Gifted Education Resources

All children have their own unique talents and gifts.  However, some have advanced strengths and abilities that benefit from adjustments designed to help them develop, grow and learn to their fullest potential.  As your child grows, you might notice skills or abilities that are different from their age-level peers.  Differences you might notice could include:

*Be very curious and observant
*Use adult sounding words and reasoning skills
*Think of many unusual ideas
*Recognize complex patterns and relationships
*Witty or sophisticated sense of humor
*Strong memory
*Ask unusual questions
*Learn letters or number early
*Reading before being formally taught
*Sensitive to world issues

Giftedness can be demonstrated in a variety of ways and may not advance in all areas.  Parents and caregivers are often the first to notice these abilities.  If you notice a number of these traits or skills in your child, it could be a sign that they are advanced. 

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Developed by Dr. Linda Silverman:
Compared to other children your child's age, how many of these descriptors fit your child?

Reasons well (good thinker)
Learns rapidly
Has an extensive vocabulary
Has an excellent memory
Has a long attention span (if interested)
Sensitive (feelings hurt easily)
Shows compassion
Perfectionistic
Intense
Morally sensitive
Has strong curiosity
Perseverant in their interests
Has a high degree of energy
Prefers older companions or adults
Has a wide range of interests
Has a great sense of humor
Early or avid reader (if too young to read, loves being read to)
Concerned with justice, fairness
Judgment mature for age at times
Is a keen observer
Has a vivid imagination
Is highly creative
Tends to question authority
Has a facility with numbers
Good at jigsaw puzzles

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A High Achiever vs. A Gifted Learner
from “The Gifted and Talented Child” by Janice Szabos, Maryland Council for Gifted & Talented, Inc.

The National Association for Gifted Children and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has shared this list to help parent(s)/guardian(s) and educators as they think about how best to recognize a child who may have special gifts or talents in a specific area of giftedness.
 

Common Myths About Gifted Students

• Gifted students are a homogeneous group, all high achievers.
• Gifted students do not need help. If they are really gifted, they can manage on their own.
• Gifted students have fewer problems than others because their intelligence and abilities somehow exempt them from the hassles of daily life.
• The future of a gifted student is assured: a world of opportunities lies before the student.
• Gifted students are self-directed; they know where they are heading.
• The social and emotional development of the gifted student is at the same level as his or her intellectual development.
• Gifted students are nerds and social isolates.
• The primary value of the gifted student lies in his or her brain power.
• The gifted student's family always prizes his or her abilities.
• Gifted students need to serve as examples to others and they should always assume extra responsibility.
• Gifted students make everyone else smarter.
• Gifted students can accomplish anything they put their minds to. All they have to do is apply themselves.
• Gifted students are naturally creative and do not need encouragement.
• Gifted children are easy to raise and a welcome addition to any classroom.

Truths About Gifted Students

• Gifted students are often perfectionistic and idealistic. They may equate achievement and grades with self-esteem and self-worth, which sometimes leads to fear of failure and interferes with achievement.
• Gifted students may experience heightened sensitivity to their own expectations and those of others, resulting in guilt over achievements or grades perceived to be low.
• Gifted students are asynchronous. Their chronological age, social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development may all be at different levels. For example, a 5-year-old may be able to read and comprehend a third-grade book but may not be able to write legibly.
• Some gifted children are "mappers" (sequential learners), while others are "leapers" (spatial learners). Leapers may not know how they got a "right answer." Mappers may get lost in the steps leading to the right answer.
• Gifted students may be so far ahead of their chronological age mates that they know more than half the curriculum before the school year begins! Their boredom can result in low achievement and grades.
• Gifted children are problem solvers. They benefit from working on open-ended, interdisciplinary problems; for example, how to solve a shortage of community resources. Gifted students often refuse to work for grades alone.
• Gifted students often think abstractly and with such complexity that they may need help with concrete study- and test-taking skills. They may not be able to select one answer in a multiple choice question because they see how all the answers might be correct.
• Gifted students who do well in school may define success as getting an "A" and failure as any grade less than an "A." By early adolescence they may be unwilling to try anything where they are not certain of guaranteed success

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do to support your child who has gifts or talents.  Here’s what the students themselves have told us.

