1. Gifted Boys Erik Mickelson GATE Specialist Palm Springs Unified School District Palm Springs Unified School District (760) 902-7769 Emickelson@psusd.us

2. Why Talk About Gifted Boys? Who Are These Gifted Boys?Who Are These Gifted Boys? Does School Work Better for Girls than Boys?Does School Work Better for Girls than Boys? Do Traditional Views on Masculinity Conflict with Being Gifted?Do Traditional Views on Masculinity Conflict with Being Gifted? What Expectations are there of Gifted Boys and Men?What Expectations are there of Gifted Boys and Men? Are there Good Strategies and Resources for Parents and Teachers?Are there Good Strategies and Resources for Parents and Teachers?

3. Gifted Males As Boys As Adolescents As Adults

4. Gifted Boys in Elementary School Intensity and Curiosity High Activity Level Asynchronous Development Peer Relationships Underachievement Needs

5. Gifted Adolescent Boys Too Many Options?Too Many Options? Masking:Masking: Stress and Peer Culture Girls As LeadersGirls As Leaders Relationships as AchievementsRelationships as Achievements Disengagement and DepressionDisengagement and Depression Safe HavensSafe Havens

6. Gifted Adult Men Linear Paths “Out of Bounds” Using the System Compartmentalizing Complacency Benefits of Mentorship

7. Masculinity vs Giftedness Athletic Prowess vs Intellectual PursuitsAthletic Prowess vs Intellectual Pursuits Physical Attractiveness and Popularity vs Internal DevelopmentPhysical Attractiveness and Popularity vs Internal Development Emotions in Check vs Intense FeelingsEmotions in Check vs Intense Feelings Traditional Interests and Paths vs Exploring and Being UniqueTraditional Interests and Paths vs Exploring and Being Unique “Nerd” Label “Geek” Label “Sissy” Label “Weirdo” Label

8. Girls/Boys Girls/Boys Behave Better within Confines of School SettingBehave Better within Confines of School Setting Relation- OrientedRelation- Oriented 65% of Higher Education Grads65% of Higher Education Grads Longer Attention SpanLonger Attention Span Brains need Less RestBrains need Less Rest In Trouble More Often Task Oriented “Wired” Better for 21 st Century Skills More Adept at Spatial Reasoning Emotions take Longer to Process

9. How Schools Can Nurture Gifted Boys Academic Challenge and RigorAcademic Challenge and Rigor Kinesthetic/Explorative Learning Opportunities in Areas of InterestKinesthetic/Explorative Learning Opportunities in Areas of Interest Service Learning/Mentorship OpportunitiesService Learning/Mentorship Opportunities 21 st Century Skills21 st Century Skills Career Counseling focused on Multi-potentialityCareer Counseling focused on Multi-potentiality Communication with Students and ParentsCommunication with Students and Parents

10. How Parents Can Nurture Gifted Boys Encourage Exploration of Strengths and Areas of Interest Communicate to find the Best Balance between Academic Challenge and Life Away from School Understand Power Struggles are Natural Particularly with Gifted Children Home is a Safe Place for Communication and Questions

11. Resources Smart Boys Barbara Kerr, Sanford Cohn Great Potential Press, 2001 Guiding the Gifted Child James Webb, Elizabeth Meckstroth, Stephanie Tolan Gifted Psychology Press, 1994 Gifted Children, Gifted Education Gary Davis Great Potential Press, 2006

12. Resources Cont’d California Association for the Gifted (CAG) www.cagifted.org Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) www.sengifted.org Smart Boys Bad Grades www.SmartBoysBadGrades.com