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0000NENT RESONN.

ED 172 501

,,.

i.EC 114. 907

4A.0 T lib R.Kaufsaan, Felice ,

Tt Ti4 Your Gifted Child and You. Revised Edition.

INSTITUTION .Council*/ for Exceptional Children; -Reston, Va.

inforsation. Services and Publications.

S.P9NS AGENCY Diational'qnst. of EdUcation (DfiEW) , Washington,

D.C.

PUB. DATE 76.

morE 56p.; A Product of the ERIC Clearinghvuse on

13a.r.dicappeld and Gifted Children; This abstract

sdpersedei ED 133 933 a.n 1 EC 092 719

AVAILABLE FROM The Council for Exceptional Children, Publication

... 1Sales Unit, 1920 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia

?.22091 (Publication No. 143, $4.25)

ZORS PRICE ..M.F01/PC03 Plus Postage

DESCRIPTORS Creative: Development; Gifted; *Parent AssociationS;

Parent Rols; *Resource Guides; *Stud.ent

Charecterisatics; *Talented Stu-dents; *Talent

,Identification '.

IDENTIFIERS .*Parent Resources

AB3TRACT ...)

.Intended for parents and 'tted-Ehe.rs" of gifted) and

*alented children, the book discugses identification -criteria -and

(-ducat ional .strategies for developing_ their potential. Case studies

,of gifted and talented children are cited. and a checklist of common

charactetistics is provided. Suggestions are given for fostering

creativity In' th:e home; end special problss .of the gifted ate

explained to include untherachievement, cultural differences, and

laeart.ing difficulties., Answers are. 'Ores.ented to .pa.re.nts, questions

about raising A gifted child and guidelines .art given for developing

:a Taar44t,- org-tnization. _Aard,ng appendixes. ate a bibliography, resource.

liFrtinga, and directory of° statr., parent ibrganiza.tions for the g'kfed.

(CL) c

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flea tIONAL INSTITUTE OP

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.4/

AND YOU

RE VISED ,EDITION ,

Felice Kaufmann

he,Coun,cil for Exceptional Children

e2.4

a q

Publish atrIM by

The Council I% Exceptional Children

. .

1920 Association

Reston, Virginia 2204''n0

A product of the Er ,Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 76-21990 7

Th nal in this POlication was prepared pursuant to a contract with the National

Ins tute of Education, US Depaft.ment of Healtb. Education and Welfare, and a gient

fro the OtVe of Gifted and Talented, Bureau, of Education for the Handicapped,

US Tice of Edueation. Contractor undertaking such projects under government

sponso ip are encouraged to. ex ess freely their judgmeht in professional and

technical matters. Prior to publicat p, the manuscript was submitted to The Coundil

for Exceptioaat Children for cri al review. and determination of professional com-

'petence. This publication ha 'et lucli standards. Point,d, of view' r opinions,

however, do not necessarily represnt the official vie or opinions Of either The

Councit for Exceptional Children, the Natibnal tristitute f Education, or the US ,

Office of Education.

Felice.Kaufmann is .curren/ly Working on her d rge at

the .University of, Georgia, !Athens. ,9.he has served as i.teadher of

gifted children, a Consultant typarent groups; an as an intern in

the VSOE'.Office of- Gifted and Talented.

author wishes to thank Dr. E. Paul T trance and. Dr..'

Catherine Bruch for their assist Ce ,preparing this Manuscript.

I-

Contents

0.1,

9. o

-Lac; youlknow a gifted child?

How can parentsttell?

Cre4tivity in the tiome

Special problems of the gifted

Parents view their childiep

Parent power

Happy ern

27 41.

Appendix A: Additional readings of special interest to parents 47

_L_

Appendi B: Parent involved organizations fOr the gifted

.4-7

>e.

Bo you know a gifted child?

Dear Folks,

Jtistt a quick note to tell you that we are all fine and thinking of .

you during the holiday season.r

Since you asked about Danny, -I have tO report ab t his terrific,

,.year in school he amazes even me sometimes! is teacher has

told us that she t nks *nay be a gifted child! I ave to admit

his school' work h been .nothing short of tensati nal. Not only

does he get all his homework done (with A's in all s 'ects), but

he has also been doing some really creative projects with his

after school club. I just wish that Mt talents could be applied.to

'cleaning his room! His teacher suggested that we think about

giving him extra challenges,at home because he finishes I his

work so fast, but I'm really not ore what to do. I wish there WVre

some kind of special prOgram forhim in our school system

there must be other kids like him who need special opportunities.

week I'm going to talk to the principal to get her advice

but urftil we- can' get something going, I'm hoping that Sctuts

and his club will do the trick.

That's about it ft4 nor>"We hope that you'll come #sit soon. We

all send our love.

Jape

Why read this book? -.

Everyone has.met a child Whom he would Considef gifted, a child

who really stands out in a crowd. "Ths Old might be the one

who is the best report card,..Writes original' poetry, has.the

leadiriffole in the school play, invents a new, mame, or multiplies

oomplicated problems correctly. As in the case of Danny, this

child would be one Agri parents would immediately spot as

ppecial. They would probably tell friends and relatives a multitude

of anecdotestbo\ut their one in a million "gifted" child.

A gifted child, however, may also be the one who faits spelling

tests, falls asleep in class, doei not turn in homework, is the

playground bully, or sings off key. These are tliMted children

that parents, not perceiving their child's true abilitie wound not

always want to discuss because they areSimply not sure.wbat to

say! That the behaviors of these children do not fit into theukial

image of a gifted child sloes not make them any less gifted. it just

means that their giftedness will be harder for parents td.

recognize without help. It means that the looking will have 4e

*4 deeper and perhaps directed to areas Other than school

achievement..

The purpose of this book is to help parents and teeelers-better

identify andinterpret outstandin§ potential in their childre%,If Is

designed it inform them of various Ways they might help their

child develop. his/her* potential and to present strOgies they

might use to assist the schools in iipviding for this process. The

intent ifipt to deliver to parehts the ultimate fOrMula for raising

a gitteb Mild. Rather'', it is to offer suggestions which may help if

they think they have one. . '440

L.,/ Enter the gifted and talented

In the field of education, the terrrt "gifted and talented" refers to

those childrich who have been identified by professionally

qualified persons aWcapable of outstanding performance. This

definition differs in tylio ways from a parent's eye view 'of gifted

children. First "identified by ppfeasionally qualified persons"

does not 'restrict other people frbm claiming that they have or

know a gifted child. It just means that the child has not been

formally tested, observed, or otherwise designated as such.

Second, "capable Of outstanding performances" implies that even

a child who is not doing well in school might be identified as

gifted if the conditions for achievement were improved.

'From here on, the term "his" will trsed, for the sake of convenience, to refer to

bot% male and female children.

a..

NM all gifted children are gifted in the same way, nor is there

only one 14;in which a 0414 may be gifted. Basically, the many

indicationrOrgifiedness mWibe broken down into six categories:

(a) general intellectual aptitude, (b) ustteCifi-academic aptitude,

(e) creativity, (d) leadership, (e) vis I and -rierforrning arts, and (f)

psychomotor dexterity.

Agifted. child May be especially skilled in one.of these areas or

may demonstrate high ability in a few- or all,of them. Each of the

categories has specific behaviors associated with it. Parents and

teachers will surely recognize children they know in the'following

examples.

Anita

Anita, age 11, is in a special class for gifted children. She kndws a

great deiel about many things, ranging from animal care to literature-

to folk.music to rocketry'.She is curious about almost any new idea

with which she-comes in contact and pursues them bytioingfextra

reading, asking questions, or finding"other resources to support her,

interest.

Arita is vtlick to-perceiye relationships between people, ideas,

and facts and has an equally 'sharp power of reasoning. She puts

her many skills to prattical use, inipating projects, writingpapers,

Dr designing aperitnents. Anita also tends to be selective about

(the iriterests she pursues'in depth,as shown by her year long

study of an underwater city of the future, a science project that

took a great deal of diligent researcil in many subjects other than

science. Anita enjoys discussing topics that mest children her

,,age never thing about intelligence testing 'for minority children,

the long term effects of drugs on the,human body, and

Renaissance music, to name ,a few4,

Allan

Allan, age 11, is also in a special class fskr gifted children. While he is

a generally bright boy, he really excels at and has a passionate

interestinscience. Allan has designed and carried out many `

experiments, some of them dealing in detail with very advaed

subject matter. He has acquired a great nififilther of practicel skills in

the sciences. His intuitive thought is almost always accurate.

ian also has an excellent memory for facts related to his interests.

He is able to apply these facts systematically in many innovative s, .

ways. His view of the world tends to be primarily through' science:

colored glasses, as he is able to relate all 'subjects to somf science

C. 3

topicueven when the relationship is not easily apparent to others.

Allan also can anticipate putcomes and effects in science but is not

overly anxious about wha't these outcomes will be. Even when he

,makes a mistake after a long period of trial and error, he calmly

goes back to his work to find out how he made his mistake, learning

as much frOrn this prpcess as frcirfrfindingthe right answer.

Michael

Michael is 10 years old anq has been identified as a gifted child,

althOugh he is rrol yet in a special program. While he is generally of

above average intelligence' , his true strong.point is hisreativitY.

Fpr any one situation Or problem Michael isablekto come up with

many ideas or sOlutions. He gets.involved in many projects

writing .books of short stories or peetry, composing music, drawing

comic books. He frequently attacks ideas from all angles at once,

even/hough his approaches may be in contrast to each other.

Often, he does not finish all he sets out to do.

Michael is quick to attach his own ideas and interpretation to other

persons' 'work in order to produce something which isnew or more

interesting to him. His ability to work amidst noise and disorder is a

nuisance for his teacher, but his production in that kind of .

atmosphere is good enough to justify the chaos. Especially in hiS

art and music, he pays careful attention to'cletail. Michael is a

spontaneous chit and frequently,reacts to things without thinking

about them. His attention span varies greatly, depending on the

task he is doing, though the,nUmber and originality of ideas he

produces is consistently above average..,

Beverly

Beverlyis 12 ears.ftld and alreagy recognized by her peers and

teachersas a leader in the sche She has been elected to several

offices in clubs and is criairperson of teeschool committees. "Her"

style of Leadershiri is almost adult. She is able td identify both

personal and group goals and knows how to systematically get,

where she wants to go. She brings relevant informagn, sequence,

and, order to':meetngs by 'synthesizing ideas from many group

members. Beverly piiirsues her goals with great 'persistence but

remains sensitive to ttie feelings and needs of others' in the group'.

Her gift for vieing her fangual0 has been a valuable-asset in

speaking to different groups. This ability enablesher to get support

for her ideas from people of all ages. For example, her campaign for

changing the school grading policy won almost\ unanimousIagor

from students and faculty alike because shwas able to explain the

goals, of her proposal in ways that were mitaningfullo every"

audience from the principal on down to the firstorade.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth is 13 years old and has attended a summer camp for

Musically and artistically tafented atirdten for three years. Although

she originally, enrolled in the prOgram on the strength of her

abilities in art, she became involved in the music section after she

presented a multimedia show of photographs based on Beefhoven's

"Pastorale" for her final project. She has shown over the past three

years a tremendous growth in her already acute eye for detail and

subtlety's shown by her cityscape in which even thelindividual

brioks of the buildings had texture. Her ability to comAnicate

unusual visual perspectives is also sharp, as demonstrated by her

painting of a still life in which she showed *overhead view of the

flowers. -

She shows remarkable sensitivity in music and can discriminate .

