For Parents of Gifted Children
Understanding what a person means when they say the word “gifted” is not always easy! With the many different conceptions of giftedness in existence, even professionals need to confer to make sure they are speaking the same language. To...
Makel, Matthew C. Research and Theory Special Issue / Spring 2010 Talent Development
Decisions regarding school are no longer limited to what to pack as an afternoon snack. This special issue on school options isn't meant to be the final word on your child's educational choices. Rather, it is some first words...
Makel, Matthew C. Model Program/Schools Special Issue / Fall 2009
Editor's note, winter 2009: The SAT has changed quite a bit since this article was originally published. In March of 2005, the College Board overhauled the SAT. The bigger changes include: >> Three primary components: Math, Writing, and Critical Reading,...
Volume 9 / Issue 2 / Winter 2009 Pfeiffer, Steven I. Tests & Testing
Teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities across the United States abound, but are pre-service teachers being provided with the knowledge and skills needed to recognize and nurture gifts and talents in the children they will serve? Most teachers...
Volume 7 / Issue 4 / Summer 2007 Legislation/Law Stephens, Kristen R.
The impact of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation on gifted children has received national attention in recent months. The February 2007 issue of the School Administrator is devoted to the theme “Gifted Education Left Behind.” This magazine is...
Volume 7 / Issue 3 / Spring 2007 Legislation/Law Stephens, Kristen R.
In a report to the President of the United States, the White House Task Force on the Education of Gifted Persons states that “National attention to the recognition and development of gifted persons is intermittent, unevenly distributed, and inadequate...
Volume 7 / Issue 2 / Winter 2007 Legislation/Law Stephens, Kristen R.
What does it mean to be gifted? Experts in the field of gifted education have long debated over a universally accepted definition. The federal definition of the gifted and talented first appeared in the 1972 Marland Report to Congress and...
Volume 7 / Issue 1 / Fall 2006 Legislation/Law Parenting/Advocacy Stephens, Kristen R.
Each day hundreds of thoughts go through our heads. Some are simple questions like “How can I turn those chicken breasts into something interesting for dinner?” while others are profound inquiries like “What is the meaning of life?” Everyone thinks....
Educational Strategies Volume 6 / Issue 4 / Summer 2006 Stephens, Kristen R.
For those who have witnessed sibling rivalry firsthand, the phrase “Me too!” is all too familiar. Offer one child a glass of chocolate milk and the other chimes in, “Me too!” Marvel over one child’s crayon drawing and the other’s...
Volume 6 / Issue 3 / Spring 2006 Parenting/Advocacy Stephens, Kristen R.
Encouraging my two-and-a-half-year-old son to write isn’t a problem. Encouraging him to express himself on paper, rather than on the walls, is the issue in my household. But once the act of writing is mastered and scribbling becomes meaningful composition,...
Educational Strategies Volume 6 / Issue 2 / Winter 2006 Stephens, Kristen R.
Are gifts and talents innate? Are geniuses born or made? Nature or nurture? These are questions that educators, psychologists, and philosophers have pondered for years. The consensus in the gifted field seems to be that while talents can be developed,...
Volume 6 / Issue 1 / Fall 2005 Stephens, Kristen R. Talent Development
Beware the summer slide—not the spiraling, thrilling water chute found at your local water park, but the loss of academic skills during the summer months. Math skills often slip the farthest, with students losing an average of 2.6 months...
Educational Strategies Volume 5 / Issue 4 / Summer 2005 Stephens, Kristen R.
It’s March and your child may soon experience spring fever, anticipating the summer months that are just ahead. As school winds down, music recitals, awards banquets, and other end-of-the-year events fill the calendar. The flurry of activity can fuel...
Volume 5 / Issue 3 / Spring 2005 Stephens, Kristen R. Tests & Testing
Toys. Kids love them. But as a parent, how do you determine which ones offer some sustenance and which are useless, moneymaking gadgets designed for visual appeal? Recently at a local toy store, my husband and I became dismayed...
Educational Products & Tips Volume 5 / Issue 2 / Winter 2005 Stephens, Kristen R.
As summer draws to a close, swimsuits, shorts, and flip-flops are replaced with pencils, notebooks, and sweaters. Once again, you and your child eagerly anticipate the beginning of a new school year. Well, perhaps you are a bit more eager...
