The Duke Gifted Letter always contains informative articles. The current issue contains a useful article about advocating for one’s gifted child. The article, titled Administrators of Gifted Programs: Paying Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain, by Rick Courtright, explores best ways to interact with your administrator of gifted programs. The administrator of the gifted program (AGP) could hold any one of several professional roles in a school system:

There are two different types of advocacy:

Microadvocacy—seeking to alter attitudes, beliefs, and practices of those who work with one child.

Macroadvocacy—bringing changes that affect many students—attitudes, practices, policies, and resources at the district, state, or national level.

 

You might be concerned with microadvocacy when a teacher does not recognize your child’s high abilities and is not providing enough challenge. For a variety of reasons, it is always the best political strategy to begin with your child’s teacher. Courtright lists things to remember when working with teachers.

Macroadvocacy will be covered in the next issue of the Duke Gifted Letter. To subscribe (free), click here http://www.dukegiftedletter.com/subscribe/index.php .