1. Reach Out 鈥� Talk with your child鈥檚 teachers. Teachers are overwhelmed right now reach out to them and see if there is anything you can do to help. Even with the new rules and protocols that have been put in place the past 22 months there is something that can be done to support them. For teachers knowing that parents support them will mean a lot in the long road.
2. Communicate with your student 鈥� Have a real age-appropriate conversation with your student about everything is going on right now. They may be confused as to why they or their friends and teachers must stay home or why they may be doing school online again. Many teachers have expressed that their students especially the younger ones weren鈥檛 informed of the many ups and downs of this school year making it harder for them to understand what is happening.
3. Be respectful 鈥� Remember often a rule or policy a teacher or staff member is enforcing is not one of their own. If you are confused about a new policy or rule direct your concerns with the administration. It may seem easier just to ask or let your frustrations out with your student鈥檚 teacher but many times they have found out about the new policy when you did. It is also important to remember to be respectful of teachers, staff and other children in the school who may be out for long periods of time right now. There are many reasons as to why they need that time off and we should support them in ensuring they come back happy and healthy when they are ready.

At the end of the day every teacher I spoke with had the same thought. Please remember we are all in this together and if we all work together, we will get through this time successfully.

鈥淲e make a living by what we get.  We make a life by what we give.鈥� Winston Churchill

At the Institute for Educational Advancement (优蜜视频), donors are important members of our community because their donations play a major role in making it possible for 优蜜视频 to transform the lives of hundreds of gifted children each year by helping them to reach for their full intellectual and personal potential. Donors are vital to the life of all non-profit organizations and most will agree that their giving is not just about making a donation, but about wanting to make positive difference in the life of an organization they care about.    

One of the most significant ways that a donor can support an organization is by becoming a recurring annual donor that an organization can count on each year for support. At 优蜜视频, our recurring donor group, the NAUTILUS SOCIETY was founded in 2000 by generous donors committed to the long-term success of 优蜜视频.  Members of the NAUTILUS SOCIETY pledge to donate annually to 优蜜视频 for three consecutive years and show their continued commitment to supporting gifted youth through our unique programs and services.  Annual pledge donations large and small are welcomed.  Every gift makes a meaningful difference. Sustained annual funding from these donors allows 优蜜视频 to focus directly on serving bright young people, many of which are overlooked and underserved. 

Annual donations to 优蜜视频 play a significant role by helping to:

• Provide gifted youth with scholarships and opportunities for support, growth and community to meet their intellectual, personal and financial aid needs.
• Keep tuition low to make programs and services for gifted youth more accessible.
• Fund high-quality teachers, mentors, and experts so they can be a resource for students and families.
• Provide supplies, technology and equipment needed for advanced teaching and learning experiences.
• Provide resources online and in-person for families and teachers of gifted children to help them meet the needs of these exceptional young people.

Experience the joy of giving by joining the Nautilus Society and helping to ensure that 优蜜视频 is able to continue providing its award-winning programming to all gifted youth who need our services.  Nautilus Members are recognized annually in our donor listings, annual report, and in the lobby of 优蜜视频鈥檚 headquarters in Pasadena, CA.

You can learn more about ways to support 优蜜视频 and become a member of the Nautilus Society by clicking here.

I, like many other people across the country am completely addicted to the TV show Ted Lasso. From Ted鈥檚 quirky analogies to Keely鈥檚 bubbly personality, I can鈥檛 get enough. When Jason Sudeikis’s recently stood on stage to accept the Emmy for Best Actor in a Television Comedy he said these words, 鈥淭his show is about family. This show is about mentors and teachers. This show is about teammates. And I wouldn’t be here without those three things in my life,”. I couldn鈥檛 help but to continue to think about this speech.

I thought about my past teachers, mentors, family, and 鈥渢eammates鈥� all who have helped guide me to where I am today. But then I went a little deeper and I thought of the students who we work with at 优蜜视频 who are often told to fit into round hole of the education system when they are a square peg and it just doesn鈥檛 fit. That is until they find that one teacher or mentor who opens the world of education to them. Who encourages them to dig a little deeper in a subject that they are learning about. Or to take a supplemental class in a subject matter that will challenge them because learning is amazing and fun and hard but so worth it. Just like Coach Lasso and Beard challenge each of their players.

