Disciplining Smart Kids

43 participants and attendees from 22 states, D.C., and 5 countries joined us this week at Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT on Twitter to discuss disciplining smart kids!

So often, discipline is confused with punishment which should not be the intent. Discipline should serve as a teachable moment. Gifted children know when others are trying to control them. They will better appreciate attempts to show them alternative ways to behave.

Gifted children can be a challenge to discipline. They are astute observers of others’ behavior and are ready to apply that knowledge to their own situation. In most cases, gifted children are fully aware of how they should behave; but still are kids. Their knowledge base alone necessitates that their parent/teacher ‘be prepared’ to answer questions.

Asynchronous development – many ages at once – has a pronounced effect on behavior for gifted children. Maturity and intellect are often out of synch. Their ‘want to dos’ far exceed doing what is expected of them for their age. It is not something the gifted child may have control over and may not even recognize when they are younger; especially if they haven’t been identified yet. Asynchronous behavior can be a sign of giftedness; even before identification as gifted.

How can discipline issues in the classroom be prevented? Communication – honest and explicit statement of what is considered appropriate classroom behavior can go a long way in preventing discipline issues. Recognition and understanding of gifted characteristics can also head off inappropriate behavior in the classroom. Build a teacher-student relationship where the teacher can serve as mentor and role-model for their students.

Parents can reduce negative behaviors at home by providing a loving and caring atmosphere that values children as members of the family. They should build a relationship with their child built on honesty, respect for their opinions, and on quality time spent together. Parents can keep the lines of communication open and positive with school personnel and share concerns before an issue arises.

What are some strategies involved in using positive discipline? Strategies for positive discipline should include expressing clear expectations, involving their child in developing expectations, and taking the child’s feelings and abilities into consideration. Positive discipline should be about teaching behavioral skills, adults serving as role models, and remembering to express positive reinforcement whenever possible. The transcript may be read at Wakelet.

Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 2PM NZST/Noon AEST/1 AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community. Also, checkout our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.

About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com

Resources:

Discipline and the Gifted Child

Four Ways to Reduce Behavior Problems

Disciplining Gifted Children

How to Discipline your Gifted Child

Tips for Parents: Positive Discipline for Gifted Children

How to Not Argue with Your Gifted Child

Our Take on Positive Discipline: From Stickers and Star Charts to Dean’s List

Want to Have Your Heart Broken? Take a Close Look at an Angry Gifted Kid

Gentle Gifted Parenting Defusing Tantrums and Meltdowns with Love

Fostering Self-Discipline

Description of Parents Knowledge of the Nature and Needs of Gifted Children and Their Parenting Styles (pdf)

Managing Life with a Challenging Child: What to Do when Your Gifted but Difficult Child is Driving You Crazy

Today’s Disruptors Can be Tomorrow’s Innovators

Photo courtesy of Pixabay CC0 Creative Commons

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Benefits of Online Learning for Gifted/2e

Our guest this week was Madeline Goodwin, of Exceeds Expectations Learning – 2EL. Our chat centered on the benefits of online learning for gifted and 2e (twice-exceptional) students.

Online learning for gifted students can be a way for these students to study with intellectual peers despite geographical barriers or lack of peers in local area. It has numerous benefits for 2e students who may struggle socially or emotionally to work or study in a regular classroom. The benefit of smaller classes and more individualized learning shouldn’t be overlooked.

Parents should take time to research whether their child would benefit from online learning. Participating in a free online class such as Khan Academy or similar program allows the student to experience online participation. Consideration should be given to the academic needs of the student and what classes are available. Also, it’s important to determine if classes fit in with long-range goals or may simply be taken for enrichment or a student’s passion. A student’s schedule should also be considered; does the student have time to take online classes?

What is the time commitment to take an online course? It is usually based on the program being taken. It may follow a semester format or calendar format. Online courses have evolved over time to include online live sessions, opportunities for study sessions, and ability to meet other students from all over the world.

Online learning is excellent for public, private or homeschool students to work in areas of interests not available to them otherwise. They can be extremely cost-effective for both schools and families.

Resources can be provided to help students connect with other students. Many online classes provide times for online chat sessions for students to meet, ask questions, and study together. GT students work well with intellectual peers, but often don’t have contact with them in real life. When possible and appropriate, students may want to schedule time to meet outside of class or even facetime with classmates or instructors.

