As homeschoolers, we don't often label our children gifted or advanced but strive to meet them where they are academically. This means a little extra attention to finding great resources that allow for thinking and learning that are on a level with our child's ability and interests. Whether we like it or not, children will let us know when things do not fit right, especially when it comes to academics. With my four children, I learned that each child learns in their own way and each one has special needs.Cindy West's new book from Prufrock Press titled, Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners, stresses this important fact throughout the book. She answers questions about how to get started and how to pick a homeschooling method. There are many examples, specific explanations, and charts to help a new homeschooler get on the right track with any child whether gifted or not.
Parents of specially gifted children will enjoy the specific techniques she outlines in the later chapters. The question of how to socialize a gifted student when you homeschool is addressed. The parent is given good direction for online sources of learning to meet the gifted student's passions and strengths. Online courses, specific curricula, and suggestions for going a step farther than normal are given in a well organized manner.
Sections I Found Especially Helpful
- Advantages to Homeschooling Gifted Children - Table 3, page 7
- Why Homeschool a Gifted Child? - starting on page 5
- What If Your Child Is Smarter Than You? - starting on page 44
- Each of the "For Those Who Excel" sections in Chapter 4
- Project Based Learning section starting on page 95, especially Table 6, page 96
- What About Socialization? - Chapter 8
- Should Gifted Children Consider Early Entrance Into College? - starting on page 123
My experience has shown me that homeschooling gifted children is not an easy road and there is no "one size fits all" curriculum that has been created for us to use. It takes patience and intuition to even attempt to meet the needs of a gifted student. It is not impossible to educate gifted children at home in the 21st Century, especially with great resources and information available to parents. Cindy West has done a good job of pulling a lot of useful information together for parents who find themselves with a gifted or advanced student in their home. This book will give you a direction to aim for and a map to get there.
As part of this review, I was given one copy of the book to share with another family. If you think this book would be helpful in your homeschooling, please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter your name in my random drawing to be held 11/21/11.
21 comments:
I was an advanced student in school. I am homeschooling two advanced students, as well. I would love to have receive this book to teach me to meet the needs of these kiddos who sometimes seem to outpace me!
I would find this book very interesting. I myself was in the Gifted program in public school, although I opted to enter the regular stream in high school. One of my children I would categorize as gifted, although he's never had any kind of testing. So yes, this book would be a good one for me to read.
Thanks for the chance to enter!
I am not gifted, but have 2 children who are and it drives their anxiety to even greater heights. I would love the help!
Barb,
Thank you for such a kind review! :o)
And, yes, it's such an adventure homeschooling - gifted or not. I really tried to write the book so that all moms can find ways to meet their children's needs no matter the giftedness. All three of my children are so very different from one another, so I knew a one-size-fits-all approach would never work in our house. Thus, all the varied practical ideas in the book. Live and learn! LOL
I grew up in a "gifted" family, where my mom was the "Talented and Gifted" teacher at the local elementary school. Now, as the mom of five, I see the variety of ways my kids are gifted. I would love to have access to a book like this. Thanks!
My little girl is almost 4 and has already been formally identified as gifted through testing and I'm pretty sure my son will be as well. We have decided that we would like to homeschool them but aren't really sure how to keep them challenged. Both of them are considered 2E. I think this book would be a great help for us as we start our adventure!
I would be very intersted in reading this book. I like the section about "Is Your Child Smarter than You?" Um...yeah. :)
My little 4 year old son seems gifted to me. We have not formally tested him, but he is super smart. He has memorized many things and is ahead of what is expected at his age.
My parents were advised to skip me a number of grades but settled for the one grade that the school grudgingly granted because I had an older brother the next grade up. I now homeschool my two academically advanced children.
I have some gifted LD kids, which just adds even more confusion in how to teach them.
I was in the gifted program, and I am interested to see if my kids are gifted. I would love this resource. Thanks!
My son has not been tested or anything, but he is very advanced. He is a much better speller than me and is very good at math. Problem is, his twin sister is more of an average student...
We have our two older kids in college that were formally tested as "gifted." I'm so NOT certain what that really means! At any rate, getting them to college hasn't prepared me for our third....I need all of the help I can get!
Thanks for this opportunity!
I was an advanced/gifted student in school and am also homeschooling two that I'd consider advanced although I've never had them formally tested. I'd love to win and glean any tipe I can to make our days go more smoothly!
I homeschool a gifted dyslexic son and this would be a great resource guide for me as I am always looking for new and exciting ways to help encourage and challenge my little Right-brained boy!
I was identified as a gifted student growing up and was put into the appropriate classes in public school, however, so little was understood at the time about the social and emotional needs of the gifted. I too became a statistic, and found myself bored, underachieving, and on the verge of dropping out of school. Now, I am raising a profoundly gifted daughter, and we have chosen to homeschool her to make sure all her academic and emotional needs are met. We are doing this without a typical guide or map to lead us, however, we are finding that she tends to gravitate and pull up towards meeting her needs. We just have to make sure that we listen not only to her words but to what she is not saying.
I was gifted, and *hated* school, since I was so bored. That's one of the reasons we've homeschooled our kids- to head off the boredom associated with school.
I'd LOVE to win this book! My Kathryn is gifted, and I was classified as gifted in school as well. We're definitely a bit of a different breed. (Quirky!)
Jamie,
I prefer the term "kooky" to describe myself. :)
I am schooling a child who is insatiable in her hunger for more information. I was labeled as gifted, but I want more for her than the education I received (which is why we homeschool) and I would LOVE to read this book! Thanks for sharing.
This looks very helpful.
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