Synopses & Reviews
Based on new surveys of nearly 1,500 gifted teens, this book is the ultimate guide to thriving in a world that doesn’t always support or understand high ability. Full of surprising facts, survey results, step-by-step strategies, inspiring teen quotes, and insightful expert essays, the guide gives readers the tools they need to appreciate their giftedness as an asset and use it to make the most of who they are. The fourth edition has been revised for a new generation of high-end learners and includes information on twice-exceptionality, emotional and social intelligence, creativity, teen brain development, managing life online, testing and standards, homeschooling, International Baccalaureate programs, college alternatives, STEM careers, cyberbullying, and other hot topics.
Review
“An unprecedented wealth of information and experience from caring adults, research findings, and other gifted teens, and guidance on what to do with it.” —Colleen M. Harsin, director, The Davidson Academy of Nevada
Review
“Gifted teenagers should keep this book under their pillows to read at night while reflecting upon their days. It offers tremendous insight into the issues this group of adolescents faces.” —Randee Blair, associate director, Center for Talent Development, Northwestern University
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“Reading this guide is like having an expert on giftedness, an excellent teacher or mentor, and a best friend to talk with—all at the same time. The combination of great information and great writing makes it a ‘can’t put it down’ book! I recommend it highly for all gifted teens.”
—Susan Daniels, Ph.D., professor of educational psychology and counseling at California State University in San Bernardino, and coauthor of Living with Intensity: Understanding the Sensitivity, Excitability, and Emotional Development of Gifted Children, Adolescents, and Adults
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“A truly excellent, thorough, and up-to-date book! It will help gifted teens understand themselves in ways that will change their lives.” —James T. Webb, Ph.D., psychologist and founder of Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
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“Judy and Jim have outdone themselves with the 4th edition of their popular survival guide. This book is essential reading for gifted teens, as well as for their parents and teachers. It’s one of the most comprehensive overviews of the issues gifted adolescents face. Packaged in a lively and easy-to-read format, the book offers myriad practical tips for students.”
—Del Siegle, Ph.D., professor, University of Connecticut, and past president of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
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“This new edition is the best yet! It has a fabulous format that is very appealing to teens. I consider it a ‘must have’ book.” —Margaret Gosfield, acquisitions editor, Gifted Education Communicator
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“The Gifted Teen Survival Guide is chock full of useful information for gifted teens and the adults who care about them. In these pages you will find an open, honest discussion of what it means to be gifted, as well as all kinds of tips for relating to the world as you are and for taking yourself wherever you want to go! Galbraith and Delisle skip the platitudes, deconstruct common misconceptions, and get to the heart (and brain) of real issues for gifted teens.”
—Corin Barsily Goodwin, executive director, Gifted Homeschoolers Forum, and author of Making the Choice: When Typical School Doesn't Work for Your Typical Child
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“This comprehensive, insightful, fascinating book is the classic guide for gifted teens, and the new, updated topics are essential in today’s complex society.”
—Bertie Kingore, Ph.D., educational consultant and author of Developing Portfolios for Authentic Assessment, PreK–3: Guiding Potential in Young Learners
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“Feels fresh and timely . . . intelligent, entertaining.”—Kirkus Reviews
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“This book provides gentle, straightforward, and realistic advice to teens who find that their giftedness is not always simple. The tone indicates quite clearly that the authors have a deep understanding of gifted minds and gifted children. Gifted young people everywhere should have access to this book, and the adults who work with them will gain a better understanding of them from it.”—School Library Journal
Review
“This frank appraisal of the challenges and rewards of being smarter than your average bear continues to provide effective self-confidence-building advice on a broad array of issues . . . discussions of “intensity,” of being “2E,” and other specialized topics add a distinctive slant.—Booklist
About the Author
Judy Galbraith, M.A., has a master’s degree in guidance and counseling of the gifted. She has worked with and taught gifted children and teens, their parents, and their teachers for almost thirty years. In 1983, she started Free Spirit Publishing, which specializes in Self-Help for Kids® and Self-Help for Teens® books and other learning resources. She is the author of numerous books, including
The Gifted Kids’ Survival Guide: For Ages 10 & Under. Judy lives in Minneapolis.
