In a world in which individuals are judged on the basis of performance, parents can be lured into believing that their worth is measured by their child's achievements. Parenting is not a competition. This outdated mechanistic model fails to appreciate the unrepeatable, precious uniqueness of every child and every parent. Nothing is more important…

Dabrowski's theory spoke to me at a very deep level of my being. It has been my guide to self-examination, allowing me to appreciate my intensity and to see the challenges in my life as opportunities for personal growth. For the last three decades, I have shared my passion for the theory with anyone who would listen. This article is about my…

This digest offers guidelines to parents of gifted children which emphasize respecting the child's individuality while providing necessary support. A new definition of giftedness is cited which stresses the asynchronous development of such children's cognitive skills and the resultant qualitatively different inner experience. Early signs of…

This very brief item discusses the tendency of the highly gifted to be argumentative by nature, a characteristic described as being embedded in personality structure as well as measurable by two traits, perceiving and judging, in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. A number of suggestions are provided to parents and teachers for techniques to use in…

This very brief paper considers the importance of positive social development for gifted children. It stresses the need for these children to interact with true peers, that is others with whom they can interact at an equal level around issues of common interest. Development of leadership skills and self-esteem is seen to be fostered by…

This very brief paper summarizes 20 major findings of research on 3000 gifted children over 19 years at the Gifted Development Center (Denver, Colorado). Among findings are: (1) there are more highly gifted children than previously recognized; (2) when one child is gifted, the chances are great that all siblings are gifted; (3) second children are…

This paper addresses common concerns of parents about the social development of gifted children. It stresses the importance of three key factors: (1) a responsive home environment where the child is respected; (2) opportunities to relate to other gifted children, especially during the early years, when self-concept is formed; and (3) opportunities…

Provides information on the following for parents and care-givers of gifted children: (1) recognizing giftedness; (2) dealing with nongifted children in the family; (3) effect of chronic early ear infection on IQ; (4) introversion; (5) "normalizing" gifted children; (6) need for gifted peers; and (7) responsive parenting. A list of guidelines for…

The interview with Elizabeth Hagen, the co-creator of the Cognitive Abilities Test and a revisor of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, deals with such issues in gifted education as general intelligence vs. specific abilities, validity of test scores at the preschool level, and misconceptions about retesting gifted students. (Author/CL)

This paper discusses the differences between spatial and sequential learning, characteristics of individuals who exhibit stronger visual-spatial learning, and strategies for teaching children with visual-spatial strengths. Techniques include: (1) using visual aids, such as overhead projectors, and visual imagery in lectures; (2) using manipulative…

This article synthesizes the writings of psychologist and educator, Leta Hollingworth (1886-1939), on the unique adjustment problems of gifted children and presents her program for "emotional education" of the gifted. (Author/DB)

Examined are the contributions of Leta Stetter Hollingworth to the field of gifted education, and especially her battle to refute beliefs of her time that females were innately inferior in intelligence to males. Her nurturing of giftedness in females is illustrated through excerpts from her writings. (Author/JDD)

Research with gifted children has identified certain clusters of traits which are directly related to a visual/spatial orientation in learning. This article presents common traits of visual/spatial learners, including introversion and behavior problems, and offers adaptive techniques that have been found effective in teaching "nonsequential"…

This article demonstrates that the cognitive complexity and personality traits of gifted children create unique experiences and awarenesses that separate them from others. A central feature of children's gifted experience is their moral sensitivity and the asynchronous development of their inner world, which need to be understood and nurtured.…

Although equal numbers of highly gifted boys and girls are found from early childhood until about age 12, 98% of the preeminent adults are male. This may be because, during preadolescence and adolescence, girls receive societal messages that undermine gifted girls' confidence and motivation. A vigorous campaign is needed to establish gender equity…