RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Matthews, Dona J. PH.D., & Foster, Joanne Ed.D. Being Smart about Gifted Children: A Guidebook for Parents and Educators. Great Potential Press, Inc. Arizona, 2005.
"Written for parents and educators-especially those who live and work with gifted/high-ability children-the authors describe ways to develop children's natural abilities.
Introducing the "mystery" and "mastery" models of gifted education, they invite controversy by challenging several commonly held assumptions. They then present practical strategies to help parents and educators identify and nurture the abilities of children with high potential.
This book answers the charges that special programs for gifted children are elitist. The authors demonstrate that it is simply appropriate to provide educational experiences that each child needs at a particular time."
Castello,
Jaime A. and Eva Diaz. Reaching New
Horizons: Gifted and Talented Education
for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Students. Allyn and Bacon. Boston,
2002
(Reaching New Horizons is the first book of its kind. Written by nationally recognized and award-winning leaders in both gifted and bilingual education, the authors have collaborated to create a text that bridges research and practice and has far-reaching implications for educators at all levels as culturally and linguistically diverse students continue to impact public education. The text includes chapters on program delivery models (Ch. 6), bilingualism (Ch. 3), and identification and assessment (Ch. 5)--all topics that have come into the forefront of issues faced by bilingual and gifted education teachers of grades K-12.)
Dodge,
J. The Study Skills Handbook: More Than
75 Strategies for Better Learning (grades
4-8). Scholastic. New York, 1994
(Give your students the strategies they need to be more effective and organized learners. Includes dozens of classroom-tested tips to help kids of all learning styles get more out of independent study, reading and writing assignments, and homework.)
Galbraith,
Judy. You Know Your Child Is Gifted
When...A Beginner's Guide to Life on the
Bright Side. Free Spirit Publishing
Inc. Minneapolis, 2000
("Got a Young Harry Potter? Every child does and says things that are surprising to parents and teachers. But some kids are clearly bright. They demonstrate an understanding for concepts beyond their years. They're nimble with numbers or are whizzes at putting things together (as well as taking them apart). Welcome to life with a gifted child. Five percent of today's kids are gifted. Think of them as young Harry Potters: smart, curious, imaginative, and ready to be challenged. Author Judy Galbraith, a leader in gifted education, has gathered the wisdom of educators, researchers, parents, and kids in this easy-to-use "beginner's guide to life on the bright side." Full of useful information, from jargon-free explanations of current concepts and theories, to hands-on tips for coping with school, teachers, and testing, this is the perfect book for parents who suspect their child is gifted and who want to help their gifted child shine!" A reader reviewer on Amazon disliked it because it only talks about kids identified as gifted in preschool or earlier. It is probably good to help with early identification.)
Galbraith,
Judy and Jim Delisle. The Gifted Kids'
Survival Guide. A Teen Handbook. Free
Spirit Publishing Inc. Minneapolis, 1996
("Written with help from hundreds of gifted teenagers, The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide is the ultimate guide to surviving and thriving in a world that doesn't always value, support, or understand high ability. Full of surprising facts, step-by-step strategies, and practical how-tos, and inspiring quotations, featuring insightful essays contributed by gifted young people and adults, The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide gives the gifted young reader the tools needed to understand their giftedness, accept it as an asset, and use it to make the most of who and what they are. Of special value is the section on dealing with a troubled gifted youngster contemplating suicide, how to be "net smart" and have safe, fun online relations, and how to handle teen angst." (from Midwest Book Review) I have used the book for children ages 10 and under by the same authors and I think it is incredibly good. I imagine this would be just as useful.)
Halsted,
Judith W. Some of My Best Friends are
Books. Guiding Gifted Readers from Pre-School
to High School. Second Edition. Ohio
Psychology Press. Ohio, 2002
(Need a good reading list for bright students? Finding a good reading list for bright students is not easy, but this second edition details nearly 300 titles and materials to support gifted children. Indices by grade level, author, title, and theme make finding appropriate titles easy, and discussion topics are provided for most titles. In addition, Halstead describes how to use the books to support emotional and intellectual development.)
Kerr,
Barbara A. Smart Girls. A New Psychology
of Girls, Women, and Giftedness. Gifted
Psychology Press. Arizona, 1994
(Why do talented, gifted girls so often fail to realize their potential as they reach adolescence and adulthood? This outstanding book explores this question and offers practical advice to parents, teachers, and policy-makers about ways to help gifted girls continue to grow and succeed. Dr. Kerr also presents current research on gifted girls; summarizes biographies about eminent women, their lives, and achievements; and examines the current educational and family environment. A very insightful and helpful book for both bright women and those involved with bright young girls.)
