I recently presented a session called, ” Positive and Productive Parent-Teacher Conferences to Communicate the Needs of your Gifted Child” at two TxGifted Parent Conferences. I’m publishing the handout that I created from my powerpoint for the session for those who missed the presentation.
Among the myriad of great articles out there that I also referenced, I used these three books in my presentation: If This is a Gift, Can I Send it Back?: Surviving in the Land of the Gifted and Twice Exceptional by Jen Merrill, Perspetives in Gifted Homeschooling Series, 2012. Living with Intensity, Susan Daniels PhD and Michael Piechowski, PhD, Great Potential Press, 2009. Raising Champions: A Parent Handbook for Nurturing Gifted Children, Michale Sayler, Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented, Fall 1997.
I concluded the session with some Q & A time because I know that I don’t have all the answers for each circumstance that parents of gifted children may encounter. It’s important for parents to share their experiences in affecting positive change through parent-teacher conferences. I encourage parents of gifted children to assemble their own personal learning network through the excellent parent blogs such as: Laughing At Chaos or Gifted Parent Support or Da Vinci Learning Center Blog. New to the blogsphere is Extraordinary Journey. If you are on twitter be sure to tune into the various chats dealing with gifted issues such as #gtchat, #gtie and #gtvoice. My readers can follow me at @teachagiftedkid.
I’m a mother leading a change.org campaign for better early educational opportunities for young gifted children.
Almost any adult can relate to how it feels to have to sit through a conference, training session, or class that covers material that you already know. Now imagine you are four years old. And you have to do this every day for at least two years of your life. That is what approximately six percent of children (those who are academically gifted) starting school throughout the US will face this fall, unless a parent decides to home school them or can afford to pay for private school.
There are early programs available for children with disabilities and for gifted children at poverty level or below. Parents who have the funds can pay for each child to attend school, or home school their children, but not everyone can do this. I have talked to other parents with similar issues and they have shared stories full of frustration and struggle for themselves, their children, and for educators whose hands are tied and cannot offer these children what they need during at least the first couple of years of school.
These gifted children are people and have educational needs as much as other children in the United States. Here is a link to my campaign:
http://www.change.org/petitions/provide-adequate-education-options-for-young-gifted-children
I wanted to ask if it would be possible for you to share the link with your blog readers and with followers on social media.
Thanks for your time!