Does my child qualify for gifted services?” is a question that I am asked by parents from all over the country. Often I have to reply that I do not know, since states differ in how they define giftedness.
A federal definition was first proposed in 1969, but it has undergone a number of changes. At times it has been interpreted narrowly to include only students
who display outstanding intellectual or creative talent. But it has also been interpreted more broadly to include students capable of high performance in intellectual, academic, creative, leadership, visual or performing arts, vocational, and psychomotor domains.
The states have relied on the...
Digest of Gifted Research
Welcome to the Digest of Gifted Research (formerly Duke Gifted Letter), published by the Duke University Talent Identification Program. The Digest is a trusted resource for research-based information about raising and educating academically talented children.
Sunday, July 2, 2006 - 20:19
Sunday, July 2, 2006 - 20:11
. . . awaits the gifted and talented learner on the Internet. Children are naturally curious, and gifted children in particular are sensitive to social and cultural issues. We’ve compiled the following international news Web sites to help you broaden your child’s awareness of the world, its people, and how world events are viewed from other countries.
Many of the news sites are available in English-language format, but some are in the native country’s tongue. Most sites are accessible; however, you may encounter difficulties making connections at times.
...
Sunday, July 2, 2006 - 19:58
Summer programs for academically gifted students have proliferated in the last decade, largely because efficient and widespread identification services are available through regional talent search programs. Universities and colleges sponsor most summer programs. Given the myriad opportunities, parents may wonder what the benefits of participation in summer programs are and how to select the right one for their child.
Why Participate in a Summer Program?
Many gifted children are interested in subjects beyond what their schools offer and are not challenged by the regular curriculum. However, limited local out-of-school opportunities and easy A’s can bring great costs...
Sunday, July 2, 2006 - 19:53
Stand Up for Your Gifted Child: How to Make the Most of Kids’ Strengths at School and at Home, by Joan Franklin Smutny. Free Spirit, 2001. Paperback, 190 pp., ISBN 1-57542-088-0. $14.95
Smutny’s statement that “advocacy doesn’t require educational expertise” will put many parents at ease. The book’s down-to-earth approach leads parents to discover their own children’s interests and needs by guiding the reader through strategies that address the many concerns parents and families have regarding gifted children.
In part 1 readers complete exercises and checklists to understand the nature of giftedness by documenting their own children’s...
Sunday, July 2, 2006 - 19:40
Educators, researchers, and parents often observe perfectionist behaviors in gifted students. It comes as no surprise, since these students are bombarded daily by parents, teachers, peers, and an entertainment industry that rewards them and encourages them to make the highest grade, produce a perfect painting, give a flawless performance, and gain admission into the best college. What are the characteristics of a perfectionist? Is perfectionism helpful or detrimental to a student’s success? What can be done to help students who place too much importance on perfection?
Some researchers believe that there are two types of perfectionism: healthy or normal perfectionism, and...