Inanydiffeeerit sounds and tones. She,enjoyi acid is quiteadept

improvisations on several instruments. Elizabeth prefers creating

her owo compositionS to pPacticing skills. Her persistence and

.absorption are remarkable in any task related to herbriginal work.

Peter

Peterie9 years old and enrolled in-a sp'ecial:class for thegifted.

While his academic abilities are above average, his real strong point

appears to-be in the area of psychomotor performance. This talent

was first recognized in a creative dance session presented in his

class by,a-trained instructor. During this session Peter showed

remarkable dexterity in his movement, excellent improvisational

skills, and the ability to, put abstract ideas like "darkness," "solid,"

and "green" into dance. He becomes intensely animated with the

challenge of creating ways to express emotions with different parts

of his body. He islablts to take a simple movement and work out

elaborate routines; likewise, he can fake complex patterns and

break them down to basic movements.

Peter's motor abilities are also applied tosports, mechanical

design, yoga, woodworking, and exercise. He frequently uses his

motor abilities toexperience something for another area. For a

language arts assignment, for example, he "became" a p6hcil by

_moving around like one so he could better write about it. .

Identifying giftedness

From these and other examples from the Mei of classrooM

teachers around the, country, it is obvious that gifted children

express their special talents in many different ways. Some of

these ways become evident on formal tests and, in -grades; others

are beady seen only in situations where a sensitive observer is

looking for a particular skill..

JSome qualities that generally.describe the gifted-population are

_listed below. All of these characteristics, however, are not

necessarily apparent in every case. Parents might wish to check

this list to find some characteristics that might possibly relate to

their child.

Reads above-grade level.

Has a large vocabulary. .

Has a good memory for things he hears or reads.

FIE4-a long attention span.

Has complex thoughts and ideas.

Learrfs quickly and easily. ,

Is curious &lb asks probing questions,

Is an independent workermith lots of initiative.

Produce,-original or unusual products or ideas.

Shows goodegment and logic.

Is widely inf rmed about many topic emir

Understands relationships and co reffends tunings.

It is important to note that while thi and other checklists can be

applied 4o a wide variety of individuals, they are incompleteuch

lists of traits should not be used as the only meals of identifying

giftedness in children. Not only do other factors enter Into each

case, but also the signs may become apparent in many. unique

ways. It is almost impossible to predict how giftedness will show

up in every child. This is why parents rnmst stay open to all

kinds of behaviort. In other words, *hat may appear to be an

endless round of question asking might really be the beginning of

a major breakthrough in scientific research!

For better underitanding of how gifted children are identified by-

tests and formal identification procedures, parents might

familiarize themselves with appropriate references cited in

Appendix A. There are, however, other ways in which parents can

and should become involved in recognizing their child's potential.

Knoifirig hovi special abilities are displayed in a non- school

environment is one gdod means of doing this; observing the child in

school is another. Both types of evidence are.needed if the abilities

of gifted children are to be fostered to their upper limits. The A

information and suggestions that follow include specific ideas for

parentsfo think about in mating for themselves a meaningful roler

in that develophtental pr s.

iHow can parents tell?

In school districts where the identificatiOn of gifted children is

carried.qut as a ulartprocedur there are generally a

multitude of form ,interviewS,'and r preliminary tasks to be

done before the actual testing and pia ment can be coMpleted.

Somewhere along the l' e, a child's teac r is usually asked to

present evidence of s Odor performance or other information

that could suppo recommendation for inclusion in a special

program. Occasionally, after the child; has been nominated by

someone in the schp.01 system, parents are requested to round,

out the picture by dekribing the child's behavior at home.

Why parents must be aware

It is sometimes frustrating for parents to)laye to give an on-the-

spot account of their child's giftedness, especially if they havec,

previously been una*are of his special abilities. Likewise, it is

difficult for parents who know that their child's behavior is above

average to indicate the signs of piftednessas they appear at

home if the school personnel have not yet noticed them. One

_reason for this difficulty,is that parents, like most people, tend to

think of giftedness mainly as it relates to school and academic

performance. However, this assumption is untrue, as giftedness

shows up in a child's behavior in many ways that have nothing to

don with the -3 R's unless rollertkating, restlessness, and

remembering happen to be indluded in the list! 7-

;,-- The six children who have already been discussed were all

identified by their respective schools as having Above average

:abilities because of their excep nal class performance. TO

obtain a more complete descri 9, however; it is important to

look it them as they might ha been seen by their parents. In

each case, it is obvious that giftedness was not just a 0 a.m. to 3

p.m. effort to be taken out and put away with the school books.

In fact, had the schools not identified these children on the basis-

712

ltheis achievement in schbol, they 'might have been picked up

the reportpffered by their famHies.

10-

-Anita

Anifit is seen by her mother as very bright an un tiring question

qsker and Observant almost to a fault (glVdtPing gets by Anita!" her

mother says). She is sometimes seen as sassy by her fathet because

she knows a lot about many,ihings-and'uses her knowledge easily

ih conversation with adults tCri occasion, to correct them, much

to the embarrassment of tier parentslopita has good common

sense in household matters, anything from figuring out which buys

are the most economical to reasoning which would be the best way

to spend her allowance. Her mother claims that their arguments

overdbores areespecially troublesothe cause Anita almost

always has a logical rewn for what-she s or does riot want to

do.

Allan

Allan's parents have long been aware of his s al abilities in

science ever since he singlehandedly repaired the toaster at age

7. AHanIsks many unusual questions, mostlPrelated to how things

work; and enjoys experimenting with all kinds of things around the

house, His mother says that She has to watch him carefully because

many of his `'What would happen if ..." questions lead to unsafe

explorations. Allan watches a great deal of television and is quick to

perceive the scientific implications of all his favorite shows, even

the cartoons. His concentration and absorption while doing an

experiment are total, much to the dismay of his mother calling hir

to the dinner table. Allan's scout leader reports that he is an

invaluable aifi on camping trips because hsis S good planner and is

almost always accurate in his predictions forsuppilies and activities.

Michael .

Michael's parents first noticed, his creativity when'he was 3 years

old. At that age he would stand for hours in front of a mirror, looking

at himself from all angleS, making as many different faces as hi

could. While very young, he was alalk to think of many unusual uses

for his playthings ("Tinker Toys were never just Tinker Toys!" says

his mother) and was always sensitive to detail ("No! Not that color.

Mommy. That color green!"). His room is usually a mess, but

he claims to like it that way and, in fact, seems stimulated by seeing

all his things out at once. Michael tends not to listen well and says

things without thinking, causing him unknowingly to hurt the

feelings of others. His father says that this does not seem to be out

of 6tairafousnesS, but rather because Michael "hears a different

drummer." Michael's father also reports that he sometimes seems to

be playing a game of one - upmanship because Michael so often

8/3

sr/

interrupts diScussionewithis own ideas, even if his thoughtsido

not appear to be relatedor practical.' .

(

Beverly

Beverly, according to her bitfthers and gisters, has alwiys been a

leader in the neighborhood. She is the one the other children ask to

settle an argument or decide on fair game rules. While still in

kindergart&i. she showed an uncanny ability to participate in adult

conversation and was able to remember and relate ideas from other

conversations she heard. When a city council decision to pave a

vacant lot affected the children's Winfield, Beverly mapped out

strategies kir convincing the council to change its vote. Her mother

worries that her involvement with so many school club' and extra-

curricular activities may'become a problem, but Beverly,

approaches this possibility realistically, saying that she only gets

herseli into things after she has considered all the consequences and

that she will know when she has takerfon too much.

'5,

Elizabeth

Elizabeth has shown outstanding bilities in art ever since she was

first able to hold a crayon. She was able to make fine discrimination

between colors and forms while she was practically in hpr playpen

and.was fascinated by all the-complex patterns she Gould build with

her blocks. Her parents claiM that she is easily distracted and that

the slightest change in a room a sudden noise, a familiar object

out of place, a change in temperature can make her Uneasy. Her

brothers say that she tloes "weird" things in music and art because

she "fools around .a lot" with strange sounding and loaking objects.

Elizabeth detests practicing and performing, preferring to work on

Iher own compositions to rehearsing skills. This worries hik parents,

1who say that they cannot ifiderstand how she can continue for .

hours at a time with her own work andthen say that she hateslo

play thepiano. Elizabeth also may often be fourid imunexpected

places in the haiiise, listening to the radiator to hear all the sounds

-inside or crawling on top of the refrigerator just to "see what the _

kitchen looks like from up here:'

Peter

Peter's parents only recently became more of his unusual abilities

in movement, bUt ikretrospepet mention several instances of out-

standing skill. His mother remembers that ma toddler he was never

able to sit still while.Tusic was on the radio. He also became

_f_ascinated by.machines.and frequently would pretend to be one. At

14 9

family gatherings he is ofte The ife the party bectuse he does

great imitations of all his relatives, occasionally picking up on the

Asubtlest detail of their movement or expression. He can also

perceive others' moods by the way they carfy themselves an

ability which sometimks gets him into-trouldle when he Is feeling

and enjoys twisting his body to fit himself into unexplored space.

mischievous. Around tt*house,Peter Ilk's to hide in tiny places

NHe likes to take small objects apart to see how they work,

sometimes using the same object several times in new

combinations. Peteroften wears himself out by engaginb in too

many sports, but he regains'his energyquickly. Even when he

resting, his father says, he amuses himself by working with

mechanical toys and-byjmagining himself to be all sorts of animals

and machines.

What parents can do

It is understandable that the,, parents of the Anitas, Aliens, Michaels,

Beverlys, Elizabeths, and Peters of the world might allow the

behavior of their children to go by without much attention.

Thinking of one's child as different ocexceptional is not.easy,

especiallywtiqp the signs arehot known. But when it comes right

down to it, parent's are the ones who know their children best, since

they see them in so manydifferent situations and overlong periods

of time and development. Parents would, because of this closeness,

be the first to observe rapid giowth or sudden changes in behavior,

if they knew what to look for. They would understand how their

children react and are reacted to by others long before the school

ever sees them.

It is obvious that tests do not tell everything about chilcI4n and that

there are many other sides to them than, show up in school. One

way that parents can assist the schools is by learning early the cues

that speak of giftedness so ttiey can relate specific information.

abouttheir child's growth. By being aware of these signs they can

also help their child find the many ways he can use his talents. A

family effort from early identification in the home to partici-

pation in formal education cannot be overemphasized. It is vital

to the child, to the school, and to society, and besides, it can be a lot

of fun.

in 15

5).

Cr )0_ -

ativity in the home,

Creativity is a word that ismSed widely by persons both in and out of

educational circles. We speak of a creative child, creative writing,

creative drama, and the like. Too often, however, this term is

applied only to an end product an artistic work or musical ,

composition, for example without much thoLight being given to,

'what the creative proCws is really all about.

