Learn about Alexander Hamilton, Andres Valencia, Frida Kahlo, and Kenojuak Ashevak; hear about IEA from an Academy student’s perspective; and find out if you have clout.

In Spring 2024, Academy students learned about the different sections of a newspaper and the different roles in the news office. They had the opportunity to pitch ideas, investigate, write their own articles, and serve as editors for their peers.

Learn about Greek singers, the history of cookies, and Olivia Rodrigo; find out “Should Children Be Able to Use Cell Phones in School?”; and read a riveting tale involving demons and a girl named Sage.  

In Spring 2024, Academy students learned about the different sections of a newspaper and the different roles in the news office. They had the opportunity to pitch ideas, investigate, write their own articles, and serve as editors for their peers.

Read the second Issue of The Academy Times: Student-Powered Stories below! Or download the PDF to read it with a screen reader.

Read the first Issue of The Academy Times: Student-Powered Stories below! Or download the PDF to read it with a screen reader.

Myth: Gifted students can succeed without help.

Reality: One of the biggest myths about gifted children is that they are able to succeed on their own without any assistance.  This is not necessarily the case and many gifted children will not be “just fine” on their own.  Similar to many students with disabilities and other high-risk populations which have barriers and needs, gifted students face difficulties in school unless they have access to individualized services and support.  The right services can help a gifted child develop appropriately and reach for their full potential.  Research suggests that a gifted child’s emotional adjustment is directly related to the extent to which a child’s educational needs are addressed.

Myth: Gifted children do not know they are gifted or different from others.

Reality: Although gifted children may not be aware of the term gifted, they often recognize very early that they are different from other children. They may have atypical or more intense interests, or larger vocabularies that turn away other children.  Their unusual sense of humor can get them branded as “weird.” Many young gifted children feel like they are unusual because they feel very different from everyone else and that no one understands them.  Telling children they are gifted and assisting them with understanding their strengths and weaknesses can help a child better understand these differences and view them more positively.

Myth: Gifted children naturally want to be “loners.”

Reality: Most gifted children do feel different from their same-age peers and many like to spend some time alone.  Gifted children may seek to find peers who share their interests, but these friends will not necessarily be from their own age group.

Myth: Gifted children always get good grades

Reality: Gifted underachievers are real. Some gifted children are bored and disengaged from being unchallenged in the classroom, therefore they stop really trying to get good grades. Other children spend so much time on academic pursuits unrelated to school that required work goes uncompleted. These students benefit from the guidance of an adult to help break the cycle of underachievement.

Myth: Gifted students’ emotional stability is significantly atypical relative to other children.

Reality: Although the available research shows that gifted children are as well-adjusted as other groups of children, they often experience uncharacteristic social and emotional development.  The tendency toward perfectionism, the susceptibility to depression and the uneven or asynchronous development of the gifted child can create tension within the child both at home and in the classroom.  A disparity between a students’ needs and the educational services provided, or from inadequate support to deal with peer and societal pressures, also can result in adjustment difficulties in their lives.

Myth: Gifted children are more mature (or “should be” more mature) than other children their age.

Reality: Regardless of extraordinary talent or ability in academic and other areas, gifted children generally show the same level of emotional maturity as other children their same age.  Adults should not expect gifted children to demonstrate a degree of maturity beyond their years.

The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) is dedicated to the intellectual, creative and personal growth of our nation’s gifted and high potential youth. Most gifted-centered organizations focus strictly on talent development and academic achievement but neglect the personal development of gifted children who are often misunderstood and misdiagnosed.  The Institute for Educational Advancement is uniquely focused on the development of the whole child, providing programming and services that support a child’s intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual and physical needs.  IEA provides both challenging educational programming and a nurturing community that families can count on to meet the distinctive needs of their gifted children.

Source: The Amend Group

This Summer, the Institute for Educational Advancement’s Academy program will be offering a wide variety of classes, including the online class “Electronics for Cosplay.” Cosplay (a portmanteau of costume play, the art of making fun costumes) is a unique opportunity to incorporate knowledge and experiments of electronics. To learn more, we talked with instructor Joan Horvath.

Why cosplay? There’s a lot of ways to learn about electronics, but what is it about the medium of cosplay that makes it ideal for a class?

Cosplay is a great motivator for design because it inherently tells a story. It can be hard for kids to come up with “an electronics project” that they really get into, but if we already know we want to be a blinky unicorn, then it’s easier to break that down and figure out some fun things that can be done with programmable lights, or maybe some servos to make things move or spin around.

Is the class mostly working with those programmable lights and servos, or is there also a lot of cutting/sewing/tailoring fabric involved?

Minimal hand sewing if any, probably some hot glue. Emphasis mostly on storytelling, and designing what the cosplay item is supposed to do. Then the main emphasis will be on figuring out what sensors to use, writing computer code to control the sensors (like an accelerometer to tell that the wearer is moving a certain way) and blinking lights or moving something in response to what is being sensed. So it is mostly a technical class, not a craft one. 

How do you think costumes tell stories?

