Summer is just around the corner. Summer is a fun time for kids to explore a topic in depth that they don’t have the opportunity to study during the school year.
Depending on a child’s school situation, summer can also be the time for gifted students to connect with other gifted students. Linda Silverman once told a group that the biggest gift one can give a gifted child is a friend. For students who haven’t yet found other gifted friends, summer camps can provide an opportunity.
I keep finding out about different camps in different places so I thought it would be helpful to put together a list here. This list was started as part of my research into camps for gifted students on the San Francisco Peninsula but it expanded as I found out about camps that look interesting but aren’t necessarily targeted for gifted students. Most of these camps are open for the K-5 age range. There are many fantastic local experiences for middle schoolers. I will save those for a different post. Make a comment about other camps you have tried or let me know how your child enjoyed these!
CAMPS AIMED AT GIFTED STUDENTS
San Carlos Charter Learning Center will be launching a summer program for gifted students in grades 4-8. Find out more at: http://www.scclc.net/
Nueva School has long been known in the area as a place to find creative, original programming for gifted and talented students. With their summer camps, they open their reach to the broader community.
http://nuevaschool.org/welcome
UC Berkeley is also known for its summer programs for gifted students. It is a bit of a hike from the Peninsula but it might be worth the drive for some students. Here is how they describe their program, “The ATDP, at the University of California at Berkeley's Graduate School of Education, offers challenging summer classes for K-11 students. ATDP courses offer students opportunities to gain in-depth knowledge of the subjects that interest them. Taught by outstanding university, public, and private school instructors, our classes are designed to engage our students' hearts as well as their minds. Admission is based on the student's overall academic profile. We consider grades, achievement test scores, an essay, and a teacher recommendation.”
http://www-atdp.berkeley.edu/
SUBJECT-BASED CAMPS THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO GIFTED STUDENTS
I LOVE Crissy Field and their camps have also received rave reviews. Imagine your child spending time outside in this beautiful area with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Then imagine them learning about the animals and plants of the area. It sounds terrific to me. Can I sign up?
http://www.parksconservancy.org/our-work/crissy/programs/summer-camp.html
The Marine Science Institute in Redwood City offers classes and camps. Kids get down and dirty as they explore the marine environment.
http://www.sfbaymsi.org/marinecamp.html
For the past few years my family has really enjoyed Camp Galileo. We like the emphasis on art and science since those two subjects are not emphasized in our school. My kids also like the silly atmosphere. My son did comment that Camp Galileo is “intense.” There is a lot going on and it is a high energy place. Not the best place for a quiet, sensitive child but others will greatly enjoy the camp atmosphere.
Their website states: “Camp Galileo is a summer day camp which inspires kids to imagine new ideas, collaborate with peers and express themselves creatively. Kids enjoy art, science and outdoor programming every day, wrapped in fun camp traditions and delivered by highly enthusiastic staff. Our hands-on curriculum is developed in partnership with The Tech Museum of Innovation, de Young Museum and Klutz.”
http://www.galileo-learning.com/camp-galileo/index.html
Camp Edmo is a new camp that is similar to Camp Galileo in that it emphasizes art and sciences. It was created with people from the California Academy of Sciences, The Exploratorium, MOCHA, and Zeum. I don’t have any firsthand experience with this camp yet and would love to get some comments from people who have tried it.
http://www.campedmo.com/program/arts-and-science/
One of my dreams is for my kids to spend a week at farm camp. They are such suburban kids who are never more than ten minutes from a Walgreens or a Safeway. I love the idea of them helping with the animals, getting in touch with the garden, and enjoying life without TV. What better way to get our children invested in nature and its preservation than to spend an extended period enjoying it. These two farms are near Petaluma.
http://windrushfarm.wordpress.com/
http://www.plantationcamp.com/About_Plantation/Why_Plantation_is_Special
Hidden Villa offers a day camp that is similar to farm camp. Their mission is to “develop young leaders committed to social and environmental justice and equipped with a sense of awe for natural and human beauty, tools for non-violent multicultural community building, and the confidence to make positive change in our families, communities and the world.”
http://www.hiddenvilla.org/camp_preview.php
If your child loves animals, the San Francisco Zoo also offers camps during all school breaks.
http://www.sfzoo.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=13779&orgkey=1875
The ability to work with technology is increasingly becoming a necessary skill. Tech Know How Kids offers camps that teach technology through legos, K’nex, and computers. The instructors at these camps have not received my highest ratings for their warmth and friendliness but the students learn a lot of skills. My son was absolutely in heaven spending the whole day building with legos, and learning new things that he could do!
http://www.techknowhowkids.com/
Parents often ask me about writing camps for their budding writers. Up until now, I haven’t known of any in the area. I did find this one that meets in Redwood City. “Each summer youth ages 8 to 15 come to learn about writing techniques and develop their own creative projects in a relaxed and comfortable setting. Camp Director Beth Harrison engages campers in writing activities and games designed to stimulate their imaginations and teach them effective writing strategies. Guest writers join in to teach and inspire participants.”
http://pwlp.org/youth-programs/summer-camp
I also found this one that meets in San Jose:
http://www.lekhapublishers.com/summercamps.php
If your child is a musician, you might want to look into these music camps: San Francisco Conservatory of Music http://www.sfcm.edu/summer/index.aspx or the Peninsula Youth Orchestra http://peninsulayouthorchestra.org/pyocamp.htm. Your child could also attend summer camp with the Grammy-Award Winning Pacific Boychoir Academy. They do not need to be a member of the choir to attend the day camp. Visit their website at: http://www.pacificboychoir.org/daycamp.html.
