Coaches Aren’t Just for Athletes: How can gifted collegians benefit from coaching?
Athletes, from elementary school age through Olympians, understand the importance of working with a dedicated coach. Universities spend millions of dollars on athletic coaches of all kinds in hopes of producing outstanding athletes and winning teams. The truth is, athletics is not the only aspect of college life where coaches are valuable assets. Gifted college students need coaches, too. Summit Center’s Gifted Education Consultant, Dr. Paula Wilkes, joins me to discuss the role of a coach in the life of a gifted college student. Dan: What sparked your interest in becoming a coach for...
Read MoreThe Morning Bucket: Creating a Habit for Appreciation, by Deanna Kim, M.Ed./ET/P
If someone were to sneak into my house and eavesdrop on words weekday mornings, they would likely hear… “You still have boogers in one of your eyes.” “My brother is taking too long in the bathroom.” “Put socks on your toesies. It’s cold.” “Can you help me zip up my jacket?” “Are you going to take care of your milk mustache?” “I need you to walk into the car now.” “Are you saving omelette on your shirt for later?” The words of morning easily turn into directions, corrections, requests, and complaints rather than encouragement, appreciation, and...
Read MoreHomework 101, by Dr. Dan Peters
“Why do I need to do more work after I have been at school all day?“ “I never get any free time! I have school all day then homework when I get home!” “Why do we have to do the same thing over and over when I already know it?” Do these questions and pleas sound familiar? I am guessing they do! Many parents don’t remember having the amount of homework our children have today, and most do not remember homework starting in kindergarten! Homework has been become a regular parenting topic in my practice, and a primary cause of family arguments and stress. When it comes to homework,...
Read MoreHow Are You Living Out The 3 P’s? Planning, Proactive, Prioritizing, By Deanna Kim, M.Ed.
Lights flickering. Pitch black room. A moment of silence. A flood of thoughts go through my brain like lightning as the hustle and bustle of the evening activities is interrupted. ‘How long will this blackout last?’ ‘Was there something important I was supposed to do tonight?’ If you have ever experienced an energy blackout, you might have encountered an abrupt change of pace in a house lit up with flashlights and candles. For some people, it might be more than, “oh well, now that my phone battery is dead, I guess I’ll have to go to bed early.” It could mean a loss of...
Read MoreHow Anxiety Affects Your Child’s Self-Esteem, by Dr. Dan Peters
As parents, we want our children to go into the world of school, peers and friendships, and life feeling happy, confident and valued. We do our best to fortify their self-confidence within the home so that they are equipped to be strong and successful in the rest of the world. But what happens when they experience real issues that create obstacles to maintaining a good self-esteem? One issue that can affect self-esteem is anxiety. Anxiety is common in young people’s lives, especially in the school arena where they are under constant pressure to get good grades and perform. A little stress...
Read MoreWhat’s Up With All the Dys’? And What You Can Do About It, by Dr. Dan Peters
There are many types of learning disorders that can affect our children. The good news is that learning differences and disabilities are getting more press and attention. However, it can get confusing when trying to understand what they mean and how they are similar and different from each other. Children may have one or more learning disorders, regardless of their strong thinking and problem-solving abilities. When your child is not “working to their potential” it may be because they have a legitimate learning issue. Here are a few of the most common learning issues or “Dys”orders...
Read MoreOutside the Box Learning for Outside the Box Thinkers, by Dr. Dan Peters
This piece originally appeared on Psychology Today. Summit Center can help you learn more about your child’s learning strengths plus any potential issues, and can help you find an alternative learning environment if needed. I am sitting with a small group of students who are describing their school experiences. They are talking about worry, fear and anxiety (aka “The Worry Monster”). They are saying… “I got nervous when I had to take timed tests. I could never finish.” “I was always in trouble for talking.” “I was bullied. The class bully only picked on me. I don’t...
Read MoreSummer is a Great Time to Develop Your Superpower, by Dana Cope, M.Ed., Educational Consultant
For some children their strength or superpower is easy to see at school. For other children their superpower is hidden and reveals itself outside of the formal schooling experience. Summer is a wonderful time to identify, explore, and nurture strengths and passions. Summer also offers the opportunity to take an indirect route to practice an area of challenge while engaged in a preferred activity. How can you help your child build his/her superpower? 1) Take an interest survey with your child and talk about your similarities and differences. 2) Enroll your child in a class or summer camp...
Read MoreDifferentiated Educational Plans – Building on Student Strengths, One Child at a Time, by Dr. Susan Daniels
Do you hear from your child how bored they are in school? Do you feel your child is not being challenged appropriately? When a regular classroom curriculum is not meeting a gifted child’s intellectual and academic needs, that child may need a Differentiated Education Plan (DEP). The DEP may be initiated by a caring teacher, or requested by a parent, gifted program coordinator, or qualified educational consultant. Our professionals identify the child’s learning needs and appropriate differentiation for an individual gifted child by establishing an understanding of a student’s...
Read MoreEyes, Ears, and Learning – by Nancy Knop, Ph.D., ET/P
If you can’t see, or if you can’t hear, you will have trouble learning. As obvious as that seems, the fact is that problems with seeing and hearing are NOT obvious. Many children have seeing and hearing difficulty and we don’t know it. We aren’t born with mature seeing and hearing. Our brains develop for these – except when they don’t. Children are commonly farsighted, and the ability to focus and track across a line of text and jump efficiently to the beginning of the next line is a skill that has to be developed. But what if focus and tracking don’t develop in...
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