©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney The Gifted Parent Online: Totally Free Internet Tools for Parent Support & Advocacy By Carolyn Kottmeyer and Kathi Kearney

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney You are not alone! 2.5% of the population Identification limited by state and district mandates Privacy prevents contact Internet allows world-wide interaction… We are not alone!

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Online Support Gifted discussion communities  Homeschooling  Twice Exceptional  Exceptionally / Profoundly Gifted Gifted Blogs  2e: Twice Exceptional Newsletter  Eide Neurolearning Blog  Gifted Exchange – Laura Vanderkam  Unwrapping the Gifted – Tamara Fisher

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Support Communities TAGFAM  TAGFAM –Talented And Gifted FAMilies  TAGPDQ – more than plain gifted  TAGMAX – homeschooling gifted GT-Families  GT-Families – general support  GT-Special – twice exceptional gifted  GT-Adult – adult gifted Gifted Online Conferences (NING)  Variety of discussion topics plus conferences

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Support Lists Specialized support groups…  Homeschooling Gifted Children  Homeschooling 2 College Life  Michael Clay Thompson’s Language Arts  Gifted-NLD-Aspergers  2e Young Adults  Auditory Processing  Bright Kids (American Mensa)  State and local gifted organizations…

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Netiquette Keep your tone positive  Use “I language…”  No “flaming”  Consider your audience (international)  The “7%-38%-55% Rule” 7% words, 38% tone of voice, 55% body language –Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, UCLA (Print and) Keep your welcome letter  Unsubscribe, nomail, digest  Don’t send list commands to the list

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Online Parenting Resources Parents   Research  Resources Books Products Games & Toys  Success Stories  Frequently Answered Questions  A Lighter Note

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Online Parenting Resources Parents  Characteristics & Identification  Testing & Tests  Highly / Exceptionally / Profoundly Gifted  Traditional School  Advocacy  Homeschooling  Summer & Saturday / Academic Programs  Parenting  Social-Emotional  Twice Exceptional  Special Topics

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Online Parenting Resources Special Topics   At-Risk Gifted Children  ELL (ESL)  Gender Issues  Gifted Adults  Creative / Math / Science / Humanities / Musical / Technologically gifted students  Philosophy

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Online Parenting Resources Twice Exceptional   AD/HD  Aspergers (AS)  Auditory Processing (APD)  Dyslexia / Dysgraphia / Dyscalculia  Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD / NVLD)  Sensory Integration Disorder (SI)  Visual Processing  2e Role Models  2e Books & Products  Technology  IEPs

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Advocacy Resources Gifted Advocacy  Competing with myths about the social and emotional development of gifted students  Myth 1. Gifted students should be with students their own age  Myth 3. Being perfectly well rounded should be the primary goal Distinguishing Myths From Realities: NRC/GT Research  Useful quiz for self-discovery and professional development… Arguments and Red Herrings 

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Advocacy Resources ERIC EC Clearinghouse for Exceptional Children  Davidson Institute Guidebooks   Advocating for Exceptionally Gifted Young People: A Guidebook  Considering the Options: A Guidebook for Investigating Early College Entrance (Parents & Students versions)  Mentorship: A Guidebook

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Online Curriculum Enrichment  Interactive  Reading lists Curriculum Units  Every topic, grade level  Many include educational objectives met Complete Classes  Middle & High school

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Online Enrichment Hoagies’ Kids & Teens Links   Art, Theater, Music  Books & Authors  Brain Teasers, Logic Puzzles & Optical Illusions  Interactive Challenges  For the Love of Words  Math & Multiplication  Science & Natural Science  Social Studies, Economics, Geography  Space  Young Kids

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Curriculum Units Internet Investigations   Lesson Plan Collections K-12+ Illuminations (math) JetStream (weather) Kennedy Center ArtsEdge (art) NASA Educational Materials Finder NOVA (PBS programs) Smithsonian Xpeditions (geography)  Individual Lesson Plans, too

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Complete Online Courses (Free) Online High School Courses   Ready-made curriculum Content, Evaluations, Text  Some kids respond better than others to online learning Run trial lessons Determine if course suits child  Include discussion time… Parent, teacher, mentor, older student  Download the course website WebWhacker**

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Convincing Your School… Review the materials thoroughly Learn school policy on independent study for credit  State policy / accepted course list  Find advocate within the system Get necessary approval Excellent option for…  Lower-SES schools  Block / 6-day scheduled schools  High-level acceleration at any grade level

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Middle & High School Options Assorted  MIT OpenCourseWare Video Courses  National Repository of Online Courses, Monterey Institute  UCBerkeley on YouTube English / Literature  SCORE Literature Cyberguides  Principals of Composition  Debate Central: Critical Advocacy Science  Forensics Illustrated: Step Under the Tape  General Biology, Chemistry  AP Physics, Biology, Environmental Science

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Middle & High School Options Math  Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Statistics  AP Calculus, Statistics History  Digital History  AP U.S. History, U.S. Government  My Own Business Languages  Ancient or Modern Greek, French, German, Italian, Icelandic, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese Electives  Astronomy, Music Theory & Appreciation, History of Religion, Computers

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Online Professional Development Support our teachers! Online Communities, Blogs, Support Lists  Gifted Online Conferences (NING)  2eEducator  Unwrapping the Gifted  Davidson Institute Educators Guild  CGEP Network (APA)  Belin Blank Gifted Teachers Listserv Professional development curriculum…

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Gifted Education Professional Development Package Early childhood, primary & secondary Core, extension and specialisation  Understanding Giftedness  Identification of Gifted Students  Social and Emotional Development  Underachievement  Curriculum Differentiation  Developing Programmes and Provisions lications_resources/profiles/gifted_education_pr ofessional_development_package.htmwww.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/pub lications_resources/profiles/gifted_education_pr ofessional_development_package.htm

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Online Social-Emotional Support SENG   Articles and research  Annual Conference Davidson Young Scholars   Exceptionally / profoundly gifted ages 5-18  Wide variety of support available…

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney

Online Access to… Conferences Local, State, National, International…  NAGC  NAGC State Affiliates  Local school district groups  SENG  SENG Parenting Groups  Beyond IQ  CTY / CTD / TIP Family Conferences

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Internet Safety PC Security  It’s not just your mother’s antivirus program any more! Privacy  You may be surprised what’s known about you  And your home  And…

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney PC Security Anti-Virus  Current definitions! Anti-Spyware  One scan, one memory resident Windows critical and security updates Phishing!  Don’t click anywhere on an unexpected pop-up Google Toolbar

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Privacy Learn all about yourself…    Learn about your house!  Set up Google Alerts on yourself and family  Register for Do Not Call; renew every 5 years 

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Privacy Loss is Forever… Wayback Machine   Historical snapshots of websites back to 1996 Boards and Mailing Lists  Archives

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney Special Note… The internet is free, but Internet websites are not… Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page is supported by your affiliate program purchases  Shop through Hoagies’ Page links  No cost to you; small percentage goes to Hoagies

©2008 C. Kottmeyer & K. Kearney The Gifted Parent Online: Totally Free Internet Tools for Parent Support & Advocacy Questions? Thank you!