This book provides information on 80 international, national, and regional academic competitions available to gifted students. An overview of characteristics of good competitions and ways to evaluate them is given. Competition and its impact on gifted and talented students are evaluated, and criteria are given for selecting and implementing…

This article describes several books published by Free Spirit Publishing which help gifted students to understand their giftedness. The books deal with such issues as parental pressure, teasing of peers, perfectionism, stress, underachievement, personal autonomy, self-esteem, lying, and strategies for success in school. (JDD)

To help reverse the underachievement pattern in gifted students, educators should seek out less-evident indicators of strengths and abilities, incorporate those abilities into the classroom curriculum, recognize evidence of a sustained will to learn, and be realistic and optimistic about signs of improvement. (PB)

In this interview, concern is expressed regarding the low number of students being served in gifted programs. Giftedness is defined in terms of above average ability, creativity, and task commitment. The parents' role in stimulating their children's creativity and intelligence is discussed, as are ability grouping versus tracking, and curriculum…

Interviews with 169 children labeled 10 years earlier as gifted, nonlabeled but equally able, or having average ability revealed significant intergroup differences in work patterns and emotional outcome. Intense academic study possibly inhibited creative development; parents and teachers should be aware of the possible loss of creative potential…

This first part of a two-part paper discusses how the conception of giftedness has been changing, the influences of home and school, characteristics of very able learners, and the understanding and support needed from parents and teachers. (DB)

A survey of 73 parents, most having gifted children, examined perceptions of the development of leadership abilities. Parents identified: leader characteristics; their children's strongest and weakest areas of leadership skills; methods for encouraging leadership development; school opportunities for leadership experiences; the role of teachers,…

Suggestions are provided for encouraging and nurturing gifted young scientists (ages 4-10), such as subscribing to a science magazine, making science a natural part of family life, and linking sciences to the arts. Young children are characterized as perceiving their world through the acronym SCIENCE (Sensory, Classify, Inquisitive, Experiment,…

Twenty-two gifted students (ages 18-25) were interviewed concerning their views of their high school years, specifically focusing on the kinds of support received from parents and teachers. The importance of parents' emotional support and their attendance at the child's activities are emphasized. Suggestions are offered for parents, teachers, and…

This review of research on motivation and self-perception in gifted students looks at the interaction of motivation with self-perception; effective practices in classrooms and homes for developing children's potential, motivation, and self-esteem; and implications for teachers and parents of gifted and talented children. (DB)

Each of these issues of "Understanding Our Gifted" is based on the following themes: valuing parents, excellence revisited, networking, talent searches, attention deficit disorders, and mainstreaming the gifted. Feature articles of the six issues include: "'Pushy and Domineering': A Stigma Placed on Parents of Gifted Children" (Lynn C. Cole and…

This document consists of six issues (all of volume 2) of a newsletter subtitled "Dedicated to Helping Gifted Children Reach their Full Potential". These issues deal with all aspects of parenting and educating gifted children. Major articles include: "Re-examining the Concept of Underachievement" (Joanne Rand Whitmore);…

This conference was designed to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on how parents, teachers, and other concerned individuals can contribute to strengthening the educational support system, and to generate practical information on strategies to improve achievement levels of youth. The first article, titled "Conference Program…

This document consists of six issues of a newsletter subtitled "Dedicated to Helping Gifted Children Reach their Full Potential." These issues focus on personality types, program administration, creativity, counseling, the arts, and cultural diversity. Feature articles have the following titles and authors: "A World of Difference: Children and…