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.

Educating Dan

Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 15:55

Pulling our son Dan out of middle school was one of the most difficult parenting decisions my husband and I ever made. Labeled as gifted, Dan did well in elementary school. He earned As and Bs, and we seldom heard complaints about his behavior. However, when he entered middle school, he became lazy and inattentive. During the third week Dan acknowledged that his classes weren’t challenging. We had talked about homeschooling before, but it wasn’t until then that we decided to take him out of school. He was 12.

Over the next year my husband and I—both English professors at a small liberal arts college—began educating Dan. At first we worked with him ourselves, adjusting our...

A Place to Thrive

Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 15:38

A rigorous admissions process, instruction in attitudes and skills needed to do well in college, and a close-knit community of like-minded peers ensure the success of young students who attend the University of Washington’s (UW) Transition School and Early Entrance Program (EEP). This is one of several programs that allow gifted students in middle or junior high school to develop their full intellectual potential by studying at the university level.

The Transition School, a one-year program of radical educational acceleration, prepares students for full-time university enrollment the following year. The program has been crafted to nurture students’ intellectual, social, and...

Revealing True Potential: A Great Beginning for the Gifted

Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 15:19

The Children’s Mental Health Foundations and Agencies Network recently released A Good Beginning: Sending America’s Children to School with the Social and Emotional Competence They Need to Succeed. The monograph summarizes two papers commissioned by the organization. The first addresses the risk factors for early school problems, and the second regards the federal policies and programs implemented to improve the social and emotional development of young children. Together, these papers demonstrate the gaps between what works to improve the social and emotional readiness of young children for school and the federal programs that have been implemented. A strong case is made for...

Gifted High School Students' Survival Skills

Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 15:17

Being a teenager is not easy. Being a gifted teenager can be almost impossible. Planning and hard work on everyone’s part allow gifted students to build a great high school experience.

While you should encourage your gifted teen to take the most difficult college-preparation courses he or she can, academics must be balanced with extracurricular activities, sports, and community service. Summer programs and volunteer or employment opportunities can ignite a passion or give insight into career choices. High school is a time for dedicated study, but it is also a time to have fun. It should be challenging, but it should never be so intensive that it burns a student out.

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Math Software

Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 14:18

In this issue I evaluate three mathematics software programs that cover a rigorous curriculum from prealgebra to advanced calculus: Math Advantage 2001, by Encore Education; Excel@Mathematics, by Knowledge Adventure; and StudyWorks! Mathematics Deluxe, by Math Soft. These programs use different approaches for engaging the user’s interest and teaching the material. To make your selection easier, I have described each program’s methods so you can match them to your child’s specific needs.

The teachers’ choice is Math Advantage 2001, a seven-CD set designed for students ages 11 and up. It provides comprehensive, detailed instruction in eight...