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Updated August 17, 2007 |
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Curriculum Corner by Robyne D. Batson |
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THE GIFTED By Brandi Parsell My gifted child also has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Since she is entering adolescence, she also wants to learn about and understand social interactions and relationships. Therefore she too is constantly asking the simple, innocent and sometimes annoying question....”Why?” Brandi Parsell says, “Often parents believe that when their child reaches school age, he or she will at last find satisfaction for that curiosity. Talented students, though, may become bored with the traditional school curriculum. When such a student is not challenged to exceed our expectations, this frustration often takes the form of careless errors and lack of effort....It is important that bright students are encouraged to go beyond what is merely “expected” of them.” This unfavorable response to school work may be seen in these gifted children. They may express some boredom with school and display careless errors or omissions in paper work. I believe that it is up to us, parents and professionals, to continually challenge these student’s minds and aid them in increasing their knowledge. Burt Kaufman, Director of the Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science says, “Talented students owe it to themselves to stretch their minds as far as they can.” While continuing to help students to learn all they can and helping them to become all that they can be......I believe that we must determine the subjects that interest them, the areas that they show an ability to excel and the activities or subjects that give them pleasure. Search for every opportunity to expose them to these experiences. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6 The Holy Bible)
“Parents are a child’s first teachers, and the best teachers don’t give away the answers. Turn your child into a detective, and yourself in their greatest source for clues.” (Brandi Parsell bparsell@imacs.org) |
