With many families at home and perhaps suddenly homeschooling in light of the coronavirus, the Family Consultant team wanted to pull together some resources for our Davidson families. Below, we have charts comparing different online academic courses, book lists for our avid readers, magazines that can be sent straight to your home, podcasts and educational video channels that are available instantly, inspiration for projects at home, subscription boxes that can send supplies to you, and a roundup of lists that other organizations are putting out with resources for families during this time.
In addition to what is below, your school may be offering some resources specifically to students in their district; if you haven’t heard from your district, you might email your child’s teachers to see what resources they have access to. It also may be worth reaching out to local libraries, museums, colleges, and other non-profit/cultural/governmental organizations to see if they are offering any services for local residents at this time.
Comparison Charts for Online Classes: Use the following charts from the Davidson Gifted Database to explore different online academic programs that have been popular amongst other gifted students. Some programs have specific start and end dates; some of these “set” courses, though, have classes starting several times throughout the year. Additionally, there are some programs that have open enrollment.
Find Your Next Book: We know that many profoundly gifted children are avid readers, and now they have lots more time to read. Use the book lists below to find recommendations on what they could read next. You might check to see if you can rent ebooks through your local library for free, and services like Audible can deliver audiobooks to you instantly.
Magazines are another way to get new reading material into your house. Here are a few of our favorites:
Podcasts are one easy way to engage children in interesting topics whenever you need a moment. They can also spark good conversation around the breakfast, lunch, or dinner table.
YouTube Channels & Educational Video Sites: Beyond podcasts, educational video sites--including YouTube channels--can instantly deliver content to your children in engaging ways. Below are a few
There are also several companies that offer Massive Open Online Classes (MOOCs) such as edX and Coursera.
Inspiration for Projects: Projects can be a great way to fill an afternoon or several days. You can dive deeper into an area you already love, explore something new, or hone a skill. Here are a few places to spark your child’s next project idea:
Subscription Boxes: One of the issues with projects right now, though, is that you might need supplies you don’t have on hand. The solution? Subscription boxes! These boxes often contain everything you need to get your student started on projects on all different topics. Getting a special gift in the mail can also build more excitement around the project at hand. The best part? Most of these are designed for students to do independently.
We know that some of these can be expensive. Instead, you might consider making your own surprise project box. Check out some tips on how to do so in “How to Make Your Own Learning Experiences with Adventure Boxes.” If you feel like you’re strapped for supplies, think outside of the box: What about a box where your children are encouraged to make musical instruments out of items from the recycle bin? Or what about a box where children have to make funny poems by cutting out words from an old newspaper or junk mail that accumulated over the last week? Or, what about a simple envelope with a “secret mission” for the day--maybe building a “spy” training obstacle course in the backyard?
Other Organizations’ Lists of Recommendations: There are many other organizations out there pulling together resources to support you in these extraordinary times. Below are a few we’ve seen pop up:
The following disclosure is provided pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 598.1305:The Davidson Institute for Talent Development is a Nevada non-profit corporation which is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt private operating foundation. We are dedicated to supporting the intellectual and social development of profoundly gifted students age 18 and under through a variety of programs. Contributions are tax deductible. Profoundly gifted students are those who score in the 99.9th percentile on IQ and achievement tests. Read more about this population in this article.