When you recognize that your child may be gifted, and has not been identified as such, or has been identified as gifted but is not reaching his/her potential, then you will need to advocate for your child so they will receive the most appropriate services.聽 Children have a right to a safe, academically challenging and positive experience in school. (Kim Pleticha, Publisher/Editor Parent: Wise Magazine)

Advocating for your child requires research, preparation, identifying your child鈥檚 interests, strengths and skills, knowledge of the school system, and tenacity. Once you are ready to advocate for your child, here are some suggestions:

• Your first ally is your child鈥檚 teacher. If you are able to, volunteer at least a few times in the classroom so that you may observe how your child is performing; understand how the teacher addresses the individual needs of each student; and most importantly, develop a working relationship and rapport with the teacher.
• Start collecting documentation about your child, such as reports or observations from the teacher, and/or the coordinator; student work, test scores, report cards.
• Don鈥檛 wait until the first Parent/Teacher Conference to talk to the teacher.
• Familiarize yourself with the curriculum, the contact information of the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) coordinator at your school, the types of assessments that are administered.
• Find out the assessment and identification process at the school or the district, and when the process starts. Some schools or districts begin the process at 2^nd grade, others at 3^rd聽 Some schools will identify students during their second semester in kindergarten.聽 Some districts will accept private assessments, some do not. At times, it is helpful to have a private assessment from a psychologist or consultation services from Institute for Educational Advancement (优蜜视频), to provide as supporting documentation. Access the school district website to find out about their Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program.
• Grade or subject acceleration may be an option. Acceleration allows students to move up a class or grade that matches their academic and cognitive abilities. It includes matching the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum to the readiness and motivation of the student[1]. Examples of acceleration include early entrance to school, grade-skipping, moving ahead in one subject area, or Advanced Placement (AP). Research what your school鈥檚 policy is on acceleration.
• It is important to know that any type of testing administered by the school requires parent permission. Therefore, you must be informed if and when your child is being tested, the type of test being administered to ensure that it is appropriate, and that your permission is required to administer the test.
• Develop a plan that includes compromises because you are working for the best interest of the child. Parents are encouraged to think in terms of effectiveness, rather than correctness. Quite simply, this means searching for the most effective educational arrangement for your child that addresses the greatest proportion of her or his needs rather than looking for the 鈥減erfect鈥� situation[2].
• Familiarize yourself with the terminology, i.e. differentiation, cluster grouping (for a complete list, go to nagc.org, Glossary of Terms).
• Research and join national and local advocacy groups such Institute for Educational Advancement (优蜜视频), National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), The Davidson Institute, Acceleration Institute, Support the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG), and Hoagies Gifted Education Page. Join local parent groups, such as the Gifted Support Group at 优蜜视频, and attend workshops and parent conferences that provide information on gifted students and programs.

Resources:

• Educational Advocacy for Gifted Students, Julia B. Osborn,聽 2001
• , The聽 Templeton National Report on Acceleration, 2004
• NAGC’s

To learn more about how 优蜜视频 advocates for gifted students, visit our page.

References

[1] 鈥淎 Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America鈥檚 Brightest Students, Vol. 1鈥�, The聽 Templeton National Report on Acceleration, 2004

[2] http://www.davidsongifted.org/Search-Database/entry/A10558

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Upon accepting my position at 优蜜视频 I sought to learn more about giftedness in order to communicate our message in the best way possible. I was familiar with giftedness in a general way through my background in educational nonprofits, but wanted to learn more about the joys, struggles and nuances of the youth we serve.

Fortunately there are many resources out there, enough to satisfy a research junkie such as myself. Some of my favorites are:

Stephanie Tolan鈥檚 widely-read essay was one of the first recommended readings on giftedness I explored. Using the metaphor of a cheetah鈥檚 speed, Tolan makes the case that you can鈥檛 judge giftedness on one trait alone. If schools are using academic performance as the sole measure for placing students in gifted programs it is easy for bored, unchallenged children not reaching their full potential to be left by the wayside. The use of metaphor was helpful to understand the complex nature of giftedness and the trouble schools face in identifying and serving these individuals.

Hoagies is a more than just the page the name suggests, it鈥檚 a whole website filled with gifted resources. The section is a comprehensive primer on all things gifted, including links to everything from scholarly articles to funny anecdotes about the everyday lives of gifted children. Carolyn K. puts a lot聽of time into curating the page and it shows. A must-read for anyone looking for information on giftedness.

While not a gifted-specific resource, NPR covers gifted issues in the context of the broader education system. I find this useful to discern the attitude toward giftedness outside of our community and to see how gifted issues correlate with those being experienced by the system as a whole. The coverage often has a focus on the needs of economically disadvantaged gifted students and those who come from non-English speaking homes.

Lastly, I need to give credit to 优蜜视频鈥檚 鈥淲hat is Gifted?鈥� webpage. The page is an overview on the common characteristics of gifted youth, including an explanation on underachievement in the gifted. Most helpful to me was the glossary of terms often used when referring to giftedness and gifted education.

There are more resources available than I can possibly name in a blog post, so I encourage you to do some further digging beyond this list.

What is your favorite resource for those new to giftedness?

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Nicole LaChance聽graduated from Michigan State University聽with聽a B.A. in Journalism before moving West in pursuit of milder winters.聽Prior to joining the 优蜜视频 team, she spent time working in marketing for an architecture firm and completed two years of national service in the AmeriCorps program. Over the past few years she has worked with聽nonprofits to聽communicate their message and impact to the world around them, work she is excited to continue at 优蜜视频. When not at the office, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling wherever she can and making bad puns.