Th = iJiy changing demands and challenges existing in the wqrfd

tod almost necessarily been accompanied by an upswing,

st in and a broadening of the concept of creitikrity.Conse-

que t nOw able to look to a variety of activities and be-

haviots.to lo e-bur creative children, rather than the usual means

of lootring a academic performance alohe. Some of these

behaviors ca be espally well observed in A home environment

where the ch d is retailed and relating to people and things with

'which he is f iliar a d Safe. It is here, then; that parents can be

most instrumental in d lo ing the kind of situation in Which

creativity, can truly flourish.

What is creativity?

Torrarlice's (1970) definition of creativity has wide currency in

educational circles. He defines creativity as

becoming sensitive to or aware of problems, deficiencies, gaps in

.knowledgermissingelements, disharmonies and so of bringing

together available information; defining the difficulty or identifyir;g

the missing element; searching for solutions, making guekse,s or

formulating hypotheses about the deficiencies, tettinglndsf etesting

these hypotheses and modifying arid restating them; perfecting them

and finally communicating the results. (p.22)

HeriNie see limitless situations in which parents might recoghize

and encourage their children's creativity. Anything from solving

pioblems with brothers and sisters to finding unique methods of

16 fq

4f-

/... ,

.,°,.

cleaning out comic book dollectionsmight be considered good .,...,

indicatcfrs. (..

,.. .

The realization that creativity is a natural, healthy process and a

..strong human -need is one good reason for parent's to want to .

\....... .;,4

provide for creative experiences in the home, fiuch ashey would

..provide for.their children's.phyeical or.psychOlogical needs:

.--

Creativity should be viewed as alai/that has dal Ate relevance aft

application. Any opportunity that a child.has to sense problems and /

create-solutions can be helpful to his growth as a creative person.

Haw parenb can recognize creative behavior r-

it is, of course, no easy task for to devote close attention to

their child's creativity when sa anypither are of development

need either obviotis or immediat attention. At ti es parents may

even feel that working,on the creative aspect of.their child's

personality may interfere with other types of learning. But there are,

as Torrance points out;certain types of things a parent can do

without extensiveor exhaustive effart. It is importantlhat parents

become familiar with certain signalS of creativity so thrill they will be

able to recognize and encourage creative behavior when it appears.

rraiice (1969, p.36) suggests the following indications:

Intense absorption in listening, observing or doing ( "Burl

didift hear you call me for dinned")

Intense animatioiand physical involvement ("BUt tocan'f sit

stillI'm thinking.")

Ug of analogies in speech ("I feel like a caterpillar.Waiting to

rcome a butterfly.")

Tendency to challenge ideas of authorities ("Why do

go to school until I'm /1t?") ave to

Habit.of checking many sources ("Mom, I looked at al e

books and watched a TV special and asked my teacher a d I

.still can't figure out, where God lives.")

Taking a close look at things ("Hey, this centipede only has 99

Eagernesi to tell others about discoveries ("Giress what,

guess what, guess what!")

Continuing in creative activities after the sc eduled time for

quitting ( "l did my art work right through re ss todayr)

Showing relationships among apiiarehtlY"Lintelated ideas,

("Hey, Mom, your new hat loolss4ustlae a flying saucer.")

,P4

'Follovig through on ideas seein, ration ("Torhorrow I'm

goirYg to dig for gold in our bapk yard.") _

Various manifestations of curiosity and wanting to know ("I r

justwanted to seewhatitha yard looked like from on top of

the rof)

Spontaneous Use of discovery or dteNlinehtal approach ("

-4h0Qgtrt flour and water would make bread, but all I got was white

goo. )*

Excitement in voice about distoveries ("Flour and water make

paste! ")

Habit of guessing and testing 'outcomes ("I put deteWt.in

the birdbath but no birds came to clean.Op. Can I try some

bubble bath today?")

.t.

Honesty and intense search for truth ("Mom, I hope this

doesn'txpset you, but I've come to the conclusion that there

is perooth Fairy. ",) 144.

Independent action, ("There a no good books on racing., ars,

'Mom, I'm going,to write my own.") ,

- Boldness of-ideas ("But I thins that children should be

.allowed to vote.")

Lovi distractability (,"I can't come out to play I'm waiting for

my chemical to dissolve.")

Manipulation o ideas and objects to obtain new combinations

.(I'm going to take this string and this pencil and make a

co s.").

Penetra g observations and questions ("When the snow

where does the white go?")

Tendency to seek alternatives and explore new possibilities

("This old shoe would titmice a great flower pot.")

Self initiated learningJ"Yesterday I went tope library and

checked out all the book ''on diftbsaurs.")

Willingness to consider or toy with strange ideas ("What if

dogs were masters and people were pets?")

f13

How **, parent can help

knowingillItse beha ors, it is imp°. nt that patents waf,oh their

children for their:fiat al tendencies in.this direction. Behavior's

'such as those mentioned may show up in unexpected *des drat

unexpected limes I-- at the dinner table, at bedtime, in the pla

wound. But *herever or.wheqever they surface, it 'becones dial

for parents tai appreciate that creative thinking. haMitev;44eee.

Using creative potential that the dhildrenhave end demOnstrate*is

always easier and mote eroguctiye than teaching these behaviors

,from scratch later on. .

There are some positive steps a paient can'take toward setting the

stage for creativity to glow. Thefoilowing list is adapte.d from some

suggestions provided by Torrance (1969. pp 40 - 43):

Provide materials that develop imagination, such as open-ended

stories or drawings.

Provide Materials that enrich imagery, such as fairy tales, folk

tales, myths, fables, nature books.' ,4..

.zi .. ..

.......

Permit time/or thinking and daydreaming. Just a;use aOh/ ild

doesn't look like he's busy doesn't mean that his mind it notl

Encourage children to record their ideas in binders,,,notebloks,

and the like.. Even playing secretary for your child by having him

dictate his stories to you,canbe a special way of showing that hi

ideas are valuable arid that you care ab at he is thinking.

Accept and use the tendency to take a different look. There are

really many things onecan.leary about tfre world by standing

oone's head.

Prize rather than punish true individuality. It is always possible

to find little details-about a child's work or behavior t at might

--Kmake him feel as though you noticed film as a speci person.

. Be cautious in editing children's products. Sometimes a word

,corrected in the wrong place or too many times can stifle a

child's creative energy and feeling of worth as a cr ator.

Encourage children to play with'wbrds. Even in s ch common

settings as a car ride or shopping trip, word games like

rhyming, opposites, and puns can be used to their full

'advantage.

t14 ;

Oft

o. .

Teachin4 restive thinking In the home .

In addition to the general setting of tone and opportunity for

.creativity.t&deVelop-, it is also a challenge for par Wear() and .

reinforce some of the specific thinking processeXttgo into a--

'Creative act. Thiekndwledge is helpful not only in its direct effect on

children, but alsp in the parent's understanding of creativity as it

applies to toys; materials, experiences, and problems in the home.

tour main thought processes of creative thaing are flue'ncy,

flexibility, originality, and elaboration. Each of these plays a

spesifiC role in the development of creativity; all are vital to its

prOduttion. 4,

Fluent thinking is the ability to produce a quantity of possibilities,

ideas, consequences, or objects. The importance of this proceis is

that it builds a large store of information or materials fora person to

select from or yse at a latertime. It is fun and exciting to be

challenged to think of new ideas, and little or no materials are

(required to create games for this purpose.

Asking a child "I wonder h many different ways we can figure outt"d"

to use these old plastic bags hat shoebox? those extra milk

.cartons?" is a gopd way *to stimulate fluent thinking and also

produces some interesting and helpful solutions for everyday

problerris. Questions like "How many wordscan ydu remember that(

begin with tI'?" or "What would happen if animals could talk?" have

keet many a child occupied on long car trips. And the benefits of

"How many different ways can you think of to remind yoUtself to 41)

take out The garbage?" should go without saying.

The point is quantity of ideas, not wOlether a child comes up with

realistic or practical solutions,,After his thoughts flow, the may,

Want to go back and work on his ideas, evaluate them, and develop

one or two. But even,if hatioeenot get to this stage immediately, the

process will have begun. Practicing fluency in a variety of situations

leads to greater ease with creativity.

Flexible thi ing is the ability'to use many different approaches or

.strategies in solvjng a problem. It allows for changes in thinking to

include alternatives, contrasting ideas, vPil3us points of view, and

so forth, Some examples of questions that foster flexible thinking

would be "How Many sentences can you think of that begin with the

word )4i/ow and end with the word forest?" or "In how many

different patterns can you arrange this triangle acid circle?" As with

fluent thinking, the deVeloprnent of this process helps children

produce many approaChes to a problem so that their final solution

comes only after the.considergtion of many possible ideas. This

40,

.Process can, of course; be useful in solving all kinds4:problems

from academic to social and thus is an especially important tool for ,.

learnineand growth.

Original thinking is the ability to prbdpce unusual, unique, or'

unanticipated responses. This, too, is a process that requires feW

tiv materials. Asking a child to think up new nametTor common

"."`P objects, comic strip characters:or animals, or having_lierrimake up

*.titles for books or movies ara§ood ways of encouragingoriginality.

Some parents have been able to use lists of children'stexcusesfor

not doing chores as a take off point for some original thinking by

manipulating the humor of the situation to reduce conflict. If

children feel that Oftlir excUsesare being appreciated for their

originality, the chore itself may seem less awesome. Good natured

omments like, "Well, last week it was that you were-coming down

with the plague...What is it this time?" can be just as effective as

"Don't tell me that you're too sickto clean this room!" If the

hoUsehold schedule can stand it, it might even_be possible to use a

vacation from a particular chore as a reward for the most original

excuse, provided that the children know this procedure is just a

game.

Elaborative thinking is the ability to expand, develop, and embellish'

one's ideas, plans, stories, or products. It is important in the

development of creativity because it promotes communication,

which is vital to the-process. Asking children to discuss in

their stories or having them create inventions from various jects

are two good ways of provoking elaborative thinking. Children

might help in making elaborate and detailed plans for their birthday

parties or catalogue things in their rooms. It is also possible to

encourage elaboration by playing memory games at bedtime.

Opportunities to discuss the events,of the day become a challenge

to active young minds, especially when they are pressed for details

concerning their senses and feelings. -

4./

Besides specific training in eachbf these four areas, there are other

creativity tools that can be easily used in the home. One of these is

creative problem solving. This technique, originated by Alex

Osborn and developed by Sidney Parnes and other members of the

Creative Education Foundation, follows the aspect of Torrance's

definition of creativity that relates to the sensing of problems and

gaps. The five main steps of problem solving can be applied to

almost any kind of problem and are fun and productive at the same

time. As outlined by Torrance and Myers (1970, pp. ,79:82), these

steps include:

t Sensing the problem or challenge. This first step is usually

brought out by a specific incident or situation such as "How

16 k21

-` s'.- -, 4.,;.. .1,Vr4. .P.; 4.

V.. '":: ;114,,N

shO,Fliperid My, ance?:' OF"How can I make sure Irget up

onlImifor slh -,. ,p

'''. .4 ..; . :,

2. 4halyzing toind the teal prbblem: This step involves finding

facts aboOt the problem, restating it in broader terms,

.f6lzma changing the wording, and finally breaking the proOlem down

.; inkiemallersubproblems. For the second question alpee,.this

:might mean askirig questions like' Why am I not geftite OA

time?," 'What don't') like about getting up?," or "By what 'means

.do I getmypelf up?"

