Finding a school or program for your child can be a very stressful process. However, there are lots of resources out there, and many parents who have been on this journey are willing to help. This article offers an overview of the types of schools, programs, and options available to gifted children including charter, magnet, gifted, and online or…

There is a myth that some people are creative and others are not. However, all children are born creative. They love to explore, ask questions, and are incredibly imaginative. Parents are key in nurturing their child's creativity in the early years. This article offers resources and strategies parents can use at different ages and stages (newborn,…

The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in December 2015 is an exciting development for parents, teachers, school leaders, and others who believe U.S. schools should meet the needs of high-ability students. The ESSA revised and reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), previously known as the No Child…

Unfortunately, there are many students that feel "stupid" in classrooms all around the country. They know they are gifted, but their ADHD and co-occurring conditions can make them feel isolated and alone. This is hard not only for the children, but for the parents who may feel powerless in helping their child know how special he or she…

When parents and teachers help gifted kids use the metaphor "learning through different lenses," amazing things happen: Horizons open up. Ideas are focused. Thoughts are magnified and clarified. They see the big picture. Metaphoric thinking offers new and exciting ways to see the world. Viewing the world through different lenses provides…

Parents and grandparents are always looking for new ways to engage their kids and grandkids in meaningful, enriching educational activities. While there is evidence that playing games can increase numerical fluency, research also shows that parental involvement outside of school is one of the best predictors of student achievement and that games…

Fear of failure starts early in life, and is common among high achievers. From their earliest years, many gifted children are successful in almost everything they try because they are under challenged, and paradoxically, become failure-avoidant. When parents always encourage their children to get the highest grade or to be "the best,"…

Parents of gifted children play a powerful role in expanding their world and helping them discover what they love. When gifted children have impassioned, open-minded, and creative family members, they are free to discover what they love and who they are as people. For gifted learners, curiosity, passion, and interest are absolute essentials.…

Gifted children crave meaning through learning experiences, and they are naturally inquisitive. This article provides a teaching framework that parents can adapt for use with gifted children to help facilitate STEM knowledge and skills. The CReaTE Framework, adapted from an evolving lesson plan framework, can promote learning in a nontraditional,…

The new year brings about one's desire to change and to improve one's self. These emotions quickly fade and turn into lofty resolutions that are not fulfilled. For parents of gifted children, many parallels can be made between making New Year's resolutions and setting more long-term goals related to their education and/or career.…

How can parents help their children develop the sensitivity and compassion of people like Henry David Thoreau, Mahatma Gandhi, Rachel Carson, and Martin Luther King, Jr.? Participation for gifted students in service-learning programs, both in and out of school, may be one helpful method. In the last two decades, there has been a resurgence of…

Discovering that a child is gifted can be both exhilarating and daunting. Parents watch in amazement and awe as their 3-year-old reads a first-grade-level book flawlessly, or they might listen to their preschool child's distress over seeing a homeless person on the street. Parents observe as their 6-year-old dismantles a broken CD player and…

Education has seen its share of trends and movements that either help or hinder the optimal development of the gifted child. In 2001, Congress passed No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in a concerted effort to reach children who were not meeting minimal standardized goals of achievement. Response to Intervention (RtI) is yet another approach to ensure…

In this article, the author presents questions that can help parents determine: (1) whether or not their child's school has a special program for gifted and talented (GT) students; (2) how valid it is; and (3) whether or not it's appropriate for their high-potential child. Each question is direct, to the point, and intended to help parents find…

Today, there are more program options in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) than ever before. Because people are living in an age of increasing globalization, advocates of gifted children must understand that involvement in STEM fields is paramount for the children to be competitive in the job market and for the nation to…