Gifted Children and Gifted Education Publisher - Prufrock Press

Prufrock's Gifted Child Information Blog Has Moved

CFertig — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:45:00 GMT

We’ve moved the Prufrock Press blogs to a new location. You can now find all of our blogs consolidated into a single blog at blog.prufrock.com.

We’re sorry for the inconvenience. Our new blogging platform gives us lots of new, great ways to communicate with our readers. Stop by and give it a look.

See you there!

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All Good Things Need to End...Or Do They?

CFertig — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Dear Readers,

This is my final entry for Prufrock’s Gifted Child Information Blog. The blog and its search capabilities will be taken down around the first of September.

I have posted a blog at this site every week for almost 6 ½ years. It has been a lot of fun sharing all the wonderful resources available for very bright young people. I have enjoyed a good following of parents, educators, and others who support the strengths and interests of children. Thank you to Joel McIntosh, publisher of Prufrock Press, for making this blog possible. Joel is a wonderful person to work for and to work with.

As the old saying goes...when one door closes, another opens. I plan to rework much of the content of the blogs at this site into some new formats that should be highly useful to parents and teachers. I also plan to spend more time on non-education writing projects that I have been postponing. I hope that you will continue to follow me as I reinvent myself.

You can find me at my new website bycarolfertig.com. At this new website, you will be able to find out more about me; my book, Raising a Gifted Child: A Parenting Success Handbook; and ways to stay in contact with me.

I will maintain a blog at the website, which will chronicle my writing process. This may be a helpful tool for those who teach writing or who are writers themselves. It will include projects on which I am working, the emotional side of writing, my organizational methods for writing, frustrations and joys of writing, etc. Hopefully, this blog will inspire teachers and parents to discuss writing issues with their students and encourage young people to pursue the art.

In addition to my new website, you can

Like me on Facebook at Carol Fertig – Author
Follow me on Twitter at cfertig1
Email me at carol@bycarolfertig.com
Find me on LinkedIn (Carol Fertig—Independent Writing and Editing Professional)

Please help spread the word to others that this blog is ending. Let your friends and colleagues know how to find me in the future. I shall look forward to seeing you at my new website, on Facebook and Twitter, and through my future writing projects.

Carol Fertig

20 Under 20 Thiel Fellows—An Opportunity for Highly Gifted

CFertig — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:01:00 GMT

This past May, Peter Thiel announced the appointment of twenty-four Thiel Fellows. These are young people—all under the age of 20—who are interested in solving difficult problems and in increasing the quality of life for people everywhere. Thiel wants to help these young people become the next generation of tech visionaries. You can read about each of the Fellows here.

While the intent of the Thiel Foundation was to choose 20 fellows, there were so many excellent applicants that it was impossible to stop at the appointed number; instead, they decided to choose 24. These are individuals who are challenging the authority of the present and the familiar. More than 400 people applied to be Fellows. Applications arrived from nearly two dozen countries and from nearly two hundred high schools, junior colleges, community colleges, four-year colleges, and graduate schools. Many applicants never went to college, had stopped going to school, were already working, or had already launched their own companies. Many had long personal histories of entrepreneurship.

The Fellows are pursuing innovative scientific and technical projects, learning entrepreneurship, and beginning to build the technology companies of tomorrow. During their two-year tenures, each Fellow will receive $100,000 from the Thiel Foundation as well as mentorship from the Foundation’s network of tech entrepreneurs and innovators. The project areas for this class of fellows include biotech, career development, economics and finance, education, energy, information technology, mobility, robotics, and space.

The next application period for 20 Under 20 will be available after October 1, 2011. Criteria for application will not be released until then. If you would like to be on the mailing list for the application when it comes out, sign up under the “Contact Us” at the Thiel Foundation website.

The Museum of Mathematics—Great Resources for the Gifted

CFertig — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Great new resources are becoming available with the pending 2012 opening of the Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) in New York City. MoMath will be the only museum in the United States dedicated strictly to mathematics. (The small one that previously existed on Long Island closed in 2006.) To read about the founder of this new museum, how it got started, and the types of exhibits that will be included, see the article about it that recently appeared in The New York Times.

The exhibits and programs at MoMath are designed to stimulate inquiry, spark curiosity, and reveal the wonders of mathematics. I can hardly wait until it opens.

