creativity – Institute for Educational Advancement

Summer Reading Suggestions for Gifted Kids

��Ƶ Staff — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 14:06:35 +0000

by Katie Sanborn, Office Manager

Summer is here! Whether you or your gifted child are taking summer school courses, attending camp, traveling or enjoying activities with family and friends, summertime is a great opportunity to enjoy some extra reading. Do you have a long road trip coming up? Listen to an audiobook. Will you have time to kill at the airport? Reading a book will help pass the time. Are you and your friends on the hunt for a new endeavor? Start a book club to read and discuss novels together. In case you need some convincing to read beyond your assigned summer reading for school, here are you should be reading more:

Reading reduces stress.
Reading, especially books, may add years to your life.
Reading improves your language skills and knowledge of the world.
Reading enhances empathy.
Reading boosts creativity and flexibility.
Reading can help you transform as a person.

I personally enjoy reading because it’s a gratifying and necessary way for me to unplug. I love the moment when I discover I’ve been reading for hours on end because I’ve been so enveloped in a story and lost track of time. Sometimes there’s nothing better than devouring a good book!

Here are a few summer reads I’ve compiled to help inspire your and your gifted child’s summer reading list:

Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers (Gr K–3): A moving and conversational description of the history of the Statue of Liberty and how some of the smallest details contribute to her symbolism as a welcoming beacon to the world.
Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (Gr 3–7): Told from four intertwining points of view—two boys and two girls—the novel celebrates bravery, being different and finding your inner bayani (hero).
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty (Gr 4–6): Lucy Callahan was struck by lightning. She doesn’t remember it, but it changed her life forever. The zap gave her genius-level math skills and, ever since, Lucy has been homeschooled. Now, at 12-years-old, she’s technically ready for college. She just has to pass one more test—middle school!
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (Gr 5–6): Ally struggles to hide her dyslexia by continually getting in trouble, until a substitute teacher discovers what she is really hiding.
Boying Up: How to Be Brave, Bold and Brilliant by Mayim Bialik (Gr 7–9): Mayim Bialik, star of The Big Bang Theory and author of the #1 bestseller Girling Up, puts her Ph.D. to work to talk to teen boys about the science and pressures of growing up male in today’s world.

Happy reading!

Do you have a favorite novel or book you are looking forward to reading this summer? Share it with us in the comments below!

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10 Reasons Your Child Should Participate in Academy

��Ƶ Staff — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 02:37:30 +0000

by Abby Daniels, Director of Development & Communications at ��Ƶ

Looking for ways to keep your gifted child active and engaged this summer? We’ve got the answer for you: . We’ve put together our top 10 reasons for you to enroll your gifted and talented child for one of our two-week Academy classes this summer.

