Both teachers and parents have similar agendas when it comes to children: the fulfillment of academic potential and the creation of lifelong learners who are well-adjusted, productive members of society. However, basic communication between parents and teachers is often difficult. When children are exceptional, problems with communication are only…

This article discusses how the exploration of opera with high-ability students can contribute to positive social and emotional development, particularly the development of humane intelligence, by stimulating ethical and moral awareness, making connections with age-old truths of humanity, and providing a powerful genre for self-expression. Teaching…

This article focuses on the enchantment of the Harry Potter series in the development of gifted imagination, self-concept, and worldview in light of Bruno Bettelheim's work, "The Uses of Enchantment." As the processes are discussed, suggestions to guide parents and teachers in facilitating them are included. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This article explores different teaching styles, including instructional managers (who focus on orchestrating sets of activities for groups and individuals), caring persons (who are more deeply concerned about how the work of the classroom contributes to the students' growth as individuals), or generous experts (who act as mentors). (Contains 1…

This article discusses the experiences gifted secondary students have had with pre-Advanced Placement, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate programs. Key traits essential for teachers of the gifted are identified: a high degree of intelligence; extensive knowledge of the subject matter; emotional maturity; and a strong self-concept.…

A tiered objectives model is recommended that teachers can use in mixed-ability classrooms to raise students' mathematics achievement. Guidelines for developing tiered activities include: identify objectives, create a set of activities for teaching each objective, identify the next level of increasing complexity, and group students according to…

This article explores the impact of internal barriers, priorities, and personal decisions on the realization of the potential of gifted females. Dilemmas relating to family, fear of success, the development of resilience, multi-potentiality, absence of planning, confusion about effort and ability, perfectionism, unreal expectations, and loneliness…

This article compiles information from program web sites, articles, and interviews with experts to describe the history and current status of the Advanced Placement program and the International Baccalaureate program. The development of the Pre-AP program, the Primary Years program, and the Middle Years program is discussed. (Contains references.)…

This article contains excerpts from "Feminist Theory from Margin to Center" (Hooks, 1984) to introduce gifted students to the concept of oppression in order to enable them to recognize and appreciate both the importance and the limits of purely sexist oppression. Discussion questions on oppression are provided. (Contains 2 references.) (CR)

This article examines how a state, a district, and a local school in Texas are making steps toward meeting the first recommendation (setting challenging curricular standards) of the 1993 national report "National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent". Specific performance standards for students are listed and standard alignment is…

This article discusses differentiating social studies curricula and instruction for gifted students. It explains the following variables of differentiation: open-ended structure, development and presentation of separate lessons rather than units, the teaching of universal social studies concepts, motivational segments, and use of appropriate…

This article describes how teachers can develop an array of learning experiences that address varied interests and abilities of gifted students by integrating basic social studies concepts and universal themes that provide a structure for in-depth learning. It provides a social studies concept web, a thematic web, and sample lesson. (Contains 4…

This article discusses using performance based assessment in the social studies classroom. The intent is to show how performance assessment in a social studies classroom can be the basis for providing integrated social science instruction using state standards to address student academic diversity. Elements of classroom performance assessments are…

This article discusses the concept of professional/parent partnerships and the legal, attitudinal, and logistical barriers to providing an appropriate education for many gifted learners. A parent describes her role as an instructional partner in the development of an individualized program for her gifted child. (Contains references.) (CR)

A review of learning disabilities in gifted children provides definitions of "learning disabilities" and "giftedness", a classification of gifted students with learning disabilities, the importance of a multidimensional approach to identifying students with gifts/learning disabilities, characteristics, programming guidelines, teaching strategies,…