Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy What do I ask for to support my kids?

Hello,
I live in a rural, somewhat isolated area. My 9 year old twins were both diagnosed as gifted in a private psych-ed assessment. We finally have the documentation we need to push for support from the school. For some reason there are an exceptionally low number of identified gifted students in our board (the Superintendent of Special Education told me 12 out of 10,000 students). This means that there are also very few resources and programs available. My boys will not have access to a school for gifted students or even very much attention from a resource teacher. I think the school staff will do what they can to be supportive, but they don't seem to know what to offer. Our meeting is coming up and they have kind of put it on me to ask for what I want. I am not sure what I need to push for. Any advice?
A little bit of background, my boys are highly creative and very sensitive, have some social struggles and are under achieving at school.

Also, my daughter is in grade 2 and is also very bright. We can't under-go any testing until she is 9 but she too is advanced in several areas. She doesn't have the all same struggles as her brothers so it is easy to overlook her needs, but I want to advocate for her earlier if I can. I think she is around the age her brothers were when they figured out that they could avoid doing their best at the things they didn't like at school. If anyone has any advise about things to ask for from the school or to provide from home, I would greatly appreciate it!

At this point, if they don't have much attention from a resource teacher, enrichment wouldn't help much.

I would probably try my luck on grade skipping, even if they have some social struggles and some underachievement (though it depends on the severity)

Perhaps they could allow them to do more individual research projects, more extracurriculars, competitions and whatnot.

Welcome, ERM.

To support your children's intellectual giftedness, advocate for: appropriate academic challenge, and true intellectual peers.
This old thread includes lots of information from parents on this forum, over the years:
https://giftedissues.davidsongifted...y_Advocacy_as_a_Non_Newt.html#Post183916

An IEP for giftedness – include enrichment goals and subject acceleration.
Curriculum compacting – so they can skip material they’ve already mastered.
Project-based learning – creative, long-term projects tied to their interests.
Flexible grouping – work with peers at similar ability levels, even across grades.
Access to online/enrichment programs – like Khan Academy, CTY, or Brilliant.org.
Social-emotional support – help with sensitivity, perfectionism, or peer struggles.
Regular teacher check-ins – to keep them engaged and challenged.
For home, encourage passion projects, creative expression, and join online gifted communities. For your daughter, document her strengths now and ask for early enrichment based on ability, not just age.

Advocating for gifted children can be challenging, especially in areas with limited resources. Here are some suggestions to consider:

1. Individualized Learning Plans: Request personalized learning plans that challenge your children in their areas of strength and interest.

2. Enrichment Opportunities: Ask for enrichment programs or projects, possibly with mentorship from teachers, to keep them engaged.

3. Flexible Grouping: Encourage the school to allow flexible grouping in subjects where your children excel, so they can work with peers at similar levels.

4. Professional Development: Request additional teacher training to better accommodate and challenge gifted students.

5. Social-Emotional Support: Seek support for social struggles, perhaps with guidance from a counselor who understands the needs of gifted children.

6. Advanced Coursework: If possible, discuss opportunities for accessing higher-grade level materials or classes.

7. Parental Collaboration: Stay involved and offer to collaborate with teachers to support your children's education both at school and at home.

For your daughter, closely monitor her progress and advocate early for any signs she might also benefit from similar support.