Rigorous content. Each ��Ƶ Academy class is carefully designed to be stimulating, challenging and intellectually rigorous. Activities are often interdisciplinary and all integrate hands-on, inquiry-based learning environments, stimulating curiosity through discovery and exploration. One student relates: “I normally just memorize information, but in [my Academy] class I had to think up my own answers to questions.”
Something for every learner. Whatever topics your gifted child is currently into, ��Ƶ Academy has a class that will interest and engage them. Are you the parent of a future engineer? How about “Building with Electrical Circuits” or “Algorithms for Beginners”? Is your child interested in health and medicine? How about “Brain Function: Zooming In to Cells & Out to Systems” or “Genes and Genetics”? Does your child have an exceptional artistic side? What about “How to Write Scripts like the Greats” or “Dissolving Boundaries: The Intersection of Poetry & Art”? Check out our class descriptions .
Creativity is fostered. Too often in a school setting, students aren’t able to express themselves creatively or artistically. ��Ƶ Academy courses are designed specifically to not just intellectually challenge students, but to inspire imagination and inventiveness. According to a “How to Write Scripts Like the Greats” student: “This [��Ƶ Academy class] challenged me to be more creative.”
Small class size. ��Ƶ Academy classes are capped at ten students, with most averaging six students in total. This means more 1:1 time with teachers and personalized attention and differentiated instruction for your child. In the words of one student, “I am in a big class at school so I get more one on one attention [at ��Ƶ Academy].”
Expert, passionate teachers. Academy teachers have extensive expertise in the content area of their course. Their enthusiasm and passion drives their participation in the Academy, and they receive special training in working with gifted students. Remarked one teacher: “One student enjoyed their experience so much that they didn’t want to leave class! It was a highlight of my teaching career!” Read about our Academy teachers .
Beyond academics. ��Ƶ Academy classes go beyond traditional academic topics and encapsulate of providing opportunities for the whole child to grow. Classes incorporate, and indeed some focus solely on, practicing mindfulness, building emotional literacy and establishing social connections. about how practices like mindfulness can help your gifted child.
Real-life, applicable content. Sure, our ��Ƶ Academy classes cover really cool and interesting topics, but they also provide useful information, tools and strategies that students can implement in their lives immediately and in the future. According to one Academy teacher, “Most rewarding [for me is] seeing students master information that I know will come in handy as they grow.”
Valuable feedback for parents. Every ��Ƶ Academy teacher provides parents with an assessment on their child’s strengths in relation to learning objectives, subject mastery and learning abilities. Parents also receive next step targets to continue, expand on and maintain the learning after the class ends.
Feel part of a community. The unique needs of gifted children often set them apart from their student peers in school. Joining the ��Ƶ Academy means joining a community in which other members face similar challenges and have the same needs and experiences. One ��Ƶ Academy student relates “At ��Ƶ Academy I’ve enjoyed working with people that have the same interests as me!” And bonds form between students and their teachers, as related by this ��Ƶ Academy teacher: “I deeply enjoyed connecting with the students at ��Ƶ and exploring the subjects with a shared enthusiasm and excitement!”
Scholarships and discounts available! On a tight budget? No problem! ��Ƶ has not turned away anyone requesting our programs and services because of a financial hardship. Our generous supporters allow us to provide financial assistance to those who need it. (If you’re interested in becoming one of these supporters, today!)

The deadline to register for ��Ƶ Academy’s Summer Session II (July 10-21) is July 5^th and for Summer Session III (July 24-August 4), the deadline to register is July 17^th.

Don’t wait any longer!

Why Are So Many Gifted Children Also Highly Sensitive?

��Ƶ Staff — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 14:24:10 +0000

By Lisa Natcharian, Raising Wizards

It’s a scientific fact that 20% of the population is born with a gene that allows them to “process sensory data much more deeply and thoroughly” than other people do. We also know that a common thread that runs among gifted people is their ability to understand the world more deeply and thoroughly than others, a trait that is simply sensitivity by another name. Unfortunately, our society tends to view sensitive children as “weak” or prissy in many ways.

This mis-categorization ignores the fact that highly sensitive people are often highly successful people, specifically because of their creative and perceptive temperament. Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., Steve Martin, Robert Frost, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mozart and Elton John are all highly sensitive.

Highly sensitive people have a number of very sought-after traits, including soaring creativity, intense focus, careful conscientiousness, empathetic kindness, and the ability to understand the world around them very deeply.

TYPICAL SIGNS of SENSITIVITY

Summarized from Dr. Elaine Aron, a leading research scientist in the field of high sensitivity

Processes things deeply. Thinks long and hard about things. Very concientious and can be slow to answer quesions. Generally responds with accurate, unusual, or creative ideas.

Overstimulated very easily. Doesn’t handle time pressure or deadlines well. Don’t rush them! Group work is unpleasant for them; they prefer a quiet space to think. Noise is distracting, and chaotic situations are a nightmare. Needs lots of personal space and downtime.

Reacts emotionally. Takes criticism very personally. Cries easily, even if feedback is kind and positive. Has tremendous empathy for others, and tends to worry how others are doing. Will make a point to give direct and positive feedback to others.

Aware of subtleties. Notices very small differences in surroundings, including minor rearranging, changes to lighting or smells. Reads people in a similar way; almost seems to be a mind-reader.

BENEFITS OF BEING SENSITIVE

We are more creative. Brainstorming takes introspection, and the process of combining and editing ideas requires solitude. The sensitive or introverted person is ideally situated to take his deep experience of the world, quietly turn it over in his brain until it blooms into an explosion of new ideas, then shape it into a workable solution.