The speech made me think of the CDB scholars who I work with daily who have formed a network of 鈥渢eammates鈥� who cheer them on, challenge them to achieve their potential and are there for them if it doesn鈥檛 work out they way they hoped.

The alumni and the parents of CDB scholars who give their time to serve as mentors to our young scholars, so they have an opportunity to pursue their passions. Every day I see the parents of 优蜜视频鈥檚 students who navigate the world of education for their children or to help other children to succeed. This doesn鈥檛 go unnoticed.

I am so lucky to work with some of the most passionate people who are determined to help each student that walks through the doors of 优蜜视频 to the best of our ability. We don鈥檛 have one size fit all method here and I know that is something that makes us stand out.

So, in honor of Ted Lasso take the time to remember your family, teachers, mentors, and teammates and thank them. Also, never forget to be a goldfish when something doesn鈥檛 go your way and always believe in yourself.

It鈥檚 Teacher Appreciation Week! 优蜜视频 Program Manager Hillary Jade shares her thoughts on why teachers should be appreciated, revered and supported.

Last week, program hosted its second Teacher Appreciation Evening, which was instituted in December as a way to honor our teachers who inspire, challenge, motivate, and encourage their students each session. Throughout the evening, Academy teachers shared stories, anecdotes and quotes from the Spring 2019 session 鈥� all of which were inspirational, witty, and indicative of the high caliber students who grace us with their presence every day. Truly, our teachers are invested, observant, passionate and committed to serving the gifted and talented students who walk through our doors.

As we reflect on the end of the Spring session 鈥� and the end of the school year at large 鈥� a fitting pop culture anecdote comes to mind:

Dead Poets鈥� Society is the quintessential teacher appreciation movie. Throughout the film, John Keating 鈥� played brilliantly by the late Robin Williams 鈥� inspires a group of reluctant prep school teenagers to love poetry, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Some of them dig in their heels; some of them instantly embrace it. When they find his old yearbook and learn he was a member of the Dead Poets鈥� Society, they strive to emulate him and his legacy. For he wasn鈥檛 a poetry nerd; he was a poetry god. The most iconic line of the movie is often quoted in everyday life: 鈥淐arpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.鈥�

鈥淭here鈥檚 a time for daring and there鈥檚 a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for,鈥� Keating goes on to explain, hitting home the need to push oneself and take risks 鈥� albeit calculated ones. And that is why he, like our instructors, is passionate, revered, talented and sensitive to the needs of adolescents.

don鈥檛 settle for second best. They push students to push themselves. Keating emphasizes to his students, 鈥淎 man is not very tired. He鈥檚 exhausted. And don鈥檛 use 鈥榲ery sad.鈥� Use鈥︹�檓orose鈥�!鈥� On the post-class student surveys we distribute each session we frequently get feedback like, 鈥淭his class was challenging 鈥� but in all the right ways!鈥� Instead of doing the minimum, Academy students stretch their boundaries, their limits and their safety net to produce extraordinary results. They couldn鈥檛 do this without our teachers, who burst through the Learning Center doors excited to delve into the differentiated curriculum.

Thank you, teachers, for inspiring our students to be engineers, historians, makers, debaters, scholars, peacemakers, artists, and innovators. You are the reason our students run up the sidewalk each day, eager and excited to learn from you and engage in academic inquiry. You are the reason we have such a high session-to-session student return rate. You are the reason we are able to offer innovative classes that students can鈥檛 find anywhere else, such as Zoo Design, Math for Future Architects and Rube-Goldberg: Machine and Mazes. Because of you, the Learning Center is filled with inquiry, laughter, advocacy, positive challenge, friendship, curiosity and heart.

As we head into Teacher Appreciation week, we encourage everyone to take time to thank the teacher(s) that has/have meant the most to them 鈥� whether in-person, via a hand-written card (a true form of appreciation!) or by recommending them or their class to other students. During an impassioned analysis of poetry with his students, Keating proclaims, 鈥淣o matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world!鈥� We firmly believe that. In fact, we know that to be true of our instructors and the students who admire them.

