When we think of gifted and talented children, we think of kids with high abilities, accelerated learning and exceptional performance. However, the truth is that gifted children can present complex challenges for parents. While gifted children have huge potential and exceptional prospects, the expectations of performance can result in problems.
Whether they’re facing practice exams or the real thing, most teenagers feel increased pressure as assessments approach. This can create added stress for students and others in their household. If left unmanaged, it may continue to build for some children, undermine achievement and, in the long-term, possibly cause health problems.
Here are some ideas for parents who want to support their son or daughter during the year as they prepare for exams. Most are written as suggested tips for students, so you can share them with your teenager and find out which tips they think would be good for them.
As a parent, you have a key role in passing your educational values onto your children and motivating them to achieve success at school. If you aren’t involved in your child’s education, chances are that they will understand this to mean you didn’t value it at all, and won’t put any effort in studying and fulfilling their school duties. To motivate your child to do better at school, you shouldn’t nag and criticise them, but rather use the following, more constructive techniques.
With the recent interest in the brain and how it works, some new suggestions have come forward for better, more effective study. And some of them are in complete opposition to the study advice that has been given for a long time – advice that I have given to many a student over the years.
At this time of year, many parents ask about how they can help their child with their writing tasks. One writing task may be to write a persuasive text. Students have to argue their own opinion in a convincing way.
You can help your child with this by asking them their opinion on any topic that comes up - from the news, events at school, the actions of a character in a story/movie. ‘What do you think about that?’ ‘Do you agree with what he/she did?’ ‘What would you like to happen instead?’
