Gifted children can be a challenge for educators and parents alike. While they may be bored in school, teachers have to deal with both their needs and the needs of children who have yet to grasp the material. Fortunately, both parents and educators can help these children by giving them extra learning opportunities and more advanced work.
Music Lessons
Music lessons allow children to proceed at their own pace, and offer opportunities for working with others of their own age and developing emotionally through orchestras and bands. Children who fly through math problems in an instant may find the process of learning to play violin much more difficult. This allows them to feel a real sense of accomplishment when they make progress.
Sports Teams
It’s easy for gifted children to feel withdrawn from their peers, but just because they are advanced intellectually does not mean they are different emotionally. Joining a sports team can help children to bond with others of their own age, and can help them to accept challenges and difficulty as a normal aspect of life.
Expanding on Classwork
Just because children have completed the assigned work on a particular piece of the curriculum does not mean that they have learned all there is to learn! If your child has already read and remembered the material on the War of Independence assigned in class, give him or her a more involved assignment, such as a project on a particular battle or an analysis on moral justification for the war.
Language Classes
The ability to speak multiple languages is something that will benefit all children throughout their lives. It will open them up to different cultures and people an also provide great opportunities in their future career. Whether they become a personal injury lawyer, a writer, a mathematician or a veterinarian, being able to speak in more than their native language will help them to excel.
A great way to challenge gifted children is to get them a copy of their favorite book in a different language, give them a dictionary, and get them to try and read the book with its help. You’ll be surprised how quickly they can pick up grammar and vocabulary.
Competitions and Fairs
There are many competitions in a variety of areas that children can take part in, working on their projects in their spare time. Robotics competitions, singing championships, math fairs, creative writing competitions and more are all available. You’ll be sure to find something that appeals to your child’s interests. Some of these activities also offer summer or weekend camps, where your child can meet children who match him or her intellectually while also being of the same age and emotional development.
Carly Fierro is a freelance writer who loves animals, spending time outdoors, and traveling. She wrote this post on behalf of a Hanover personal injury lawyer. She loves how blogging allows her to share her writing with a large audience on the internet.
Recent Comments