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Being gifted is more than just learning quickly and having a great memory for details. Gifted children can be intense. They can be perfectionists.  They can be many ages at the same time. They might get great grades in school – or they might not. They might be early readers, or they might read right on time.  They might be advanced in every area, or might be ahead in some things and more typical in others.  They might also have a learning difference in addition to being gifted. Being gifted isn’t just a school thing – it is a person thing. In order to support gifted children in school or at home, it is important to understand the unique development of gifted children. Whether a child has been identified as gifted, has qualified for highly capable services at school, or you just suspect that a child might be gifted, this program is for you.  We will take a look at the unique development of gifted children and what that means for both school and home.

 

How to I set reasonable expectations for an 8-year-old child when they can read like a college student, argue like an attorney, throw temper tantrums like a 2-year-old, and can’t ever remember where their jacket is?  The development of gifted children is asynchronous – their intellectual, academic, physical, social and emotional development don’t line up with each other and the differences can be frustrating for the child as well as for teachers and family members. Gifted children can think, feel and experience the world with an intensity that can be exhausting. When your mind can conceive of a story that is as long as a novel, but you are still trying to remember how to hold your pencil and write letters, writing can be frustrating. When you can intellectually understand the ramifications of a natural disaster or worry about climate change but emotionally aren’t ready for that burden, it can be challenging. In this session, we will explore the intensities and the asynchronous development of gifted children, and what they mean for the adults who support and love them.   

 

Since 2005, Sandi Wollum has served as head of school at Seabury School, a child-centered independent school serving gifted children in prekindergarten – 8th grade in Tacoma, Washington. Prior to Seabury, Sandi spent nearly 20 years in public schools, including teaching in a self-contained elementary gifted program and serving as a district gifted program coordinator. Sandi is a passionate advocate for gifted children and for educational programs that serve the whole child. Sandi is the mom of a grown gifted son, a member of NAGC (National Association for Gifted Children), and a former board member of the Washington Association of Educators of the Gifted and Talented (WAETAG).  She facilitates the Child-Centered Gifted Consortium, an international group of educators that came together through Dr. Linda Silverman and the Gifted Development Center during the pandemic and is dedicated to developing and supporting child-centered gifted programs and educational leaders. She is a proud member of Tacoma Rotary 8 and an American Leadership Forum senior fellow. 

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