Being Smart about Gifted Education: A Guidebook for Educators and Parents (2nd edition) - Softcover

Matthews, Dona J; Foster, Joanne F

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0910707952 ISBN 13: 9780910707954

Publisher: Gifted Unlimited, LLC, 2009

Synopsis

Written for both parents and educators, the book presents practical strategies to identify and nurture exceptionally high ability in children. These authors promote the “mastery” (rather than the “mystery”) model of gifted education and challenge several common practices and assumptions. They assert that if children are to learn optimally, teachers must provide them with educational experiences that are appropriate for each individual child’s level of readiness. An important step in the process of determining a child’s level of learning is pre-testing before starting a new unit of instruction to discover the correct level of classroom instruction necessary for each child. The authors also advocate achievement testing for the same reason, and they explain how this works in the classroom.

Topics include:

• “Mastery” vs. “mystery” models of gifted education
• How giftedness develops
• Relevant brain research
• Use and misuse of assessment
• Programming options
• Social and behavioral concerns
• Teacher development processes
• Parenting strategies

About this title

Review:

“A highly readable and accessible volume about the development of children with gifts and talents. Both practical and theoretical, it is informed by the most recent research, and it is filled with useful information and insights. It will be valued by teachers, parents, and counselors.”

Frances Degen Horowitz, Ph.D., University Professor; President Emeriti, The City University of New York Graduate Center

“By presenting exciting new work on mindsets, as well as recent research findings on expertise and cognitive neuroscience, these authors show the importance of habits of mind in cognitive development. This book will prompt re-examination of many long-held beliefs!”

Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., Lewis & Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology, Stanford University

"Rich with examples, this book highlights the importance of an optimal match between challenging and engaging school and home experiences and opportunities to develop gifts and talents! A practical, thoughtful contribution by two leading experts!"

Sally M. Reis, Ph.D., Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Teaching Fellow, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Connecticut

About the Author:

Dona Matthews holds an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology and a Ph.D. in Special Education (Gifted), both from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. She has been involved in teaching, writing, counseling, consulting, and conducting research on gifted-related issues since 1985. Dr. Matthews teaches child and adolescent development at the University of Toronto. She was founding director of the Center for Gifted Studies and Education, Hunter College, City University of New York, and has published and presented extensively on gifted education and development. She has worked in many capacities to support high-level development in diverse populations, including doing academic research and publishing; consulting to parent, education, and government organizations; teaching at the University of Toronto, Ryerson Polytechnic University, the University of British Columbia, and Hunter College; initiating and directing an extracurricular program for academically gifted children at the University of Toronto Schools; and conducting a busy private practice doing psychoeducational assessment and counseling.

About this edition

• Publisher: Gifted Unlimited, LLC
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0910707952
• ISBN 13: 9780910707954
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 450