HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD?

Here is some information on how to support and help your gifted child. 

SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD

Nurture your child's strengths and interests.
Share the adventure of learning something new with your child.
Recognize and model making mistakes as an opportunity to learn, not a mark of failure.
Encourage safe risk-taking.
Help set priorities.
Seek positive peer connections.
Avoid over-scheduling.
Allow time for reflecting.
Pursue unfamiliar learning opportunities.
Encourage selective excellence.
(rather than across-the-board perfection)
Keep your sense of humor !

COMMUNICATING WITH SCHOOL: A POSITIVE APPROACH

  • Request convenient time to speak with your child's teacher.

  • Provide in writing your questions and concerns before meeting the teacher.

  • Be willing to compromise and collaborate on behalf of the student's needs.

  • Provide a home perspective to your child's teacher on a regular basis.

  • Keep a file of communications, learning plans and testing data on your child throughout his/her K-12 years.

  • Provide both positive and negative feedback for changes in your child's learning plan, school assignments and learning activities.

  • Always give your child's teacher a second chance to discuss educational issues about your child.

  • Determine reasonable timelines and methods for communicating with your child's teacher.

  • Do not expect your child to provide complete or accurate descriptions of school-day experiences. Communicate directly with your child's teachers if you have questions about what is happening in the classroom.

  • Celebrate excellence both for your child and for those who teach your child.

Here are some helpful websites. These were found at: 

The National Research Center on Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, investigates, develops, and disseminates new methods for identifying and teaching gifted students. The NRC/GT, located at the University of Connecticut, is run collaboratively with the University of Virginia and Yale University, and works in conjunction with more than 300 public school district research study sites. www.gifted.uconn.edu

The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is an organization of parents, educators, other professionals and community leaders to address the unique needs of children and youth. Membership includes a subscription to Parenting for High Potential, a magazine with articles geared to the development of talent. www.nagc.org

You can search State Resources for Gifted Education and Individual State Gifted Organizations on the NAGC website by clicking on the heading "Gifted By State."The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. www.cec.sped.org

The Association for the Gifted (TAG) organized in 1958 by The Council for Exceptional Children, helps professionals and parents work with gifted children. www.cectag.org

The mission of National Society for the Gifted and Talented is to advance the development of gifted, talented, and high potential youth, in the United States and abroad, through opportunities, advocacy, and exemplary programs and practices. www.nsgt.org

The Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students (AEGUS) provides a forum for ideas and interventions aimed at helping twice-exceptional students reach their full potential. www.aegus1.org

The Davidson Institute for Talent Development has extensive resources for highly gifted students (and their parents). You can access articles by selecting "Browse by Topic" or "Search GT-Cybersource" from the "Resources" header in the pull-down top bar menu bar. www.davidsoninstitute.org

Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) focuses primarily on the adults (parents, educators, etc) in the lives of gifted children. SENG provides information on identification, guidance, and effective ways to live and work with gifted individuals. www.SENGifted.org

Hoagies' Gifted Education Page is a resource guide for the education of gifted children with links to many gifted education resources available on the Internet. www.hoagiesgifted.org

Gifted-Children.com: Identification, Encouragement, and Development (GCC) is an on-line parents' newsletter with networking and information dedicated to making a difference in the education of children with special talents and abilities. www.gifted-children.com

Great Resources for Discovering and Encouraging Interests:
EduHound: Everything for Education K12: www.eduhound.com
Filamentality "Learning Web": www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil
The Academy of Achievement: www.achievement.org