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Your child has proved to have a high academic ability. Some discussions with teachers have taken place, and tests have been written. All this uncovers the fact that your child is gifted. What now? How do you proceed from here? It is important that the child receive special services. These programs will help the child to develop their full intellectual ability. They offer specialized training that the gifted child wouldn't get in a main stream classroom.

School boards need to make these resources available. Children with learning disabilities are offered programs tailored to their needs, headed by specially trained teachers. Likewise, gifted children need special programs. They should be assessed on an individual basis, to determine what services would best meet their needs. Then it can be decided if they will attend enrichment classes, programs on weekends or during the summer, or actually attend a school, specifically for gifted students.

If left in a classroom with a generalized curriculum, the gifted child will not progress to realize their full potential. If the choice is made, to leave the child in the class, there should be some special services offered to the child as well. Without these programs the child is left feeling bored and unchallenged. A general curriculum is geared toward the average student. A gifted student grasps this material quickly and independently. They tend to get very frustrated, having to sit through the repetitive teaching it takes for the other students to fully grasp it. The specialized programs offer an acceleration in the teaching process, and enrichment. The topics are studied more in depth, allowing the children to gain the knowledge they crave. There are variations in the programs, to meet each child's educational needs. If the child is extremely gifted in math, but not history, the program is tailored specifically for them. They are grouped with other gifted kids. They are with peers who share the same intellectual abilities. The curriculum is set to stimulate and challenge the gifted student. They will need to put thought and effort into their assignments. This will push them beyond any feelings of unfulfillment, they have had thus far.

The gifted child will really start to flourish, when given the opportunity to participate in these special services. School boards sink enormous amounts of money into athletic programs, musical training and the performing arts. Academic programs serve to be just as important. Adequate funding should be available, to provide these programs, within every school district. They prove to be greatly beneficial to the gifted student.

Learn more about this author, Erin Knight.
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