3. Producing alternative solutions. The next step requires

brainstorming all the possible solutions to the problem, no

matter how off the track the suggestions might appear.

Criticism at this stage is absolutely forbidden. Alterlliktives for

'this problem might beanything froM "Use three alarm cldcks"

to "Buy a rooster" to "Drink lots of water so I'll have fo get up to

go to the bathroom" or "don't sleep at all." s

4. Evaluating ideas. At this stage comes the selection of criteria for

the most promising ideas generated in the previous steps. The

criteria for the sample problem might be expense, annoyance

to the family, physical space, or health.

.Preparing to put the ideas into use. This stage requires the

refinement of the selected solution. Questions such as "How

cant make the'salution attractive or appealing to other

people ?" or"VVhat will be the consequences of the solution?"

now become appropriate. In this case it might be "How can I

.convince my father that a rooster is better than an alarm clock?"

(Different aspects of this model may be adapted to fit theage of the

participants, making it usable for people. Otall ages and abilities. It

is exciting to see the process in action in any. variation. It is also an

excellent way to train creative thinking.

Anotbeeinteresting type of creative training is the SCAMPER

technique developed by Robert Eberle (1971, p, 14). The .

letters SCAM PE R represent seven types of cues for fluspt,

flexible, original, and elaborative thought. They are:

22 17

cSSubstitute

CCombine

A. Adapt

MModify

Magnify

Minify

To have a perion or thing act or serve in the

.lace of another: Who else instead? What

else? Other place? Other time?

To bring together, unite: How about iblend,

an assortment? Combine purposes? Comtiine

ideas?

To adjustior the purpOse of suiting .a condi-

tion or purpose: What else is like this? What.

other'ideas does this suggest?

To alter, to change the form or quality: Change

meaning, color, motion, sound, odor, taste, 1/4

form.

To enlarge, make greater in form or quility:

What to add?'Greater frequency? Stronger?

Larger?

To make smaller, lighter, slower, less frequent:

What to subtract? Smaller? Lighter? Slower?

Split up? Legs frequent?

Put to other New ways to use it? Other uses if modified?

uses

Eliminate To remove, omit, or get rid of a part, quality,

or whole: What parts can be taken out? To

keep the same function? To change the

function?

RReverse To placeopposite or contrary, to turn it

around: Opposites? Turn it backwards? Turn

it upside down? Turn it inside out?

Rearrange To change order or adjust, different plan, lay-

out, OF scheme: Other sequence? Change

pace?

The advantage of the SCAMPER method is that it can be applied

-to many situations with a minimum of materials. For example, as

simple an item as a toothbrush may become the object of a

SCAMPER adventure:

If you needed a toothbrush and did not have one, what else could

could you use? (05stitute)

18 23

What could you make with six totithbruities and six feet of

'''string? (Combine) 4

: _ How wdtld you change a to tbrush for someone who had no

hands/ (Adapt) ,

)--4%..4.What would the Jolly Green Giant use for a toothbrush? .

(,,,,ate ;.t

.,, ..

-What else could you use a toothbrush for? (Put icy other uses)

What would happen if you relived the-bristles on a toothbrush?

(Eliminate)

How would a toothbrush functionsif the t2ristiGs were at the

bottom? (Reverse)

SCAMPER has been known to fascinate children formany hours

and is highly recommended for the rainy Saturday afternoon blues.

It is also a helpful'technique because of the many exciting and

functional innovations that cant* produced in the name of fun.'

What about far out IdeaS?

In order to develop creative skills, children, must feel that they are

psychologically safe. This means thaethey must know they can

indulge in fantasy and take rikkAith their thinking and not be

judged harshly or punished. Statements like "Don't.be silly" or "You

should know better" should tie avoided at all costs because they

squelch imagination and playfulness. Comments like "Ydu have so

many ideas" or "What else can you think of?" or "Thai's really

different!" take about as much energy to say and are much more

conducive to a climate that breeds creativity. If children's ideas

seem potentially dangerous, a:gentle "How would that work?" or

"Can you explain that again?" or "Maybe you'd better get some

more facts" would encourage them to come to their own

conclusions. Statements like "That's terrible" or "What a ridiculous

idea" only kill the effort.

What about creative toys?

With so many "creative" toys and games on the market today, it is

no wonder parents get confused. Half of this probleal: is not so

much knowing which of the items to selectas understanding how to

make the selection. The best way a parent can judge produdts on

their creative value is to look at open-endedness. For example, a'set

of blocks with parts ttit interlock with only a few specific parts

would be less open-ended than a set with Ii itless possibilities fpr

,s Nrrangement. It is also possible to turn a stalpard product into a .

more creative one by applying the techniques th'at have been

discussed here. Forexample, questions such as "How would you

change that game so younger children could use it?" di' "What

would.happen if that doll were five feet tall:?" or "How many uses

can you think of for dice?" or "Can you invent new rules for that

game?' provide-Many opportunities for creative thinking and prove

that a parent does not have to buy new toys to get the job done well.

Most important, parents must know childien, their interests, how

they think and learn, the kindi of creative thinking they enjoy,and -

the kinds they need to develop. ThiS may be accomplished by

observing children,' but it is even more effectiveif parents

themselves begin to practic= eative thinking. As parents become

familiar with many poin of view and themselves experience more

enjoyment of Words, ages, colors, and senses, children will

naturally follow. Cr tivity training can be hard work, but it can also

bring happiness and productivity. It literally depends on how you

look at things.

4r.,

... ... .

.SiDeqi0.p. Opieilis7of !tie:gifted

aJ./-

%. f,

....

There is a poromon notion that gifted children ha'e feWer problems

than otheri because their intelligence and talents somehow exempt

them from the hasslei of daily life. According to this belief, children

with t greater number of abilities ace assuried to have a greater

number of coping mechanisms and therefor.e they can "make it on

their own." As parents ofgifted children know, however, this theory

,,,, is simply not true. Research has shown that gifted children are us-

,..

ceptible to many everyday problems, ranging in'Compleity from ,.....

not being able fo find clean socks to dealinb with tKe rising cost Of

living and that like other groupswith special needs they have some

problems tharare uniquely their own.

levement

Underachievement -that ismerformance below one's potential is

perhaps one of the mosttridely.discussed problems of the-gifted.

There are many signiand symptoms of underachievement and

'many different causes. It wouldpe an impossible task to attempt

one statement that would apply alt cases. There a however,

some findings about the. problem that can be present

consideration. ,

*4.1

for general

It is known thkt underachievemept is relatedto what a child thinks

about himself is a leai-ner, as a child,.as a,person. Self concept is

developed in many ways bk..it is usually directly linked to a child's

reactions to his parents and °thew significantldults in his life. When

a child has a positive sejf concept, it means that he feels good about

himself and the way he believes other people see him. A poor self

concept, on the other hand. means that a child feels poorly about

himself and that he does not like the way he thinks other people see

him. Usually a child reacts tb the lattertituation with some hostility,

which can, and often does, show up in his school work, especially.if

his family sets overly rigid expectations and rules about high test

scores and good grades: This is not to say that a child actualjy plans

not to achieve, but that his poor performanceis a sign of resistance

26 21

stemming from his anger at the situation. In these cases, finding out

.and trying to remedy the causes of his poor self concept would be

one of the best methods for treating the problem.

it, is not always easy to discover an underachieving child's real

feelings about himself because there ustoilly is a gap between what

ahe says and what he feels. An underachiever may adopt a "What's

the use?" attitude to avoid unpleasant confrontations with his

problems. Gallagher (1975) has-listed some typical excuses that

underachievers use and some of the real meanings that Why be

implied frcirn these statements. While the words may vary from case

to case, the general outlook is common, as shown in Figure 1.

Since there is no one cause for e problem of underachievemeArt,

neither is there any one treatment. It is important to rememberthat re

an underachiever is a child who has lostfaith in himself. Any

opportunity for him to learn new skills or improve his abilities

should be encouraged. This does not mean simply praising a child,

because peaise is not enough. If Johnny feels that he cannot draw

well, a vague compliment like "Oh, yoii draw so wer.will not make

13im feel better about his drawing ability because the gap in

opinions seems too wide. Recognition of a small piece of his work

"I like the way you drew the house" or "You are really improving"

would seem to Johnny a much more realiitic passibility. In other

areas, such as helping around the house, a step by step plan for

recognition is also useful. Little successes, like setting the table

nicely or keeping a neat room for a day, are much more

meaningful to the underachiever than sweeping compliments and

have a greater and longer lasting effect.

The culturally different

Another category of problems of gifted children is that of cultural

difference. Culturally djfferent children are those'whose family

backgrounds are removed from the American White middle class

stereotype. This category carvinclude various ethnicitiessuchas

Black, Appalachian rural'. Spanish speaking, American Indian, or

groups which have little access to resources because of financial or

geographic limitations. Children of culturally different families

generally have a different set of life experiences from those of the

culturally dominant majority and have different opportunities for

the expression of their talents.

It is important for parents to recognize the values and abilities that

are prized by their culture and to identify their children's potential

accordingly. For example, in cultures where children do not play

with many mechanical toys, there still may bean opportunity for,

figUre

Protecting the Bruised Self Image of the.

Chronic Underachiever

Wpat He Sayi What He May Mean

School is terrible. Teactiers are

against me and_they aren't any good .

anyhow. .

I think I would like to be a jet pilot or

amovie star or a. politician.

i really am ndt gifted

are crazy anyhow. and those lestsf. j

Some people are lucky and some

aren't. 1 wish I could hit it lucky for

once. I dream about breaking the

bartk at Las Vegas.

My old man is a grouch. He is from

nowhere.

Ilikti to get into a hopped up jalopy

and gd-go-go. Man, that really is

living. Give me some bennie and

watch me fly.

Future? What future? The "bomb"

will :ta0 care of our future. If not,

things will work out somehow.

The only time I feel at home is with

my buddies Atihen we ..go out

searching for kicks, I feel like a

person.

If the system is bad, no real blame

can come to me if I don't succeed in

it.

I want to do thrilling and glamorous

things but cannot stand a position

with a long period of training

preceding it or where sustained hard

work is needed (rarely choosing

surgeon, electronibs engineer, or

president). 4

The label "gifted" puts pressurkcin

me to succeed. One way to take the

pressure off is to lose the label.

If life is a game of chance, I am less

personally responsible for my

ultimate success or failure.

My father and I don't understand

each other aniftannot communicate.

'I can't model myself afterAjm.

The excitement of peed and risk

makes me feel co petent. This is

something I can o without

sustained effort and it distracts me

from my unpleasant self-image.'

To'think of the future requires

planning'and effort. These are'too

painful since. I haye failed too'otten

before. I prefer to ignore it andtrust

to luck, etc., to make things come

out alrright.

The only time my self image is

bolstered is when I am with other

fellows who feel as I do and who

help me explain, away my problems.

Note:From Teaching the Gifted Child (2nd ed.), by James J. Gallagher, Boston: Allyn & Bacon,

40.

them to demonstrate hie mechanical abilities in their use of the

resources that are reiliily available to them. Parents may wish to

encourage their children to use natural materials, scraps, or just"

plain junk in &creative way because exploring novel approaches to

familiar things is an ability that can iater be applied inadultroles.

The child who finds unusual uses for twigs, tubes, or junked cars

may someday utilize histalents in acareer in engineering or design.

