We have traditionally identified students as gifted when they perform significantly above grade level in one or more academic subjects and, occasionally, parents and teachers may include artistically-advanced students in this category as well. While it’s true that these descriptions may fit a number of intellectually gifted children, you might be surprised to learn that they’re not accurate for many others who also qualify as gifted, nor do they capture the unseen social and emotional struggles so many of these children face. In short, these are the kids for whom school is easy, who are bright enough to find their way in the world without much help, who have everything going for them, right? Well, maybe not. You might also picture the kind of student sometimes referred to as a “geek” – the kid whose nose is usually buried in a book or who can be frequently found in front of his computer writing code. If you’re like most adults, you probably think of high-achieving students who are well-behaved, do well on tests, and bring home straight A’s on their report cards. Learn from others: Connect with other parents whose kids are like yours - find them via the National Association for Gifted Children.What comes to mind when you hear about a child described as “gifted” or learn about a group of students in your local school’s “gifted and talented” program?.Allow for unscheduled time: It sounds silly, but giving your gifted child time to dream, reflect, sit alone, and ruminate is truly important if you want to inspire creativity.But find a class where performance is key. Share her gifts: Showcase your child's talents in front of "relevant audiences." Don't make Susie perform in front of the family if doing so embarrasses her. Provide opportunities, resources, and encouragement: What interests your gifted child? Dinosaurs? Space? Art? Take him to museums, movies, plays, and other events that allow him to learn more about what he already loves.Help your child to soar by creating an environment that honors the gifts you know about - and tickles the ones that are just below the surface. Having a gifted child who loves to learn doesn't mean you need to be running a little schoolhouse at home far from it. Look for clubs, after-school activities, and special classes that honor the talents of artistically gifted students. Your school district may also have programs for children whose gifts are more artistic in nature. The trick is proper evaluation of a student to see that he is ready to move ahead both academically and socially. Grade skipping: Though this practice has fallen out of favor, it is regaining momentum in some places.Curriculum compacting: Before beginning a new unit, a teacher offers a pre-test, allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject.Acceleration: If your gifted child is in 4th grade but capable of 9th grade math, the district may arrange for him to take math at the middle or high school.Push-in programs: A resource teacher comes to the classroom on a regular basis to provide enrichment in a particular subject area.Pull-out programs: Children attend special classes for math or reading or some other specific skill.Differentiated approaches to learning: Well-trained teachers will tailor lessons to kids based on their abilities, which in most classrooms will be varied.After you all have a better understanding of his needs, the school may offer options such as: If you or your child's teacher requests an evaluation of your child, the process may include intelligence tests, a review of your child's past work and standardized-test scores, and an evaluation of his social and emotional development. Some districts have established gifted and talented programs, while others handle such children on a case-by-case basis. What your school does to help gifted children (and how it determines which kids are eligible) will depend on where you live. In either case, your job as a parent is to help nurture those gifts both at school and at home. Others have "creative/productive giftedness" meaning they excel at the arts, in dance, in sport, or in music. Some have "schoolhouse giftedness" or "high achieving giftedness," measured by high scores on standard tests of intelligence or by their advanced knowledge and analytical skills. There are different types of gifts, educators agree. Does it mean "genius"? Does it mean "really bright" or "book smart"? Or is it an overused phrase that has no meaning at all? Isn't everyone's child a "gifted child" in some way or another?
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