Could anyone recommend a good book on teaching gifted children...

[neverknowinglyunderdressed]

in a normal mixed ability class, how their learning styles may differ, practical strategies to employ and so on? Something I can read and then pass on to the school.

I take it you ask as a teacher (or a very, very optimistic parent if you think anyone at the school is actually going to read a book on a "useless" subject like this! ;) )

I've been watching this thread to see if any of the teachers who hang around G&T and profess how well they cater for the gifted children in their class would come up with suggestions.

There's a book or two I could recommend, but if you're a teacher have you tried the Head, the G&T Coordinator, the Lead Teacher, the Cluster, the LA's G&T officer....?

It would be funny if between the lot of them they hadn't read a single book on teaching gifted children (though it wouldn't be surprising).

Hi DadAtLarge & neverknowinglyunderdressed,

Are you members of the NAGC?

They're currently putting together a brief leaflet tailored for schools - to bust a few myths and give a brief overview of why G&T kids are different. This is to help parents who find exactly what you describe - school staff who won't spend the time researching the issue because it's "just for one kid", or a "pushy parent".

DAL - as you have extensive experience of the educational system - would you volunteer your expertise for the leaflet please? We need the language to be appropriate for schools - it seems to me that you would be ideal to proof read & give input. You can email the amazingchildren email address to get involved. PM me if you need further info.

Any NAGC member is welcome to join the project.

I'm flattered, but you may overestimate my ability to speak Orwellian. I make it a point to upset educationists by sticking to using "normal" terms. ;)

I don't have a great deal of time to get involved in helping schools (or interest to be frank - my DCs are now home schooled), but would be happy to read the draft and offer suggestions if that'll be of assistance. Drop me a PM.

My 5 year old daughter has just been added to the G&T list. I honestly had never heard of it before and know no parents of children who are on this list. I know my childrens school do not have any provisions for children who are gifted to any extent. It is a small school with very little government funding, but the teachers (as I am sure most across the country) are willing to learn how to teach a vast range of abled or SEN children.

As for the 'pushy' parent, I know plenty of them and believe me I am not anywhere near that category. In fact I am amazed that my daughter has the ability to learn as fast as she can, especially as I have a son who is the total opposite and not encouraging at all as an older sibling.

I would love to have a leaflet, book anything to help me keep my daughter interested at school and not get bored when she is going into a new class having already done all of the work.

- a super book: very accessible and easy to read

A weightier text with more of the approach behind the little book

Alas I am an optimistic parent! I ask because I am to meet with the G&T Co-or, the class teacher and the head again in August, I am sure none of whom have ever read anything on how to teach gifted kids and thought bit of info wouldn't go amiss! V small school so hoping that as I have 2 that is enough of an incentive to learn about it! If I don't see any improvements - I might pull them out.

Yes am a member of NAGC. Will like copy of leaflet.

The vast majority of children on g&t registers are not g&t. They're there to make up numbers. I think this makes it harder to justify additional support for the genuine g & t as many of those on register don't really need anything extra. Not relevant to thus thread though so I will go away!

mnistooaddictive, the G&T program didn't exist to cater for the really gifted. (Upto) The top 10% in the class were meant to be entered in the G&T register. The ability cut-off point was determined by the cohort and therefore a child who was average in one school could be a G&T contender in another.

The idea was that if the top 10% were looked at more carefully some really bright sparks could be discovered even if their achievement levels didn't register very high (perhaps because of social/family situations).

My DS is one of those. I believe his ability is in the top 1-2% nationwide in maths and the top 2-5% in English so he would likely figure in the G&T list for maths pretty much in any school. At the age of 6 (Year 2) he scored top marks on the KS2 SATS (for year six). But that doesn't make him gifted, he's just a bit on the bright side.

With respect the really gifted - Jesus, don't put them in a state school! What a horrible thought!