Treffinger,
D. J., Young, G. C., Nassab, C. A., & Wittig,
C. V. (2004). Enhancing and expanding
gifted programs: The levels of service
approach. Waco, TX: Prufrock
Press.
(This excellent guidebook offers an innovative, field-tested approach to programming for gifted children. The "Levels of Service" approach to programming is a research-supported, common-sense technique to gifted education program development. The authors, leaders in the field for more than two decades, offer a straightforward method of organizing student experiences. This how-to manual for building an effective gifted program offers a four-level approach to gifted education services. Each level is thoroughly discussed, specific services are suggested, real-world examples are provided, and additional areas of development are discussed. Also, this book provides strategies for planning, implementation, and evaluation.)
Walker,
Sally Y. The Survival Guide for Parents
of Gifted Kids. How to Understand, Live
With, and Stick Up for Your Gifted Child. Free
Spirit Publishing. Minneapolis, 1991
(What does it mean to be "gifted"? What's good--and not so good--about being identified as gifted? How can parents make sure that their gifted children get the learning opportunities they need? And how can parents cope with the unique challenges gifted kids present? Every parent of a gifted child has question like these. Since 1991, when we published the original edition of this guide, parents have looked here for answers. Now revised and updated with information about current research and legislation, new examples, new resources (including Web sites), and more, it's the first place to turn for facts, insights, strategies, and sound advice. You'll learn what giftedness is (and isn't), what makes gifted kids so special, how kids are identified as gifted, and why some kids fall through the cracks during the identification process. You'll discover encouraging practical tips for living with your gifted child--and handling the endless questions, high energy, and too-smart mouth that often go along with giftedness. You'll find out how to keep from raising a "nerd," how to prevent perfectionism, and when to get help. And you'll learn how to advocate for your child's education at school and in your state. Friendly, inviting, and fun to read, THE SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR PARENTS OF GIFTED KIDS is for any parent who has ever wondered.)
Webb
, James T., Gore, Janet L., Karnes,
Frances A., & McDaniel, Stephen
Grandparents'
Guide to Gifted Children. Great
Potential Press, Inc. Arizona,
2004.
(Winner of Glyph Award from the Arizona Book Publishers' Association in "Best Book in Parenting" category. Grandparents, with their greater life experience, will often realize—even before the parents—that a child is gifted, and that the child will need additional emotional and intellectual sustenance. Grandparents’ Guide to Gifted Children includes: early signs of giftedness, special needs of gifted children, areas of concern, unique roles of grandparents, building a bond with a grandchild, maximizing grand parenting, education plans, when a grandparent is the parent, and leaving a personal legacy.)
Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development. Educating
Everybody's Children: Diverse Teaching Strategies
for Diverse Learners. ASCD. Alexandria,
VA, 1995
(A comprehensive book with nearly 90 proven instructional strategies for all students, especially those who are at risk of academic failure. Features specific teacher-tested methods for increasing achievement in reading, writing, mathematics, and oral communication. Explore several ways to involve students actively in lessons; use thematic, interdisciplinary curriculums; and accommodate students' individual learning styles. Included are nearly 20 teaching strategies to support high-levels of learning for culturally, ethnically, and linquistically diverse students.)
A
Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold
Back America’s
Brightest Students
Nicholas
Colangelo, Susan G. Assouline, Miraca
U. M. Gross
(America's
schools routinely avoid academic acceleration,
the easiest and most effective way
to help highly capable students. While
the popular perception is that a child
who skips a grade will be socially
stunted, fifty years of research shows
that moving bright students ahead often
makes them happy.
For the first
time, this compelling research is available
to the public in a bold new initiative
to get these findings into the hands
of parents, teachers, and principals.
The report is available at no cost
to schools, the media, and parents
requesting copies.
The cost of
the report, both online and print,
has been covered by the John Templeton
Foundation. A Nation Deceived hopes
to change the conversation about educating
bright children in America.)
The following
website has been established to encourage
dialogue across the nation; you may
download the report or give your opinion
at http://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank
Ellis,
D. Becoming A Master Student (10th
ed.) Houghton Mifflin. New York, 2002
(A complete resource for the first-year student faced with the challenges and changes that come with entering college. Ellis not only gives students a goal-setting foundation but also helps them refine their reading, test-taking, note-taking, and writing skills--critical abilities for competing in academia.)
Galbraith,
Judy. The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide.
Ages 10 and Under. Free Spirit Publishing
Inc. Minneapolis, 1999
("First published in 1984, newly revised and updated, this book has helped countless young gifted children realize they're not alone and being smart, talented and creative is a bonus--not a burden. It answers their questions about why they think and learn the way they do, and what "giftedness" and IQ really mean, and how to handle high expectations." (book Synopsis) "Examines the problems of gifted and talented students and explains how they can make the best use of their educational opportunities, get along better with parents and friends, and better understand themselves." (Card catalog description) This book helps gifted children learn to understand and accept themselves. I highly recommend it!)