In addition to those cultures listed above, gifted girls should be

mentioned as having somewhat different cultural experiences

because of female role expectations. It is important for parents to

provide gifted flirts the opportunity to test themselves in skills

mainlY attributed to boys, such as mechanics, science,

mathematics, or sports. Likewise, boys should be given support and

encouragement for theirinterests in traditionally female pursuits.

In either case, parents must be sensitive and open US-demonstrated

potential that goes beyond sex barriers to make sure that unusual

and unique talents do not go to waste.

Another strategy that culturally different parents can employ is

finding community resources to protide extra benefits for their

chil n. As parents become awarb of the special needs and talents

that valued in their own culture, they can channel their

chil n's abilities to strengthen- their community. FroM this, they

can extend service to the total school population and then ta the

community as a whole. For example,a parent whose child is

especially talented in social dancing may want to encourage him to

find others of similar interests and abilities to form a dance troupe.

The parents of the group might then locate a.teacher and find a

storefront or basement in whiCh they could practice. With such

organization from arents, the troupe could give performances in

the communityperhaps raise enough money to become self

sustaining. All it would take would be people who are.willing to stick

by their children and persist in the search for opportunities

it is also possible to.find local organi s to sponsor special

prograrps for groups who have specif interests. Museums, local

businesses, libraries, or civic organizations all have within their

ranks people who have time or skills to donate. Somdmay offer

rooms for meetings. Help may also be found within the schools, as

guidance counselors and other school personnel frequently, know

of occasions for scholarships, art lessons, and otheropportunities.

It is just a matter of making the right contacts in these

organizations.

Once the doors are open, however, it is important forparents to

continue their support of their child's efforts as pressure from peers

may'become a hindrance to the realization of his dream. It is never

24 29

easy to be outstanding, but in the case of cUltuially different

groups, a chiles attempts to'follow special opportunities mast

him even further outside his circle of friends. His differences may

become more noticeable and therefore more difficult for,him to

tolerate. In such instances, however, the end results can often be

rewarding enough for the-child to overcome possible peer rejection,

especiallyif encouragement from home is consistent and strong.

Learning Afficidtlel

A third problem that parents should understand is that of learning

difficulties among gifted children. This situation is one that

frustrates parents, teachers, and children alike because it is hard to

comprehend-how a child can be so outstanding at some things but

have such trouble with others. In schools this problem may be seen

as a lowered perfermande in a specific subjecf such as readingor

math, while at home it might be indicated by a short attention span;

easy distractability, temper flare-ups, or overactivity.

In-cases of specific learning difficulties, it may seem that the gifted

child is controlling and choosing the things he will or will not do. At

the same time, it may appear that he is.unwil ling to change bad

habits. Learning difficulties, however, are not determined by the

child himself but by a variety of circumstances rangingfrom poor

teaching to the child's lack of interest in a subject to a real disability

that needs educational or medical treatment. Especially in the latter

situation, it is essential for parents and children to understand and

accept that even the most gifted individual cannot excel in all areas

of performance. If too much pr ssure is put on the child to do what

he simply Cannot, emotional u sets might occur and make the

problem more difficult.

When unevenness of perfor ce sists either for a long time or

with extreme difference in abill ,t might be advisable to consult

with thechild's teacher, a physician, or with a trained specialist in

the school or in another educational setting. It is possible to plan

special programs that would allow the child's learning patterns to

become more steady or at least teach the child how to handle the

learning problem when itarises. Whenever possible,thechild should

be encouraged to accept his ups and downs and to apply the

strategies he learns for coping with his varying abilities.

There are, of course, other problems that arise with gifted children

on a day to day basis, many of which should be handled by parents

in the same way that they would handle the problems of any child.

In some instances, counseling may be indicated for the child and

for the whole family. In many cases, both comfort and practical.

suggestions may be derived from taycing with other parents of

30 25

gifted children. Some of the particular problems of the gifted have

been sdiecessfully managed by individual families who are eager to

discuss their findings. Many of these strategies are presented in the

following pages.

1. 4,

`Parents view their children

As this publicati was being prepared and variouJfamilies were

interviewed abo problems they face with their gifted children,

certain themes dominated the responses. Problems such as

tellingftha child that he is gifted, encountering unsympathetic

teachers, dealing with sibling rivalry, and providing for many

interests were commonly mentioned. Listed below are some

comments that were obtained through questionnaires and

interviews with parents of gifted children in different sections of

the country. Although only certain problems are discussed, it is

hoped that other parents of gifted children will find-these

suggestions helpful and that they, will be able to use some of the

ideas expressed in handling their own situation.

What did you tell your child about 'being gifted?

"No speCial emphasis was made. It was apparent to the child from

comparing her performance with her classmates that she was a very

good student."

"God has given every person special and unique gifts to be

developed, strengthened, and shared. Some people have gifts

which make them athletes, artists, scholars, especially good with

people, et cetera. One of the many gifts God gave you is the ability

to reason, understand, and-learn rapidly.'

"I told him that since he had a lot of experience and exposure that

most children have not had, he could learn faster and better. I also -

told him that this fact had been verified by some tests at school."

"We told, him that his play is more complicated than most children's

and that sometimes his brain works a little faster."

"All children learn differently some faster than others. He must

learn to accept his own special abilities, both the pleasures and

,y responsibilities, and appreciate others for theirs. We asked him how

hei felt about his talents and what he thought he might like to do

with them."

In addition to these responses, many parents answer g that they

had told their child nothing about being gifted and tkaTthe child

simply accepted his abilities and the gifted prOgram as part of the

natural course of life.

How have you handled situations in which your child's)rades were not an

accurate reflection 'of his abilities?

"Our son does well in stibjects in which he is interested or in which

he is stimulated by the feacher. When he doesn't get enough

individualization, he becomes introverted andlurned off. In these

instances, we provide enrichment at home and try-to relate some of

our activities to the subjects in which he's having trouble. For .

example, when he was not doing well in math, we let him work out

the budget for his birthday party."

"In second grade, our daughter had a teacher who placed her in a

low reading group. This was such a blow to her ego that she

stopped performing in other subjects. During this very difficult

period, we tried tabolster her egoAother ways,-by praising her for

other little things she did well and nfoticingny improvement in her

schoolwork. Her motivation !coincidentally' returned when she was

later placed in a higher group!"

"Our son tends to work faster than most and sometimes doesn't

listen to directions; conseq-uently his grades suffeY. He also

occasionally reverses numbers or letters, which brings his marks.

down. I try to explain to him why his wrong, explaining

that I see his way, too. I emphasize that ther is more than one way

to be right but that his teacher seems to be impatient with his

reasons. I also try to help him understand that sometimes it is

important to'work slothly and carefully when people want you to do

something specific and that, at other times, you can do things the

way you want them,"

"When my.son began receiving poor grades, I raised 'quiet hell' by

getting involved in research on th gifted and then going to the

school to advise his teacher of his eeds."

"I try to be moderate in the limou t of pressure I use to encourage

our daughter's work/study habits. We spent time this summer on

math, her bottom subject last year and this year, it's one of her

best!"

28 33 '

How have you provided for your child's Many interests?

We buy lots of books,-make frequent visits to the library, and ask

lots of questions. For school, we review witb,rd assist her in her

subjects and stress research and outlining.)Ne play games with her

and constantly provide her with new stimuli."

"Most important, weprovide a special space kir her to work in

where she can be uninterrupted by othir members of the family.

She pretty much takes her own interestelrorn-there."

"We provide time for s aring our interests and he takes hitues from

there. We all take gen ine interest in each others' special talents."

"I never limited explor tory Opportunities, despite clutter, mess,

and general inconVeni nce. The only rules were about certain

things that he could no take apart."

"As often as possible, w try to use the resources in our community.

When our child expre an interest in something, we all

brainstorm ideas a to * ere in the town we could get help or

information. We o use, ur family times to play games that relate

to all our intere s such a 'How many different musical instruments

can you think f?' whenO r son was in orchestra."

What have you done when your child had interests for which you

could not provide?

"We encouraged him to spend more time with his teachert to get

their advice. When heswas very young, we worked it out with the

librarians to allow him to check out adult books."

"I encourage him to explain his interests to me and ask him honest

questions. Even though I myself cannot be a resource for him, my

.questions seem to give him some direction:"

"When our daughter had a special interest in ballet and there was

nothing in our town, I found parents of other gifted children who

had similar interests and we carpooled to the city to attend

performances. Later we organized a local chapter for parents of

gifted children."

"We snooped around in the community businesses, stores, school

personnel until we found someone who could help us. W6 always

did!"

"In instances where her needs could not be met, we suggested the

library, writing letters and finally, that she d_ irect her energies to

other topics related to her interests."

How have you handled a teacher who was unsympathetic. to the particular

needs of your gifted child?

"I tried to increase my efforts at home by going over lessons and

adding an elemenfof fun to schoolwork. I tried to get my daughter

to treat the situation with a sense of humor kind of like she had,a

secret, that the-teacher didn't know about that she could enjoy

learnin even though The teacher made it rough!"

"I tried t rig to the teacher to explain that my son was simply

marching to the tune of a different drummer. Whhis didn't,

work I made it a point to question the teacher andihe.school

administration about my child's 'problem' (which was his

giftedness) and stood up for him in alrhost every,instance. I also

read books on creativity so I. could explain some of his behavior to

his teacher who shOuld have been the o'ne to explain it to me."

"When our son's teacher constantly compared hiM to his brother, I

stepped up my efforts to remind him that he had his own talent6,

abilities, and interests so the joke was really on the teacher. (We

eventually reqUested a class change and got it.)"

"We had to grin and bear it most of the year gave here couple of

days off ('time out' we called itwhen she had an especially rough

week. On those days we would do something like take a trip to the

museum or just do walking in the woods. Those days proved to be

the most educational §f the year."

How did the wledge that your child Is gifted affect other children

in, your ily?

"When our younger son became jealous, we encouraged the older

brother to help him study. We also encouraged the younger one to

talk about his feelings directly to the older gifted sibling, This

brought the two much closer."

"Each of our children has special abilities and peculiar habits and

quirks. 'These are respected and recognized but have never been

allowed to disrupt family unity. Each personality and talent is

treated individually with emphasis on acbeptable behavior and

respect and compassion and understanding for others."

"We try to turn the jealousy into creative competitiori by having

family contests and brainstorming sessions."

30 35

"Throughfamily counseling we have made some progress in 6rac-

ticingour philosophy of recognizing that God gives gifts to all. We.

donot allow the children to compare themselves to anyone but

themselves.,Each is like a flower in a garden which must be

nourished into its fullest blossom. Wouldn't it be dreadful if all we

had were roses? Which is the most beautiful flower? There is none.

Each has its own special beauty and so it is with children."

"When competition and jealousy get to be too intense, we have a

faintly meeting and do problem solving on how to handle the

situation. Sometimes we simply have to encourage them to gel

involved in separate activities away from each other."

Most often,-parents responded to thisquestion by saying that there

was no observable jealousy or problems with siblings of.the gifted

child because the family had treated the giftedness as something

for the whole family to enjoy. Taking pride in each others'

achievements, no matter what the area, seemed to be the common

theme. .4 11,

How have you- enhanced your child's creativity at home?

