Classes & Groups for Gifted Children
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Playmates or support group for gifted 7-year-old
Nov 2003
Does anyone know of any playgroups for highly gifted children in the Berkeley-Albany-El Cerrito area (although we are willing to travel farther if necessary)? The age group I'm looking for would be about 6-10 years old. Our child (7 yrs old) is feeling increasingly isolated and is desperate to play with peers. Anon
It's hard to find support for highly gifted children in this area, but it does exist. There was a playgroup called ''Curious Kids'' on the Peninsula last year. Our 8-y-o daughter attended; it was a long drive, but worth it because she found a wonderful friend. The group isn't meeting now because they lost their space, but if they start up again I can let you know.
Also, here are some local contacts that we've found really helpful.
Annemarie Roeper founded a famous school for gifted children in Michigan, and then retired in El Cerrito. She is a wonderful source of information and help, especially if you have a gifted child in crisis. (We've been there!) Annemarie Roeper's website: http://www.roeperconsultation.com/
Excellent webpage with list of local resources for gifted children: http://www.armadillosoft.com/school/index.php?thePage=gtBay
Those are good places to start. Feel free to email me if you have more questions. Good luck finding help for your child. It can feel very lonely because giftedness is one of the most misunderstood special needs. sa_58
Is he feeling isolated because he's bright? If so, maybe you want to help him feel ''normal'' by involving him in some activities kids typically do like soccer rather than making him feel more isolated by bringing him to the ''special'' playgroup. Volunteer activities might serve the same purpose...anything to help him feel connected rather than a species apart. Even if you do find a group, it's not likely to be a happy one. Imagine a bunch of kids who have been labeled ''bright'' coming together. They couldn't help but compare eachother's intelligence. What an efficient way for the kids to lose touch with the joy of a good mind. lose the label, find the child
Hi, Since you request a group for PLAY, the kids would not need to be highly gifted. Perhaps you mean you are seeking a group which would have similar interests to your child. Of my three children, I had one highly gifted child. And, like all children, he liked to play with kids with similar interests. My son loved Dungeons and Dragons (a fantasy game) and played it at a very high level, and was frustrated if kids did not know the game or were not at his level.
We were lucky to find some outstanding players of this game, and my son even attended some D and D conventions with the Masters. Once his need to meet this challenge was provided, he then became more tolerant of teaching other kids at lower skill levels.
Likewise, we also arranged for our son to have violin, piano, soccer, skiing, art, etc. groups, and sent him to an ungraded private Montessori school where the curriculum could challenge him. However, just because he was academically, athletically, and physically gifted, he was not gifted in all areas. He needed some work in skill sets such as tolerance, patience, diversity, etc.
Once, at about age 9, he put his fist into a classmate's mouth and broke off the kid's tooth and said ''you are stupid because you cannot read.'' This particular non-reader child is now a championship NFL football player. My son now feels privileged to have grown up with him. So, being ''gifted'' has many facets.
Kids can be gifted in a way your child is not. So, my advice is to find activities and friends who meet your child's interests, but also be sure your child has broad exposure to many types of kids who will be able to offer her/him something-- which you may not have figured out just what your child is or will get from these kids until later.
Also, the world is a complex and diverse place, and what better way to prepare for it than making sure your child gets broad experiences from an early age. Anon
Why not try signing your child up for classes or activities that would attract other gifted children, like Berkeley's Academic Talent Development Program? http://www-atdp.berkeley.edu/ Good luck to you in finding a good friend for your son! susan
My 2E student had a good class through CTY at Johns Hopkins a couple years ago, it was synchronous and asynchronous. They have their own assessment process, and it's pretty expensive, but may be worth checking out, as may be other schooling options.
Our kids are advanced in math and have basically tested out of their grades in math. Khan Academy has been helpful as kids get to do more advanced materials. We have also been happy with Prodigy Math's tutoring program. The tutor provides math instruction at the kids' level, and kids say school is boring but tutor sessions are fun. They say it's not work time, it's fun play time.
Pandemic learning is so difficult. My kids are checked out during their regulat school time as well.
Check out Firecracker Math! They have wonderful classes, both online and in person, and they were a lifeline for my own advanced learner when he was in elementary and middle school. Classes are small, and they tailor instruction to each student— they always have extra challenge problems if someone masters the initial content— and their content is really interesting— delving into subjects that kids usually don’t get in school, like number theory, topology, and probability. My son was captivated. They are a true local treasure. https://firecrackermath.org/
Our son went through public and private schools before we found Connecting Waters East Bay Charter. No school offered advanced learning despite claiming they knew how to teach gifts children. Our son is not 2E and was left with little options before we developed his own learning plan. Contrary to what many believe "home schooled" learning is, CWEB sets you up with an educational specialist who works with you on learning plans. Our son took classes from BYU online and UC Scout plus did independent learning for Elementary and HS credit. Then as a 9th grader, he took up to 11 units at Berkeley City College. Classes that met HS requirements and yet fulfilled undergrad GE for UC's and Cal State schools. It took four years for us to "figure" out the best learning approach for him. He is now applying to college and we have no regrets going this route. The best advice we received when he was evaluated as a gifted learner was to be his vocal advocate. There are few programs and expensive counselors that specialize in advanced learners. Also look into Duke TIP program. BAGHS (?) is also forum for homeschooled kids. Very helpful when our son was younger. Please note...homeschool comes in many forms. It is definitely not me sitting down teaching. It can be creative and inspiring.
Some advanced kids really enjoy math contests. Many of these now have online tutorials or at least practice problems with full solutions. (e.g. Math Kangaroo, AMC8, Math Olympiads). Some programs which might have been "too far" in the past have gone fully online. Sign up for a math circle mailing list for notifications (e.g. Stanford Math Circle).
If your son is PG he can qualify to be a Davidson Young Scholar. Davidson provides many resources and support for gifted kids and you can work with one of their counselors. They are great for giving suggestions and helping you advocate for your child. https://www.davidsongifted.org/young-scholars.
Also my son took a lot of courses through CYT and enjoyed math circles (check out Berkeley Math Circle). My son also loved the Elements of Math courses. We also contacted teachers of classes that he was interested in but where he were considered to be too advanced for him due to age. We sent test results and proof he could handle the class. He was able to take numerous high school level classes when he was younger.
CTY: https://cty.jhu.edu/
Elements of Math: https://www.elementsofmathematics.com/