Smooth Transitions
The phone call came in May, just days after my niece had completed the eighth grade. The spunky preteen who had begged to copilot a small plane at age 12 said, “I just don’t want to go to high...
Volume 5 / Issue 3 / Spring 2005 Archives
Preparing for End-of-Grade Testing
It’s March and your child may soon experience spring fever, anticipating the summer months that are just ahead. As school winds down, music recitals, awards banquets, and other end-of-the-year events fill the calendar. The flurry of activity can fuel...
Helping Children Cope with Personal Tragedy
Children are much more resilient than we tend to give them credit for. In the face of personal tragedy, simple supports, structure, and assurances go a long way toward helping children recover. Events that cause children distress include the death...
Helping Children Cope with Global or Community Tragedy
“Your children are not safe anywhere, at any time.” This chilling announcement was made on television and in newspaper headlines in the fall of 2002 after a sniper in the Washington, DC, area had killed ten and critically wounded...
Guiding without Taking Over: A Parent's Role in Independent Study
“Hey, Mom, I have a report to do,” my son James informed me as he pulled out a crumpled assignment sheet from his teacher. “When is it due?” I asked, hoping that tomorrow wasn’t the answer. He responded, “Not...
IQ Tests and Gifted Children
Measures of IQ, the intelligence quotient, have historically been the primary means of identifying intellectually gifted children. Although additional identification methods have been adopted in recent decades, IQ tests retain a prominent role in determining appropriate educational settings for...
Matthews, Michael S. Testing, Testing, 1,2,3 Tests & Testing
Benefits of Residential High Schools
Parents often ask the editors of the Duke Gifted Letter about the benefits of sending their children away to residential high schools. So we asked an expert to share her advice. Last June I attended the graduation ceremony at...
Consultant's Corner Educational Strategies Kolloff, Penny Britton Model Program/Schools
Grandparents: Leaving a Personal Legacy to Their Grandchildren
Parents of gifted children and youth have resources available to them both in school and in the community. However, there is an often overlooked resource in the family itself—grandparents. Parents can encourage interaction between grandchildren and grandparents by sharing...
Besnoy, Kevin Educational Strategies Karnes, Frances A. Special Focus
Meeting Educational Needs via the Internet
Our 16-year-old son, Samuel, was identified as gifted during kindergarten. He has remained in the public school system, and we have been pleased overall with the quality of his education. However, even the best schools are unable to meet...
Educational Strategies Parent's Platform Technology Wilson, Nancy
Internet Safety: A Guide for Parents
Most parents have instilled in their children safety rules for venturing into the world beyond their homes. Many, however, have not taken similar precautions in educating them about the world that enters their homes via the Internet. The Internet...
Field Guides for Children
Spring is a great time to cultivate an interest in the natural world by investing in children’s field guides. Young nature enthusiasts have two excellent choices: Fandex Family Field Guides, by Workman Publishing, and Peterson Field Guides for Young...
Say Good-bye to Class Rank
Nearly 40 percent of schools across the nation no longer use class rank. It seems to be losing value because of a variety of inequalities. In many cases, rank is decided by a minuscule margin. A student who finishes...
Mislabeling Gifted Children
Some gifted children may be misdiagnosed as having psychological or behavioral disorders because of a lack of knowledge about characteristics commonly associated with giftedness, according to Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults, by James T. Webb et...
Book Reviews Collins-Perry, Bobbie Currents Social-Emotional Issues Special Populations
Couch Potatoes? Not!
A new survey reveals that 79 percent of American middle and high school students participate in some sort of extracurricular activity both after school and on weekends. Activities range from sports to music, with 57 percent of students participating...