Take time to make sure a student wants to engage in online classes and has the requisite skills to complete tasks, stay focused, and time to commit to online learning. Before starting an online class, seriously plan for what to do if things don’t work out. Devise a plan B just in case and hopefully it will never be needed. Parents should be prepared to provide a strong family support system to ensure a successful outcome for their child. We encourage you to read the transcript of this chat for additional information which may be found at Wakelet.

Resources:

Distance Learning Programs

Distance Education: Where It Started and Where It Stands for Gifted Children and Their Educators (pdf)

Online learning: A Smart Way to Nurture Gifted Kids

For Frustrated Gifted Kids, A World of Online Opportunities

Virtual Schools and Online Learning for K-12 Students is not a Trend or a Fad

Serving Gifted Learners Beyond the Traditional Classroom: A Guide to Alternative Programs and Services (Prufrock)

Online Learning for Gifted Students: An Idea Whose Time has Come

Is Your Gifted Child Ready for Online Learning?

Meeting the Challenges of Working with Gifted Students (pdf)

Distance Learning for Gifted Students: Outcomes for Elementary, Middle, and High School Aged Students (pdf)

Beyond the Classroom Walls: Teachers’ and Students’ Perspectives on How Online Learning Can Meet the Needs of Gifted Students (pdf)

“Just What I Need”: Gifted Students’ Perceptions of One Online Learning System (pdf)

Examining the Effectiveness of Using Web-based Learning for Gifted Students: Jordan as Case Study

Science, Creativity and the Real World: Lessons Learned from the U.S. Homeschool Community

Cybraryman’s Blended Learning Page

Cybraryman’s Google Hangout Page

Cybraryman’s Skype Page

Cybraryman’s MOOC Page

Image courtesy of Unsplash

Photo courtesy of Madeline Goodwin and graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Authentic Learning to Create 21st Century Learners

Authentic learning begins when a student engages because they can see relevance in what they are experiencing in the classroom and beyond. It is participating in meaningful, real-world learning that is in response to active student voice in the process of deciding what they need as an individual to succeed.

Our guest this week was Todd Stanley. Todd is the author (Prufrock Press) of many teacher-education books including Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students: A Handbook for the 21st Century Classroom, When Smart Kids Underachieve in the Classroom: Practical Solutions for Teachers, and his latest, Authentic Learning: Real World Experiences that Build 21st Century Skills. He served as a classroom teacher for 18 years and is currently the gifted services coordinator for Pickerington Local Schools (Ohio) where he lives with his wife and two daughters.

Todd Stanley will also be a speaker at this year’s TAGT Wednesday Institutes prior to their annual conference, giftED18 in Fort Worth, TX, on November 28, 2018. He will present two sessions: Authentic Learning to Create 21st-Century Learners and Project-Based Learning (PBL): A How-To Workshop . Todd will also present three sessions on Thursday, November 29th: Let’s Talk: Project-Based Learning in STEM, The Myths of Gifted Children, and Tired of SMART Goals? Create DUMB Goals to Build 21st-Century Learners. You can register for the giftED18 here.

Authentic learning breaks through the decades of monotonous rote-learning to prepare students to become innovators, critical thinkers and leaders. It benefits all of society by providing future problem solvers who have learned the skills to think, assess, and imagine solutions unknown to us today.

What teaching strategies enable authentic learning? It does not lend itself to the old-time adage – ‘sage on the stage’. Authentic learning should be facilitated; not taught. Authentic learning strategies go by many names today … problem-based, cased-based, portfolio driven, etc. The goal should be to use the strategy most responsive to the student’s individual needs.

Authentic learning promotes critical thinking by pushing beyond content and striving to understand why things are the way they are and how they work. It encourages critical thinking by engaging a student’s curiosity because the learning is relevant to them. It gives them a reason to want to learn. It makes a difference in their lives.

Which 21^st century skills have been missed by elevating ‘data and measurable goals’? A good friend of #gtchat once said, “Every time a data-driven decision is made, a fairy dies.” Many may disagree, but the point is that children are more than the data collected about them … and they know it! We should learn from them. Folks in the business community were first to realize that our test-obsessed, only by the numbers education system was missing things like creativity, working together for a common purpose, and being able to adapt to new situations.

Capstones are a good choice to show growth with gifted/high ability students. They are a reflection of growth not captured by standardized testing and an excellent choice for both gifted and high ability students. Capstones provide a vehicle to showcase the cumulative experience of students near the end of their educational experience. They are generally long-term in production and investigative in nature which result in a final product, presentation, or performance. A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.

Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 1 PM NZDT/11 AM AEDT/Midnight UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community. Also, check out our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.