听Here are a few quotes from our Spring session, directly from students, about their teachers:

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there could possibly have been a better teacher for Kitchen Chemistry than Miss Alka. She鈥檚 amazing and knows everything!鈥澨�� Sebastian (8)

鈥淎lka was SUCH a fun teacher to work with. She taught the KITCHEN CHEMISTRY class. She helped us if we needed help. She corrected us if we were wrong. And best of all, she was very, VERY nice.鈥�

鈥淭ristan was an AMAZING teacher to talk and relate with. I was in his class NEWTON: FORCES IN MOTION. I loved the apple-dropping experiment . Especially the part where you get to eat the apples (there were three apples.)* Tristan also helped us. He also corrected us. And he WAS NICE.鈥�

Want to learn more about 优蜜视频 Academy? to view upcoming classes and apply today.

As a program coordinator at 优蜜视频, there are many parallels between running a successful program and leading an affective Parent Teacher Association (PTA) organization. Parents are stewards of , just like a program coordinator to his/her perspective program. I want to share a few tips and lessons learned from other established PTA groups. Hopefully this can be helpful to your advocacy journey.

1.Relationships with teachers and schools

Positive relationships with teachers and schools are keys to advancing needs of gifted students. A strong partnership is built when parents and teachers are on the same team fighting for the same cause. PTA groups who work alongside teachers often clearly communicate expectations and outcomes of their planned program, they solicit teachers鈥� input during any event/program planning process, get teacher participation during implementation, and invite teachers鈥� feedback for future improvement.

2. Continuity

To make a sustained impact in a school district and the community, continuity in the PTA鈥檚 leadership is very important. The core group that鈥檚 leading the PTA needs to have a working knowledge of the group鈥檚 past success and failures, know the ever-changing needs of students and classrooms and always plan ahead to mitigate any possible conflict that may arise. To do so requires awareness for the political landscape of the District and relationships with the administrators and teachers, as well as a deep familiarity with the logistical needs of any PTA-led programs and events.

3. Parent leadership within the group

It goes without saying that a PTA group needs to be led by parents. There are PTA groups that have parents as members, but the group is actually led by a classroom teacher or a school administrator. If the leaders are not parents, how can they fundamentally understand the needs of parents and advocate for them? There are other groups with parent leaders who also happen to be a teacher or administrator, and that is a great asset. PTA leaders should always authentically represent the makeup of their group.

4. Open forum time within meetings

Everyone鈥檚 voice counts. During PTA meetings, any members can share the successes and challenges of their parenting journey. That way, every member feels that they are a part of movement that is making a positive impact on everyone in the group. The more engaged parents are, the stronger the group is.

5. Lunch hour monthly meetings in the District office building

In Blue Valley, Kansas the Parent Advocates for Gifted Education (PAGE) group holds monthly lunch meetings in the District office building. Over the years, the meetings have become very popular and well-attended by District staff because they are during lunch hours and staff don鈥檛 have to travel far to attend these meetings. Some of the meetings are advocacy-based, while others are training based. These meetings have helped district staff to better understand the needs of their students and are more prepared to work with the gifted population.

6. Money raised through summer camps donated back to each gifted classroom in the District

Another lesson learned from Blue Valley PAGE is giving back to the gifted classroom. Blue Valley PAGE runs a summer robotics camp, each year, as their student participation number has grown, so goes the proceeds of the program. The PAGE group then equally divides the proceeds and awards every gifted classroom and their teacher a grant to run any special projects in the classroom. Teachers love the extra help to support their students, PAGE runs a successful summer camp, and the students now have more opportunities to learn. It鈥檚 a win-win situation for everyone!

Successful parent advocacy requires friendship, broad coalition, and steadfast persistence. Also, don鈥檛 forget to have fun! Working with people who believe in the same mission often produces the best results!

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Looking for ways to keep your gifted child active and engaged this summer? We鈥檝e got the answer for you:听 . We鈥檝e 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.

