For Parents of Gifted Children
America's school system keeps bright students in line by forcing them to learn in a lock-step manner with their classmates. Teachers and principals disregard students’ desires to learn more—much more—than they are being taught. Instead of praise and encouragement, these...
Educational Strategies Feature Robinson, Nancy M. Special Issue / Fall 2009
Encouraging my two-and-a-half-year-old son to write isn’t a problem. Encouraging him to express himself on paper, rather than on the walls, is the issue in my household. But once the act of writing is mastered and scribbling becomes meaningful composition,...
Educational Strategies Stephens, Kristen R. The Editor's View
My son always receives A’s on his spelling tests. My daughter loves to write and tell stories. Are these youth verbally gifted? Possibly. Should their parents nurture their potential talent? Absolutely. Experts in gifted education recommend fostering a child’s interests...
Educational Strategies Fairchild, Lyn Talent Development Tapping Talent
Alice is an introverted eight-year-old who chats happily with parents, siblings, and close friends but doesn’t talk much in class. Her teacher thinks that she is struggling and suggests holding her back. Her parents are frustrated and angry; fortunately, they...
Henderson, Lynne Volume 9 / Issue 3 / Spring 2009 Special Issue Social-Emotional Issues The Emotional Edge
After several decades of gradual decline, foreign-language learning is now on the upswing. Educators and businesses alike see value in knowing a second language. There are several things parents should know about second-language learning to help their children be successful...
Educational Strategies Matthews, Michael S. Special Focus Talent Development
Despite increasingly stringent federal regulation of public education, the individuals who influence children’s education most directly may be local school board members. As elected officials, they represent their constituencies at the grassroots level, balancing their districts’ needs against state...
In the simplest terms, magnet means “something that attracts.” This is indeed the concept behind the nation’s magnet schools. To the students who attend magnet schools and their families, the term takes on a deeper meaning: choice in the...
I should have seen it earlier. My son Steven gave me the clues, but I didn’t recognize them. When he was eighteen months old, he preferred conversations with adults. At two, he wanted to leave the park when too...
Educational Strategies Jo, Ivy Parent's Platform Social-Emotional Issues
Two new board games combine language skills with playing strategy. For immersion in the complexity and uniqueness of the English language, Bethump’d with Words (Discovery Edition) by Vermont Word Nerds is an excellent choice. For spelling and vocabulary enhancement,...
In about a dozen cities, school district administrators are thinking of eliminating middle schools and reverting to K–8 schools. Their belief is that middle school students will perform better academically in a smaller, more nurturing atmosphere. Studies conducted in...
Currents Educational Strategies Model Program/Schools Stephens, Kristen R.
Deborah L. Ruf, in her new book Losing Our Minds: Gifted Children Left Behind (Great Potential, 2005), contends that far more intellectually advanced students exist than is commonly thought and that to educate them effectively, degrees of giftedness must...
Book Reviews Collins-Perry, Bobbie Currents Social-Emotional Issues
Many parents who homeschool are becoming interested in having their children participate in extracurricular activities and selected classes offered through the public school system. However, many districts are resisting the idea, citing administrative issues regarding resources, transportation, liability, and...