Why encourage children to play board games? In the increasing disconnect of our digital lives, playing games provides a way to connect and relate with others on a human level. Strategy and role-playing games provide intellectual challenges and stretch creativity to keep the gifted mind engaged in solving problems. At the same time, the players…

When students earn good grades and high praise without having to make much effort, they may not learn the values and skills needed in order to be productive, caring citizens who contribute positively to the world. Some of the most important concepts for a successful life may not be taught to gifted children early in life because they are not…

Parents of gifted children play a powerful role in expanding their world and helping them discover what they love. When gifted children have impassioned, open-minded, and creative family members, they are free to discover what they love and who they are as people. For gifted learners, curiosity, passion, and interest are absolute essentials.…

The long awaited blessings of having a child bring simultaneous bouts of confusion and uncertainty regarding the vast parenting responsibilities that come with raising that child. When the child has a disability, sometimes the tasks can seem especially daunting. In this article, the authors aim to guide parents of children who display challenging…

The purpose of this article is to provide teachers, tutors and parents with an effective and enjoyable approach to practicing reading fluency, increasing comprehension and encouraging the joy of reading, based on the theories and methods of Sally L. Smith. This method can be applied and adapted to individual student's needs. Sally Smith, the…

One goal of 21st-century education is to develop mature citizens who can identify issues, solve problems, and communicate solutions. What better way for students to learn these skills than by participating in a science and engineering fair? Fair participants face the same challenges as professional scientists and engineers, even Nobel laureates.…

Hungarian pediatrician Emmi Pikler theorized that freedom of movement facilitates infants' development and learning. The self-education promoted by freedom to move gives an infant a lasting view of herself as a competent learner. Pikler's approach also emphasizes the importance of helping each child feel respected and secure. The author examines…

Discusses the nature and role of visualization in the study of mathematics. Also includes a list of seven broad methods (often referred to as the design spectrum) by which individuals solve problems. (JN)

Young children with developmental disabilities may be at heightened risk for experiencing problem behavior. Evidence suggests that inappropriate behavior in young children may be related to negative parent-child interactions. Parent education and support programs have a long history of utility and effectiveness in reducing negative parent-child…

Why children need critical thinking skills, how a climate for critical thinking can be created at home, and programs that promote critical thinking by elementary school children are discussed. (MT)

Providing families with information about infant sleep can positively impact parents' well-being and infants' sleep habits. Few parents receive professionally based information about sleep, perhaps due to contradictory information found in the literature. This review summarizes: (1) normative sleep patterns for infants; (2) factors that affect…

Appropriate ways to use computers in elementary schools are discussed, as are inappropriate uses. Ways parents have assisted educators in thinking about how computers are used are presented as examples. (MT)

The article is designed to help parents and teachers understand the nature and causes of underachievement and to show them how to work more effectively with underachieving gifted students. Guidelines focus on ways to share problem solving. (Author/CL)

In a family meeting all members participate equally and try to solve problems that affect each member individually and as a whole. Ground rules for starting a weekly meeting are offered. (DF)

Suggestions are offered for resolving conflicts between parents of gifted students and educators. Specific guidelines are offered for both parents and educators to facilitate an effective conference. Additional guidelines consider conflict styles, problem solving, and the "caring confrontation" technique. (DB)