Tag: self-directed learning

Why Gifted Kids often Thrive in Homeschooling

Homeschooling is increasing in popularity in many circles around the globe, and one of the fastest areas of growth is actually among families with gifted kids. While there are as many reasons for homeschooling as there are families that choose this option, the following are some of the main reasons gifted kids often end up at home, whether for a year or two or for a longer duration.

Gameschooling and Sibling Cooperation

U-Build Monopoly, Snap Circuits, Playmobil and Magnetic Tiles have been taking over the floor of the living room. In all of these, the kids are involved in creative problem solving, negotiation, cooperation, and navigating social situations.
I’m constantly amazed at how much the kids learn and stretch themselves in the context of play.
To read more about how we play and what we prioritize, check out my post over at My Little Poppies.

Time to Grow

Lately, my kids have really been enjoying intricate coloring patterns with a nice set of colored pencils (thanks, Grandma!).
As they’ve been contentedly creating, I started thinking back to all my concerns about J, who is now 8, because he wasn’t meeting the coloring milestones when he was younger the way I thought he should.

Gifted Kids and the Rejection of External Motivation

Every once in a while, though, a student came along who was so disenchanted by the educational system, so convinced that it was irrelevant, that he did everything possible to declare his independence.
By the time they got to me, at age 15, it was almost too late.
What can we do in the early years to help kids stay engaged and motivated so they don’t reject the system and end up failing out of school?