A series of videos titled Math Encounters is already available. Some of these include

The Geometry of Origami
Symmetry, Art, & Illusion
Soap Bubbles and Mathematics

Math Midway is a hands-on traveling exhibition that highlights the engaging and playful nature of mathematics. Math Midway is making appearances at science and technology centers across the country. A list of upcoming engagements is provided.

Math Mondays is a partnership between MoMath and the magazine Make: Online. The weekly column discusses fun, experiential, puzzling topics in mathematics. Some recent topics are

Knit or Crochet a Dodecahedron
Fold Your Own Hyperbolic Paraboloids
Cut and Fold Escher

There is also an online store for MoMath that sells a variety of mathematical games and books.

Graphic Arts for Gifted Kids

CFertig — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Graphic arts encompasses the art of representation, decoration, and writing or printing on flat surfaces. Common uses include identity (logos and branding), websites, publications (magazines, newspapers, and books), advertisements, and product packaging. Graphic arts is a field of interest for many gifted young people. If nurtured, it might develop into a career option. Here are some websites that may be helpful for your students.

Celebrating Creativity: Interview with Graphic Designer Michael Schwab—Want to know what it is like to have a career as a graphic artist? Find out in this interview with graphic designer Michael Schwab, whose designs are known nationwide for their bold colors and simple images. Schwab has created award-winning logos and posters for many clients, including Apple, Comedy Central, Levi’s, Major League Baseball, Nike, Warner Brothers, and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. In this interview, he discusses graphic design and what it takes to be a graphic designer

Design Dossier: Graphic Design for Kids—This is a book that acts as a mini-class on all the aspects of graphic design, including profiles of graphic designers, each answering a few key questions about the art and craft. There are also pull-outs, die-cuts, and other special effects that allow young students a chance to interact with the material.

Kids Can Learn Graphic Designing, Too!—Here you will find graphic design project ideas to encourage the younger set.

Staff Development and Parent Presentations for the Gifted

CFertig — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Budgets are tight, yet there is one quality resource for gifted education that is available at minimal cost. Check out the Educators Guild at the Davidson Institute for Talent Development. Presentations are available for the cost of staff traveling expenses. That should cut costs drastically as presenters often charge large amounts for speaking fees.

Repeatedly, the Davidson Institute has turned out quality programs and has amassed a huge database of information that is available online.

Some presentations are already in place, with the promise of more to come soon. Each of the presentations listed here has a PDF file that offers an overview of the topic. There is also contact information if you want to learn more.

For Teachers

Accommodations for the Gifted Child in the Regular Classroom—characteristics of giftedness, manifestations of the gifted in the regular classroom, accommodations, and free resources and ideas for teachers.
Davidson Institute for Talent Development - Gifted Overview—takes a look at the history of and the programs offered by the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, as well as information on identifying gifted students, characteristics, underachievement, perfectionism, and peer relations.

For Parents

Motivation and the Gifted Child—extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation, characteristics that effect motivation, and tips on how to shift motivation.
Raising a Gifted Child—asynchrony, intensities, perfectionism, peer relations, and underachievement.

Universal Themes and Essential Questions for the Gifted

CFertig — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:01:00 GMT

This is a topic that I keep revisiting because I feel that it is the very essence of gifted education.

Teachers are often accused of delivering curriculum that is not relevant to today’s students. If we teach (or have discussions at home) using universal themes, the material presented does become relevant. By using universal themes, you will provide umbrellas under which details become easier to remember, and give students frameworks of understanding that they can carry with them the rest of their lives.

A universal theme is a timeless, broad, abstract idea that can be used to tie together literary works or to understand broad concepts in history. It is a concept to which all people can relate. It transcends race, gender, and creed.

We learn best when we are able to relate new information to previous experiences and to ideas that are familiar. By teaching universal themes/concepts, we help students better understand their past experiences and form “big ideas” that are transferred to future experiences. Themes give a common reason for students to read many different books, including books on different ability levels, which is excellent for differentiation. Universal themes can be used with any subject, but they are especially suited for literature and social studies.

When working with universal themes, it is important to ask essential questions. Essential questions are open ended (i.e. they do not have a single answer). Instead, the question requires a longer, more involved response and causes the respondent to think and reflect. These cause students to think critically instead of simply looking up answers. Essential questions

provoke deep thought
may not have an answer
encourage critical thinking, not just memorization of facts
require students to draw upon content knowledge and personal experience

Example
Universal Theme: Identity--This theme might be used with a literature unit or while studying ethnic differences in social studies.

