October 2009

Rewarding Kids for Good Grades

Ever offer your children money, gifts, or special privileges for every "A" they bring home on their report card? If you do, you're not alone. Across the nation parents are rewarding their children for good grades in a variety of ways—iPods, video games, concert tickets and even cars! But some believe such incentives take away the intrinsic value of learning.

From the Editor

Welcome to our Duke Gifted Letter special series. As a special benefit to our 4th/5th Grade Talent Search families, we are developing a series of special issues of Duke Gifted Letter, each with a theme relevant to a particular aspect of the lives of gifted children. The theme for this issue is social-emotional development. Often, so much effort is devoted to the academic development of gifted children that their social and emotional development does not receive the attention it deserves.

From the Editor

Decisions regarding school are no longer limited to what to pack as an afternoon snack. This special issue on school options isn't meant to be the final word on your child's educational choices. Rather, it is some first words to begin the conversation. Our goal in this issue is to present you with introductory information about questions you may want to ask or actions to take as you consider various schooling options for your child.

Homeschooling

The National Center for Educational Statistics estimates that over 1.5 million children were homeschooled in 2007, nearly double the number from a decade earlier. This means that homeschoolers account for roughly one out of every fifty K-12 students in the United States. Beyond these broad numbers, it is often difficult to make general statements about children who are homeschooled. With no regulatory body, the homeschooling experience can vary widely. Nonetheless, common themes can be found in the reasons parents give for homeschooling.