"We spend a liat of time with our son because we love to and have

such fun doing it. When he was an infant, we provided a variety of

sights, sounds, tactile stimuli and never talked down to him. We

took him to a lot of different plases historical sights, field trips,

libraries, museums, concerts 'and talked about everything we did

as we were doing it and afterwards. We never forced him into

injellectu acIiiiitV, but picked up with enthusiasm whenever he

expresset an hest in something."

"I encoura ecreative thinking, creative play, and problem solving.

We frequently ask our childrerywhat they think we should do next or

ask their-advice on hfreve should approach a particular task or

problem, i.e., if it's raining ancrour picnic is cancelled, whatiphould

we do? Or if' heir bedrooms need cleaning, what should we do first?

For most problems we ask, 'Is there another solution?' By now, the

girls can come up with three or four answers for most problems."

"We read to-her, make up Storiesabout everything, ask a lot of

questions and encourage her to do the same. We let her help us in

our daily duties andiet her think up original ways to accomplish her

chores. We provide her with materials that do not demand specific

use like paper, building toys, paints, et cetera, instead of kits that

are preplanned. We also play a lot of word gahies and puzzles and

encourage her sense of humor making puns, rhymes, et cetera."

"I set up our home to allow for.exploration with as few 'don'ts' as

possible. We also respect our children's emotions knowing that

even though they don't think as we think, they feel as we feel: We

try, whenever possible, to exposé our children to all tite arts

through concerts, plays, exhibitions (some great things taking

Place in the community for free yet!) and by inviting creative

people to our home.'

In manycases, parents iemarked that they had not gone out of their

way to encour eir child's creativity and that they felt certain

the stimulation finias receiving at school was sufficient. Many also

felt that the impo-rtant factor was for parents just to be good

listeners and support the ideas that their child initiates.

Are there any areas in which you feel your child's giftedness is not

being applied?

"We have noticed that our son lacks awareness of his immediate

surroundings andlime. We recently discussed this with him in an

intellectual way (used Maslow's theories) and found that he could

uoderstand the problem. Approaching him in this manner, he was

giverrtime to think about things, and from this processhe figures out

his own solutions."

"Our son has developed a Riglakegree of autonomy, which makes it

difficult for his teachers and for me. I try to emphasize to him thai

little conformity at times will be to Os advantage."

"Our daugliter lacks patience with herself and is supersensitive to

failure. I try to point out the positive aspects of failure that she

jearns from her mistakes. I have also made her aware of my own

failures in an effort,to make her see that we all make mistakes and

must be constructive in dealing with thefn. As for impatience, we -

have explained that this attitude breaks down friendships and that

she should use her intelligence to help others whenever she can.

We suggest that she be more selective in her involvements-so that

#her expectatiohs will not always be let down (for thiS we have to

import gifted children from other neighborhoods but it's worth

it)."

"When our son is sarcastic or when he doesn't take responsibility

for his things, we point out the consequences of hisactions. We try

to encourage him to do things for himself and respond with praist

when he does this successfully. For example, when he left his roon

Messy for two weeks, we suggested the possibility of bugs

attacking the old'cookie crumbs. When this finally did happen

(much to mother's agony), he had to spray his whole room and had

twice the work he would have had if he'd cleaned when he was

supposed to."

C. a

"Our daughter has learned to hate reading and is bored by many

other subjects in school. For the time being, I am ignoring this ,

behavior since she ig byno means behind her classmates.

Whenever she does express interest, I reinforce her and try to make

the experience fun in whatever way I can. Once the pain is over,

however, and this phase passes like all the others, I intend to apply

more strict standards (her teacher tends to accept half baked work).

This will be a gradual process, though, so it will not come as too

much of a shock."

Other answers to this question covered a great deal of ground fir

forgetfulness to lick of common sense to table manners. Most A

parents, however, emphasized that giftedness is not the same as

godliness and they did not expect perfection in all areas of

behavior. Many suggested reading general parenting type books for '

specific suggestions for handling common problems.

Do you hAve any advice for other parents of gifted children?

41.

"The most important consideration is to allow the gifted child

considerable freedom to explore and to equip him for his chosen

explorations. Limitations should be set only insofar as safety and

damage to valuables or to the property of others is concerned.

Letting him work through his situatii is learning for him and his

selection of his own learning tasks is n indicator of his learning

needs. Parental guidance is important to enhance this process. In

some cases, structuring the task toward its successful completion

is required. I do not teach my child what I want him to learn but

instead I am his helper in his early years. I will help him to learn

ivhat he wants to learn in the manner he seems to learn it best."

'Show and Tell' is an excellent way to generate curiosity,

particularly if the child is the one doing the showing and telling.

Constant references to how things relate to one another, i.e.,an'

acorn is like a bean seed, facilitates this awareness. Also,accept.

Don't take the goofs or the achievements too seriously. The person

is more important than either. A parent must also not be afraid to let

go. Let a tulip be a tulip and a rose be a rose even if you thought

you were growing marigolds!"

"There is no way to intercede in the educational system. Simply

timdle positively all efforts as a parent from a 'Can I help?'

perspective. Teach the child the realiim of the educational system

and offer alternative approaches at home."

:'Be a parent. Help your child discover and practice personal

discipline, to love, understand, produce, create, express, think,

3 8

reflect, desire, fulfill, imagine_.m with your gifted

_phild and for your gifted ch. U are the m significant model in

his life."

"Try to give them the areness of the people and world

around them, and whil offer. Let them know that they

have valuable thoughts andbOni sand that they have a right to

standup for their beliefi. If t want to use their own methods, let

them as long aslhey do t Kin anyone. You'd be surprised how

often their.way of doing things opens your eyes."

"Public education about giftednessshould be more widespread -

not just the often publicized 'genius type."We must also understand

ourselves as parents. T gifted child is note possessidn or an ego

trip for aptrent. He is arson in his own right and should not be

used or expjoited on account of parents who have feelings of

inadequacy about themselves."

"Recognize that some of these children are supersensitive to other

people and other people's attitudes toward them. They need a great

deal of patience and encouragement in trying new things because .

they are so accustomed to succeeding that even a little failure-can

sometimes unglue them. I believe that schools are greatly

.respon6.ible for this because they do not adequately challenge the

children. The children may become complacent and develop the

feeling that they know everything, only to later find out harshly that

this is not so."

",Gifted kids' needs are the saml as all other,children justmore and

sooner. They'relg sensitive so many things can hurt. The

awareness is there long before the understanding, For those who

have 'gbne undercover' look stithisir-Sense of humor. And foolk-toi.

frustration."

"Open up frank communications with the child. Dedicate a lot of

time -- it's a rewarding investment. Oqn't let the schools steamroller

you Stand up and fight back for youthild's specks! needs. Get

invoived with or start a local gifted chapter. You will need all the

help you can get. ".

"Try not to blow the gifted aspect of your child's personality out of

proportion. Treat the child as a person, talk to him, explain

actions, describe things, provide lots of experiences, let him alone

sometimes so he can just 'be.' Fight for their needs against strong

opposition. Never let them become obnoxious to others."

"Gifted kids never quit: They never stop thinking, don't sleep as

much as others, operate in more curious ways than peers. Thii

34 3 9.

often sets them apart and they can feeltonely. They need your hetp,

friendship, and support. Give it to .them:'

"My suggestion is to try to understand that your gifted child is one

whosees things differently. Find out that those ways are. Accept

him for what he is and refer often to khaki Gibran: 'Your children

are not your thildresi but the -sons and daughtert of life's longing for

itself. You may give them your love but not yobr thoughts. You may

house theirbodies but not their souls fortheir souls dwell in the.

house of tomorrow which you cannot visit, not evenin your dreams.

And though they are with you, they belong nottoyou.' "

There are as many means of coping, with the joys and troubles of .

dealing with gifted children as there are parents and children. While

thereis no cookbook recipe for guaranteed success in this

endeavor, it is certain that there are many people now trying various

Approaches. They are, as these responses indicate, willing and

wanting to share their methods. No one should feel that they have

to accomplish their child rearing. alone. Wise parents should heed

this and use the telephone, the doorbell the postal system, and the

PTA to find other parents who are in the same gifted boat. The old

saying about "united we stand" was never more true than in the

raising of a gifted child.

1.0111100

35J

Parent power

In a small town in Connecticut a father notices that his bright

daughter is not being challenged in her class. He contacts the

parents of seyeral other bright children and together they talk to the

superintendent about providing an enrichment program for gifted

children in the public schools. The following year the schookboard

approves a full time gifted program.

In Wisconsin a group otparents of gifted children enroll in a parent

training course and learriThe concepts and theories of gifted

education. When they go to the district office to request funds for

continuation of their children's special class, they give an articulate,

well informed presentation. The program receives funds for another

year. 1

The mother of a gifted child in Okliihorila is having difficulty with

her son who will not do his homework because he finds It boring:

She talks to her friends abdut it but thtity have no suggestion,s

because their children are having trouble keeping up with even their

regular assignments. At the request of the school counselor, she

attends a meeting of the local gifted parent organization and learns

that other mothers are hiiving similar problems with their children.

She takes home valuable ideas for handling her situation and plans

to attend future meetings.

The success stories could go on and on. The number of

'organizations continues\ito grow as parents discoier that, for many

reasons, parent groups are orfe of the strongest means vailable for

stimulating action for the gifted and talented and allepne of thebest,

sources of help for individual parents.

What a parent group can do

There are an endless number of ways in which parent groups can

become involved in working for and with the gifted from fuild

raising to volunteering in the schools to providing information to

437

*lb

the whole community. Some parent groups, after having their

requests for help tabled by school boards for financial or other

reasons, have developed their ownenrichment programs. Some

have directed thek attention toward gettinqdfinancial aid for gifted

'education at the local, state, or national le*I. As in other aspects of

gifted elltucation, different needs in a community mean different

gOals and differenemeans of attaining thOm...

The California Parents for the Gifted, The Connecticut Association

for the Gifted, The Florida Association forthe Gifted, The

Asiociation for the Gifted and Talented Students intouraiana, The

Gifted Child. Society of New Jersey, Oklahomans for the Gifted and

Talented, andThe Minnesota Council for the Gifted'are a few

groups that represent a wide geographic, philosophical, and

rgrogrammatic span of parent involved organizations for the gifted.

Although each group began in its own way arid for its own purpose,

althave maga significant contributions to the field. Parents who are

thinking about starting an association would benefit from writing to

these successful organizations for their materialsnewsletters,

program descriptions, and the like. (Addresses for these organ-

izations may be found. in Appendix B.)

Locating community resources

For many of these groups and others like them, an important

beginning task was the identification of sympathetic persons within

the community and school. One good method that has been

suggested for discoverin the potential supporters of the gifted is

the graPevine technique. This strategy isnitiated by a felk people,

each contacting five friends about their cause. The contacts must in

turn agree to Contact five of their friends with the information, and

so' on. Records must be kept by all parties concerning:who was

contacted and by what means.. Although some people may react

negatively, it is important to continue the grapevine until each

person has received Eit least five favorable responses. While time

consuming, this method is a sure means of getting a diverse

representation of people involved in activities for the gifted:

The gripevine technique is best utilized for communicating a

specific piece of information an association meeting, a special

speaker, or a field event. However, it is also an effective tool f&

publicizing the'fact that an effort is being made on behalf of the

gifted. If groups or individuals are informed of this in the early

;stages of-the movement, they may consent to serve as resources for

special programs after the organization is fully functioning. Contact

persons at the library or museum may be able to lind rooms for

' research projects or the friend of a friend may volunteer to teach

.38T.-

42-

drafting to vi interested child: Retired persons may be especially

receptive tcirsuch programs and should definitely be included inany

grapevine endeavor. /

How to structurthe organization

As an association builds its membership and formalizes its

organization (excellent documents on this phase of development

are available from many of the organizations named previousID, it is

crucial to select committees to perform the numerous tasks required

to keep the association alive. Some possible committees could be:

Publicity: To announce meetings and promote ongOing contact

with the local media.