Identity might be defined as uniqueness, distinctiveness, individuality, or personality. The identity of a person or group is rarely static, but instead is constantly being changed by internal and external forces.

Essential Questions:

How do we form our identities?
How does what others think about you affect how you think about yourself?
How is identity shaped by relationships and experiences?
What can you learn about yourself by studying the lives of others?
When should an individual take a stand in opposition to an individual or larger group?

One resource that will help you with these topics is Universal Themes and Generalizations, from DukeTip. In this pdf file, ten different themes are listed along with sample sub-categories for each of those themes.

You may want to refer to previous posts I have written on the topics of universal themes and essential questions. Some of these previous posts provide examples, demonstrating ways these tools can be used in the classroom. Parents, remember that you can always modify classroom suggestions for your discussions at home. Here are the links to the previous posts.

The Fascination of Storm Chasers for Gifted Kids

CFertig — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Gifted young people frequently get very excited about bizarre occurrences and occupations. The job of storm chaser fits into that category and may act as an impetus for the study of meteorology.

Please be sensitive to the emotions of your individual children. While this information will fascinate some children, it may terrify others. Use your judgment about making this available to your kids.

Storm Chasing—Who are storm chasers? Can one make a living at the job? What does a typical chase look like? What is the best way to become a storm chaser?
Storm Chasers on the Discovery Channel—This site is presented in Hollywood fashion, sensationalizing the storms. Here you will find impressive videos, a real-time weather tracker, and information about the vehicles and equipment used by storm chasers. The production crew of StormChasers also answers questions about their jobs.
Storm Chasers from PBS—University of Oklahoma meteorology professor Howard Bluestein turned a boyhood fascination with severe weather into a career chasing tornadoes, working to shed scientific light on one of nature's most violent and unpredictable phenomenons. He and his graduate student “chasers” are featured in an IMAX film. An interview with the director of the film can also be found at this website. Learn about the development of Bluestein’s career. Included at this site are facts about severe weather and information about obtaining an activity guide for teachers (or parents).

Encouraging Mathematical Thinking in Gifted Kids

CFertig — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Parents, do you want to encourage your young people to think mathematically this summer and beyond? Here are some ways to accomplish that.

Preschoolers

Nurturing Mathematically Talented Preschoolers–In this blog entry, Natasha Chen shares her experience on parenting a mathematically precocious child. The author acknowledges that it can be difficult to find a program for three- to five-year-olds, so she offers some tips that she has found useful. Her suggestions include

Specific resources
Playing with LEGOs, Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, K’nex, Magna-Tiles, tangrams, and blocks of all shapes and sizes. She also provides ideas for using these building sets.
Ways to use mathematical logic in everyday conversations
Ideas for working with fractions

There is no need for formal lessons. All of Chen's suggestions are applied through play activities.

Elementary School Students

10 Practically Fun Math Games and Activities for Your Preteen–While the title of this article suggests that young people be close in age to teenagers, many of these activities are appropriate for much younger children. Author JC Ryan lists eight indoor activities and two outdoor activities that parents may not automatically think of as building math skills.

Kindergarten through High School

Have You Seen These 8 High Quality, Free Math Websites?–Activities here cater to an enormous range of abilities and offer math related subjects from basic counting through calculus, current economic theory, and puzzles.

Careers in Science and Engineering for the Gifted

CFertig — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Students who want to learn about careers in science and engineering can do so through a series of interviews (many written, some video) at Cogito. Interviews are both with professionals and with advanced students in high school and college. When you watch and read these interviews, it becomes obvious that these individuals took their interests seriously, and found appropriate ways to pursue them, from very early ages. Their work is often notable before they even graduate from high school.

NOVA also has a great series of videos and written materials titled The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers. By watching and reading the various segments, students learn about the many different roads available to scientists and engineers (some quite obscure) and also see unexpected aspects of the personal lives of these professionals. This series brings a human element to the professions. For instance, Rachel Collins is both a microbiologist and a professional wrestler. Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist and a figure skater. Emily Whiting is an architectural engineer and a rock climber. Alan Sage is both a vegetarian scientist and a rapper. The NOVA website also has a teachers guide for introducing young people to careers in science and engineering.

Both the Cogito and the NOVA websites can be used to encourage gifted kids to pursue careers in math and engineering.

