• expose your students to a wide range of subjects and people,
• show them that their interests and ideas are valued, and
• help them to begin their career education at an early age.

• Survey students to find out areas of interest that they would like to learn more about. Do not give them a list of possibilities to check off. Instead, just have each child write on a piece of paper at least three things that he or she would like to explore. These ideas do not have to be academic.
• Have a small group of volunteer parents sort through the students' ideas and try to group them. Are there some recurring themes?
• Have the same group of parents brainstorm about places where they might find speakers that would address student interests.
• After discussing their ideas with you first, parents can begin making contacts.
• Once schedules are set up for speakers, ask parents to contact the speaker again a week or two in advance to confirm the date and time and find out if there is anything special that the speaker will need.
• Make sure that parents keep you informed of any communication that occurs between them and the speakers. 

• Start close to home. Are there people you know personally that would match a student's interest?
• Are there parents at the school that have a strong personal interest or profession that would match another student's chosen topic?
• What are some of the companies in your community that might have individuals that could present? Many larger companies actually have speaker bureaus.
• What about people who work at museums, theaters, orchestras, or universities? Or, what about individuals who work as mathematicians, authors, or cartographers? No matter what the interests of the students may be, you can probably find a speaker nearby if you live in a large metropolitan area.
• Don't be afraid to approach people. They can always say no, but I think you will be surprised by the people who say yes.  

• Decide what day and time you would like to have the speaker. (I always chose Friday afternoons, because it was a nice end-of-the-week activity.) We tried to have a speaker every week that it was possible.
• Be clear about exactly what time you need the speaker to start, the physical condition of the classroom, the types of students that they will be working with, and whether or not you want the talk to be interactive. Sometimes those outside the school system don't understand the difficulties that are presented when an expected person doesn't show up right on time, and so be careful to explain all of that.  

• Make certain that the class has reviewed appropriate behavior for honoring a guest in the classroom. Remind them that this is a special occasion and a privilege.
• Have someone meet the speaker at the front door of the school building. This could be a parent and/or student (depending on the grade level). Let the speaker know how much the class is looking forward to the presentation.
• Have the student or students who chose the area of interest briefly explain to the class why they selected that particular topic.
• Decide on a way to thank the speaker for taking time to come to the classroom. Students may write letters, draw pictures, create something to send to the speaker, or anything else that you feel suits the situation. 

 

 

Harvard University professor and noted political philosopher, Michael Sandel, has taught his legendary moral reasoning course, Justice, for nearly 30 years. Now, Harvard has made this excellent course available (free) over the Internet.

This course is a real exercise in critical thinking. Sandel prods his students to not only think deeply about some of the thorniest moral dilemmas that humans face, but to also rethink their positions from an alternative perspective. After all, important moral questions are "never black and white."

As noted on the website:

"Sorting out these contradictions sharpens our own moral convictions and gives us the moral clarity to better understand the opposing views that we confront in a democracy. . . Professor Sandel believes the process of thinking one's way through the difficult moral questions of our day—figuring out what we think, and why—helps make us better citizens."

If gifted students are mature enough to discuss deep moral dilemmas and examine their own thinking, then this course will be well worth their time. The course also presents an excellent opportunity for gifted students to engage in challenging discussions, both at school and at home.

The Internet version of Justice includes 12 very interesting lectures. During the lectures, Professor Sandel engages his students at Harvard by calling upon them in class and asking for responses to the dilemmas that he presents.

Before viewing a lecture, students can read a synopsis on the website. Then, after viewing the lecture, they can create a private Discussion Circle online and invite their peers to post answers to Sandel's questions. For those who want to extend their learning even further, several of the lectures offer additional readings that can be found right on the website—no need to buy books or search for materials—in addition to interactive quizzes and discussion guides for beginning and advanced students.

If you know of a mature, gifted student who would benefit from this course, I highly recommend that you take a look at all the materials available. The Justice lecture series also can be found on some public television networks.

 

I am not an advocate for one educational method over another. Instead, I prefer to look at the attributes of various models and apply what works best. After all, what works for one family, or for one child, may not work for another. If you read my book, Raising a Gifted Child: A Parenting Success Handbook, you will see that my mission is to inform students, parents, and teachers about the many educational possibilities that are available to them so that they can make better choices in the future.

Whether or not you homeschool your child, you will find that many helpful ideas come from homeschooling networks. Parents choose to homeschool their children for a variety of reasons. One common reason is that they have found that their children's academic needs are simply not being met through traditional schooling.

At A to Z Home's Cool Homeschooling, there is an entire section dedicated to homeschooling gifted children. This website provides answers to the following questions:

Much of this information can be important to both parents who homeschool their children and to parents who offer their children a more traditional education. Parents and teachers should remember that it is possible to combine traditional schooling with homeschooling. For example, a young person may attend regular school for part of the day and then be homeschooled in an area of particular strength after school.

 

Are you looking for meaningful enrichment for your math student? Do you have a young person who is capable of more in-depth math reasoning than is offered in the regular school environment? Do you have a youngster who is excited about mathematics and you want to encourage that excitement? Math circles may offer the stimulation that your student needs.

The programs place precollege students and mathematical professionals together in informal settings. Some math circles focus on high school students, while others focus on students as young as 5. There are also math circles for teachers available that help classroom teachers learn to use high-level problems and questioning techniques.

All of these groups meet after school or on weekends in informal environments where they work together on interesting problems. Some math circles prepare students for high-level competitions, and some avoid competition completely. The groups introduce members to deep mathematical ideas that are not normally covered in classrooms, and they encourage students to tackle tough mathematical questions for themselves.

This concept of study originated in Hungary more than a century ago and soon spread over Eastern Europe and Asia. It is widely believed that it is the presence of these circles that has enabled the youth of countries such as Russia, Bulgaria, and Romania to outperform the United States on average at the International Mathematical Olympiad. Only recently have math circles started in the United States.

 

To learn more, visit the website for the National Association of Math Circles. At this site, you will find a list of existing circles in 26 states; information about summer programs; and lots of resources, including a database of sample problems. There are some excellent videos that you will want to watch that demonstrate the hows and whys of the program. If you are not able to find a math circle in your area, you can read through the detailed tutorial on how to establish one. Math circles may be initiated by teachers, parents, or universities. Ambitious students may also get a program rolling.

 

Math circles are just one more of the many options available for able students. Never accept the idea that you are limited to the resources available in your immediate school community.