Newsletter: To communicate to members events of local, state,

or national releVance.

Program: To plan and implement meaningful programs at

associaton meetings or special events at other occasions.

Community Resources: Ta identify community mernbers a

agencies who are willing to become involved with the gifted.

Library: To gather books about the gifted and information from

other parent associations.

Legislation: To organize lobbying for,legislation for the gifted at

all levels of government.

Others: Membership, odd jobs, school liaison, and so. forth.

In addition tocommittees, an advisory council of parents,

influential school and businesspersons, community leaders, and

university faculty is vital to the functioning of the organization. The

purpose -of this coup it is to advise the organization on many issues

and activities thatnescially need input from a variety of .

perspectives. Including many different participants on this council

more or less ensures broad support for the organization and its

purposes, especially if the demands made on the members are not,

excessive,

How to get support for and from the schools

The idea of working with a community becomes extremely

important when it comes tlinoaching the schools. It is all too

easy for a parent group to e nothing but a power group and a

threat or burden to octiooladministration. Especially in the case

of the gifted, "threat" and "burden"-are not helpful labels for an

association to acquire. Even when the association must take on the

full responsibility for gifted programing in a town, it is essential that

the schools stay involved in and aware of theie efforts. All possible

attempts must be made to win the trust and respect of school

personnel so that the association remains a positive force.

Some groups have offered their services to provide clerical help for

teachers who need time to attend to the gifted; plan unique field

trips, summer workshops, and special events; or volunteer to test

children for gifted programs. Other groups have offered financial

assistance for scholarships or other opportunities for needy gifted

students. Irisdhools where so many pressures are being applied for

many different causes, parents who ask how they can donate ttieir

service and time can only be a welcome sight.

In short, a parent association for the gifted and talented is truly

necessary in any corrlMunity that is seriously, exploring alternatives

for children with special needs. As mentioned previously, the best

thihg interested parents can do is to contact some of the established

organizations to find out how they began and then adapt that

information to the needs of their own group. There are many people

now actively engaged in finding Support for the gifted. Their help is

therefor the asking--and the asking is well worth the time.

Rh,

44.

Happi ending

Dear Jane,

We were so happy to receive your letter about Danny and were.even

more excited abObtLyour phone call. I'm thrilled that you found

those other parents to back you in your meeting with the principal.

When will the program be starting? What will the children be

doing? slow

It sounds like you will have your hands full getting all the

information, but I know how important this is to you and to Danny. I

am sure you will enjoy the work even thoUgh it will take a lot of

energy, time, and persistence.

ease let me know if there is anything a proud g dmother'can

do like write to our congressman about funds liftedand

'talented education or find other sources of help for the cause. I wish

that this kind of opportunity had been available when you were a

child. Maybe this excitement will finally ease both our frustrations!

Keep us posted.

Love,

Mom

A final word

The theme of this publication, as readers have no douNt

understood, is that individual parents, school systemsAind

communities must develop plans and programs to suif their

children's particular needs. There is no way that any One book or

,strategy can apply to all. It is hoped that parents of gifted children

will have learned, as a result of their reading, a variaiy of methods,

facts and techniques to enhance the development of their young. If

they have learned new-ways to enrich their own approach to life,

theno much the better.

Watch for your child's interests and hobbies, his reading habits, his

special talents, his relationships with peers and adults. Take note of

his unusual accomplishrhents. Listen to his ideas. Observe him in

play. There is a lot to be learned both from and abou gifted child,

and you have a special opportunity for that experienC It may be

said that the future is in their hands, but for now they are in yours.

Let love, understanding, and nurturance be your greatest gift to

them.

46 43

References

Eberle, R. Scamper: Games for imagination development. BuffaloNY:

D. O. K. Publishers, Inc., 1971.

Gallagher, J. J. Teaching the gifted child (2nd ed.) Boston: Allyn &

Bacon, Inc., 1975. c `z

Torrance, E. Creativity. Sioux Falls ND: Adapt Press, 1969.

Torrance, E. P. & Myers, R. F. Creative learning and teaching. New

York: Harper & Row, 1970.

Appendix-A

Additional readings of special interest

to parents

Books

Barbe, W., & Renzulli, J. Psychology and educatio of the gifted (2nd ed.).

New York: Halsted Press, 1975.

Research and commeptary on various aspects f giftedness, including

philosophical and.theoretical issues and practical suggestions.

Mainly for teachers, but helpful for parents who want to be well

informed about educational practices for the gifted.

BrUmbaugh, F., & Roscho, B. Your gifted child:A guide to parents. New

York: Henry Holt & Co., 1959.

Emphasis is on identification and training in the early years. Includes

guidelines for parent-school cooperation.

Cutts, N., & Moseley, N. Bright Children:A guide for parents. New York: G.

P. Putman's Sons, 1953.

Suggestions for helping the sifted child at home.

Delp, J., & Martinson, R. The gifted and talented: A handbook for parents.

Ventura CA: Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, 1975.

Written specifically for parenjs. Includes many practical suggestions

for parent organizations, identification and training in the home,

treatment of problems of the gifted, and interviews with parents.

Eberle, R. Scamper: Games for imagination development. Buffalo NY:

D. 0. K. Publishers, Inc., 1971.

A ccillection of imagination experiences for your children.

Fine, B. Stretching their minds. New York: E. P. Dutto! Co., Inc., 1964.

The author's discussion of his, experiences at a noted school for the-

gifted.

Gallagher, J. J. Teaching the gifted child (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon,

Inc., 1975.

A 'comprehensive treatment of gifted education with chapters on

problem solving, creativity, underachievement, and cultural difference

that will be especially relevant to parents.

Ginsberg, G. Is your child gifted? New York: Simon & Schuster, 1976.

A handbook for parents of gifted children. °

Gowan, J. C., & Bruch, C. The academically talented student and guidance.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1971.

A treatment of the special needs and problems of the gifted. Written

primaiily for educators but includes important suggestions for parents.

Gowan, J., & Torrance, E. P. (Eds.). Educating the ablest. Itasca II: P. E.

Peacock Publishers, Inc., 1971.

A book of readings on the education of gifted children, with a special

section directed to parents.

Groat, A. Genius in residence. Englewood Cliffs NJ: Prentice Hall, 1970.

A mother's description of her experiences with her highly gifted child.

Kaplan, S. Providing programs for the gifted and talented: A handbOok.

Reston.VA: The Council for Exceptional Children, 1976.

A guide for the design and imatementation of gifted programs in the

schools, which action oriented parents and parent orginizations will

find invaluable.

Martinson; R. The identification of thegiftedand talented. Reston VA: The

Council for Exceptional Children, 1976.

A thorough presentation of many identification procedures, including

parent nomination.

.Maynard, F. Guiding your child to a more creative /ifearifir City NY:

Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1973.

An ihvaluable Collection of suggestions for materials, toys, projects,

etc. that can especially bused at home.

Osborn, A. Applied imagination (3rd ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's

Sons, 1963..

The original text on creative problem solving.

Parnes, S. J. Creative behavior guidebook. New York: Charles Scribner's

eons, 1967.

A reference and teaching manual for classtoom and home-study

development of creative behavior. .

Parnes, S. J. Creative behavior workbook. New York: Charles Scribner's

Sons, 1967.

A workbook to accompariy Creative Behavior Guidebook.

Renzulli, J. New directions in creativity. New York: Harper & Row, 1973:

A collection of creative thinking exercises for school and home.

Sharp, E. Thinking is child's play. New York: E. P. Dutton 4 Co., Inc., 1969.

Information on how young children learn to reason. Includes a

collection of mind sharpening gamei.

Strang, R. Helping your gifted child. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc.,

1960.

Information and practical advice for parents of gifted children.

Torrance, E. P. Creativity. Sioux Falls ND: Adapt Press, 1969..

An extremely helpful mondgraph on creativity, with many valuable

hints and directions for parents.

Torrance, E. P.,.& Myers, R. F. Creativeearning and teaching. New York:

Harper & Row, 1970.

Extensive treatment of classroom teaching strategies that can be

employed in the home.

Weinlander, A. Your child in a scientific world. Gorden City NY: Doubleday

& Co., Inc., 1959.

.Information on books, science clubs' experiments, and other science

related materials that, though,dated, are especially successful for home

Williams; F. Classroom ideas for encouraging thinking and feeling. Buffalo

NY: D. 0. K. Publishers, 1970.

A collection of classroom ideas that can also be used by parents.

48 49

Journals

The Gifted Child Quarterly

R. R. 5

Box 630-A

Hot Springs, Arkansas 71901

The official journal of the National' Association for Gifted Children

(NAGC), the only journal published in its area. Includes current

research, as well as many practical suggestions for parents..

The Journal of Creatiyerehayior

State University College at Buffalo

1300 Elmwood Avenue

Buffalo, New York 14222

A quarterly journal that presents a variety of articles on creativity in

education, industry, and psychology.

Talents and Gifts

c/o The Department of Special Education

University of South Alabama

307 University Boulevard

Mobile, Alabama 36688

The quarterly newsletter of The Association of the Gifted (TAG)

contains information about many different aspects of and current

trendi in gifted 'education. Also includes regional conference

listings which parents may wish to consider.

Other resources

fn addition to these references, parents might fiqd that many of the

avaglible math and logic puzzles, creative art, music, dance and d

books, and simulation games are excellent resources for the train i of.

productive thinking. Readers may wish to refer to the previous discussion

on selectiqn of enrichment activities and materials for more information on,

choosing these.

Appendix B

Parent involved organizations for the gifted

Alabama

Alabama Association for Gifted and

Talented (ALATAG)

Dr. Marvin Gold

Department of Special Education

University -of South Alabama

Mobile, Alabama 36688

Arizona

Arizona Association for Gifted and

Talented

Kathy Kolbe

4131 North 51 Place

Phoenix, ArizonEy85018

California

California Association for the Gifted

Clare Harper,

120 Via Lerida

-Greenbrae, California 94904

Gifted Children's Association of San

Fernando Valley, Inc.

