Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment DYS questions

Thank you all. Kerry, that is exactly the type of information I was looking for. And knowing the consultants are willing to work directly with teachers to answer questions on how to help might be exactly what we need. Are there resources through DYS for projects/curriculum ideas that could be used to help my kids' teachers as they try to differentiate for them (hard since in some areas they are so far ahead, in others it will be fairly easy).

I think it could be very helpful w/DD8, since she still has a few more years of elementary school, and we have at least one 4th grade teacher (DS's current teacher, but sadly just for one more month!) who is interested in talking with someone to learn how to help DS (and someday DD). I think if DS gets the teacher I think he will, his 5th grade teacher will be interested too...

Do any of you know how strict DYS consultants are in terms of only helping with the kiddo who is a DYS? Or should I be stressing about getting both kids' applications done right away... Wish they had qualified by test scores solely - the portfolio is intimidating!!

Anyone know if creative writing pieces would work? DS’s poetry is something teachers mention (they don't do it often at school, but each time someone says something to me...). And I know he has some great Dr. Who fan fiction in his head (he told the whole storyline to my teenage niece and nephew, and my sister-in-law, who are all huge Dr. Who fans, and they were raving). If I can get him to use Dragon, perhaps he can get it on paper.

DD is going to be even harder. Her scores are a bit surprising - I think she 'masks' better than DS ever has. So we didn't even realize how above she was! She's had VERY little incentive to do anything up to now (on day she was doing DS's long division - it was sort of a dare, so she was on it - I suggested she learn her times tables and start working on that level of math, and she looked me in the eye and said "why, then math will just be that much worse next year". SIGH)

Thank you, somewhereonearth! I may have DD do that, too! I may talk to DS's 4th grade teacher, and see if she can help me find something.

I keep forgetting, DS is going to HAVE to be retested and qualify through achievement tests: his IQ test is more than 2 years old now. BOO.

If I recall correctly, services do not begin immediately. Once a family is informed that the child has qualified to be a Davidson Young Scholar (DYS), the family can choose to follow through with the DYS registration/enrollment process by completing forms providing further information to the Davidson Institute for Talent Development (DITD), about the qualified child. Parents also sign confidentiality agreements, stating that they will maintain the privacy of each DYS child & family (not share identities of or information about other DYS families or other families' children).

While offerings may change over time, DITD provides / has provided the following opportunities to registered DYS and their parents -

For Parents of registered DYS:
There is a free private parent forum, recently much less active than this public forum.
There is a free e-mail list for parents.
There are free webinars for parents (advance sign-up required).
There is the free opportunity to speak with a staff consultant about matters concerning the registered DYS.
There is a free weekly e-newsletter.

For registered DYS
There are occasional online special interest classes for DYS.
There may be an opportunity for a DYS to be matched with a DYS pen-pal.
There is the Ambassador program for DYS (competitive application process).

For DYS Families
There is an annual gathering ("Summit").
There may be local parent-planned meet-ups called Davidson informal gatherings (DIGs), announced in the weekly e-newsletter.
There is a new annual "alumni" gathering for DYS who've aged out of the program.


Davidson Institute for Talent Development (DITD) also provides support to the greater gifted community.

For the Public
DITD provides the following opportunities to the public and to DYS, their parents, and families -
Free access to the Davidson Database, including:
- This free public forum.
- Free guidebooks.
- Free "Tips for Parents" summaries of web seminars presented to DYS parents.
- Free sign-up for bi-monthly e-newsletter of "What's New" on the Davidson Database.

Competitive application processes open to the public include:
- "Think" Summer Institute.
- "Davidson Fellows" scholarship program.
- "Davidson Academy of Nevada"

For Educators and Professionals
DITD provides the Educators' Guild for teachers and professionals.

For Residents of Reno, Nevada
Davidson Academy of Nevada, a free public middle school and high school for profoundly gifted kids (application process).

More info in this thread: Overview of Davidson Young Scholars program

For more information, search the online Davidson Database.

The best thing we've gotten from our kids being DYS's is meeting other families. Our consultant is friendly, but wasn't very helpful when we met with her to discuss DS9's 2e issues. Of course, when you've got two parents who obsessively research everything, this isn't a huge surprise.

The local DIGs, however, have been great. It is so...relaxing (and reassuring!) to meet other parents with kids who are like your own. And our kids tend to have a better time with the other kids, even if they don't know them well. Our DIGs are open to the entire family, even if only one kid is a DYS.