Learning
Outside the Lines by Jonathon Mooney
and David Cole
Through personal stories and anecdotes, authors Jonathon Mooney and David Cole share their own journeys of how modifications and strategies helped them build on their strengths and overcome their learning challenges.
The
Social and Emotional Development of Gifted
Children. What Do We Know? National
Association for Gifted Children. Edited
by Maureen Neihart, Sally M. Reis, Nancy
M. Robinson, and Sidney M. Moon. Washington,
D.C., 2002
(The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know? offers an examination of the essential topics teachers, parents, and researchers need to know about the social and emotional development of gifted children. Instigated by a task force convened by the National Association for Gifted Children and written by leading scholars in the field of gifted education, the book includes chapters on peer pressure and social acceptance, resilience, delinquency, and underachievement. The book also summarizes several decades worth of research on special populations, including minority, learning-disabled, and gay and lesbian gifted students. Concise, comprehensive, meticulously researched, and wide-ranging in its coverage, The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know? is essential reading for those who wish to enable gifted students to develop their strengths and to position them to make the contributions of which they are capable.)
Kerr,
Barbara A. Smart Boys. Talented, Manhood, & the
Search for Meaning. Gifted Potential
Press. Arizona, 2001
(This practical and provocative book explores the phenomenon of youthful male giftedness. Both professors of psychology in education at Arizona State University, Cohn and Kerr (Smart Girls: A New Psychology of Girls, Women, and Giftedness) combine original research based on a follow-up study of an accelerated-learning class from St. Louis, MO, in 1969 with a literature review of previous studies to ground their conclusions about giftedness and masculinity. Discussions cover life-cycle issues and the impact of giftedness on the academic and social adjustment of such boys, including problems of underachievement and antisocial personality characteristics. In addition to analyzing gifted minority youth, the book offers inspiring suggestions for guiding and parenting gifted boys. Conveying a clear sense of the loss of potential demonstrated by the starkly conventional lives of the St. Louis children as adults, the authors tackle deficiencies in the educational system and broader societal issues that inhibit talented boys. Accessibly and clearly written, this wide-ranging book should enrich the understanding of parents, teachers, and mentors. Its gender specificity also allows for concrete analyses and specific suggestions.)
Strip,
Carol A. Helping Gifted Children Soar.
A Practical Guide for Parents and Teachers. Great
Potential Press, Inc. Arizona, 2000
(This user-friendly guidebook educates parents and teachers about important gifted issues such as working together, evalutaing classroom programs, forming parent support groups, choosing appropriate curriculum, meeting social and emotional needs, surviving the ups and downs, and much more! The information and useful advice provided make this book an ideal resource both for those just starting out in the gifted field as well as those who are seasoned veterans. Features Include: Gifted minority and gifted disabled issues; Strategies for parenting and teaching gifted children; Social and emotional concerns specific to gifted children; A question and answer section for further understanding; An in-depth reference appendix for additional support.)
Strip,
Carol A. Ayudando
A Ninos Dotados A Volar Gifted
Psychology Press, Inc. Arizona, 2001
(Cuando ud. se entera de que un niño es dotado, ¿qué debe hacer? Este guía sencillo educa a padres y maestros acerca de importantes cuestiones con respeto al niño dotado, como trabajando con las escuelas, evaluando programas de la clase, escogiendo apropiados programas de estudio, satisfaciendo necesidades emocionales y sociales, sobreviviendo los altibajos, y mucho más! La información y útiles consejos proveídos sirven como un recurso ideal para los que estan empezando en la profesión de la educación del dotado tal como veteranos experimentados. Componentes Principales: Puntos acerca de minorías dotadas e incapacitados se incluyen; Se ofrecen estrategias para la crianza y la enseñanza de niños dotados; Preocupaciones sociales y emocionales de niños dotados se investigan; Se agrega una sección de preguntas y respustas para más entendimiento. Para investigación y soporte adicional se suministra un apéndice a fondo.)
Webb,
James T., Elizabeth Meckstroth and Stephanie
Tolan. Guiding the Gifted Child. A
Practical Source for Parents and Teachers. Gifted
Psychology Press, Inc. Arizona, 1994
(Gifted children have unique social and emotional concerns. Their characteristics, combined with current educational practices, often put them at risk for problems. This award-winning book contains chapters on motivation, discipline, peer relationships, sibling relationships, stress management, depression, and many other issues that parents and teachers encounter daily with these children. It has been called "The Dr. Spock book for parents of gifted children.")
* Parent Information Nights
October 2008
* Gifted Students With Learning Challenges (Twice Exceptional)
FCPS - International Baccalaureate Program. Check the updated website (October 2008).