2. Rigorous content. Each 优蜜视频 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: 鈥淚 normally just memorize information, but in [my Academy] class I had to think up my own answers to questions.鈥�
3. Something for every learner. Whatever topics your gifted child is currently into, 优蜜视频 Academy has a class that will interest and engage them. Are you the parent of a future engineer? How about 鈥淏uilding with Electrical Circuits鈥� or 鈥淎lgorithms for Beginners鈥�? Is your child interested in health and medicine? How about 鈥淏rain Function: Zooming In to Cells & Out to Systems鈥� or 鈥淕enes and Genetics鈥�? Does your child have an exceptional artistic side? What about 鈥淗ow to Write Scripts like the Greats鈥� or 鈥淒issolving Boundaries: The Intersection of Poetry & Art鈥�? Check out our class descriptions .
4. Creativity is fostered. Too often in a school setting, students aren鈥檛 able to express themselves creatively or artistically. 优蜜视频 Academy courses are designed specifically to not just intellectually challenge students, but to inspire imagination and inventiveness. According to a 鈥淗ow to Write Scripts Like the Greats鈥� student: 鈥淭his [优蜜视频 Academy class] challenged me to be more creative.鈥�
5. Small class size. 优蜜视频 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, 鈥淚 am in a big class at school so I get more one on one attention [at 优蜜视频 Academy].鈥�
6. 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: 鈥淥ne student enjoyed their experience so much that they didn’t want to leave class! It was a highlight of my teaching career!鈥� Read about our Academy teachers .
7. Beyond academics. 优蜜视频 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.
8. Real-life, applicable content. Sure, our 优蜜视频 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, 鈥淢ost rewarding [for me is] seeing students master information that I know will come in handy as they grow.鈥�
9. Valuable feedback for parents. Every 优蜜视频 Academy teacher provides parents with an assessment on their child鈥檚 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.
10. Feel part of a community. The unique needs of gifted children often set them apart from their student peers in school. Joining the 优蜜视频 Academy means joining a community in which other members face similar challenges and have the same needs and experiences. One 优蜜视频 Academy student relates 鈥淎t 优蜜视频 Academy I’ve enjoyed working with people that have the same interests as me!鈥� And bonds form between students and their teachers, as related by this 优蜜视频 Academy teacher: 鈥淚 deeply enjoyed connecting with the students at 优蜜视频 and exploring the subjects with a shared enthusiasm and excitement!鈥�
11. Scholarships and discounts available! On a tight budget? No problem! 优蜜视频 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鈥檙e interested in becoming one of these supporters, today!)

The deadline to register for 优蜜视频 Academy鈥檚 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鈥檛 wait any longer!

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.听 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听 Some schools will identify students during their second semester in kindergarten.听 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,听 2001
• , The听 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听 Templeton National Report on Acceleration, 2004

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

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At a point in the past, in the middle of an unusually busy year of educational change as a high school teacher and administrator, I recall hearing (and being motivated by) this phrase: 鈥淲ithout teachers there are no other professions.鈥� Ah, I thought 鈥� that鈥檚 why I must keep doing what I鈥檓 doing. Teaching is, without a doubt, about improving life chances.

Now, as Program Manager at 优蜜视频, where听I help shape the Academy program, I think similarly and differently. Today, as we mark National Teacher Appreciation Day, we honor our faculty of teachers who improve the life-chances of our students, but who also:

• Inspire our students, by creating incredible classes; classes not found in a traditional school environment. Moreover, Academy classes emerge from each teacher鈥檚 interests, expertise and current research. Where else would you get: Paleozoology? Marine Biodiversity? Logic Detectives? Brain Science? Microbial Ecology? Debating on a Global Stage: International Relations & Justice? Literary Ladies of Americana: A Paean to the Female Pen? Microbiology for Kindergartners? The Study of Star Wars: A Hero鈥檚 Journey? Mindfulness for Gifted Tweens & Teens?
• Mentor by sharing their stories, their journeys, by listening and being a friend. Academy classes are not just about the content or the process but about where these interests might take you and why and how.
• Lead by example: our teachers are patient, curious and share the thrill of learning, just as they enable Academy students to imagine a future self. Our teachers also acknowledge their younger selves in our students. They lead by example and they have the magical ability to connect with our youngsters
• LOVE what they do 鈥搒o much so, they find time as researchers, students, teachers, parents, computer scientists, consultants, N4P workers, actors, artists, film-makers, volunteers, animal curators, professors, administrators 鈥� to come to Academy and work with us 鈥� and then, THEY thank us!