Call to Action: Making Gifted Education Relevant Today

CFertig — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Deborah Mersino has become very active in the gifted community over the last few years. She brings a business perspective to the field and acts as a consultant, writer, and speaker to gifted and talented organizations and communities. She helps institutions and associations serving the gifted population with marketing communication strategies, including digital media tactics. She also acts as moderator of the weekly global #gtchat sessions on Twitter, where she helps connect parents, teachers, and advocates from across the world every Friday at noon and 7:00 p.m. (EST) to discuss critical issues relating to giftedness.

Recently, Mersino posted a blog entry titled CALL TO ACTION: Making Gifted Education Relevant Today. This post is worth reading. The article would make a good topic for group discussion. I urge you to take it to your gifted associations, gifted parent or teacher organizations, or college classes. She believes that "the current course for advocating on behalf of gifted learners is doomed; a radical shift in mindset is needed." Mersino has five suggestions for making gifted education relevant in today’s world. I am only listing them here. You will want to read the descriptions of each in detail

Get rid of the word "gifted."
Focus research on big picture education reform and simplify focus.
Change the descriptor to the "Talent Development Movement" (no more “Gifted Education Movement”), and start tearing down protective, yet ultimately inhibiting, walls.
Overhaul national and state nonprofit gifted associations’ missions and purpose.
Give things away. Be generous.

Mersino takes some risks in bucking the established ways of doing things in gifted education. Many of her ideas are worth serious consideration. I hope you will use her article as a springboard for open and honest discussions in your advocacy groups and in your district meetings.

Parenting and Teaching Young Gifted Children

CFertig — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 09:01:00 GMT

In her article, Differentiated Instruction for Young Gifted Children: How Parents Can Help, Joan Smutny does an excellent job of explaining strategies that can be used in the classroom to address the needs of young gifted children, including

Compacting—Children skip content that they already know and move to more advanced work.
Learning Stations—Areas of the classroom where students can work on different tasks within a unit. Each station may represent a higher level of complexity than the one before it. Students move freely from one task to the next.
Tiered Activities—A classroom of children may focus on the same, broad learning goal, but at different levels of depth and complexity.
Clustering—Students who are significantly ahead are grouped and provided with more advanced content.

The best parts of Smutny’s article, though, are the many quotes and stories about children she uses to illustrate her points. She not only explains the strategies that might be used in the classroom to differentiate instruction, but also shows parents how they can enhance their children’s learning at home and also support and get involved with student learning at school.

From this article, both parents and teachers will get ideas about ways they can form better partnerships to enhance the learning of young gifted students.

Smutny has made young gifted children one of her specialties. If you like her article mentioned here, you will probably also enjoy some of the many books that she has written on the subject. You will find these by going to web sites such as Amazon and typing in her name or doing a general Internet search using her name.

Teaching Gifted Students to Write Well

CFertig — Fri, 27 May 2011 09:01:00 GMT

The ability to write well is one of the major gateways to a successful education and to career advancement later in life. It is also a tool that helps one sort through and analyze personal thoughts, express oneself effectively, and act as a stress reducer when one is faced with difficult physical and psychological issues in life.

Watch the video of Steve Graham discussing the importance of learning to write well.

Writing is most effectively developed when it is taught across all subjects—not just those in the field of language arts. Unfortunately, not enough teachers are sufficiently prepared to teach writing.

The National Writing Project (NWP) is one resource filled with ideas and opportunities to remedy this situation. There are currently more than 200 university-based writing project sites that provide high quality professional development and leadership opportunities to more than 100,000 K-16 educators every year. Many NWP sites offer special writing programs for children. For tips on helping children learn to write and how to support good writing instruction in schools, click on the Resources tab at the top of the NWP website. Parents, remember that you can also play an important part in teaching your children to write. You will also find many suggestions in the resources listed at the NWP website.

Mark Overmeyer is one person in the NWP network who I know and greatly respect. I have attended some of his writing workshops, which have been excellent. On Mark Overmeyer’s Blog you will see that he is an excellent writer himself. He has published two books about teaching writing and his blog entries are filled with helpful resources.

Summer Literacy Resources for Gifted Kids (and Their Parents)

CFertig — Fri, 20 May 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Need some book recommendations for your children this summer? Excellent lists of recommended books can be found at

Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) publishes lists of award-winning books for young people, including Newbery and Caldecott winners.
International Reading Association provides “Choices” reading lists. These are books chosen as favorites by children, young adults, teachers, and librarians around the country.
101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers is published by the College Board.
Classic Novels offers one of many lists of the classics available on the Internet. This list was compiled by the Cincinnati Public Library. If your student owns an eReader (Kindle, Nook, etc.), many of the classics can be downloaded for free.

