Barbara Klein, Ed.D.

Gifted Students Are Special Learners with Unique Needs
    After a long year of learning, most students need a break from the academic and social pressures of school and homework. Indeed, educational stress can be intellectually and emotionally debilitating and exhausting for students of all ages. The trend toward objective testing has also intensified the pressure for students to show what they have achieved and what they still need to learn. Because of the emphasis on technology for instruction, students often rely on screens too much when looking for creative choices for summer fun and learning. Setting up an educational plan that expands your son’s or daughter’s interests and focuses on their learning issues that need more attention is a crucial way to make good use of the summertime. 
    In-person or online classes (possibly one-on-one) that will excite and refine your son’s or daughter’s interests will help your child develop parts of his or her identity. Boredom and too much focus on screens and video games will be greatly reduced. Arguments about time spent online or on the phone will hopefully be resolved. Your house will be calmer and run more smoothly. Parenting will be more effective. Children will get their work completed without drama.
    For example, your son really loves science, especially black holes or nuclear fusion, but he has some difficulty with math. His parents can provide help and advancement in both subjects. A math tutor can come to the house to work on concepts that your son finds challenging. And very high quality or gifted classes exist in every area you can imagine. Maybe in-person in your hometown there are teachers and friends who serve the special educational needs of gifted children and provide the “best” summer classes for unique learners to explore their special often-esoteric interests.
    The value of a summer camp that includes children of all abilities is also very critical. Social skills are difficult for gifted children and teenagers to learn especially when they are surrounded by high achievers and very quick learners. Practice is very very helpful in social situations that are diversified differently than the school they attend during the school year.

Solving the Problem of Finding the Right Summer School, Classes or Camp
    It may at first sound easy enough to find an interesting learning experience for gifted kids. However, finding the right class and tutor can be a serious challenge without the help of other parents, teachers, and friends who know about asynchronous development. Gifted kids have learning highs and lows, and prefer to totally evade and avoid what they see as their “lesser” subjects. In actuality, the easy classes can be hard for them because they can become bored. As well, the importance of interacting with other emotional intense gifted students is unbelievably helpful as a way of expanding your child’s education, easing their learning challenges and developing their personality. 
    Summer classes, tutors, and experts’ advice can engage your gifted son or daughter and build their capacity to work through material that is a struggle. Social knowledge and self-esteem are almost always developed in the new learning environments of summer school and summer camp. I have seen that some educators are very capable of expanding students’ learning styles, while others do not have the experience and understanding to achieve these lofty goals. You want your children to love to learn, to work hard enough at learning, and to find their specific passions. These are life-long goals and practices that contribute to personal and professional success. Enthusiasm from parents, teachers and other students promotes deep and meaningful learning, or at least provides a solid foundation for it.

Deciding What Your Son or Daughter Needs from Summer Learning
    The first step is to evaluate the learning problems to be addressed. The most effective way to do this is to talk with all of the teachers and your child. Listen most carefully to the teacher who best understands how your child learns. Review report cards and homework. Talk with your son or daughter to find out what they want to do over the summer. Combine what your child’s imagination is looking for (their passions) with the actual problems your son or daughter needs help with. Remember the importance of socialization with other gifted kids, which will build self-confidence and self-esteem. Getting your child out of the house will make your summer life easier and calmer. You will be a more effective parent.

Figure Out How to Accomplish Your Goals for Summer Learning
    You may have the most brilliant and creative plan, but how do you put your thoughts into action? In my own experience, finding other parents with similar specific needs for their children is most effective. Engaging the help of smart parents, relatives, siblings, and your spouse will reduce chaos. 

Conclusions 
    Summer is a good time to provide your children with creative activities that could refine their identities and social skills. Parents are constantly worried about too much screen time. But new classes and social experiences can develop friendships and students’ unique talents. Take a wide perspective and work on encouragement, remediation and social learning. Summertime may be the best time of the year to find and encourage your children’s interests.

Hands-on Advice
    1. Explore classes, camps and travel experiences for children the same age as your children.
    2. Find parents whose children have experienced the same extracurricular actives that you are interested in. Take their knowledge seriously.
    3. Carefully consider what your child wants to do and what they are wary or unsure of.
    4. Are there any friends who could accompany your child? Friends reduce fearfulness and improve social skills.