Information For Parents

What it means to be gifted?

1. “Gifted and talented children” are those children who are identified as possessing outstanding abilities and who are capable of high performance. Gifted and talented children are children who require appropriate instruction and educational services commensurate with their abilities and needs beyond those provided by the regular school program.

2. Gifted and talented children include those children with demonstrated achievement or potential ability, or both, in any of the following areas or in combination:

A. General intellectual ability.

B. Creative thinking.

C. Leadership ability.

D. Visual and performing arts

(Iowa Code 257.44)

Gifted or Bright?

Bright

  • Knows the answers

  • Is interested

  • Is attentive

  • Has good ideas

  • Grasps the meaning

  • Completes assignments

  • Is receptive

  • Copies accurately

  • Enjoys school

  • Absorbs information

  • Good memorizer

  • Is alert

  • Is pleased with own learning

  • Works hard

  • Answers the questions

  • Top group

  • Listens with interest

  • Learns with ease

  • Understands ideas

  • Enjoys peers

  • Technician

  • Enjoys sequential presentation

  • Is alert

  • 6-8 repetitions for mastery

(Belin-Blank Understand Me: Bright Children in Our Programs )

Gifted

  • Asks the questions

  • Is highly curious

  • Is mentally and physically involved

  • Has wild, silly ideas

  • Plays around, yet tests well

  • Discusses in detail, elaborates

  • Beyond the group

  • Shows strong feeling and opinions

  • Already knows

  • Inventor

  • Constructs abstractions

  • Prefers adults

  • Draws inferences

  • Initiates projects

  • Is intense

  • Creates a new design

  • Enjoys learning

  • Manipulates information

  • Good guesser

  • Thrives on complexity

  • Is keenly observant

  • Is highly self-critical

  • 1-2 repetitions for mastery

What Can You Do To Help Your Child?

• Be attentive to your child’s comments and observations.

• Create an environment that promotes self-expression.

• Help him to develop skills and interests, for example, in plant science, animal care, electronics, carpentry, mechanics, law, design, and crafts.

• Encourage her to explore the beauty of diverse cultures—through language, poetry, story, song, dance, puppetry, cooking, and crafts.

• Promote exploration and discovery.

• Emphasize effort and progress rather than perfection.

• Show your child how errors can be opportunities to discover and learn.

• Model positive ways to address setbacks and solve problems.

• Instill ways to help your child understand and regulate emotional reactions.

• Promote a healthy lifestyle.

• Demonstrate how to serve your community.

(https://www.nagc.org/sites/default/files/Parent%20CK/NAGC_Helping%20Your%20Gifted%20Child%20Succeed-English.pdf)


Do's and dont's

Do…..

  • Provide a challenge for them at home

  • Allow your child to pursue their highest interest and abilities

  • '''Give compliments

  • Demonstrate how to prioritize

  • Remember they are just kids, have fun!

  • Let your child the information you have about IQ and relative ability level

  • Enjoy this wonderful time in your life


Don’t….

  • Forget your child is just a child

  • Choose their challenge for them

  • Over-schedule: Give them freedom to choose

  • Hold your child up as an example for their siblings, everyone is unique

  • Worry about your gifted child getting a “big head”.

(http://sengifted.org/dos-and-dont-for-raising-your-gifted-kids/)

Additional information