Dear Teacher: My oldest daughter was consistently the brightest child in her class in kindergarten through second grade and was never challenged. In third grade, she was tested and placed in the Academically and Intellectually Gifted program. Her classroom teacher gave her some slightly more challenging assignments, and that was the extent of the program.
Fortunately, I found an alternative this year. My daughter is now in a charter school that requires an IQ score of 130 or better. I can already see the unique benefits of this superior learning environment. She is being challenged to do her best instead of being held up as an example to lower- or average-achieving students.
I just want other parents to know that there are great programs out there for their gifted children. However, you must look for them. -- Satisfied Parent
Dear Parent: It's true that not all school districts have challenging gifted programs. Successfully working with these children within the regular classroom depends on the training the teacher has received as well as the time the teacher has to devote to such a program. Fortunately, opportunities are now growing for gifted children to participate in self-contained classrooms in their own schools as well as to attend schools devoted to the gifted.
There is the alternative of skipping a grade or being advanced for part of the day to a higher grade level in certain subjects. If their children are math whizzes, they might help set up a math club where students prepare to participate in contests sponsored by the Math Olympiads or the MATHCOUNTS programs. Parents can also encourage their children's schools to participate in national and state history, geography and spelling contests.
Beyond the school, parents should look for opportunities within the community to expand the educational opportunities for their gifted children. There are wonderful Saturday and summer programs for children at colleges, museums, art galleries, orchestras and libraries. Then there are all the educational trips families can take within their communities, from planetariums to farms to businesses.