Gifted and Talented Newsletter
Discover the Journey of Tomorrow's Greatest Minds
"May" Your Days Be Filled With Dreams And Wonder!
Gifted and Talented Students in Action!
Parenting Gifted Children
Developing Social Skills in Gifted Children
“The day a child is identified as a gifted learner life changes for them and their families.” ~ Angie French
Social skills are necessary skills that allow children to get along with others; especially age-peers. These skills include self-control, good manners, and being able to cooperate, communicate and engage with others. These skills are not innate; they must be taught and gifted children are no exception. Too often adults mistakenly think all gifted children can develop social skills instinctively.
“Social skills is a huge area encompassing all the ways we get along with other people – parents, peers, teachers, etc. [They] include a vast array of “hidden” and “zero order” skills – things only noticed when they fail. GT kids may need extra help with social skills, as their peers might be few and far between ” ~ Dr. Peter Flom
Academic placement can affect social competency. Poor and inappropriate placement exacerbate its development. When gifted kids enter school without social skills, behavior can be misinterpreted as being spoiled rather than being bored and unchallenged. (Ruf)
Who should be responsible for teaching social skills – parents, schools, or both? Although both parents and schools need to teach social skills, it initially starts at home. Basic social skills need to be in place long before the child enters school. For gifted students, schools need to differentiate instruction taking asynchronous development and individual needs into consideration.
“Parents can be their safe place of acceptance. GT kids often feel different – being OK with self can help with social anxiety.” ~ Shanna Weber
The conversation then turned to where and how should social skills be taught in schools – regular classroom; pull-out sessions; with intellectual peers? Social skills can be incorporated into all phases of school life. Pull-out classes can deal with issues associated with giftedness. Regular classrooms provide the opportunity to practice social skills with age-peers. Particular skills may need to be taught when gifted kids are working with older intellectual peers; new circumstances.
Margaret Thomas added an important reminder, “GT kids don’t want to be singled out, condescended to, or lumped with label of lacking emotional intelligence.”
“Let kids problem solve social issues. Don’t rescue them but guide them. Nudge them to get comfortable with uncomfortable.” ~ Valerie King
What are some things parents can do to teach social skills at home? Modeling good behavior at home is an important part of parenting. They can be vigilant in discussing the importance of other’s feelings (empathy) in response to one’s own behavior. Jo Freitag of Gifted Resources and Sprite’s Site suggested, “Parents can role play possible situations with their children to try various outcomes.” Parents need to set clear rules and family standards; have high, but reasonable expectations. (Pfeiffer) They should look for signs of aggressive or anxious behavior; consider professional help when necessary. Carol Beinbridge, gifted expert at About.com, added, “Responses children get from parents, peers, and teachers helps them learn what is and isn’t appropriate social behavior.”
“Final thought: Just as we never stop learning, we never stop building social skills. Everyone can develop confidence with others.” ~ Jeremy Bond
~March Out In May To ~
Scarborough Renaissance Festival
This event occurs Daily from 04/09/2016 to 05/30/2016
Event Time: 10:00:00 AM till 07:00:00 PM
Cost: ticket prices vary
Ages: All ages
Location Name: Scarborough Renaissance Festival
Location Address: 2511 FM 66, Waxahachie Click for Google Map
Description: Step back in time to a 16th-century English village featuring jousting knights, artisans, a slew of performances by entertainers, food and a variety of demonstrations (falconry, candle making, glass blowing) and more. Days: Weekends and Memorial Day Monday 10 AM to 7 PM. Discount tickets can be purchased online.
Saturday, May 7, 2016, 10:00 AM
2511 FM 66, Waxahachie, TX, United States
Sealife Grapevine Claws Exhibit!
This event occurs Daily from 04/22/2016 to 12/31/2016
Cost: $20/Adults; $16/children ages 3 - 12 yrs
Ages: All ages
Location Name: SeaLife Aquarium @ Grapevine Mills Mall
Location Address: 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine Click for Google Map
Description: Experience some of the world’s crabbiest creatures with the opening of Claws at SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium on Earth Day, April 22. The yearlong Claws exhibit will feature different crustaceans from around the world including mighty coconut crabs, unique porcupine crabs, lively land crabs and even lobsters. The exhibit will also feature Japanese spider crabs, the largest arthropod in the world, with legs that can reach 12-feet across when fully grown.
Saturday, May 7, 2016, 10:00 AM
3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, TX, United States
11th Annual Frontier Forts Days
Friday, May 13, 2016, 10:30 AM
Stockyards Station, 130 East Exchange Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Perot Museum Imax
THIS EVENT OCCURS DAILY UNTIL 5/26
Cost: $8Location Name: The Hoglund Foundation Theater at the Perot Museum
Location Address: 2201 N. Field Street Dallas, Texas 75201
Description: You can either take a Journey into Space, experience Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure, or see interesting Tiny Giants
The Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience is the museums cutting edge theater featuring 4K digital projection and Real 3D capabilities.
Friday, May 6, 2016, 09:00 PM
Perot Museum of Nature and Science, North Field Street, Dallas, TX, United States
Have You Thought About What Your Gifted Child Will Do This Summer?
Summer Camp Opportunities!
Camp Invention
Camp Pursuit
http://numien.com/camp-pursuit-2015/
Duke University
Newton's Lab Summer Camps at Sci Tech
http://mindstretchingfun.org/newtons-lab/
SMU Summer Youth Programs
http://www.smu.edu/CAPE/SummerYouth
Summer Institute for the Gifted
Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science
UTD Summer Camps
http://www.utdallas.edu/summercamps/academic.html
Arts and Technology
The Texas Association of the Gifted and Talented Presents Even More Opportunities!
Robotic Coloring STEM Activity
Let me show you how we took the parts from an old broken toy and turned it into a motorized coloring machine. It's the coloring of the future!
You too can design your very own Robotic Coloring Machine.
Complete directions here
Activities and Websites for GT Students
14 Catapults for Kids to Create
Get directions here.