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Special Words for Special Needs ~ Gifted Homeschooling

11:53 PM, Nov. 6, 2008

Hello and welcome to Special words for Special needs. Today we are going to be talking about gifted children. Is your child reading the morning paper while watching ELMO? Perhaps they are able to do calculus in their head faster than I can add.

History is rife with stories of genius' that have pushed the bounds of humanity and changed the world. There are many ways that a child can be gifted. Most gifted children are uneven in their learning, different grade levels for different subjects, at times wildly uneven. Their progress through grade levels can be extremely excellerated. There is broad acknowledgment that the public school system and most private schools are not able to adapt and keep up with the intellectual needs of gifted children. It is estimated that 90% of gifted children are in some form homeschooled.

Is homeschooling a gifted child a cup of tea? Yes and no. First the no. A gifted child will require a large investment of time, through keeping the materials they need to continue to excel. Also, finding the right mentors or distance learning when they reach college level. Materials and the time spent driving to and from the local college can make for a larger than normal homeschooling expenses. You are their sounding board and partner in a whirlwind trip through learning. You are going to have to be adaptable, but in homeschooling, isn't that what it is all about?!

Now for the good part of homeschooling. Adaptability! If the ocean is the obsession for this week go for it. You are able to plan a quick trip to the library empty the ocean shelf. Then use the internet to see some live cams. If you are lucky enough, go out to the ocean and begin experiments and observations. Hmmm? Sounds like normal homeschooling you may say. Well it is, only a gifted child tends to take a closer, longer, more intense look into subjects of interest. Run with it, use their natural drive to understand to propel them farther.

Thankfully there are multiple ways to feed the intellect of your child. First, plenty of high quality books. Librarians often have lists of award winning books. Careful of the content, while your child's intellect is great, their experience based ability to see faulty logic and spiritually skewed material may still need assistance. Not only have them read books but write them as well. Christopher Paolini's Eragon series is a beacon to show that age is no hindrance of a well thought out and executed idea.

We are living in the age of technology. You can find just about anything online. Again, I urge caution about the web. It is a wonderful resource but it has a dark side that is designed to draw in the unwary. Remain as watch guard to your child! I looked around and found a handful of great opportunities and place to go for more information.

National Home Education Network special needs page. There are links and articles here about gifted and twice gifted children.

Here are two yahoo groups that you could try. There are more, some do not allow religious content so read their summaries carefully.
HSGifted/ Homeschooling talented and gifted
Challenging gifted kids

I was stunned and thrilled to find this one. There are other online colleges but MIT stood out as superb and free!
MIT open course ware

One more thing we need to touch on are twice gifted children. These are children that are intellectually gifted and have a learning disability. Often when these children are removed from school and allowed to learn in their preferred style they explode intellectually. ADHD can also inhibit excelling in learning. Think about this; Your child has a race car for ability to learn and yet the road is solid ice. They expel all kinds of energy spinning in place or careen off not able to drive swift and straight. Help them control the ADHD, leash it, and use it. I have had good success with biofeedback with gifted children. They seem better able to understand the concept and control of their body. Twice gifted may make for more work, especially at first, as you iron out how to cope with your child's difficulties. The rewards will be twice as sweet!

Can you homeschool a gifted child YES! Will it have it's ups and downs, yes. In the end you will have developed a deep and meaningful bond with your child. You will know that you provided the best possible education and opportunities for your child to excel. Enjoy your homeschooling and enjoy your time, with a gifted child they grow at the speed of light!

Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 7 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/

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