So many great camps to choose from! Don’t forget to plan in down time during the summer as well. Unstructured play gives children time to develop their imagination and creativity. Those are important skills too.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Stories of Life With Gifted Children
Over the years, I have heard so many fun stories from families about the students that I teach. Of course, all children do funny things. Gifted students, however, often take things in a different direction than anyone would have expected or they have that unique blend of their physical age combined with their different mental age, which can lead to some comedic happenings.
I will never forget Back To School Night during my first year teaching at a school for gifted students. I was teaching first grade. A parent raised his hand and asked what to do when his daughter opens the refrigerator to get a glass of milk and then becomes so engrossed in reading her book that she just stands there with the fridge door open, reading, oblivious to the cold or her thirst. Her dad had recently found her like this and estimated she had been standing there for twenty minutes. The whole parent group burst out laughing.
I also remember talking with the parents of three highly gifted students. They were amazed at how other parents could take their children out in strollers. They said from the moment their children could walk, they didn’t want to be in a stroller. A stroller limits a child’s explorations. Their children wanted to be out and about, interacting with the world. My son was exactly the same way. It was so fun for all of us to find each other and feel connected over this fact because we had all often felt so different from the stroller-toting families we saw around us.
It is a delight for parents of gifted students to connect with other parents of gifted students and hear their stories. For this reason, I greatly enjoyed reading Karen L. J. Isaacson’s book about her gifted family. It is called, Raisin’ Brains, Surviving My Smart Family.
Isaacson has a lot of stories to share. She is a parent of five gifted children and comes from a family of talented individuals. Her book is easy to read and entertaining. Sometimes she gets so involved in sharing stories that her chapters lose their cohesiveness but readers will enjoy the stories, even without this organization.
I appreciated hearing about the experiences of Ms. Isaacson’s children in school. It sounds like their school does have a gifted and talented program but it is also clear she has encountered a few teachers who aren’t quite sure what to do with her children academically. Upon starting kindergarten, her oldest was already reading college textbooks. His teacher, however, wouldn’t let him work on anything more challenging than ABC’s claiming, “We need to make sure he understands his letters first.” Oh, yes, I think every parent of a gifted child has met a teacher of this type. I have met many of them through my work coaching teachers to work more effectively with gifted students. As a teacher, I must say in their defense that some teachers just haven’t met many gifted students and don’t know what to do with them. What these students need, to begin with, is a teacher with an open mind and a learning attitude. Once teachers have that mindset, gifted students will benefit immensely.
I also enjoyed Ms. Isaacson’s fresh, laid-back attitude. So many parents of gifted students are pushing the students to perform at the top of their class, participate in summer programs for high-ability children, and take classes on a whole range of topics. It was interesting to read about a family that was not engaged in this frenzy. While Ms Isaacson clearly sees her children’s various abilities, she mostly lets them travel their own paths. She is there as a supportive parent but is not engaged in directing their every move and ensuring that each activity provides academic stimulation.
I hope other books of this type will follow. All of us parenting and/or teaching gifted students will enjoy hearing the stories of others and feeling the warmth of connection that comes from knowing that we are not alone on our journey.
I will never forget Back To School Night during my first year teaching at a school for gifted students. I was teaching first grade. A parent raised his hand and asked what to do when his daughter opens the refrigerator to get a glass of milk and then becomes so engrossed in reading her book that she just stands there with the fridge door open, reading, oblivious to the cold or her thirst. Her dad had recently found her like this and estimated she had been standing there for twenty minutes. The whole parent group burst out laughing.
I also remember talking with the parents of three highly gifted students. They were amazed at how other parents could take their children out in strollers. They said from the moment their children could walk, they didn’t want to be in a stroller. A stroller limits a child’s explorations. Their children wanted to be out and about, interacting with the world. My son was exactly the same way. It was so fun for all of us to find each other and feel connected over this fact because we had all often felt so different from the stroller-toting families we saw around us.
It is a delight for parents of gifted students to connect with other parents of gifted students and hear their stories. For this reason, I greatly enjoyed reading Karen L. J. Isaacson’s book about her gifted family. It is called, Raisin’ Brains, Surviving My Smart Family.
Isaacson has a lot of stories to share. She is a parent of five gifted children and comes from a family of talented individuals. Her book is easy to read and entertaining. Sometimes she gets so involved in sharing stories that her chapters lose their cohesiveness but readers will enjoy the stories, even without this organization.
I appreciated hearing about the experiences of Ms. Isaacson’s children in school. It sounds like their school does have a gifted and talented program but it is also clear she has encountered a few teachers who aren’t quite sure what to do with her children academically. Upon starting kindergarten, her oldest was already reading college textbooks. His teacher, however, wouldn’t let him work on anything more challenging than ABC’s claiming, “We need to make sure he understands his letters first.” Oh, yes, I think every parent of a gifted child has met a teacher of this type. I have met many of them through my work coaching teachers to work more effectively with gifted students. As a teacher, I must say in their defense that some teachers just haven’t met many gifted students and don’t know what to do with them. What these students need, to begin with, is a teacher with an open mind and a learning attitude. Once teachers have that mindset, gifted students will benefit immensely.
I also enjoyed Ms. Isaacson’s fresh, laid-back attitude. So many parents of gifted students are pushing the students to perform at the top of their class, participate in summer programs for high-ability children, and take classes on a whole range of topics. It was interesting to read about a family that was not engaged in this frenzy. While Ms Isaacson clearly sees her children’s various abilities, she mostly lets them travel their own paths. She is there as a supportive parent but is not engaged in directing their every move and ensuring that each activity provides academic stimulation.
I hope other books of this type will follow. All of us parenting and/or teaching gifted students will enjoy hearing the stories of others and feeling the warmth of connection that comes from knowing that we are not alone on our journey.
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