Describes eight innovative four-year and two-year residential college programs that allow exceptionally able high school students early entrance to college. Programs are compared in terms of admission requirements, tuition, curricula, residential components and requirements, enrichment and leadership activities, gender restriction, and grade of…

Discusses the importance of mentoring programs for children, particularly for especially creative gifted children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It describes characteristics for a successful mentor relationship and ways mentors can help in the expression and development of positive creativity in children. (CR)

Describes systematic risk-taking, a strategy designed to develop skills and increase self-esteem, confidence, and courage in gifted youth. The steps of systematic risk-taking include understanding the benefits, initial self-assessment for risk-taking categories, identifying personal needs, determining a risk to take, taking the risk, and…

Details two studies exploring how the middle school movement has affected gifted students. Notes the gap in attitudes between educators of gifted students and educators involved in the middle school-reform movement. Presents examples of fruitful collaboration that give promise for more effective future interaction. (SD)

Compared 103 students on global self-esteem and perceived life chances. Thirty-three were in a continuation high school, 20 participated in a mentoring program, and 50 were in a program for the academically gifted. The groups did not differ in global self-esteem, but students at the continuation school had lower scores for perceived life chances.…

Examines research on suicide among gifted adolescents. The review indicates a lack of evidence that suicide rates of gifted students are different from typical adolescents, but does indicate suicide occurs among the gifted population. The role schools can play in suicide intervention and prevention is discussed. (Author/CR)

A study of 140 Polish secondary students with high and medium abilities and high and low levels of self-actualization found gifted students had a significantly higher level of self-actualization, whereas gifted and self-actualizing students had a significantly higher need for intellectual stimulation and a higher level of self-acceptance.…

Describes Cuba's special schools for children talented in mathematics and science with emphasis on Lenin school, a central boarding school that enrolls 2700 gifted students and 14 regional boarding schools that enroll a total of 5000 students. Curriculum and Cuban Olympiad problem examples are included. (DB)

This article discusses outcomes of a study that indicated gifted children as young as 6 years old can use metacognitive processes for solving math problems, are aware of knowing certain operations and are able to use them automatically, and know which strategy they usually use for solving problems. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article describes the establishment of a Center for Gifted and Parents Club in Hungary. The enrichment programs and counseling services offered by the center are discussed, along with the problems parents face in determining giftedness and appropriate educational services, role confusion, and dealing with school problems. (Contains five…

This article describes the design and operation of the 1998 Chinese University Summer Gifted program organized for junior secondary students in Hong Kong. This one week residential program provided enrichment courses, workshops, and special activities intended to enhance students' creativity and leadership abilities. Participants, instructors,…

This discussion of exceptionally and profoundly gifted students suggests that these students have special needs that are often not being met. It distinguishes five levels of giftedness and identifies developmental differences in extremely gifted children. It suggests that radical acceleration is often an appropriate placement that may reverse…

This article describes the Gifted Education Knowledge Scale, a rating scale for assessing educators' knowledge about gifted education. Information about item selection, content validity, reliability, and internal consistence is provided. (DB)

Adolescents, especially gifted ones, may be susceptible to lack of interest in their future. Although many will develop their gifts, they may require guidance and modeling to enhance emotional, social, and philosophical growth. Suggests a team approach is needed to implement the following solutions: (a) nourish students socially, (b) teach methods…

States that to combat the media onslaught, teachers need to teach their students to be aware of, to evaluate, and to become literate in their understanding and their deployment of the media. Describes strategies used to teach a course in world literature for gifted 12th graders which uses the mass media to impart a multicultural viewpoint. (PA)