Programs for Gifted Homeschooled Teen
Question: I have a 14-year-old who is gifted in art and science. I started to homeschool him two years ago because he wasn't getting what he needed in the public school. I live in Kentucky and I am looking for a program outside the home that will help develop his gifts.
Answer: I agree that some special activities will help your son. I recommend that you contact the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education at www.wku.edu/kage for further information on summer programs that may be available in your home state. Additionally, they can give you some helpful insight to parenting a gifted child.
I also support competitions for gifted kids. Competitions help kids advance their abilities, plus they provide an opportunity for socializing with other children who share similar interests. The book Competitions: Maximizing Your Abilities by Frances A. Karnes and Tracy Riley, is an excellent source of more than 275 such competitions.
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Noreen Joslyn is a licensed independent social worker in the state of Ohio and is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers. She has a master's degree in Social Work, specializing in family and children, from the University of Pittsburgh. She is a psychiatric social worker in private practice with Ken DeLuca, Ph.D. & Associates, where she counsels parents and children.