In addition to reading good books, children may enjoy creating their own books. There are a number of websites to help with this.

Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord’s Making Books with Children lists resources, ideas for teachers, and ideas for families.
ThinkQuest provides student-created ideas for constructing various types of books.

How to Create and Manage Discussion Groups for Gifted Kids

CFertig — Fri, 13 May 2011 09:01:00 GMT

In addition to meeting the academic needs of gifted students, it is also important to address affective issues they may have. These bright kids benefit from being with others who are highly intelligent and with whom they can discuss social and emotional issues that may set them apart.

Terry Bradley is a gifted education advisor from Colorado who specializes in social and emotional needs of very bright students. For years, she has facilitated affective discussion groups with gifted middle school and high school students. In these groups, kids talk about issues they have in common and how life looks and feels through the lens of giftedness.

Bradley feels that there needs to be a balance between appropriate academic and emotional opportunities. Gifted kids often share similar characteristics such as intensity, sensitivity, heightened moral and ethical codes of behavior, and the ability to process feelings more thoroughly and deeply. Discussion groups provide a forum where students have the opportunity to express themselves as they truly are.

In her article, Beyond Academics: Discussion Groups That Nurture Affective Growth in Gifted Students, Bradley explains the difference between affective education and counseling. She also offers a step-by-step guide for adults who want to start discussion groups in their own schools. Topics include getting support, the optimum group size, frequency of meetings, choosing discussion topics, and encouraging participation. She describes specific activities that she uses as well as communication techniques. Outside resources are also included.

If you do not already have a social/emotional discussion group established at your school, consider starting one. Whether you already have a group up and running or you’re considering the idea, you will find the ideas in Bradley’s article to be helpful.

What Should We Be Teaching Gifted Kids for the 21st Century?

CFertig — Fri, 06 May 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Dr. Judy Willis is an authority on brain research. She has a unique background, having been both a neurologist and a classroom teacher. She has written several books and writes a blog for Psychology Today. One of her recent blog entries is Whose Children Will Get the Best Jobs in the 21st Century? which offers an interesting perspective on what we should be doing to prepare students for today’s world.

According to Willis, the best jobs in the future will go to applicants who have the

skillsets to analyze information as it becomes available
flexibility to adapt when what were believed to be facts are revised
ability to collaborate with others
ability to articulate one's ideas

Rather than just learn a lot of facts, students need opportunities to discover the connections between isolated facts, build networks of concepts, and apply what they learn in new contexts. Critical analysis, judgment, creative problem solving, and the ability to evaluate and apply data to new situations are all vital.

Parents can prepare students by

helping children develop personal responsibility
explicitly teaching how to focus attention, study, organize, prioritize, plan, and set goals
teaching how to make the switch from memorization to mental manipulation by comparing and contrasting concepts and applying big ideas to solve new types of problems
teaching how to evaluate sources of accurate information and then to use critical analysis to assess the veracity/bias and current/potential uses of new information
finding out the topics children will study in the coming school months and then promoting interest by introducing things that relate to the topic, providing background knowledge and interest

Willis provides many concrete ideas for parents to teach these skills at home. I strongly urge you to read the article. The ideas provided would make a great beginning for a discussion in a parent support group.

The 150th Anniversary of the Civil War

CFertig — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:01:00 GMT

This year ushered in the start of a four-year commemoration of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary. Among some groups, there is still a controversy about whether the war was started because of slavery or state’s rights. This might be a good issue to broach with gifted students. There are some excellent websites to help you when studying the Civil War.

Civil War Trust: Saving America’s Civil War Battlefields—This site includes maps, apps for your smartphone, resources for teachers and students, Civil War blogs, and a list of Civil War anniversary events across the nation.
The Civil War: 150 Years (Part of the National Park Service website)—Includes upcoming events, information on more than 70 parks in the National Park System that have resources related to the history of the Civil War, a database of those who served in the war, news stories from the time, and the history of African Americans in the war.
North Carolina Civil War Sesquicentennial—This site has adopted three themes—freedom, sacrifice, and memory— which are explored across all aspects of the war.
Civil War 150 (from The History Channel)—Offers an interactive experience that provides interesting information about who fought in the Civil War, weapons that were used, how people died, the five deadliest battles, paying for the war, West Point warriors, and other topics too numerous to list.
Civil War Battlefield Medicine—General medicine, surgery, and primary sources.
Pictures of the Civil War (from the National Archives)—Photographs of civilians and civilian activities; military personnel, equipment, and activities; and the locations and aftermaths of battles. Because wet-plate collodion negatives required from 5 to 20 seconds exposure, there are no action photographs of the war.
Civil War Photos—Over 1,200 Civil War images.
Selected Civil War Photographs (from the Library of Congress)—1,118 photographs of military personnel, preparations for battle, and battle after-effects.

