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~ B R A I N Y - Z I N E ~
" Learn How to Nurture A Smarter Kid "
Volume #6 Issue #11
ISSN: 0219-7642 Feb 03, 2008
Andrew Loh, Publisher
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Hi,
My friend's son, Harry, is a kid with voluminous energy and
tremendous enthusiasm! His mere presence can make you relaxed and
joyous. He also has the uncanny knack of making your laugh and
smile! Ask him to bring you a thing or two from kitchen and he
sprints like a cheetah, and dashes off to the kitchen by imitating the
sounds of a car!
These are the classical examples of how a kid can bring a moment of fun and joy to a
parent's life. Parenting can be funny and light humored! It could be
light hearted and relaxing as well! The chaos of raising a busy and
active family could be an exasperating task and a strenuous
exercise. At times, parenting your kids may extract too much energy
and demand plenty of patience from you. Parenting is rarely easy and
simple! Are your kids driving you crazy? Parenting could land you in
unexpected and unforeseen traps! Take it easy and stay relaxed. Your
kids could be a rich source of good times and light moments.
They can make you laugh and shout with joy, with their antics and
sense of humor. Finding humorous time with your kids is a great
pastime and a relaxing event. Developing a sense of humor is perhaps
the best thing a parent can do. Parenthood can change everything in
your life. Let us be ready to accept the challenge of parenting our
kids with a cool and lighter head. Variety is the spice of life and
nothing could be more exciting than infusing a light dose of fun and
thrill into our parenthood. All the best!
Thought for today:
"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination. " - Tommy Lasorda
Best Regards,
Andrew Loh
Andrew Loh
Publisher & Editor, BrainyZine
andrew @ brainy-child.com
Please visit our sponsor ad web site below. Thanks to our sponsor for keeping this a free newsletter.
Hidden Gifts: What To Know So Your Child Isn't Overlooked
By David Palmer, Ph.D
School's is in session - and although most of the parents don't realize it, millions of early elementary age
kids are being screened, tested and sorted in an attempted to find those who need gifted education support
services to flourish. While it may seem that gifted kids should be able to do well in any setting, parents,
researchers and specialists who advocate for this sometimes overlooked group point out that many of our
brightest child minds become bored, frustrated and tuned out both socially and academically.
Gifted Children-Getting the Balance Right
By Michael Grose
One of the challenges for the parents with a gifted child is to encourage them to develop a range of
interest outside the academic sphere that not only rounds them out but stops them from being isolated from
their peers. Gifted children are a diverse group of kids who are talented in specific areas such as
math, language, sports or music. Some gifted kids are multi-talented excelling in a number of areas.
Q1: My wife and I have a 22 month old
daughter (our first). We think she is maybe a little brighter than
normal but everyone we meet states that they are amazed at the
things she does and says. Is she considered gifted? Should we have
her tested....
A: Your girl does show distinct characteristics of early giftedness and has definitely
reached milestones far ahead of her peers. For now it really
is not important to determine if she were gifted or not;
what is important is that she shows very high potential and
would need to be further guided to determine and gradually
develop her gifts to the maximum... Continue to read Dr. Sandhu's answer on
Nurturing a Potentially Gifted Toddler here.
Q2: We have a 6 year old son recently tested WISC IV:
| GAI |
159 |
| Verbal Comprehension |
146 |
| Perceptual Reasoning |
151 |
| Working Memory |
135 |
| Processing Speed |
85 |
| Full Scale IQ |
141 |
Processing speed seems to be the "odd one out". Does this make sense?
A: Processing speed generally refers to
the varying speed with which individuals are able to perform
cognitive activities such as the recognition of simple stimuli.
Higher speed in cognitive processing usually allows more information
to be acquired in a shorter time span enabling the individual to
absorb and master materials of higher levels. Above average
individuals usually have high processing speed, thus enabling them
to reach developmental milestones ahead of their age mates. ... Continue to read Dr. Sandhu's answer on
Low Scores in WISC IV Processing Speed here.
Q3:
In first grade, on the Terra Nova, my daughter scored 82 percentile in reading,
76 in language arts, and 96 in math. In second grade, her school said they were pleased with the
scores and asked her to stay after school 1 hour twice a
week to study for the Terra Nova. They told us they hoped to
move her from "border line above average" to "clearly above
average." My daughter did this for 5 months....
A: Read Dr. Sandhu's answer on
Possible Effect of Emotional State on Terra Nova Scores here.
Q4:
My 1st grade son, Andrew, was referred for gifted services
last year by his Kindergarten teacher. The school decided to
place him in 2nd grade math during 1st grade, however, the
new principal for this year stopped that right away and had
him tested. He scored 99th percentile on the Naglieri
Nonverbal Ability Test ...We have provided the scores to the school but do not anticipate any
response from the principal who seems completely reluctant
to provide any acceleration or enrichment...
