Parenting Smart Kids: Finding Schools For Gifted Children And More

All parents want to believe their kids are brilliant. Whether children walk early or start to read before ever attending a day of school, parenting smart children can be a challenge. Parents need to spend a little extra time each day making sure their young learners are getting the attention and care that they need to grow academically. One of the best ways to do this is to find schools for the gifted, but that's not the only way to make sure they are getting the academic stimulus they need.

Providing Support

Supporting smart or exceptionally talented students should be a family affair. If your child is skilled in something like math, don't just rely on your local school to help cultivate this talent. What they really need is parent involvement. If your school isn't able to offer advanced placement classes, look into some classes that will take place after school or on weekends. If you're not sure where to look, ask your child's guidance counselor or teacher for suggestions on how to find these programs. Many colleges offer programs for students from advanced orchestras and choirs to academic bowls and other types of academic contests -- the key is just finding out about them.

Support isn't limited to students, though. Parents who have extremely bright kids might find themselves in need of support. Look for a parenting group that focuses on getting exceptional kids and adults together for support meetings and social situations. Other parents are likely facing the same challenges and might be able to help you with situations when you're not sure how to proceed.

Finding Schools For Gifted Children

Another option is finding schools for the gifted. These special gifted schools tailor their programs especially toward kids that are exceptionally blessed academically, musically or in other ways. At these institutes, many programs can be tailored according to a child's talents. Schools for gifted children know that academic achievement isn't one size fits all. Some children might have an exceptional aptitude for literature, while others could need to be challenged in math. Gifted schools are typically smaller academic institutions, which means the teachers there will be able to closely monitor your child's success and provide one on one attention in every subject.

Discipline Is Still Important

Many parents are uncomfortable with disciplining their exceptional students. However, just because a child is special, that doesn't mean she's an adult in a child's body. It's still important for parents to teach their kids how to behave and to not assume that just because they're highly intelligent that they automatically know how to behave in every situation. Parents don't need to be strict disciplinarians, but they do need to let their children know that parents make the rules.

Parenting bright kids isn't as easy as most people think. There are special challenges that come along with raising a special child. Finding schools for gifted children is only one way you can help nurture your child's achievements. The most important thing is that you are an engaged parent who cares about your child's well-being.

The Chicago Area Independent Gifted School Network is a network of gifted schools in Chicago. Interested parents can receive information on schools for gifted children in one easy to navigate site. To learn more about these schools for the gifted, visit their website.

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What Should You Expect From Schools For Gifted Kids?

Public educational institutions are working with fewer resources than ever before. Important programs such as ones for extremely smart kids are being shoved aside as educational institutions are working furiously to keep test scores up. If your child is exceptionally bright, she might flourish with a program that's designed especially for her. Special gifted schools should be able to tailor programs especially for bright kids, but what else should you expect from them?

Schools For Gifted Kids Should Employ Excellent, Licensed Teachers

It's a given that schools for gifted kids need to have excellent teachers. A teacher needs to be able to get creative and plan lessons that will keep kids engaged and eager about learning. They also need to be able to tailor lessons for students who are able to grasp the material quickly and easily. Contrary to what many people might believe, smart students don't need more homework -- they need different homework. Before searching for gifted schools, ask the teachers what kind of assignments will be given out if a student masters the material before the others. The assignments should be creative and engaging, no matter what the subject.

Also ask whether the school requires teaching licenses for each of its teachers. Although it might seem like a ridiculous question, some smaller private institutes may not be accredited, which means the teachers don't need to be licensed. An unaccredited institute isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it could mean your student has a more difficult time when it's time to apply to colleges and for scholarships. To save yourself that hassle, make sure the school is accredited with licensed teachers.

Gifted Schools Should Offer Unique Academic Experiences

Schools for gifted kids should offer more than just standard academic experiences such as classes in math, English, history and more. Instead of reading about the Civil War, some teachers in gifted schools might have students direct their own movie, or write an essay from the viewpoint of someone who lived in that time. Civics teachers could have their students monitor the passage of a local bill or even have them write one of their own to solve a common problem in the community. Before selecting a school, ask what kind of projects students will be working on during the year.

Education Shouldn't Be One Size Fits All

Students who are exceptional in math might not have the same experience in language arts. If this is the case, make sure any school you choose has multiple levels of classes for students with differing abilities in different subjects. However, students should never be made to feel like they're less intelligent than anyone else just because they're in a class with a lower difficulty level. A school should celebrate kids of all abilities -- in all subjects.

Finding the right place for your exceptional children shouldn't be terribly difficult, but it might take time to ensure that you're placing them in the right educational environment. Make sure to interview the school's principal or headmaster and take an extensive tour of the school and its grounds. Above all, follow your heart. If it's telling you that a school is the right spot for your child, it likely is.

The Chicago Area Independent Gifted School Network is a network of gifted schools in Illinois. Interested parents can receive information about Chicago gifted schools in one easy to navigate site. To learn more about these schools for gifted kids, visit their website.

View the original article here