Teaching Young Gifted Children in the Regular Classroom : Identifying, Nurturing, and Challenging Ages 4-9 by Joan Franklin Smutny, Sally Yahnke Walker (Contributor), Elizabeth A. Meckstroth Paperback, 240 pages Published by Free Spirit Pub Publication date: May 1997 Dimensions (in inches): 0.73 x 11.00 x 8.56 ISBN: 1575420171 Order This Book

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Too often the opportunities of teaching a gifted child in a regular classroom can become a challenge or a problem and both the child and the teacher are then frustrated. This book is written primarily for the teacher who wants to understand the unique needs of their gifted students and who wants to provide the student with a creative and challenging curriculum. However parents of gifted students, particularly those who are homeschooling their children, will find this book full of great learning ideas and more insights about their special children.

From the Back Cover

After the first week of school, the teacher asked Gerik what he was interested in. He responded, "The origins of unicorn mythology." "Can you read?" his teacher asked. "Of course, everyone can, " he answered. "No," replied the teacher, "Not many kidergartners can read." "That's too had," said Gerik. "It's how you find out about stuff."

Gerik isn't alone. Young gifted children are everywhere - in day care and preschool settings, kindergartners, and elementary classrooms. But most schools don't formally identify children as "gifted" until third or fourth grade, and some schools wait until middle school or junior high! By then, some of the brightest children are bored, resentful underachievers.

Written for educators (and parents) who believe that all children deserve the best education we can give them, this book encourages and enables you to recognize and nurture giftedness in children as young as age four. Look inside to find a wealth of proven practical strategies and techniques you can start using immediately to:

• identify giftedness (and avoid the pitfalls of stereotypes and politics)
• infuse your classroom with an atmosphere of wonder and an attitude of acceptance and understanding
• recognize and teach to multiple intelligences
• present the curriculum in creative and challenging ways
• Assess and document students' development - and make the best use of standardized tests
• build partnerships with parents and enlist their support.

Entire chapters are devoted to topics including curriculum compacting, social studies, language arts, math and science, cluster grouping and cooperative learning, and finding and supporting giftedness in diverse populations. Scenarios and vignettes take you into teachers' classrooms. Extensive references point you toward books, organizations, videos, publications, and Web sites to explore.

Includes frequently asked questions, commen-sense answers, and dozens of reproducible handout masters for students, parents, and your own record keeping.

Joan Franklin Smutny is the founder and director of The Center for Gifted at National-Louis University. In 1996, she received the NAGC Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contribution to the field of gifted education. Sally Yahnke Walker is a consultant with the Regional Office of Education in Illinois mid author of The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids. Elizabeth A. Meckstroth is Coordinator of the Gifted Resource Center in Evanston, Illinois.

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