And, so, a roll call to all of our Academy faculty, who teach, who teach and then sub, who offer mini-lectures, who sub some more, who provide expertise for Genius Days, who source and bring in extra learning resources to ignite their curriculum, who travel long distances each week, who accept all children with all of their needs (and always with a smile on their face), who return time after time with new classes and new reflections on how to improve and who work with 优蜜视频, with the resources we have, to offer your families the best service we can.

As Mark Twain said, “It is noble to teach oneself, but still nobler to teach others.”

Today, we thank 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy teachers and friends for engaging in the most noble of professions and for helping shape future professions 鈥� whatever they might be.

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A British import, Louise Hindle graduated from the University of Manchester with a B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature and Language, completed her post-graduate teacher training at The University of Cambridge, and has recently completed her dissertation in Educational Leadership and Innovation with the University of Warwick. Louise has 20 years of experience in education as a high school literature teacher, lead teacher, administrator, adviser, and consultant. She is also the parent of three fun and active school-aged children. She loves working at 优蜜视频 because she is constantly learning and reflecting in order to meet the varied and complex needs of these children, who she finds to be confident and vulnerable in equal measure but always ready to learn and thirsty for more. In her free time, she likes to read with her children, hike, walk, and jog with her badly behaved dog.

Mark Erlandson, the parent of a gifted student who presently attends a boarding school out East, is a former lawyer and public high school English teacher from Wisconsin starting a new business as a legal writing consultant.

鈥淵ou can be anything you want to be鈥� is a cliche we all will probably tell, or have already told, our children at some time in their lives. For the gifted child, this statement may be closer to the truth. But having too many skills and abilities and multiple interests can be overwhelming, and what exactly does 鈥渁nything鈥� mean? How do we help the gifted student to understand what the 鈥渁nything鈥� is and to find the right career match?

To begin, two caveats: technological innovation and economic globalization have brought about swift change to the practice and outlook of many occupations and will continue to do so. Therefore, the goal of much early career planning should be to explore and understand the nature and variety of work available, not to choose a specific career. At most, paint in broad strokes and identify career areas that a child may want to enter.

Second, children鈥檚 interests often change as they mature. What once lit that flame of enthusiasm in 8th grade may have diminished by junior year of high school. That is natural. Expect your child鈥檚 passions to ebb and flow as he or she ages, becoming exposed to and participating in life鈥檚 experiences and learning more about themselves.

At the elementary school age, children need to just learn about the world of work in general. Begin by explaining your own job, both the advantages and disadvantages. It is called work and not play for a reason. Then have other relatives and friends explain their jobs and what they like or dislike about them. Ask your child to picture himself or herself in that job and what he or she would like or dislike about it. Try to stay away from the salary as a motivating factor. (The need for financial literacy is a topic for another day.) When you are out in public, point out the people working. Speculate with your child about that occupation鈥檚 advantages and disadvantages and how he or she would enjoy it. In all these situations, ask how the job contributes to society and what needs of people it meets.

Another way to begin discussion about possible employment is to connect current events with the world of work. Discuss, for instance, what occupations might have been affected by the drought in California or the political instability of the Middle East and how.

As children enter middle school and high school, research becomes important. An excellent resource is the . Another place for extensive information on careers is . Both sites break the work world into fields like Architecture and Engineering, Computer and Information Technology, and Business and Financial. They then provide information on the tasks involved in the career, the working conditions, the size of the occupation, the expected rate of growth and future prospects, the training involved or expected, the earnings, and the career ladder among other things. Other useful websites include , , and .

(A career in the military should not be ignored, though this is another topic best left for another day. Perhaps surprisingly, Forbes lists the three service academies among the top 30 on its 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Top Colleges List.鈥�)

Don鈥檛 forget to use your library鈥檚 resources. Some helpful sources include the Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance (R331.7 ENC); The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (R371.42); and Career Discovery Encyclopedia (R331.7 CAR). There are also many books on specific careers or career fields. For instance, there are books about nursing and books on careers in health care.

