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Copyright 1991, American Mensa, Ltd.
Nurturing the intellectual, social and emotional development of any child is a challenging opportunity. However, parents of gifted children face unique and often difficult child-rearing challenges.
Gifted children may perform exceptionally well or do very poorly in school. They may be average students. They may be cheerful and well- adjusted or lonely and unhappy. They may be learning disabled. There are all "kinds" of gifted children.
This resource guide has been prepared to help you as a parent identify resources that meet the wide-ranging needs of your gifted child. It includes information on national organizations, readings, periodicals and university-based programs for gifted children.
As you begin exploring these resources, we encourage you to contact Mensa. Since every member of Mensa is or was at one time a gifted child, Mensans have a special concern for the promise and the difficulties associated with growing-up gifted and parenting gifted children.
Mensa provides members (adults and children) with a network of intellectual peers as well as newsletters, bulletins and special programs.
Mensa programs for the gifted include:
o Gifted Children Resource Programs
o Young Mensans (ages 3 to 25)
o Gifted Children Pen Pals International
o Mensa Audiovisual Archives
o Mentors
o American Mensa Education and Research Foundation (MERF)
o Annual Scholarship Programs
o Symposia
o School Programs/Local Gifted Projects
Mensa publications for the gifted include BRIGHT IDEAS and the MENSA RESEARCH JOURNAL. Mensa also has a variety of Special Interest Groups that may appeal to gifted children and their parents.
To find out more about Mensa, please write or call: American Mensa, Ltd. Dept. GCCS, 2626 E. 14th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11235-3992.(718) 934-3700
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & RESOURCES -----------------------------------------------------
American Association for Gifted Children, 1121 W. Main Street, Suite 100, Durham, NC 27705.
American Mensa, Ltd., Gifted Children Resource Programs, Laura Katz Hathaway, National Coordinator, 292 Villanova, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Mensa's National and Local Gifted Children Coordinators can refer parents to specific resources and programs throughout the country.
Council for Exceptional Children ERIC Clearing House on Handicapped and Gifted Children, 1920 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091.
EIRC/Educational Information and Resource Center, 606 Delsea Drive, Sewell, NJ 08080. Includes the National Clearing House for Gifted Resources.
Gifted Child Society, Inc. 190 Rock Road, Glen Rock, NJ 07452.
Mensa Gifted Children Pen Pals International. Dr. Debby van de Vender, 166 East 61 Street, Box 11G, New York, NY 10021. Children need not be Mensa members.
NAGC/National Association for Gifted Children, 1155 15th Street, NW, Suite 1002, Washington, DC, 20005.
NSLTIGT/National State Leadership Training Institute on the Gifted & Talented, Hilton Center, 900 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1142, Los Angeles, CA 90017.
SENG/Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted. Duke E. Ellis Human Development Institute, 9 N. Edwin C. Moses Blvd., Dayton, OH 45407
READINGS -------------------------
Adderholdt-Elliot, Miriam. Perfectionism: What's Bad About Being Too Good? Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing, 1987.
Alvino, James and the editors of Gifted Children Monthly. Parents Guide to Raising a Gifted Child: Recognizing & Developing Your Child's Potential. Boston: Little Brown & Co., 1985.
Clark, Barbara. Growing Up Gifted. 3rd ed. Columbus, OH: Merrill Publishing Co., 1988.
Coffey, Kay, et al. Parents Speak on Gifted and Talented Children. Ventura, CA: NSLTIGT, 1976. To order contact LTI Publications, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, 535 E. Main Street, Ventura, CA 93009.
Daniels, P.R. Teaching the Gifted Learning Disabled Child London: Aspen Publications, 1982.
Delisle, James R. Gifted Kids Speak Out. Revised ed. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing, 1987.
Ehrlich, Virginia. Gifted Children, 3rd ed. Monroe, NY: Trillium Press, 1989.
Galbraith, Judy. The Gifted Kids Survival Guide Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing. Three Volumes, written for gifted children: 10 and younger (1984); 11 to 18 (1983); and a sequel for ages 11 to 18 (1987). Third volume co-authored by James Delisle.
Gallagher, James J. Teaching the Gifted Child, 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, Inc., 1985.
Ginsberg, Gina and Harrison, Charles. How to Help Your Gifted Child: A Handbook for Parents and Teachers. New York: Monarch Press, 1977.
