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91 of 91 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not Just for Gifted Parents!, August 14, 2002
This review is from: Creative Home Schooling: A Resource Guide for Smart Families (Paperback)
This book is so much more than just a resource guide for home schooling parents of gifted children. It fills that niche so much better than any other book I've found, but it goes so much farther. This book would also be a must read for any home schooling parents and useful for any teacher of gifted students. Each chapter of the book has a section with specific resources, quotes from home school parents and interviews with home schooled students. The book is divided into three sections. Section 1, entitled "At Home With Gifted Children" starts with making the decision to home school and how best to go about making it. Other chapters in this section discuss the Traits of Giftedness (which includes discussions on asynchronous development, creativity and sensitivity), Intellectual Needs, Social/Emotional Needs, Learning Styles (what they are, how to best address individual children's styles) and even a chapter on the Full-Time Parent/Teacher and what to expect. For someone thinking about starting to home school, this section would be a very helpful way to weigh the pros and cons of the decision. For those who have already made the plunge, it can help you rethink the whys and hows of home schooling. Teachers of the gifted students could benefit from the sections on Traits of Giftedness and Learning Styles to better understand the needs of their students. The second section of the book is entitled "Creating Your Home School Approach." This section deals with just what is creative home schooling, how home school on a budget, taking a break from school, and has a chapter on each of the 4 major home schooling approaches: Unschooling, Studying Individual Subjects, Classical Home Schooling and Unit Studies. Each approach is explained, discussed and resources listed. Most home schooling is nothing like "school at home" and this section gives a picture into how different approaches can work with different children and different families. This section would be useful for any home school parent, and anyone looking to learn more about home schooling in general. No two home schools are a like! Teachers could benefit by studying the different approaches to learning and incorporating them into their classroom, especially when individualizing curriculum for gifted students. Section 3, "Your Creative Home School Toolbox," starts with a chapter on documentation and testing. Since each state has different requirements, a multitude of different ideas for documenting learning are presented. The following chapter discusses special topics such as profoundly gifted children and learning differences. The last chapter is a list of recommended resources and a list of publishers, manufacturers and suppliers. Parents, teachers and students a like will find a wealth of resources on just about every subject under the sun. The book concludes with a section of general resources by subject, followed by a resource index by ability level and subject. These sections are invaluable for those dealing with an asynchronous child, whether they are home school parents or classroom teachers. All in all, I would highly recommend this book!
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53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best homeschooling books out there!, July 4, 2002
This review is from: Creative Home Schooling: A Resource Guide for Smart Families (Paperback)
A rare gem that will help any homeschooling family's experience sparkle. I wish the author had chosen to simply entitle the book "Creative Homeschooling" because the "For Gifted Children" might put some people off who are not homeschooling gifted children. And this is one book that is truly for any homeschooling family. When reading just insert a "child interested in learning" in most of the "gifted" spaces. Over the eleven years that we have been a homeschooling family, I have probably read most (it is hard to keep up these days) of the homeschooling books. This is the only book I have found that addresses creative learning from several different homeschooling approaches. It also follows the format I use to help new homeschooling families - know yourself and know your children. How do you and your children learn best? What are your learning styles and peak energy times? What homeschooling approach seems to best fit your family lifestyle, your children's needs and your idea of education? As a former children's museum education director, creativity is sadly lacking in children's lives today. Too much emphasis is being placed on "lower level thinking which is concerned with facts or correct answers. Higher level thinking is related to ideas and the analysis of information or ideas (paraphased from the book)." She has some of the best general homeschooling tips and questions for further thought as well as a comprehensive listing of resource information for creative learners. While not all children are labeled "gifted", all children are creative learners. Most children are drawn to particular areas of interest - some are mathematical while others love to write stories, and this book will help you find resources to encourage and support their various educational endeavors. Use this book to help you keep the love of learning spark alive in your children. And hey, this is the only homeschooling book I have ever read that even includes a chapter on using humor to learn. Now this is my kind of book!
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47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great resource for ALL gifted parents, homeschooling or not!, May 29, 2002
This review is from: Creative Home Schooling: A Resource Guide for Smart Families (Paperback)
Lisa Rivero's new book is huge! Not only in size, but in content... no skinny little book this, and full of great resources for ALL parents of gifted children. While some chapters focus on homeschooling, other chapters apply equally well to the schooling parent, or even the teacher of gifted children! All parents (and teachers!) of gifted kids should read the chapters on gifted traits, social and emotinoal needs, intellectual needs, learning styles!, and special topics, including the oft overlooked profoundly gifted child, ADHD, sensory integration, and more. Homeschooling parents will find great new resources, even if you think you know what you need... Internet MOOs, preparing documentation for school / college application, and for those just getting started, the "deschooling" period... Tons of good homeschooling suggestions, too... from unschooling to classical homeschooling and everything in between. This is a must-have book for every parent home schooling a gifted child, no matter what age the child, and should probably be on the bookshelf (and off, reading, referring!) of EVERY parent of a gifted child.
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