Jim Delisle, Ph.D., has taught gifted children and those who work on their behalf for more than thirty years, primarily as a professor of special education at Kent State University. He is a frequent presenter on gifted children’s intellectual and emotional growth, and the author of more than 250 articles and books. Jim splits his time between homes in Ohio and South Carolina.
Table of Contents
Introduction
How & Why We Wrote This Book
About This Book
Chapter 1: Giftedness 101
Gifted: A Definition
Who Gets Left Out?
The “Gifted” Label: Burden or Benefit?
Gifted People Speak Out: “My Life So Far . . .” by Alicia Bierstadt
Maddening Myths
What This Means to You
Are You 2E? One Label, Many Facets
Expert Essay: “Can You Imagine?” by Mike Postma
Chapter 2: IQ & More
What Is Intelligence?
What IQ Really Means
When Tests Fail
EQ: What’s Your Emotional Intelligence?
SQ: How Likeable Are You?
Expert Essay: “It’s Your Charm That Matters (or Advice from the Fart Joke Writer)” by Chad Gervich
CQ: The Importance of Being Creative
Chapter 3: Brains on Fire
Meet Your Brain
How Your Gifted Brain Learns
You Can Mold Your Mind
Your Brain On Sleep
Gifted People Speak Out: “My Sleep Experiment” by Joel Oliver
Move Your Body & Your Mind Will Follow
We’re Not Going to Tell You What to Eat, But . . .
Chapter 4: Taking Charge of Your Life
Great Expectations
The Perfectionism Plight
Gifted People Speak Out: “Escaping the Perfectionist Trap” by Sarah Boon
Mindset: Are You a Born-Smart or a Try-Hard?
The Value of Mistakes
Gifted People Speak Out: “Off-Center & Smudged” by Amanda Martin
Managing Your Time On- & Off-line
Revolutionizing Your Study Habits
Being Assertive
Gender & Culture: What Are the Issues?
Expert Essay: “Start Seeing Gifted Hispanics” by Patty Rendon
Handling S-T-R-E-S-S
Chapter 5: Becoming Your Own Advocate in School
Who Is School For?
National Standards: Why You Should Care
Your Rights as a Student
What If Your Teacher Says No?
Expert Essay: “Be Disruptive” by Chad Anderson
Exploring Your Options: AP, IB, Early College, & More
Gifted People Speak Out: “Say It Out Loud” by Morgan Brown
Homeschooling: Can You School Yourself?
Gifted People Speak Out: “I Was a Teenage Underachiever” by Elizabeth Chapman
If You Don’t Like the System, Change It!
Chapter 6: College & Beyond
College Bound: A Prescription for Success
Does It Matter Where You Go to College?
Expert Essay: “Who Gets In & Why” by Danita Salone
Practical Considerations (Like, Uh, Money)
Gifted People Speak Out: “You Are Not You Yet” by Alec Bojalad
Multipotentiality: Life’s Ultimate Buffet
Alternatives to College: Your Road Less Traveled
Gifted People Speak Out: “My Gap Year” by Olivia Fauland
Welcome to the 21st-Century Job Market
Chapter 7: Relationships
Navigating the Social World
Gifted People Speak Out: “Transatlantic Ping Pong” by Yuval Berman
Finding Friends Who Are Right for You
Gifted People Speak Out: “Between Two Worlds” by Olivia Patrick
Dealing with Teasing, Bullying, & Cyberbullying
How to Be Net Smart & Web Wise
Raising Your Parents
Strategies for Successful Family Conversations
Chapter 8: On Being Gifted… and a Teenager
Understanding Adolescence (or Trying To)
Gifted People Speak Out: “Harnessing Your Passions” by Zach Ricci-Braum
A Guide to Intensities
Expert Essay: “Do You Have to Be So Intense?” by Susan Daniels
Gifted & Gay
Gifted People Speak Out: “Accept the Confusion” by Alex Menrinsky
More Than Teen Angst: Depression & Suicide
What Does It All Mean? Developing a Philosophy of Life
Life Lessons in a Flat World: Advice from Thomas Friedman
Gifted People Speak Out: “The Sky Is Not the Limit” by Jalil Bishop
Additional Resources
Books & Publications
Associations & Programs
Contests, Competitions, & Scholarships
Websites & Video Games
Index
About the Authors