When Does a Parent Know His or Her Child Is Gifted?

CFertig — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:01:00 GMT

So often I’m asked, “When does a parent know if his or her child is gifted?” I think they are surprised when I respond by saying, “I don’t know. What does it mean to be gifted?”

After all, I am supposed to be the expert. I am expected to have the answers. But I can’t provided any definitive reply.

First of all, what does it mean to be gifted? There are many definitions and many ways of assessing a child’s ability. Is one more correct than another? Who should make that determination? You may want to look at some of the previous posts on this blog about this subject, including

Even if there is some consensus about the definition of giftedness, I think most people would agree that students fall somewhere on an extended continuum. There are children who have strong interests or abilities in just one area, which may or may not be a traditional academic subject. There are students who are more globally endowed and may finish high school before they are teenagers and receive graduate degrees by the time others finish high school. Some young people who are very bright have learning disabilities or physical disabilities or emotional problems. Some fit into a traditional school environment and some could care less about school.

So what’s a parent to do if she thinks her child fits into the gifted category? There are no quick and simple answers; however, if you read my book, Raising a Gifted Child (also available on Amazon and in book stores) and search through this blog, you will find many options and combinations of options for schooling children. You will also find many excellent subject-specific resources. Consider me your personal research assistant. Through both Raising a Gifted Child and more than six years of weekly blog postings, I’ve tried to anticipate questions that you might have about giftedness and find the answers for you. I receive emails from people all over the world who read this blog and ask even more questions. I “listen” to these, answer them personally, and use those questions to post still more entries. You can use the search feature (upper part of the right-hand column) at this site to find the information you need on all things gifted.

In the end, I want parents to know that there are many ways to help very bright children to develop not only academically, but socially and emotionally. The choices you make must be flexible—if one doesn’t work, try another. Mix and match what works for your family and understand that your contributions to the educational process are at least as important as any formal education your young people may receive.

Alternatives for Gifted High School Students

CFertig — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Some high school students are ready to move on academically long before their peers. As stated in High School Alternatives for Gifted Teens, “It’s easy to find stories of 13-year-olds going off to college, but many gifted kids just aren’t ready to leave the nest early.” At the same time, they may have already finished or tested out of the regular high school curriculum. Author Suki Wessling suggests that students in this situation investigate

Alternative schools
Community college classes
Private schools, if they can be flexible with your student
Serving Gifted Learners Beyond the Traditional Classroom: A Guide to Alternative Programs and Services
Online high school courses
Striking out on one’s own through homeschooling

In addition to these suggestions, I would recommend looking at some previous posts on Prufrock's Gifted Child Information Blog, including

Free Guidebooks to Help Exceptionally Bright Children—look especially at the sections on Investigating Gap Year Opportunities, Volunteerism and Community Service, and Mentorships.
Online Math Program Comparison for Gifted Students
Mentors for Gifted Students
Self-Directed Learning for Gifted Students
Free Tutorial Videos on Math and Science

Also, check out the Open Courseware Consortium, which is a collaboration of higher education institutions and associated organizations from around the world creating open educational content that is free to the public.

A student who finishes high school early might also take a year or two to pursue her passions in a very focused manner, furthering her studies in music, theatre, art, dance, language, cultures, science, etc.

Remember that sometimes the best solution is a combination of possibilities.

The Importance of the Arts in Our Schools

CFertig — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Years of research show that [the arts is] closely linked to almost everything that we as a nation say we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity.

This is from a recent article in Edutopia, titled Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best. Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in many areas, including academic development and positive character traits. Over the last few decades, arts in the schools have been eroded, but there is hope. Some school districts are now revitalizing the arts, many prompted by new findings in brain research and cognitive development. In this article, you will find examples of school districts that are reinvigorating their curricula with the arts. Edutopia has a whole series of articles on the importance of arts education, including

Take some time to read these articles and encourage the arts in your child’s school. Incorporate art into your family activities. Development of the arts is at the very basis of highly civilized societies.

Do you want to know what your state policy is on arts education? Search the database at the Arts Education Partnership.