the gifted parent online: totally free internet tools for parent support & advocacy

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

The Gifted Parent Online:Totally Free Internet Tools

for Parent Support & Advocacy

By Carolyn Kottmeyerand Kathi Kearney


You are not alone!

• 2.5% of the population

• Identification limited by state and district mandates

• Privacy prevents contact

• Internet allows world-wide interaction…

• We are not alone!


Online Support

• Gifted discussion communities Homeschooling Twice Exceptional Exceptionally / Profoundly Gifted

• Gifted Blogs 2e: Twice Exceptional Newsletter Eide Neurolearning Blog Gifted Exchange – Laura Vanderkam Unwrapping the Gifted – Tamara Fisher


Support Communities

• TAGFAM TAGFAM –Talented And Gifted FAMilies TAGPDQ – more than plain gifted TAGMAX – homeschooling gifted

• GT-Families GT-Families – general support GT-Special – twice exceptional gifted GT-Adult – adult gifted

• Gifted Online Conferences (NING) Variety of discussion topics plus conferences


Support Lists

• Specialized support groups… Homeschooling Gifted Children Homeschooling 2 College Life Michael Clay Thompson’s Language Arts Gifted-NLD-Aspergers 2e Young Adults Auditory Processing Bright Kids (American Mensa) State and local gifted organizations…


Netiquette

• Keep your tone positive Use “I language…” No “flaming” Consider your audience (international) The “7%-38%-55% Rule”

• 7% words, 38% tone of voice, 55% body language– Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology,

UCLA

• (Print and) Keep your welcome letter Unsubscribe, nomail, digest Don’t send list commands to the list


Online Parenting Resources

• Parents www.hoagiesgifted.org/parents.htm Research Resources

• Books• Products• Games & Toys

Success Stories Frequently Answered Questions A Lighter Note

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/parents.htm


Online Parenting Resources• Parents

Characteristics & Identification Testing & Tests Highly / Exceptionally / Profoundly Gifted Traditional School Advocacy Homeschooling Summer & Saturday / Academic Programs Parenting Social-Emotional Twice Exceptional Special Topics


Online Parenting Resources

• Special Topics www.hoagiesgifted.org/special_topics.htm At-Risk Gifted Children ELL (ESL) Gender Issues Gifted Adults Creative / Math / Science / Humanities /

Musical / Technologically gifted students Philosophy


Online Parenting Resources• Twice Exceptional

www.hoagiesgifted.org/twice_exceptional.htm AD/HD Aspergers (AS) Auditory Processing (APD) Dyslexia / Dysgraphia / Dyscalculia Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD / NVLD) Sensory Integration Disorder (SI) Visual Processing 2e Role Models 2e Books & Products Technology IEPs


Advocacy Resources• Gifted Advocacy

www.hoagiesgifted.org/advocacy.htm

• Competing with myths about the social and emotional development of gifted students Myth 1. Gifted students should be with students their

own age Myth 3. Being perfectly well rounded should be the

primary goal

• Distinguishing Myths From Realities: NRC/GT Research Useful quiz for self-discovery and professional

development…

• Arguments and Red Herrings www.hoagiesgifted.org/arguments.htm


Advocacy Resources

• ERIC EC Clearinghouse for Exceptional Children www.hoagiesgifted.org/eric

• Davidson Institute Guidebooks www.gt-cybersource.org Advocating for Exceptionally Gifted Young

People: A Guidebook Considering the Options: A Guidebook for

Investigating Early College Entrance (Parents & Students versions)

Mentorship: A Guidebook


Online Curriculum

• Enrichment Interactive Reading lists

• Curriculum Units Every topic, grade level Many include educational objectives met

• Complete Classes Middle & High school


Online Enrichment• Hoagies’ Kids & Teens Links

www.hoagiesgifted.org/links.htm Art, Theater, Music Books & Authors Brain Teasers, Logic Puzzles & Optical Illusions Interactive Challenges For the Love of Words Math & Multiplication Science & Natural Science Social Studies, Economics, Geography Space Young Kids

