My Passion for Learning

By Min-Ling Li, IEA Program Coordinator

Growing up alongside my older sister and younger brother, I knew I was different from other kids. They played and studied with a little bit of a carefree nature, whereas I was almost always overly inquisitive, constantly asking “why?” and “how?” When I started elementary school in America as an English language learner, it was difficult for me to communicate this same curiosity. I asked the same questions, and teachers would often speak to me slower, ask me to re-read or, if available, send me to a volunteer translator with no content knowledge to find the answer. Finally, in the third grade, I was tested in the Los Angeles public school system and identified as gifted. I remember going to school on a Saturday morning and meeting a nice lady who insisted I be “natural.” I vividly remember the pattern on the circular carpet I walked around and around as she asked me questions in Cantonese and English.

The Many Faces of Gifted: Arden

By Carole Rosner

Every gifted child has a unique story. The following story is part of a series of posts highlighting gifted children and adults we have found through IEA programs, depicting the many faces of gifted. Academy – mentioned in this story – provides young students with challenging enrichment classes that focus on exploration and application of knowledge.

Arden
Academy Student

Although Arden is not yet six years old, he’s already been interviewed by the Los Angeles Times, met Al Gore, been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live twice, and received a personal letter of encouragement from Bill Clinton. Arden garnered this attention because of his love and extensive knowledge of world geography and presidential history.

Saying Goodbye to the Wise Role Model

By Lisa Hartwig

Lisa is the mother of 3 gifted children and lives outside of San Francisco.

Image from kidsedustuff.blogspot.com

I have a new year’s resolution. This year I am going to give up on being the parent I want to be. I am going to be the parent my children need. I know what my children need: my husband showed me.

My “schooling” happened on a weekday after I picked up my 16 year old from the BART station.

“How was your day?”

“Not very good. When dad get’s home, I need to talk to both of you.”

“Is it serious?”

“Yes.”

I coaxed him to tell me what happened. He refused. He silently wiped away tears on the drive home.

Later that evening, my husband and I sat on his brother’s bed as he told us what happened at school. I am going to spare you the details because I don’t think it’s fair to my son. It is only important that you know that he said something really stupid. This stupid thing took on a life of its own once it was passed from student to student in his small high school. He was called before the Dean of Student Life and told that she would be investigating the incident. If the facts warranted, he could be sent to the Disciplinary Committee and face suspension.

13 Highlights from 2013 at IEA

Now that 2013 has come to a close, we wanted to look back on some highlights from the last year. Here are just some of the incredible things that happened at IEA in 2013:

1. We moved into our new home!

Thanks to a generous gift by a longstanding IEA supporter and friend, we are excited to be in our new home!

569 South Marengo Avenue
Pasadena, California 91101

2. Yunasa was awarded the inaugural NAGC Global Awareness Network Annemarie Roeper Award.

IEA is the first organization to receive the Annemarie Roeper Award presented at the 2013 National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) National Convention by the NAGC Global Awareness Network. The award, in its inaugural year, is presented to one individual and one program “whose efforts further develop global awareness for and by gifted children and those who are concerned with them. Annemarie Roeper, co-founder of the Global Awareness Network, held profound insights into the multifaceted inner world of gifted children and deeply understood the need to foster global awareness to reflect the unique perspectives of gifted children and to respond to their inherent concerns about the world they live in.” We were honored to receive this award and to be in the amazing company of the first individual recipient, Dr. Linda Silverman.

IEA Senior Fellows with Elizabeth Jones (left) and Dr. Linda Silverman with Elizabeth Jones (right)