted (Deborah Ruf)

          

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Gifted Education and the Development of Human Capital

A newly released book entitled, The Atlas of Economic Complexity  (which is available as a free download ),by César Hidalgoand Ricardo Hausmann et al. makes a case for gifted education both by its authors and its content. They were attempting to learn why the economies of some countries grow faster than others. How’s that for an impressive inquiry? 

Consider first the authors of this book. César Hidalgo is not only Assistant Professor in Media Arts and Science at the MIT Media Lab, but also a Faculty Associate at the Center for International Development at Harvard. His website can be found . A TEDx Talk on Global Economic Development at TEDx Boston in August of last year can be found .  A presentation on Economic Complexity can be found . He earned a degree in physics from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Notre Dame. While working on his Ph.D., he joined the Center for Complex Network Research (CCNR). The program relocated to Northeastern University in Bostonand this placed the soon-to-be Dr. Hidalgoin proximity to MIT and Harvard. Ricardo Hausmann has an equally impressive background with a Ph.D. in economics from Cornell University, followed by a position as Professor of Economics at the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administracion in Caracas, and currently is the Director of the Center for International Development at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

What does this have to do with the return on investment from gifted education besides the fact that these two individuals are prime examples of what can be achieved when people are able to reach their full potential? Plenty. The content of their book is what caught my eye. {{I know what you’re thinking … how geeky is it that a blogger on gifted parenting is reading about economic development theory … but I digress.}}

In earlier posts, I discussed the importance of a country developing its human capital when it possesses little or no natural resources to exploit. A review of leading performers on the OECD’s PISA assessments points to countries that are doing just this. Higaldo and Hausmann believe that the definition of capital is too broadly defined with regard to economic growth. They discuss production capital, but at the same time illuminate a country’s need for strong human capital to succeed.

In a nutshell, Higaldo and Hausmann theorize that a country’s economic strength lies in the diversity of its production capacity. They give as an example all the various technologies, production methods, and the obtaining of raw materials that go into a microprocessor chip. Bringing all of these factors together depends on human capital. The authors use the term ‘economic complexity’ to describe that when a country best utilizes the combined knowledge of its people to produce unique products, its society benefits economically.

Voilà! Point A connects to point B. Collaboration + Education + Higher-Order Thinking = Finding Solutions to global issues. “Accumulating productive knowledge is difficult. For the most part, it is not available in books or on the Internet. It is embedded in brains and human networks. It is tacit and hard to transmit and acquire.” (Preface, Atlas of Economic Complexity) To this end, countries must seek out, develop, and bring together their brightest minds to make this happen.

Global intellectual collaboration is the impetus behind social and economic progress. The development of expert knowledge must begin somewhere. When parents, schools, and nations fail to recognize and develop the academic giftedness of their children, students, and citizens … we all loose. This is not rocket science, folks. It is simply the acknowledgement that society needs to do everything it can to support its high-ability learners.

When my children were very young, I tried to impress upon them the understanding that they could make a difference in this world. It is my hope that you as the parent of a gifted child or children are doing the same.  

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