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/links.htm


Curriculum Units

• Internet Investigations www.hoagiesgifted.org/investigations.htm Lesson Plan Collections K-12+

• Illuminations (math)• JetStream (weather)• Kennedy Center ArtsEdge (art)• NASA Educational Materials Finder• NOVA (PBS programs)• Smithsonian• Xpeditions (geography)

Individual Lesson Plans, too

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/investigations.htm


Complete Online Courses• (Free) Online High School Courses

www.hoagiesgifted.org/online_hs.htm Ready-made curriculum

• Content, Evaluations, Text Some kids respond better than others to online

learning• Run trial lessons• Determine if course suits child

Include discussion time…• Parent, teacher, mentor, older student

Download the course website• WebWhacker**

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/online_hs.htm


Convincing Your School…

• Review the materials thoroughly

• Learn school policy on independent study for credit State policy / accepted course list Find advocate within the system

• Get necessary approval

• Excellent option for… Lower-SES schools Block / 6-day scheduled schools High-level acceleration at any grade level


Middle & High School Options• Assorted

MIT OpenCourseWare Video Courses National Repository of Online Courses, Monterey

Institute UCBerkeley on YouTube

• English / Literature SCORE Literature Cyberguides Principals of Composition Debate Central: Critical Advocacy

• Science Forensics Illustrated: Step Under the Tape General Biology, Chemistry AP Physics, Biology, Environmental Science


Middle & High School Options• Math

Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Statistics AP Calculus, Statistics

• History Digital History AP U.S. History, U.S. Government My Own Business

• Languages Ancient or Modern Greek, French, German, Italian,

Icelandic, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese

• Electives Astronomy, Music Theory & Appreciation, History of

Religion, Computers


Online Professional Development• Support our teachers!

• Online Communities, Blogs, Support Lists Gifted Online Conferences (NING) 2eEducator Unwrapping the Gifted Davidson Institute Educators Guild CGEP Network (APA) Belin Blank Gifted Teachers Listserv

• Professional development curriculum…


Gifted Education Professional Development Package• Early childhood, primary & secondary

• Core, extension and specialisation Understanding Giftedness Identification of Gifted Students Social and Emotional Development Underachievement Curriculum Differentiation Developing Programmes and Provisions

• www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/publications_resources/profiles/gifted_education_professional_development_package.htm

http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/publications_resources/profiles/gifted_education_professional_development_package.htm




Online Social-Emotional Support• SENG

www.sengifted.org Articles and research Annual Conference

• Davidson Young Scholars www.davidsonyoungscholars.org Exceptionally / profoundly gifted ages 5-18 Wide variety of support available…

http://www.sengifted.org/

http://www.davidsonyoungscholars.org/


Online Access to… Conferences• Local, State, National, International…

NAGC NAGC State Affiliates Local school district groups SENG SENG Parenting Groups Beyond IQ CTY / CTD / TIP Family Conferences


Internet Safety

• PC Security It’s not just your mother’s antivirus program any

more!

• Privacy You may be surprised what’s known about you And your home And…


PC Security

• Anti-Virus Current definitions!

• Anti-Spyware One scan, one memory resident

• Windows critical and security updates

• Phishing! Don’t click anywhere on an unexpected pop-up

• Google Toolbar

• www.hoagiesgifted.org/pc_security.htm


Privacy

• Learn all about yourself… www.Naymz.com www.ZoomInfo.com www.ZabaSearch.com

• Learn about your house! www.zillow.com

• Set up Google Alerts on yourself and family www.google.com/alert

• Register for Do Not Call; renew every 5 years www.donotcall.gov


Privacy Loss is Forever…

• Wayback Machine www.archive.org Historical snapshots of websites back to 1996

• Boards and Mailing Lists Archives


Special Note…

• The internet is free, but Internet websites are not…

• Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page is supported by your affiliate program purchases Shop through Hoagies’ Page links No cost to you; small percentage goes to

Hoagies


The Gifted Parent Online:Totally Free Internet Tools for

Parent Support & AdvocacyQuestions?

Thank you!