This coming week, July 14-20, our nation will celebrate National Parenting Gifted Children Week to bring broader awareness to the joys – and challenges – involved in raising a gifted child.
Parents of these children along with teachers, counselors and researchers know the joy is not without its share of struggles, which can include: finding an appropriate educational fit, lack of challenge in school, intensities/sensitivities, extreme concerns about justice and fairness, perfectionism, difficulty finding true peers, isolation, being teased for being different, unrealistic expectations of themselves and others, and underachievement.
Our education system as a whole – from Washington, D.C. to the state capitals to the school district level – by and large fails to provide an adequate investment in gifted education services. Gifted resources are often the first to be placed on the chopping block during budget battles, thanks to an untrue and counterproductive notion that “gifted children will do fine on their own.”
A national report released this year shows that while the nation’s lowest performing students have made academic progress under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the brightest students often appear to be left to fend for themselves. Because of the mission of NCLB, schools and teachers feel the need to shift their time and resources toward educational strategies aimed more at bringing the lower performing students up , which tends to neglect the achievement potential of the higher performing students. If we are going to compete internationally in a global economy we need to prepare students for jobs and technologies that don’t even exist yet. NCLB, while good in theory, has become a stumbling block for the students who show the most potential. We need to diligently encourage, educate, and inspire the highly capable kids in our nation’s schools, as well as accommodate those who are struggling.
Because of the nature of giftedness, highly capable kids not only have unique learning needs, they also have unique social and emotional differences that require appropriate support and understanding. The most important resource is a qualified teacher specifically trained to work with advanced learners, yet a recent survey found that nearly two-thirds of all teachers have little to no formal training in gifted education, and nearly 60 percent have had no professional development in this area. This training becomes even more valuable with twice exceptional students, those who are gifted and also have a learning disability.
Ultimately, the gifted children who lose out the most are those from underserved and disadvantaged backgrounds. While more affluent families can supplement what little resources are provided, students whose families lack the means are dependent exclusively on what the system provides. For many throughout the country, this means that gifted and talented children will go unidentified and unserved.
What are some recent celebrations in Colorado?In 2007 a new law was signed by Governor Ritter that tightens rules regarding gifted and talented programs in school districts across our state. If districts in Colorado were not doing it already, they now are required to identify and provide support services for gifted children, as detailed by the Colorado State Board of Education. This is a huge step forward in raising the awareness and interest for appropriate gifted education services for all schools in our state. Since Boulder Valley schools were already identifying and providing services to gifted and talented students, no additional steps are needed to meet these new state requirements.
In 2008, another new bill was passed that acknowledges the unique needs of gifted and talented children. The intent of this bill is to meet the specific needs of highly gifted 4 and 5 year olds, who are ready and wanting to start school. It provides funding for districts to permit early access for certain students to enter kindergarten or first grade if they qualify through a stringent screening process.
What can parents do? Boulder Valley schools work very hard to identify and serve all gifted students. However, limited funds constrain the amount of services and student attention that can be provided. This is a problem that affects school districts across the nation. Parents can become more informed by reading books on parenting gifted children, attending local and state conferences on giftedness, and helping to support the efforts that are being made at their schools. Effective parenting practices combined with engaging enrichment activities can provide a positive climate in which children can grow and learn. Joining an organization that enhances the awareness and advocacy of gifted children and fosters effective parenting practices can be hugely affirming for parents.
How are we trying to make a difference locally? Boulder Valley Gifted and Talented (BVGT), an affiliate of the Colorado Association of Gifted and Talented, is a group of parents and educators who have joined together to advocate for the gifted andtalented youth in both public and private schools in the Boulder Valley area. BVGT provides resources and support for parenting and educating gifted children by inviting experts to speak about issues that affect the gifted population, providing newsletters with current legislative and local event information, and offering information on our web site at www.BVGT.org.
Boulder Valley School District and local private schools offer Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) workshops for parents of gifted and talented students. SENG groups provide parents with an opportunity to share the joys and challenges of parenting gifted students in a supportive environment. More information on joining a SENG group can be found on the BVGT website.
We celebrate National Parenting Gifted Children Week by urging our policymakers at all levels to continue to increase the investment in and attention to gifted and talented children. We encourage those in our community to support candidates who make educational opportunities for growth available to all children. Every child deserves the right to an appropriate and meaningful education.
Sincerely,
Terry Bradley, President, Boulder Valley Gifted and Talented
Michelle Eckstein, Secretary, Boulder Valley Gifted and Talented
Also published as a letter to the editor in the Boulder Daily Camera.
