The Editor's View

Goals of the Editor

Volume 4 / Issue 1 / Fall 2003

As the Duke Gifted Letter begins its fourth year of publication, we enter a quest together: to fulfill your child’s aspirations. As the new editor in chief, I am delighted to accompany you on this adventure.

As a former teacher of the gifted, I have seen firsthand the obstacles that gifted students must overcome to obtain an education suited to their abilities and have witnessed the struggle of some families to find challenging programs and opportunities for their children. As a university faculty member, I have helped teachers gain the knowledge and skills they need to address the special needs of the gifted students in their classrooms. And as a parent, I have contemplated my own child’s strengths and how to nurture them.

In my role as coordinator of educational outreach for the Duke University Talent Identification Program, I have interacted with many parents of gifted children and adolescents through phone calls, letters, and e-mail. These exchanges have allowed me to see their shared experiences. I often wish I could bring all the parents of gifted youth together just to demonstrate that they are not alone. The Duke Gifted Letterwill allow me to build a community in which we can pass knowledge, insights, and advice on to each other.

My goal is to provide you with practical tools and inspiration with which to undertake the quest to parent your gifted child.
—Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.