Barbara Klein, Ed.D.

Gifted children attract the attention of the business media!

Hana R. Alberts wrote the following article (excerpted here) for Forbes.com:

Do You Have A Gifted Child?

http://www.forbes.com/home/opinions/2008/01/22/solutions-education-gifted-oped-cx_hra_0123gifted.html

"Sometimes, though, identifying giftedness is as simple as pairing observation with common sense. 'The little boy who called the flowers in his garden bougainvillea,' says Dr. Barbara Klein, an educational consultant in Los Angeles and author of Raising Gifted Kids: Everything You Need to Know to Help Your Exceptional Child Thrive. 'You don't have to give the Stanford-Binet [intelligence test] to know that they are just very different children. Very special.' "

        The Forbes article continues as a slide show: http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/22/solutions-education-gifted-oped-cx_hra_0123gifted_slide.html?thisSpeed=15000

        More quotes:

Art, Music and Drama
"Artistic activities appeal to gifted children, who can express themselves on a canvas, in an original composition or during a skit. They may recall melodies, tell vivid stories or imitate others. 'They need to have those kinds of artistic or musical or dramatic outlets, or else they won't be happy,' says Dr. Barbara Klein. 'They are very emotionally intense children and they need an outlet to express themselves.' "

Technology
"Got an in-house computer whiz? Gifted children may learn new software without formal training, and they demonstrate a wide range of technology skills. Dr. Klein remembers a child who took apart radios in his spare time. 'Their perceptual organization is very advanced,' she says. 'They may be fascinated by that, and not as fascinated by learning to read.' A bonus: Gifted children also tend to help others with technology-related problems."