Gifted Children
Definitions of Gifted Children
Giftedness, intelligence, and talent are fluid concepts and may look different in different contexts and cultures. Gifted children may develop asynchronously: their minds are often ahead of their physical growth, and specific cognitive and social-emotional functions can develop unevenly. And so, there is a wide range of definitions about the word "gifted".
NAGC offers a survey of the term and their definition.
National Association for Gifted Children
The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) offers a wide range of resources for administrators, educators, and parents. The site includes best education practices and a state-by-state listing of resources.
Is Your Child Gifted?
Psychology Today has a good article for parents (and educators) explaining gifted children, signs to look for, and the importance of proper assessment. That troubled student with poor grades, conflicts, and becoming more and more disinterested might by gifted.
Gifted, creative and highly sensitive children
In this TEDx talk, Heidi Hass Gable relates that being "gifted" often feels far from a good thing, especially when you're the one living it. And yet the myth persists that "gifted" is an elitist and privileged label in education. That "those kids" will be fine without any extra programs or supports. In reality, many of our most vulnerable learners are those "gifted" kids who know they just don't "fit it." Heidi looks at being gifted from a student's (and mother's) perspective, and proposes ideas to make education better for everyone.
- YouTube URL
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybmgVSdsMu8
Hoagies' Gifted Education Page
Carolyn K. has created this wide ranging resource directory with input from parents, teachers, psychologists, and / or gifted kids themselves. Topics include Testing & Assessment, Academic Acceleration, Differentiation of Instruction, and Success Stories.
CTDnet at acns at Northwestern
Center for Talent Development (CTD) at Northwestern University is another example of programs for the gifted community. Their goal is to ensure that gifted students receive the education, encouragement and support they need to learn and grow into confident and accomplished adults whose love for learning grows stronger each year.
Gifted and Talented - Challenge Zone
Stanford University has created a program to bring challenging courseware to gifted students (K-8) where they live. This can be a great option for students with limited alternatives.
Part of their site includes the Challenge Zone -- a place for students to test their skills with games and problems taken from the courseware.
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth provides assessment ("Talent Search"), summer programs, on-line courseware and whole family programs. They see the family relationship is critical in nurturing the potential of talented students.
Check with the colleges and universities in your area for face-to-face and on-line programs. Getting a gifted student plugged in and engaged is imperative.
Teaching Gifted Children
Originally a video project for his masters degree, Tim Bedley looks at some of the strategies proposed by Ellen Winner (Gifted Children: Myths and Realities). The video includes an interview with a gifted child and a teacher implementing these strategies.
- YouTube URL
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY8hUxvK6d4
Gifted Children: Myths and Realities
Miranda McDermott reviews Gifted Children: Myths and Realities by Ellen Winner. The book looks at giftedness and how wide ranging giftedness can be.
Keeping gifted students involved and interested can be a challenge in a mixed classroom setting. Access to the Internet and the resources listed here can turn a potential drop out into a star pupil.