We have an exuberant and lavish inner life. We are vivid dreamers and daydreamers, we have inventive imaginations, and we recall memories in great detail. We are happy to spend time contemplating instead of acting, which helps us see connections between important things, which makes us smarter.

We are more emotionally aware. Emotional intelligence, or the ability to recognize our own emotions as well as those of others, is a significant indicator of success in relationships and in the workplace. People with high emotional intelligence are better decision-makers, better problem-solvers, and enjoy more fulfilling relationships.

We’re really hardworking. Some might call us perfectionists, but we aren’t happy until things are clean, organized and RIGHT. That makes us favored students, esteemed colleagues, and excellent managers. We are also careful and conscientious, which again is a strong marker of success in life. We’re also really good at noticing small errors.

We notice more sensory detail. The world is full of amazing things, and we can see them all. Whether it’s gorgeous artwork, or the scent of an amazing meal, or the indulgent softness of a favorite blanket, sensitive people experience the world around them more deeply, and as a result can derive more happiness from beautiful things than other people can.

We feel emotion physically. Instead of simply hearing and enjoying music, we literally get goosebumps from beautiful lyrics or harmonies. Hugs become physical healers, and holding hands produces a flow of energy that we can almost see. It’s a wonderful way to experience life deeply.

We understand nuances in meaning. Highly sensitive people can read other people like a book. Micro-differences in facial expressions or vocal timbre tell us volumes about the validity and real meaning behind what other people are telling us. This gives us an advantage, in that it is much harder to fool or cheat us. We recognize inauthentic people and can avoid them, and we have additional information at our disposal that we can use to make important decisions.

We have superhuman intuition. Our gut instincts are spot-on, which can save us from a lot of heartbreak and hassle. It’s like having six senses instead of five!

We have greater empathy. We can sense emotion in other people, and that makes us great friends, teachers and parents. We act out of a deep sense of understanding for where another person is coming from, and are more likely to do exactly the right thing.

We are incredibly compassionate. We have a sincere need to support, guide and comfort others, and it makes us very useful, as well as appreciated.

We are awesome partners. We are great listeners, we’re kind and thoughtful, and we naturally want to help people. How many girls do you know who are dreaming of a boyfriend who is self-centered, oblivious and aggressive? None. YOU are the ultimate boyfriend!

We experience love very deeply. Because we understand the ones we love so well, and because we naturally tend to want to make other people happy, we form very strong bonds of love. This love is reflected back to us, as our parents, children and partners appreciate what we give to them, and want to make us as happy as we make them. It’s a blessing to be able to be surrounded by such deep love.

DIFFICULTIES OF BEING SENSITIVE

Boys aren’t supposed to be sensitive. Our society still perpetuates the misguided notion that men and boys should be tough, stoic, aggressive and hardy. To be otherwise is to be labeled weak, or fussy, or feminine.

We can mistakenly feel that there is something wrong with us. Because only 15 – 20% of the population is highly sensitive, we may not know many people in our orbit who are like us. Between the messages society sends us about the importance of extroverted behavior, and our own tendency to analyze input from other people very carefully, we may conclude that we are abnormal or even damaged. This is catastrophic for our self-esteem.

We are often misunderstood. We may be labeled “over-sensitive” or “over-dramatic” by people who don’t realize how deeply we feel, because it’s not their reality. If we are introverts (80% of sensitive people are) we may be deemed reclusive or standoffish; if we are empaths we may be labeled histrionic or attention-seekers.

We are susceptible to getting stuck in relationships with toxic people. Narcissists in particular are drawn to sensitive people because we give them the focused care and attention they crave, and are less likely to break off an unbalanced relationship because our natural perfectionism, work ethic, and tendency to see the best in people lead us to conclude that if WE just work a little harder, things will turn around. We are often in danger of giving more than we receive.

We need more time alone to decompress. Space to breathe and let go of the stresses that we have internalized is essential to our well-being, but our modern lifestyle can make it impossible to find enough time to take care of ourselves. In addition, the desire for solitude can be misinterpreted as anti-social behavior.