Of course, job shadowing provides some of the most realistic evidence of what a job is really like. This is as close as you can come to actually practicing the occupation. It can also dispel common misconceptions formed through such sources as television. For example, many children are surprised that the career of a forensic scientist is nothing like that seen on the CSI programs. Many companies now have formal job shadowing programs. Be sure to check their websites. But don鈥檛 be afraid to just call a business informally, as most companies will be happy to allow someone to job shadow. Contacting the human resource department is often a great place to start as is using relatives and acquaintances to network. Prepare for the experience by researching the occupation as outlined above and preparing a list of questions to ask. Don鈥檛 forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.

As the ancient Delphic maxim states, 鈥淜now thyself.鈥� Once a child matures and can accurately identify and understand his or her personality, interests, skills and values, self-assessment becomes a critical part of the career exploration process.

Personality tests help students to understand themselves. One of the most common, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), divides people into four dichotomies: Extroversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. These results are then used to place people into 16 personality types, e.g., INTP or ESFJ. Personality types can be matched with occupations that fit them. While the actual MBTI requires a certified professional to both administer and interpret (See for more information), a similar Jungian personality test may be taken for free at .

Interest inventories like the Strong Interest Inventory can provide additional information about self. Social scientists have found that interests in activities related to the world of work can be divided into six categories: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Combinations of these interests can be matched with various careers. For example, scientists tend to have strong interests in the areas of Realistic and Investigative while architects tend to be interested in the areas Artistic, Investigative and Realistic.

Of course, it is not enough to just be interested in a career; you must also have the necessary skills and abilities. The U.S. Department of Labor to identify a child鈥檚 skills that it then matches with careers that require that skill set. You can also start by identifying an occupation and then take a shorter assessment focusing only on the skills required by that occupation.

One final area, which is often ignored in the career exploration process, is work values. Satisfaction with one鈥檚 job is not just that it suits one鈥檚 personality and that he or she is good at it, but that it is similar to one鈥檚 values. For example, how important is it that the job provides recognition in the form of promotions or praise or that the job contributes to the betterment of society. Ultimately, this area might be the most crucial one leading to a long and satisfying career.

Picking the wrong career can lead to lifelong dissatisfaction, even burn-out, and waste the potential of the gifted child. To conclude with another cliche, 鈥渒nowledge is power,鈥� the power to avoid just such a situation.

Do you know a gifted high school student interested in learning more about a potential career field through hands-on experience? Check out !

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Here鈥檚 to the teachers who encourage their students to think outside the box. To the teachers who make learning fun. To the teachers who care about more than a test score. To the teachers who apply classroom concepts to the outside world. To the teachers who allow students to pursue their passions, even if they lie outside the curriculum. To the teachers who challenge every student in their class every day. To the teachers who engage. To the teachers who see beyond the disruption to root out the true cause. To the teachers who recognize a student鈥檚 gifts. To the teachers who recognize that giving a student more work is not the solution. To the teachers who understand that there are some students who just learn differently. To the teachers who recognize that there is more to the gifted student than intellect. To the teachers who inspire.

Many different voices have contributed to this blog over the last two years. And, in looking back on what has been written, it is evident that teachers play an enormous role in the life of a gifted child. This Teacher Appreciation Day, we encourage you to look at these past posts by several different writers that talk about teaching gifted youth and about the difference that teachers can make in a gifted child鈥檚 life.

Lisa鈥檚 son went from a daydreaming fifth grader to the top of his high school class, and the more she explored the cause, the more she realized it had to do with his educational environment and the teachers who created it.

Dr. Delisle has been teaching and working with gifted kids for 36 years. Learn why he keeps coming back for more.

Louise Hindle has more than 20 years of experience in education and now serves as 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy Program Coordinator, shaping the supplemental educational experiences 优蜜视频 provides gifted Kindergarten-8th graders. Here she reflects on what our gifted children need academically.

优蜜视频 Program Coordinator Min-Ling Li was so greatly influenced by teachers who encouraged her love for learning that she became a teacher herself to encourage and spark the same love for learning in others.

Thank you to all of the teachers who make a difference each and every day.

Has a teacher made a difference in your child’s life? Please share in the comment section below!