Guilford, J.P. Way Beyond the IQ: Guide to Improving Intelligence & Creativity. Buffalo, NY: Creative Education Foundation, 1977.
Kerr, Barbara Smart Girls, Gifted Women. Columbus, OH: Ohio Psychology Publishing Co., 1986.
Moore, Linda Perigo. Does This Mean My Kid's a Genius? How to Motivate and Live With a Gifted Child. New York: New American Library, 1982.
Rimm, Sylvia. Underachievement Syndrome: Causes & Cures. Watertown, WI: Apple Publishing, 1986.
Stone, Nancy Alvarado. Gifted Is Not a Dirty Word: Thoughts About Being Bright in an Average World. Irvine, CA: Technicom, (4521 Campus Drive, Suite 405, Irvine, CA 92715), 1989.
Russell, D.W.; Hayes, D.G.; and Dockery, L.B. My Child Is Gifted! Now What Do I Do?, 2nd ed. North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented, Inc. (PO Box 5394, Winston-Salem, NC 27113), 1988.
Turecki, Stanley K. and Tonner, Leslie. The Difficult Child. New York: Bantam Books, 1989.
Vail, Priscilla L. Smart Kids with School Problems. New York: Dutton, 1987.
Webb, James T., et al. Guiding the Gifted Child. Columbus, OH: Ohio Psychology Publishing Co., 1982.
PERIODICALS -------------------------------
The Gifted Child Today, P.O. Box 6448, Mobile, AL 36601. Bi-monthly for parents and teachers.
Roeper Review, P.O. Box 329, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48013. Quarterly for teachers, counselors and parents with some background in the field.
Understanding Our Gifted, P.O. Box 3489, Littleton, CO 80120. Bi-monthly for parents and teachers.
PUBLISHERS & OTHER RESOURCES ------------------------------------------------------------------
Free Spirit Publications, 400 First Avenue N., Suite 616, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Books and materials for gifted children.
GCT Catalog. GCT Inc., P.O. Box 6448, Mobile, AL 36660. Educational Games, software, learning activities and tapes.
State Educational Offices, Local School Districts, Cultural Institutions and Universities. Sponsor programs for gifted students.
UNIVERSITY - BASED SUMMER PROGRAMS ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Center for Academic Precocity (CAP). Arizona State University, College of Education, Farmer Building 417, Tempe, AZ 85287.
CTY/Center for the Advancement of Academically Talented Youth. The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218.
TIP/Talent Identification Program. Duke University, 1121 W. Main Street, Suite 100, Durham, NC 27705
UCI Academic Talent Search and Pre-College Program. University of California, Irvine, University Extension, P.O. Box 6050, Irvine, CA 92716
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GIFTED CHILD * --------------------------------------------
* Adapted from and used with courtesy of the Council for Exceptional Children, Reston, VA. ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children. ERIC Digest #E476.
The outstanding abilities of gifted children often enable high- performance in one or a combination of areas including general intellectual ability, specific academic ability, visual or performing arts, creative thinking, leadership, and psychomotor abilities. Using a broad definition of giftedness, a school system could expect to identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented.
Characteristics of a gifted child may include:
1. Superior reasoning powers and ability to handle ideas.
2. Persistent intellectual curiosity.
3. Avid reading.
4. Superior written and/or spoken vocabulary.
5. Wide interests, often developing one or more in depth.
6. Ability to learn quickly and easily, and retain what is learned.
7. Insight into arithmetical problems that require careful reasoning and grasp of mathematical concepts.
8. Creative ability and/or imaginative expression in dance, music, art and drama.
9. Sustained concentration for lengthy periods.
10. High standards and self-criticism.
11. Initiative and originality in intellectual work.
12. Keen observation and responsiveness to new ideas.
13. Social poise and ability to communicate with adults.
14. Excitement and pleasure from intellectual challenge.
American Mensa, Ltd., is the U.S. affiliate of the international high IQ Society. The sole criteria for membership is a score in the top 2% of the population on a standardized IQ test. In addition to offering members stimulating social and intellectual opportunities, Mensa is committed to raising public awareness of giftedness and the special needs of gifted children.
Copies of materials must be obtained directly from the sources listed in this guide.
American Mensa, Ltd. Dept. GCCS 2626 E. 14th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11235-3992 (718) 934-3700
Every effort has been made to verify information in this guide, however, Mensa cannot be held responsible for misprints, and does not endorse any particular organization or program listed.
Copyright 1991, American Mensa, Ltd.
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