Volume 5 / Issue 1 / Fall 2004 Parenting/Advocacy Stephens, Kristen R.
A love of reading is one of the best gifts that you can give your child. We hope that the “Connections” and “Consultant’s Corner” columns in this issue of DGL provide you with useful guidance in this area. However,...
Volume 4 / Issue 3 / Spring 2004 Stephens, Kristen R. Technology
A s the temperature drops farther and the winter holidays conclude, probably the last thing on your mind is summer. But now is the ideal time to begin planning summer experiences for your child. Many summer enrichment programs already...
Educational Strategies Volume 4 / Issue 2 / Winter 2004 Stephens, Kristen R.
As the Duke Gifted Letter begins its fourth year of publication, we enter a quest together: to fulfill your child’s aspirations. As the new editor in chief, I am delighted to accompany you on this adventure. As a former teacher...
Volume 4 / Issue 1 / Fall 2003 Parenting/Advocacy Stephens, Kristen R.
To the chagrin of high school students and parents alike, applying to college has gotten more complicated. Colleges now attract students by offering them one of two early admission options (chances to be accepted to a college in the fall...
College Planning Volume 3 / Issue 3 / Spring 2003 Pfeiffer, Steven I.
I frequently speak at workshops on the topic of raising a healthy gifted child. An increasing number of attendees voice frustration that their children’s lives are overscheduled. Today’s parents feel tremendous and growing pressure to involve their children, at ever...
Volume 3 / Issue 2 / Winter 2003 Pfeiffer, Steven I. Social-Emotional Issues
Beginning in March 2005, the SAT will have a very different look. Here at Duke University, and at other colleges across the country, freshmen entering in the fall of 2006 will be the first group of students affected by...
College Planning Volume 3 / Issue 1 / Fall 2002 Pfeiffer, Steven I. Tests & Testing
A debate is brewing over the use of the SAT I for college admissions. Richard C. Atkinson, a well-known psychologist and president of the University of California system, is leading the attack. He contends that the SAT I is...
College Planning Volume 2 / Issue 4 / Summer 2002 Pfeiffer, Steven I. Tests & Testing
A number of readers have asked me whether they should limit their gifted children’s TV watching and computer use. This is a simple question, yet the research on it is not extensive and does not provide a definitive answer....
Volume 2 / Issue 3 / Spring 2002 Pfeiffer, Steven I. Research and Theory Technology
American families today enjoy a level of prosperity unimaginable 25 years ago. Many well-intentioned parents provide their children with an extraordinary array of material possessions—designer clothes, computers, cell phones, television sets, VCRs and stereos, automobiles, credit cards. Even families with...
Volume 2 / Issue 2 / Winter 2002 Pfeiffer, Steven I. Social-Emotional Issues
As an adult, you have probably set many goals during your life, but have you ever wondered if your child has goals? All parents want their children to have aspirations. Sure, your child may want to achieve the highest...
Educational Strategies Volume 4 / Issue 4 / Summer 2004 Stephens, Kristen R.
Does my child qualify for gifted services?” is a question that I am asked by parents from all over the country. Often I have to reply that I do not know, since states differ in how they define giftedness. A...
Volume 2 / Issue 1 / Fall 2001 Legislation/Law Pfeiffer, Steven I.
Experts have debated for years whether creativity is a type of giftedness—30 states include “creative artistic abilities” in their definitions of giftedness—or a distinct way of thinking and behaving. However, experts agree that creativity is relevant and worth promoting....
Creativity Volume 1 / Issue 4 / Summer 2001 Pfeiffer, Steven I.
Qualifying for a seventh-grade talent search, such as the one offered by Duke University or Johns Hopkins University, is a distinct honor. At the same time, taking either the SAT or the ACT—tests designed for college-bound high school students—at the...
Volume 1 / Issue 3 / Spring 2001 Pfeiffer, Steven I. Tests & Testing
Readers, welcome to our second issue of the Duke Gifted Letter. Today’s busy parents want to know what works when it comes to supporting their gifted children. This issue contains a wide range of articles that provide information on fostering...
Readers, welcome to the inaugural issue of the Duke Gifted Letter! We are extremely excited about the publication of a newsletter designed specifically for parents of gifted children and youth. Duke TIP was established twenty years ago to identify academically...