How to Raise Gifted Children (Part 2): The Power of a Parents and Teachers

Here's what you can do to help your child not only get better grades but have more enthusiasm for learning.

• Talk, talk, talk: Ask your open-ended questions, like “What would happen if we stopped for ice cream on the way to the beach?” Such questions help a child reflect on what he knows and tell him his opinion matters. Don't worry if he's too young to understand. Likewise, don't be afraid to use relatively sophisticated words, S/he may not understand them, but they will figure it out if the words are used multiple times in context.

•  Read, read, read: “Reading stimulates the brain to make connections and builds background knowledge about the world,” says Kim Davenport, chief program officer at Jumpstart, a national early-literacy organization. “Reading is the foundation of all learning and will enable a child to absorb and apply content from all areas, including math and science.” Modelling good reading habits may give them an edge. “Seeing their older ones and parents reading for enjoyment will be contagious,” Invite your child to cozy up on the couch with you to read. Keep books out—in baskets, on shelves, and on coffee tables. And share what you're reading with your child, and ask him to do the same. This will not only spark conversation but build vocabulary and comprehension.

 Stick-to-itiveness: the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult or unpleasant. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/

• Praise results Stick-to-itiveness is a quality that will endear your child to teachers—and employers. We are so busy making kids feel good that we've lost sight of the time it takes for them to actually become good,. It's hard to accept failure if you're constantly told you're the best. When these kids go to school and get a problem wrong, they think “It can't be me.” Giving the right props is key, Children who are praised for solving a problem tend to be more motivated in school than children who are told they're smart. The latter, often become frustrated when something doesn't come easily.” So instead of giving broad praise (“You're a star!”), give specific praise for accomplishments (“I'm proud of how you found a different way to get the answer”). Encourage Perseverance also say “You're almost there. Keep trying.”

•  Celebrate curiosity Preschoolers very nearly all glow with curiosity. But sometimes kids lose that as they get older. Keep them excited by honing in on what interests them. If you ask questions about what they're playing with or talking about you've initiated a give-and-take that will pay off in a smarter kid. Your child will ask questions and look for more good stuff to share in return. Take time to turn your kid on to what you're excited about: Check out interesting things show together, and tell your child what you like about it and why.

• Seize teachable moments You can help your child sharpen school skills as you go about your day. Say you drive by a train. Instead of saying “Hey, a  train”  or “what sound does a train make?” take it a step further ask more questions like: “What do you think they do?” Encouraging observation of details will help your child do the same in class. Even a simple trip to the store can be a chance to build vocabulary, math skills, and money smarts. Tell a 2-year-old the names of fruits as you bag them. Ask a 3-year-old to find four cans of peas. Have a 5-year-old write down which cereal they wants. Older kids can compare prices and sizes,

What are we saying really?

Whether your child is advanced or average, the best thing you can do is be involved. What do you most want is for every child to be? Happy? Funny? Confident? Loved?. Our goal as parents, teachers, elders is to help a child be the best he or she can be, If you've read this far, you're well on your way.

Next we will give practical advice from the parents of two gifted children


Reference: http://www.parenting.com/

Introduction to STEM/STEAM

WHAT IS S.T.E.M

“STEM education includes every field under the umbrella of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math—everything from chemistry to physics, software design to trigonometry. It may also potentially include art+design in that line-up as a means of stressing creativity and innovation in these typically data-based fields” After-School Alliance http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/stem.cfm

Research has shown the Higher Education and Nearly 80% of future careers will require some STEM skills. Therefore a stimulating STEM education is essential for developing the basic analytical, problem-solving and critical thinking skills central to academic achievement and workforce readiness in the 21st century.

STEM in the Real World

Key STEM Technical skills include:

•         Analytical skills to research a topic, develop a project plan and timeline, and draw conclusions from research results.
•          Science skills to break down a complex scientific system into smaller parts, recognize cause and effect relationships, and defend opinions using facts.
•          Mathematic skills for calculations and measurements.
•          Attention to detail to follow a standard blueprint, record data accurately, or write instructions.
•          Technical skills to troubleshoot the source of a problem repair a machine or debug an operating system, and computer capabilities to stay current on appropriate software and equipment.

Key STEM Soft skills include:

•      Communication and cooperation skills to listen to customer needs or interact with project partners.
•        Creative abilities to solve problems and develop new ideas.
•          Leadership skills to lead projects or help customers.
•          Organization skills to keep track of lots of different information.

FUNdamentals Kids Club believe that teachers and schools can't tackle this issue by themselves.