Anxiety can present itself as real physical ailments. Because we internalize so much emotion from the world around us, our bodies can reach the limit of what they can hold. Stress and anxiety can display themselves as stomach aches, IBS, muscle aches, fibromyalgia, migraines, and more.

Sensitive people absorb negative emotions from others. This can happen just by being in the same room as people who are arguing or crying, or even by watching emotionally broken people on television or in the movies. We not only notice and are uncomfortable watching other people get upset (or embarrassed), but we FEEL what they feel, despite clearly understanding that whatever is happening is not happening to us.

There is no such thing as constructive criticism. Sensitive people take feedback as a personal judgment. Because we are programmed to want to do things well (we can be perfectionists) and receive approval, we are very hurt when someone points out a mistake we made.

Sensitivity can really get out of hand. “Emotional Snowballing” may occur in stressful situations, where the emotional response increases to a level disproportionate to the events at hand. Popular situations (such as crowded public events) can become overwhelming, and result in a dire need to escape to somewhere quiet and peaceful.

This post originally appeared on Raising Wizards; it has been reposted with permission.

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Top 5 TEDTalks for Parents of Gifted Kids

��Ƶ Staff — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 04:09:06 +0000

By Tiffany Kwong

I love . Whenever I need a break from my day-to-day routine, I watch a TEDTalk and lose myself in the brilliance of people and their ideas.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with TEDTalks, let me give you a brief overview of TED. TED is a private, nonprofit organization that was founded in 1984, with the objective of hosting an annual conference on Technology, Entertainment, and Design—hence the acronym, TED.

Since then, TED has grown; it now hosts global conferences and events throughout the year and has expanded its scope to include leaders from various fields and disciplines, such as medicine, education, economics, anthropology, and music. At these conferences, notable speakers like Jane Goodall, Bill Gates, and Nobel Prize winners confront audiences with issues, ideas, and phenomena that seek to inspire passion and curiosity.

TED’s goal is simple: To spread ideas. According to its mission statement, “We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives, and ultimately, the world. So we’re building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.” Thus, TED decided to release and post its “talks” online, making them free and accessible to our global community of learners. Since launching its website in 2007, TED has posted 1,356 videos online, which have been viewed almost 1 billion times worldwide.

With so many talks readily available, my efforts of selecting only five videos proved to be more difficult than I had anticipated. But for your viewing pleasure, here are my top five most powerful, informative, and stimulating TEDTalks for parents of gifted children. Enjoy!

5.
In her discussion, writer Susan Cain speaks about introversion and questions why it is undervalued in our society. She calls for a celebration of introverted-ness and offers three suggestions for changing the ways we view introversion.

Favorite quote: “There’s zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas.”

4.
Professor of education Sugata Mitra describes his global “Hole in the Wall” experiments, where children are given access to computers and the Internet. Through these experiments, Mitra illustrates how, when given the resources, groups of children learn from each other and become “self-organizing systems.”

Favorite quote: “Children will learn to do what they want to learn to do.”

3.
In this inspirational video, then twelve-year-old child prodigy Adora Svitak asks her adult audience to reexamine the ways they view children as “irrational” and “irresponsible” beings. Rather, children should be acknowledged and valued for their abilities to imagine the possibilities of tomorrow.

Favorite quote: “Learning between grown-ups and kids should be reciprocal. The reality, unfortunately, is a little different, and it has a lot to do with trust, or a lack of it.”

2.
In this 20-minute talk, Temple Grandin demonstrates how autistic minds process information and urges us to nurture these varied ways of thinking as resources in our twice-exceptional youth.

Favorite quote: “Now the thing is, the world is going to need all of the different kinds of minds to work together. We’ve got to work on developing all these different kinds of minds.”

In this comical but informative discussion, Ken Robinson examines our education system in relation to creativity. Like Adora Svitak, he stresses that children have amazing capabilities and “capacities for innovation.” However, Robinson argues that creativity is being squandered in our classrooms, where academic abilities are placed at a higher premium than other types of intelligences.

Favorite quote: “My contention is that creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.”

Do you have a favorite TEDTalk? Share your favorite in the comment section below!

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