Each week we round up and highlight various articles, blog posts and links relating to or of interest to gifted children and/or education. Some of these may pertain to a specific region, others will be on a national or international level. We hope you find value in each of them. Please let us know of any relevant articles/blog posts you find by contacting us.
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The Dilemma:The Young Gifted and (Lack of) Fine Motor Skills
via Psychology Today – Gifted-Ed Guru
“I don’t know what to do with this information, that he’s now ‘gifted.’ It’s great and we’re happy to know this but I also want to know what I can do at home to foster his talents appropriately, especially since you will see him only a little each week for his enrichment class. Specifically, here’s where I need your advice: Paul is so young that I’m afraid his fine motor skills will hold him back from doing whatever I personally could think of doing. You’re the elementary gifted resource specialist, and I am hoping you have dealt with this before. Can you help?”
Doodling in the Classroom
via Kids Discover
The typical doodler is a person in a business situation who is passing time while talking on the phone. But are they just passing time? Applied Cognitive Psychology recently released a study involving 40 people who were asked to monitor a monotonous telephone message. Of the 20 persons who were asked to doodle during the situation, the retention rate was 29% higher than those who did not doodle. The science here says to us that–though doodling may appear to be a thoughtless, random act–it actually uses enough cognitive energy to focus our brain, preventing us from daydreaming. If you will, it keeps us in the moment.
What is most often overlooked when considering private school for your gifted child?
via Gifted Challenges
Does your gifted child need a private school education to succeed? Are the costs of private high school education worth it? Do they provide more challenge, more stimulation and more creativity – all something gifted children need? Do they really open the door to admission at more prestigious colleges? What are the drawbacks? And what is frequently overlooked?
Keeping Nonfiction Creative for Gifted Students
via Prufrock Press Blog
Some teachers fear that the Common Core State Standards’ emphasis on nonfiction will exacerbate a problem already noted in our education system: discouragement of creativity. In an Education Week article called “Inspiring Creativity Through Nonfiction Texts,” one teacher argues that this need not be the case, describing some of his own nonfiction assignments—which can include asking students to compare the Declaration of Independence and Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together.” In this spirit, we are sharing a few resources to help keep nonfiction materials fresh and thought-provoking for your gifted students.
What Can Your Child Learn About in May?
via About.com – Parenting Gifted Children
Each month, there are many holidays to celebrate and observances to consider. Some observances are for the whole month, some are a week long, and some are just for a day. What I really like about the various holidays and observances is that they provide opportunities for learning, opportunities for us to teach our children about ideas and events that are important. So what’s up in May? Check the calendar for May to see what is of special interest to you and your child.
AP program isn’t all it’s cracked up to be — study
via The Washington Post
A new study from Stanford University that reviews research on the Advanced Placement program of college-level high school courses concludes that the common wisdom about AP — including about how much benefit students get from it — is not accurate.
AP classes: helpful or not?
via Gifted Exchange
The Washington Post picks up on a new report challenging various assumptions about Advanced Placement courses — college-level courses taught in high schools. The College Board holds national AP exams that young people can take to show they’ve mastered this material (and potentially place into more advanced courses in college).
The report claims that while students who take AP classes are more likely to go to and do well in college, this may be a correlation vs. causation issue.
Motivation in Motion
via Kids Discover
Although most would say her behavior is typical for her age, it’s still a bit worrisome to me. I try not to be the hovering, annoying parent, who nags, checks and double-checks, etc. But at the same time, what are the alternatives to make sure your child is getting done what needs to get done?
We Have the Grammar Police, Why Not the Math Police?
via Psychology Today – Finding the Next Einstein
What we need are the math police.
While the culture of correcting bad grammar (either spoken or written) existed before the advent of the Internet, the web provides a much greater opportunity to point out written grammatical errors on a very public platform. According to Urban Dictionary, the grammar police are “Those who seek to have correct English written online.” Numerous online groups have been formed around this very premise. A quick search on Facebook reveals dozens of groups devoted to correcting grammatical errors, including one specifically called “the grammar police” that has nearly 30,000 likes. And although this group of grammar checking citizens can seem madly annoying at times, their presence illustrates that in American culture it is socially unacceptable if you can’t read, write, or exhibit the appropriate use of the English language.
Puzzle: Words Within Words
via Byrdseed
In need of some nice word puzzles that will keep your gifted kids busy? Ask them to find as many words as they can within another word.
Commack Parents Start Local Gifted Program
via The Commack Patch
When a group of Commack parents saw their children’s gifted programs being reduced in the school budget two years ago, they decided to form their own local advocacy group.