There are the top ten things gifted students want from their parents(s)/ guardian(s):

• Be supportive and encouraging; be there for us; be on our side.
• Don’t expect too much of us; don’t expect perfection.
• Don’t pressure us, be too demanding, or push too hard.
• Help us with our schoolwork/homework
• Help us develop our talents.
• Be understanding.
• Don’t expect straight A’s.
• Allow us some independence; give us space; trust us, because chances are we know what we’re doing.
• Talk to us; listen to us.
• Let us try alternative education/ special programs.

Advocacy

Here’s what effective advocacy for your child could look like

• Know the facts; be informed – if you’re not sure, ask questions to learn what you need to know.
• Educate yourself on educational terminology, especially the vocabulary related to gifted education.
• Become familiar with the state guidelines and national guidelines to deepen your own knowledge base about giftedness.
• Be willing to give your child’s school or classroom your time and talents – not just your critiques and suggestions
• If you wish to talk with your child’s teacher, make and an appointment and tell the teacher in advance what you wish to discuss, being specific as possible. Remember, in the hallway right after school is never the best time or place for a serious conversation. Help ensure that your advocacy will make the most difference be allowing the teachers to give his/her full attention.
• Network with other interested parent(s)/ guardian(s), teachers and community members to discover what has worked for them, what has not worked, and who in the community has been most helpful.
• Be willing to listen to other perspectives.
• Bring in your sense of humor – everyone, including your child, will appreciate it.
• Be respectful of the professionals who are doing their best to educate every child, just as you are doing your best as a parent.
• Avoid becoming a hovering or “helicopter” parent – even gifted children need to develop their own sense of independence and the ability to speak for themselves in a tactful manner.
• Focus on your main issue and be willing to collaborate and compromise in order to move the conversation and next steps forward.
• Focus on your student’s needs, not the gifted label. Teachers teach youngsters, and each student has a unique array of gifts and challenges.
• Be assertive, not adversarial – remember that you are modeling how to interact with the world for your child.
• Join gifted organizations, attend gifted education and subscribe to gifted education resources- all  of these will help reassure and challenge you as well as move you in a constructive direction.

Supporting Your Gifted Child

There are many things that parent(s)/guardian(s)/guardians can do to encourage children with gifts and talents to grow more able, more curious, more compassionate and well-adjusted. You will see from these examples that these are things we want for all our children!

At Home

• Set an example; model life-long learning

• Collect examples of your child’s work and creativity in a portfolio

• Encourage and model good communication
• Create an accepting environment and encourage your child to share his/her
• feelings, questions, comments.
• Be a good listener
• Be a facilitator and a guide – share in the adventure of learning new things
• Allow childhood to be a part of your gifted one’s life; do not expect him/her to feel and act like a miniature adult
• Avoid comparing your child with others - don’t lose sight of his/her
• individuality
• Make free time a regular pastime – don’t over-schedule your child
• Set clear and consistent expectations and consequences; involve your child in the process.
• Help your child believe in themself
• Emphasize your child’s strengths; be positive
• Supplement your child’s learning at home; nurture your child’s passions,
• interests, and creativity.
• Model respect for others
• Value risk-taking, hard work and the satisfaction of achievement
• Discuss effective problem-solving techniques and strategies to cope with
• failure
• Encourage independence by giving your child responsibility
• Provide opportunities for your child to interact with other gifted children, older children and stimulating adults
• Check out special-interest classes and camps -- apply early
• Encourage self-awareness
• Remember the value of humor

 
In School

Successful partnerships between home and school largely depend upon common knowledge, direct and honest communication, mutual respect, and shared responsibility.
 
For example:

• Develop rapport with your child’s teacher
• Share your child’s “at home” work and creativity with the teacher at appropriate times
• Ask your child’s teacher for suggestions to encourage and nurture a particular talent, interest, or ability
• Be a volunteer in your child’s classroom or school
• Keep written documentation of meetings with school staff so you can be more helpful if there is a question in the future
• Offer to assist school staff in designing a Differentiated Educational Plan (a
• document that identifies the student’s strengths and weaknesses, personal
• goals, indicators of academic growth, and avenues of parental support)
• Take time to thank your child’s teacher and other school staff

Gam - https://mogam.org/

NAGC - https://www.nagc.org/ 

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