Get Gifted Students Talking

Updated, practical resource helps teachers, counselors, and youth leaders bring gifted students together to talk face-to-face about important issues in their lives. In our digital era, young people need a safe, supportive place to connect and “just talk” with peers as well as with an attentive adult, whether that is a general education teacher, gifted specialist, youth counselor, or another leader. With new conversation topics, additional discussion questions, and a revised introduction, this updated edition of Get Gifted Students Talking addresses the issues faced by gifted students in middle school and high school. Through guided group discussions, young people: strengthen their social-emotional development gain self-awareness build important verbal communication skills cope with difficult emotions and more The book’s guided conversations are proven ways to reach out to gifted teens and address their concerns and needs through face-to-face communication, and the discussions can be easily adapted and customized. Introductory and background materials prepare group leaders of all experience levels to feel confident as discussion facilitators. Digital content includes reproducible handouts from the book.

Like other kids their age, highly capable adolescents experience developmental challenges. They’re forging identity, finding direction, exploring relationships, and learning to resolve conflicts. These are difficult tasks to do alone, no matter how smart one may be. The 70 guided discussions in this book are an affective curriculum for gifted teens. By “just talking” with caring peers and an attentive adult, kids gain self-awareness and self-esteem, learn to manage stress, build social skills and life skills, and discover they are not alone. Each session is self-contained and step-by-step; many include reproducible handouts. Introductory and background materials help even less-experienced group leaders feel prepared and secure in their role. For advising teachers, counselors, and youth workers in all kinds of school and group settings working with gifted kids in grades 6–12.

Help underserved high-potential students claim their right to an education that addresses their unique needs. In gifted education, an important and contentious issue that has yet to be sufficiently addressed is the systemic underrepresentation of gifted students who have been discriminated against in school-based gifted and advanced learner programs because of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other realities. Empowering Underrepresented Gifted Students gives a voice to those students and brings their stories into focus. With chapters written by student and expert scholars who specialize in addressing the structural inequity and educational inequality in gifted and advanced learner programs, Empowering Underrepresented Gifted Students recommends practices and strategies for helping underserved high-potential students claim their right to an education that addresses their unique needs. Each chapter has key takeaways and discussion questions, providing a built-in book study guide to prepare educators to engage students in conversation and to help develop their self-advocacy skills. Coeditors Dr. Joy Lawson Davis and Deb Douglas have brought together the voices of experts and students to help educators move closer to ensuring equity, access, and excellence in gifted education. By arming historically marginalized gifted students with self-advocacy strategies, these remarkable students will be better enabled to fulfill their dreams.

Develop emotional intelligence and strengthen social emotional skills in adolescents with this practical, hands-on resource. Helping students develop emotional intelligence (EQ) and social emotional skills is essential to preparing them for success in college, careers, and adult life. This practical resource for educators explains what emotional intelligence is and why it’s important for all students. Boost Emotional Intelligence in Students lays out detailed yet flexible guidelines for teaching fundamental EQ and social emotional skills in an intentional and focused way. The book is split into three modules, which correspond to three main skill areas: Self-awareness and self-management Social awareness and relationship skills Responsible decision-making and problem-solving Each module features ten hands-on, research-based lessons, which are focused on a critical EQ concept and centered around productive and respectful discussion. All lessons are designed to take approximately 35 minutes each but can easily be adapted to meet the specific needs of a school or group as they work to develop emotional intelligence and social emotional skills in their students. Digital content includes reproducible forms to use with students.

Unique, practical resource helps teachers, counselors, and youth leaders bring students together to talk openly about important issues in their lives. In our digital era, young people need a safe, supportive place to connect and “just talk” with caring peers and an attentive adult. With more inclusive language, new discussion topics about social media, and a revised introduction, this updated edition of How (and Why) to Get Students Talking addresses the unique issues faced by today’s middle and high school students. Through guided group discussions, young people gain self-awareness, build important verbal communication skills, cope with difficult emotions, practice problem-solving, and more. The book’s guided conversations are proven ways to reach out to young people and address their social-emotional development, and the discussions can be easily adapted and customized. Introductory and background materials prepare group leaders of all experience levels to feel confident as discussion facilitators. Includes digital content with reproducible handouts from the book.

2020 TAGT Legacy Book® Award for Educators Winner Flexible tools help teachers see, understand, teach, challenge, and advocate for underserved gifted students. The underrepresentation of students from historically marginalized populations—including English language learners, twice-exceptional students, culturally and linguistically diverse students, and economically disadvantaged students—in our gifted programs and services continues to be a critical issue in education. The importance of a caring and committed teacher who sees and supports the potential in all learners and who respects linguistic diversity and students’ cultural identity cannot be overstated, yet teachers need the knowledge and training to do so. This reader-friendly guide meets that need, promoting equity in gifted education by providing teachers with a variety of flexible tools to nurture the academic and affective growth of their gifted students from traditionally underserved populations. Over fifty strategies are outlined within five chapters addressing how teachers can see, understand, teach, challenge, and advocate for their underserved gifted learners in all content areas. The authors share numerous student quotes, teacher anecdotes, and spotlights on successful school efforts. Digital downloads include all forms from the book and a PDF presentation. A free PLC/Book Study Guide for use in professional development is also available.

When educators (and parents) think about gifted kids, they usually focus on their intellectual needs. But gifted kids are much more than test scores and grades. In their second book together, Jim Delisle and Judy Galbraith explain what giftedness means, how gifted kids are identified, and how we might improve the identification process. Then they take a close-up look at gifted kids from the inside out-their social and emotional needs. Topics include self-image and self-esteem, perfectionism, multipotential, depression, feelings of "differentness," and stress. The authors suggest ways to help gifted underachievers and those who are bored in school, and ways to encourage healthy relationships with friends, family and other adults. The final chapter explains how teachers can make it safe to be smart by creating the gifted-friendly classroom. Includes first-person stories, easy-to-use strategies, survey results, activities, reproducibles, and up-to-date research and resources.

A field guide for understanding the complex characteristics and social and emotional needs of gifted kids. Many bright and gifted kids do not feel understood or supported. For adults wanting to change that, Bright, Complex Kids provides guidance for gaining entrance to their internal world. This practical and easy-to-use field guide includes ideas for how and why to: listen and respond self-monitor adult biases avoid communicating awe of high ability because of the potential impact on trust and openness apply knowledge of learning disabilities help high-ability children and teens make sense of themselves Well-known gifted experts Jean Sunde Peterson, Ph.D., and Daniel B. Peters, Ph.D., wrote Bright, Complex Kids to be an accessible short course for adults wanting to build a base of knowledge for understanding and supporting the social and emotional needs of highly able children and teens. From how adults can be involved to insights on the social and emotional development of bright kids, each chapter has a section with “points to ponder.” Additional information is provided about characteristics, anxiety, perfectionism, resilience, underachievement, twice-exceptionality, and hidden distress to provide a picture of the whole child. A free downloadable PLC/Book Study Guide is available at freespirit.com/PLC.