One of the most common questions the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) receives from parents is, "How should I advocate for my child in the classroom?" Dr. Joan Smutny first tackled this topic for "Parenting for High Potential" in 2002, but her practical, step-by-step approach is still very applicable today. Some…

Parents recognize that most children today are keenly interested in technology and often prefer working in ways that use a variety of media and other forms of communication that are different than the way many children learned even a decade before. Many young learners look for ways to include technology in all aspects of their learning, ranging…

Many parents and teachers are not aware that specific ingredients (such as communicating clearly, providing constructive feedback, setting goals, conducting self-assessments, and accepting failure) are required at home "and" school to help gifted students succeed. Following are ways parents can support their child's teacher in building…

Why encourage children to play board games? In the increasing disconnect of our digital lives, playing games provides a way to connect and relate with others on a human level. Strategy and role-playing games provide intellectual challenges and stretch creativity to keep the gifted mind engaged in solving problems. At the same time, the players…

Research shows that when children feel engaged with learning, they are more likely to flourish socially and academically and less likely to exhibit problem behaviors. Researchers have distinguished three different types of engagement: behavioral, emotional, and cognitive. Behavioral engagement focuses on participation in academic, social, and…

We teach our children manners, what to do in certain emergencies, and other life basics, but most of us do not intentionally teach our children about thinking strategies and creative problem solving. Perhaps this is the case because many of us have never formalized these processes within ourselves so that we feel capable of communicating them to…