Why do so many gifted youngsters stop working hard as soon as they encounter real challenge? These children are happy to spend time at tasks where they knew they will do well but balk at situations for which success may not be guaranteed. In early grades, a gifted child is often praised for his/her innate abilities. Many adults believe that it is…

With the passage of the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB), the emphasis is for all children to reach proficient levels. Since they already work above this benchmark, the needs of gifted students are often de-emphasized. If teachers define learning as moving forward from the knowledge a student already has, they find that those who are at greatest…

The following strategies are presented for creating conditions in which gifted students consistently move forward academically: curriculum compacting and differentiating for gifted students in heterogeneous classes; pre-testing content; and allowing gifted students to be grouped together to work on alternative tasks during cooperative learning…

This article provides strategies for teaching gifted students who have learning disabilities, including making sure students see the big picture before learning its pieces, teaching students to set realistic, short-term goals, making everything visual, providing hands-on situations, and using musical chants and rhymes. Guidelines for parents are…

Suggestions are given to parents for encouraging creativity in children such as: respecting "wild and wacky" questions and responses, helping children understand the difference between making up tales and telling harmful lies, creating environments in which mistakes are not only valued but encouraged, and avoiding making comparisons in direct or…

Discussion of trends and the current status of gifted education in the United States describes components of an effective program for gifted students, notes the lack of understanding of the frustrations experienced by gifted students and their parents, the importance of staff development and cluster grouping, and the parent's role in advocating…