What To Do When Your GT Kid's Out of School
Photo from: www.jrimagination.com
So, you know your gifted child is getting the support he needs at school -- but how do you support his learning at home? Enrichment activities can be as simple as reading together, story-telling or visiting a local museum, or as complex as a summer program for gifted students.
At Home
Follow your child's lead! "Parents can help their children discover their personal interests, expose their children to their own interests, and encourage their children to learn about a wide variety of subjects such as art, nature, music, museums, and sports" (Silverman, 1992). If your child is attracted to a certain subject -- be it frogs, rainbows or heart surgery -- explore it with him. If you don't have access to the Internet at home, take him to the public library. Author Linda Silverman offers more ideas here for How Parents Can Support Gifted Children.
Elaborate
Parent and teacher Rachael Ayers suggests encouraging your gifted child's imagination and critical thinking through elaboration. If your daughter is telling you a story, ask questions -- what is her invisible friend's name? How did she get that name? What does she look like? Don't just have your son tell a story; "have them create a world" (personal communication, June 14, 2013).
"Field Trips"
Visits to local museums or attending a play or symphony can be exciting activities the whole family may enjoy. Some local museums may even offer free admission on certain days or at certain times. Here in San Antonio, the Witte Museum has free admission on Tuesdays from 3-8 p.m., the McNay Art Museum has free admission on Thursdays from 4-9 p.m., and the San Antonio Museum of Art has free admission from 4-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Sundays. Other low-cost options include virtual field trips.
Other Programs
Many universities and colleges offer summer programs for gifted students. Check with your local college, or the National Association for Gifted Children put together this list of gifted summer programs.
At Home
Follow your child's lead! "Parents can help their children discover their personal interests, expose their children to their own interests, and encourage their children to learn about a wide variety of subjects such as art, nature, music, museums, and sports" (Silverman, 1992). If your child is attracted to a certain subject -- be it frogs, rainbows or heart surgery -- explore it with him. If you don't have access to the Internet at home, take him to the public library. Author Linda Silverman offers more ideas here for How Parents Can Support Gifted Children.
Elaborate
Parent and teacher Rachael Ayers suggests encouraging your gifted child's imagination and critical thinking through elaboration. If your daughter is telling you a story, ask questions -- what is her invisible friend's name? How did she get that name? What does she look like? Don't just have your son tell a story; "have them create a world" (personal communication, June 14, 2013).
"Field Trips"
Visits to local museums or attending a play or symphony can be exciting activities the whole family may enjoy. Some local museums may even offer free admission on certain days or at certain times. Here in San Antonio, the Witte Museum has free admission on Tuesdays from 3-8 p.m., the McNay Art Museum has free admission on Thursdays from 4-9 p.m., and the San Antonio Museum of Art has free admission from 4-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Sundays. Other low-cost options include virtual field trips.
Other Programs
Many universities and colleges offer summer programs for gifted students. Check with your local college, or the National Association for Gifted Children put together this list of gifted summer programs.