Adele Cavanagh

6228 Jackie Avenue

Woodland Hills, California 91364

1San Diego Association for Gifted

Children

Deborah Olstad

3033 Governor Drive

San Diego, California 92122

Gifted Children's Association of

Orange County-

Mickey Korba

6962 Moonbeam Drive

Huntington Beach, California 92647

Sacramento Area Gifted Association

Robert E. Swain

3738 Walnut Avenue

Carmichael, California 95608

San Francisco Association for Gifted

Children

Anne Wallach

345 Gonzalez Drive

San Francisco, California 94123

Interested Parents of MGM Student)___

Victor H. Steppan

126 Latham Street

Piedmont, California 94611

Parents for High Academic Potential

Barbara Elam

23926 Carland Drive

Newhall, California 91321

Association for Educational

Excellence of Albany

Sue Thomson

915 Key Route Boulevard

Albany, California, 94706

Northern California Council for the

Development of Programs for the

Gift* (NORCAL)

Paul Srieckler

Carmel High School

P. 0. Box 600

Carmel, California 93921

Pasadena Association for the Gifted

998 Altapine Drive

Altadena, California 0001

Gifted Students Association of

Arcadia

Mrs. Illene Mittman

1801 Highland Oaks Drive

Arcadia, California 91006

Berkeleyans for Academic Excellence

1135 Fresno Avenue

Berkeley, Califomia 94707

Lyceum of Santa Cruz County

0. Box 696

Capitola, California 95010

Lyceum of the Monterey Peninsula

24945 Valley Way

Carmel, California 93921

Source: National Network Directory/

Newsletter of Statewide and Smaller Parent

and Advocate Groups for Gifted and Tal-

ented Children. Oakland NJ: The Gifted

Child Society, Inc., 1976.

41)

Chula Vista Association for Gifted

Children

P.O. Box 155

Chula Vista, California 92012

Coronado Association for Gifted

Children

555 D Avenue

Coronado, California 92118

Central California Associt'clin for

the Gifted

Peter G. Fast

Fresno State College

Fresno, California 9374

Hacienda-LaPuente Association

for Gifted

1621 So. Orchard Hill Lane

Hacienda Heights, California 91745

Centinela Valley Association for

Gifted Children

13530 Aviation Boulevard

Hawthorne, California 90250

College for Kids

Jessie L. Harsham, Coordinator

College of Marin

Kentfield, California 94904

Gifted Children's Association of Los

Angeles, Inc.

Los Angeles City College

855 N. Vermont

Los Angeles, California 90029

K. E. Y., Inc.

c/o Zaas

325 Bonhill Road

Los Angeles, California 90049

Mind. Rangers

Barbara Sacks

1440 Warner Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90024

Parent Enrichment Project

3504 Cazador Street

Los Angeles, California 90065

The Learning Circle

P. O. Box 34791

Los Angeles, California 90034

Westside Gifted Children's

Association .

12121 Wilshire Boulevard

Suite 112

Los Angeles, California 90025

Malibu Association for Gifted

P.O. Box 191

Malibu, California 90265

A. C. E.

P.O. Box 831

Manhattan Beach, California 90266

Manhattan Beach Association for

Gifted Children

Mrs. Betty Scott

1509 Wendy Way

Manhattan Beach, California 90266

Palos Verdes Peninsula Association

for Gifted

4108 Via Lep Vista

Palos Verdes Estates

California 90274

P. E. P.

P. 0. Box 913

Palos Verdes Estates

California 90274

Pomona Valley Association for Gifted

P. 0. Box 2055 -

Pomona, California 91766

Shasta County Association for

Gifted

6185 Highland Circle

Redding, California 96001

Redland Gifted Children's

Association

1615 Helena Lane

Redlands, California 92373

West bontra Cost_ociation for

Gifted Children

2639 Bush Avenue

Richmond, California 94806

Parents Association for Gifted

Educatibn

1820 Santa Ysabela

Rowland Heights, California 91745

Gifted Children's Association of San

Mateo

155 Montgomery Street

San Francieco, California 94104

Parents Association for Gifted*

Box 567 -

San Juan Capistrano

California 92675

Harbor Association for Gifted and

Talented ChHdren 41

Mrs. V. F. Christensen

2109 Amelia Avenue

San Pedro, California 90731

Marin Association for Gifted

Children

P.O. Box 3334

San Rafael, Califorpia 94902

Conflict Valley Gifted "Children's

Assoolatibn,

1979 Maribwe

Thousand 'iOakS, California 91360

Foothill Association for Gifted

Children

Mrs. Fredric Kutner

.528 So. Charvers

West Covina, California 91791

Colorado

Colorado Association for- Gifted and

Talented

Rita M. Diakinson

Route 7; Box 553

Evergreen; Colorado 80439

Conectilcut

Connecticut Association -for the

,Thomas A. Jokubaiiis

'286 North Maih Street .

Naugatuck, Connecticut 0677

ELA (Extraordinary Learning Ability)

Parent!' Association

Lynne Niro

785 Park Avenue

Bloomfield, Connecticut 06002

Delaware

Gitted.Child Association

Ms. Muriel Miller

1107 Linda Road

Wilmington, Delaware .19803

Florida

Florida Association for the Gifted

Dr. Dorothy Sisk

College of Education

University of South Florida

Tampa, Fldrida 33620,

.Georgia.

Richmond` County Expansion of

Interested Parents Association

Diane Griffin. _

212 Avondale Drive

Augusta, Georgia 30907

Hawaii

Serteens Club of Hawaii

GeOrge Carter

98-1240 Kulawai Street

Aiea, Hawaii 96701

Idaho

Post Falls Chapter of NAGC

Nancy Carlson

Bbr82

Past Falls, Idaho 83854. ,

Illinois

Illinois Association for the 4_

Education of Gifted and Talented

Lois Fitter

2916' Grand. Avenue

Granite City, Illinois 62040

Indlanar

Central Indiana Association for.

Gifted,Children

Ms. Diane Dincold

3224 Albright Court

loaianipolis, Indiana 46268

slowsloia Association for the Gifted

Ralph Lynn

3408 Woodland Avenue I.

West Des Moines, Iowa 50265

Cedar Palls - Waterloo TAG

Joy Coming

516 West 8th Street

Cedar Falls, Iowa 5061'3-

'TAG' Gifted and Talented

EncourageMent .

Delyorce Rebouche

3500 Carlton

Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613

Kansas

Programs for Gifted/Talented/

Creative.

Clifford Curl

State Education Department

Topeka, Kansas 66612

Hays Aisociation for Gifted/

.Talented/Crettive

Cheri Parks w

2603 Fort

Hays, Kansas 6760/

1Manhattan Association for

,..

---Talent five ,

Keith Wood

1509 Universi rive

Manhattan, .KansD 66604

Topeka Association for Gifted/

Talented/ Creative

William Brady

1022 aileans

Topeka, Kanias.66504

Wichita Association for Gifted/

Talented/Creative .

Robert Davis

1022 Union Center

Wichita,, Kansas, e.7202

Louisiana

Association for Gifted and Talented,

.Students in Louisiana

Kay. Coffey ,

1627 Frankfort Street

New Orleans, Louisiana 70122

Salmon,' Fails School,

Organization

Elaine Crosby .

Salmoh falls School '

Hollis, Maine 640f$2

54 -

Parents

Maryland

Prince George's County Association

of Parents for. Talented and Gifted

Students (PG, TAG)'

Heinz E. Blum

13020 Ingleside Drive .

Beltsville, Maryland 20705

Gifted Child Committee

Montgomery County PTA

Regina Greenspan .

6407 Dahlonega Road.

Bethesda, Maryland 20016

Massachusetts

Franklin County Council for Gifted

'and Talented Children

Richard P. Renaud

Newhall Road

Conway, Massachusetts 01341

Michigan

Michigan Association for the

--AeademicaHy-Talentecrinc.

Nancy Skinner -

29976 Hennepin

Garden City, Michigan 48135,

Minnesota

Minnesota Council for the Gifted

and Talented

Mrs. Ruth Clifton

411 Rehhberg Place

West St. PSI, Minnesota 55118

Missouri

Gifted Association,pf -Missouri

,Dr. Russ Johnson

1641 Westwood Drive

Cape GirardeaU, Miisouri 63701

Nebraska

Nebraska Association for Gifted

Diane Ayers

Lincoln Public Schools

Administration Building

Lincoln, Nebraska 68508

Nevada

Parents of Gifted and Talented

K. Sylvester

255 Skyline Drive

Elko, Nevada 89801

es,

New *they

Gifted Child Society, Inc.

Gina Ginsberg

59 Glen Gray Road

Qakland, New Jersey 07436

New Mexico

Albuquerque AssocifrtiOn for Gifted

and Talented Students

Elizabeth Pa'ak

APS, P.O. Box 25714

Albuquerque, New MOxico 87125

New York

New York State A.ssoci for the

Gifted and Talen

Bernice Ellis

-628 Golf Drive

North Woodmere, New York 11181

Westchester Association for the

Gifted and Talented

Dr. James H. Boyd

18 Walworth Terrace

White Plains, New York 10606

Rockland Chapter, National

Association for Gifted Children

Jeanette Newman Rosenfeld

78 Hall Avenue

New City, New York 10956

American Association for. Gifted

Children,

41Iexandra Zimmer

Gramercy Place ,1+;;,/,,,

New York, New York 19003

North Carolina

Parents for the Adipncement of

Gifted Education

Leroy Martin

5015 Glenwood Avenue

Raleigh, North Carolina 27612

North.Dakcita

The Association for High Potential

Children

Ellen Fiedler

1334 Second Street North

'Fargo, North Cfakola 58102

tit

OhioOhio Association fog Gifted Children

Ruth` B. Olson'

18960 CoffinbiOry BOulevard

Cleveland, Ohio 44126

Central Ohio Chapter of the Ohio

,Assbciation for' Gifted Children

Janice Williams

4282 Colerain Avenue

Colurnbus, Ohio 43214 .1

Warren - Trumbull County

Association for Gifted Children

Helen Venetta ', fle,

275 WainWood, S. E.

Warren, Ohio 44400

Oklahoma

Oklahomans for Gifted-Talented

Zela Arnett

1302 East Was

'Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044

Oklahomans for Gifted-Talented.

Ann M. Kerr

829 Nancy Lynn Ter?ace

Norman, Oklahoma 73069

Oregon

Oregon'Association for Educational

Enrichment

Ray Lauderdalp

Vista Post Office 3104

Salern, Oregon 97302 I.

PennsyNania

Pennsylvania Association for the

Study and Education Of Mentally

Gifted (PASEMG)

Ted Davis

236 Green-Street

Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18,01

Rhode islopnd

NatioriEifFounglation for Gifted and

Creative Children

Marie:Friedel

395 Di8M011.HilNiotid

Warwick, Rhode Island 02886

South Dakota.

Patricia O'Keefe Easton

1201 Crestview Drive

Vermillion, titith Dakttt 57069

CS 55

-dr

411

Mimosa .

Associationlifor Education of

**Gifted Stuckant =tr-

*Harry Krieger V:r.

139 tynnfield Street

Memphis,,Tennessee 381b8

.41

Tessa .

41- Association for Gifted.education

Carrol Lockhart

1300 Spyglass #161

Austin, Texas278700

.UtahFortuna Parent Organization for

the Gifted and Talented

Colleen T. Morris

35200toger..Drive

Salt-Lake City, Utah 84117

.44

Job

(.4

it's.

Virginia

Programs for Enrichment of the

Gifted, Inc.

Viann Powers

4514 Kingsley Road

Woodbridge, Virginia 22193

Supervisor of Gifted Programs

Donna Tahir

Gifted Task Force

Old Capitol Building

Olympia, Washington .8504

Washington

Wisconsin

Wisconsin council for. Gifted and

Talented

Jane Nolte

6833 West Wells

Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53213

CE 7.4E ED172501

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