A: It's such a shame that the
school principal and teacher are acting is such an
unprofessional manner. Your son had obviously shown
remarkable abilities and this is proven from the test
results. As for the Metropolitan series of tests, he was
obviously not ready and unwilling to take the test; hence
the score. I can understand if the school decide to use this
score as an indicator of ability and therefore based on the
scores, may feel that your son did not need ant enrichment. ... Continue to read Dr. Sandhu's answer on
Misleading Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test Scores here.
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High IQ Kids: Collected Insights, Information, and Personal Stories from the Experts
By Kiesa Kay, Deborah Robson and Judy Brenneman
This is not a guidebook on how to raise a profoundly gifted child. It is, rather, a collection of deeply moving
personal experiences from parents of highly to profoundly gifted children packaged together with
professional
observations from some of the world's foremost experts on these children. Children who are twice exceptional
are given center stage, which is not surprising, as Kisa
Kay, the project coordinator, is a well known champion of
children who are both profoundly gifted and also learning
disabled or challenged.
High IQ Kids is for both parents and for educators who may
be searching for answers as to how to address the needs of a
child who is "way out there" on the far right of the bell
curve. Highly gifted children are both different inside and
out, and they tend to learn in a manner that is unusual; not
just faster than the norm.
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Parenting Gifted Kids: Tips for Raising Happy and Successful Children
By James R.Delisle
This book provides a humorous, engaging and encouraging look
at raising gifted children today. The author offers
practical, down-to-earth advice that will cause parents to
re-examine the ways they perceive and relate to their
children. The author puts forth 10 tips to parents of gifted
children-ideas that reflect attitude and approach and allow
for introspection and change, rather than quick,
do-it-tonight solutions.
Some topics of interest include understanding a child's
giftedness, working with school system, dealing with
perfectionism in gifted kids, and being adult role models
for children. Along the way stories from gifted children and
their parents provide insight into the lives of those
individuals. This wonderful book is also an invaluable guide
for educators to know the minds of a gifted child and
understand methods that can come very handy in training
these kids.
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Do you have a Gifted Child?
Forbes Jan 23, 2008
On what point can all experts in gifted education agree? A gifted child can be talented across
so many different areas that often you need to look hard to find him or her. But one thing is
clear- each is a truly extraordinary individual. But, there is a scale that psychologists and
schools can use to screen students for entrance into gifted programs. Called the Scales for Rating
the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students, this tool lists dozens of characteristics of
gifted children under categories that range from leadership and communication to math to art and
music.
Genius in the Making
The Times Jan 31, 2008
Sophia is eight years old. She is obviously a bright little spark-everyone who meets her can't help
but notice how clever she is. Whenever a parent volunteers to read with her class at her South London
Primary School, he or she remarks on her ability. Sophia is a gifted child-at fourteen months she knew
the alphabet, by the age 13, she mastered Hebrew and at 5 added Spanish to her collection of languages.
In the past year, as a "hobby", she has taught herself how to use sign language.
Child-rearing tips that work
Nassau Guardian Jan 27, 2008
Raising children requires such vital and varied skills that parents and families need all the help
and support they can get Dr. Ruth Peters, a clinical psychologist and an expert on parenting has come up
with five parenting tips that work. She is not suggesting that parenting methods used in the past have been
either right or wrong, but she is advising parents to think about and assess what has worked well with
their child and what has not.
Chess engages as it challenges
Daily Herald Jan 27, 2008
It might be just a game, but many scientific studies on chess suggest it has positive benefits for
brain development in children. Peter Dauvergne, an associate dean at the University of British Columbia
and a Canadian chess master conducted a study in 2000, about how chess can be used to develop children's
minds. The game fosters critical, creative and original thinking. Chess is a fun, interactive and engaging
way for children to do those things. Like taking an exam in school, playing chess forces one to make good
decisions under pressure.
How to help your child look beyond education's basic
Scripps News Jan 10, 2008
Schools are designed to ensure that each child has the basic skills necessary for life long
learning. Think about this in terms of constructing a building. The school lays the foundation,
which includes basic learning skills, but students and parents are the architects. They decide
what the building looks like and what function it will serve in society. The height and grandeur
of the building is determined by the architects, but it is also limited by the quality of the
foundation.
A lack of natural play in early childhood could be the cause of ADHD
TES Feb 1, 2008
Scientists there have come to the conclusion that natural,
unstructured play is vital to the development of young minds. This
will come as no surprise to parents, nursery teachers and, indeed,
anyone who has ever been a child.
Mobile phones and young brains
Sydney Morning Herald Jan 27, 2008
AUSTRALIAN scientists are investigating if children are more
vulnerable than adults to the effects of radiation from mobile phones.
Associate Professor Rodney Croft, from the centre, said while
studies had been conducted on adults, the effect on children had,
until now, remained untested.
"Although there's a tiny effect on healthy young adults, there is a
possibility that it could be much stronger in children or the
elderly," Professor Rodney Croft said.
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