Kids can imagine themselves as a fantasy character, and the costume or prop (we’ll probably mostly be making props, like a hat or necklace) helps them get into character, just like any other actor. So for instance if you have a necklace that glows green if you move fast enough than can warn your adversaries that you are supercharged and they better get out of the way! I’m also thinking they could make themselves a little “familiar” that moves a tail or an ear if it detects something. But the choices will be up to them. 

What can a student that takes this class do with the skills they’ve learned? How do you imagine their path in electronics continuing?

We will use a basic microprocessor that will teach them to code in a common computer language, or build on skills if they already know that. They will be able to take that for pretty much any future coding projects they want to do. Projects like this that mix hardware and software also are good background for robotics in particular and engineering in general going forward.

“Electronics for Cosplay” is an online Academy class for ages 12 through 14, taught on weekdays from August 1 to August 12. For more information about the class, as well as information about registering for Academy, see our program page here.

As the weather warms up, things open up, and summer vacation quickly approaches, I thought I would check in with a teacher to find out her summer tips for parents of 2E children. These recommendations are designed to help make returning to school in the fall smoother, make good use of your children’s time, and relax and enjoy your child.

1. Maintain the same routines and structures around their day as they would during the school year. Wake up, go to bed, and eat meals at regular times that are the same or close to what they do during the school year.
2. Just because school is out doesn’t mean learning has to stop. Check-in with your local library and join their summer reading program. IEA’s Academy is still taking applications for summer 2022! Join us online or in-person with advanced enrichment classes. IEA Academy – Summer 2022
3. Schedule time for outdoor activities, as well as regular, structured indoor and outdoor time.
4. Volunteer! Many organizations are looking for student volunteers. Check-in with your local nonprofits to see how you and your child can get involved. IEA is always looking for parent volunteers. If interested, click here.
5. Have fun – play, visit family and friends, and allow for downtime.

Have tips of your own that work? We would love to hear from you! Share your recommendations in the comments.

Have a fantastic summer!

The theme of this year’s conference was Earth Science, with a special focus on equipping children with the tools necessary to problem-solve, innovate, and create change in a world with endless solutions.

It’s no coincidence that just days before the conference, Pasadena experienced a near record-breaking heatwave followed by plunging temperatures that brought on a flash hailstorm with pea-size ice pellets and gusty winds. At Academy, students in the Kitchen Chemistry 2 class excitedly put their gummy bear experiment on pause to step out onto the front porch and take in the wintery scene.

Students take a break to  investigate ice falling from the sky during Kitchen Chemistry 2.

The ECSTEM conference offered similar opportunities to learn from nature’s wonders, including keynote speakers and children’s book authors Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple, who read from their book, I Am The Storm.

“A tornado, a blizzard, a forest fire, and a hurricane are met, in turn, with resilience and awe in this depiction of nature’s power and our own. In the face of our shifting climate, young children everywhere are finding themselves subject to unfamiliar and often frightening extreme weather (Yolen, 2019).”

This richly illustrated book told from the perspective of four children who find themselves adapting to extreme weather events thoughtfully depicts the call to shelter, swirl of emotions, and eventual passing of danger that leaves each child feeling as strong as nature itself.

If you haven’t read the book for yourself or in the company of a child, I recommend it. The final pages will have you chanting,

“I am loud like the tornado.

I am wild like the blizzard.

I am hot like the fire.

I am fierce like the hurricane.

I am the storm.

And when the storm passes,

as it always does,

I am the calm, too.”

Below you will find a list of resources from ECSTEM and other STEM-field experts that provide our young people of today with developmentally appropriate, culturally inclusive, real-world learning opportunities that are on the cutting edge of tomorrow.

ECSTEM

• STEM Library
• 2021 ECSTEM Conference Highlights

JPL/NASA

• Earth Science-STEM activities for kids
• NASA Climate Kids- What Is Climate Change?

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Board on Science Education.

• 2022 Report on Science and Engineering in Preschool Through Elementary Grades (free downloadable pdf available)

And if you happened to miss Pasadena’s recent ice shower, here is how you can make your own hailstorm in a cup!

THE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT ANNOUNCES 29 RECIPIENTS FOR NATIONWIDE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP

The announcement of the latest class of Caroline D. Bradley (CDB) scholars is always a big deal here at IEA, and 2021 was no different. Last year, we announced 29 selections across the United States.

WHAT GOES INTO SELECTING A CAROLINE D. BRADLEY SCHOLAR?

Of course, interest at the very beginning of the CDB process is very high. Almost one full year ago, Bonnie Raskin gave applicants some additional insight about how a scholar is selected. It is sure to be helpful even to 2022 applicants!

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS

Our bite-sized alumni interviews proved to be very popular. In 2021, you especially liked our features on Valerie Ding, Caitlin Andrews, Sophia Barron and Scott Greenberg!

CDB CLASS OF ’21 – COLLEGE PLANS

When it came to college application season, our CDB Class of 2021 was incredibly successful. Here’s an accounting of where our talented scholars were headed!

BREATHING TECHNIQUES TO HELP CALM THE OVERACTIVE MIND

For those that needed a little help dealing with the year, our very own Nancy Kane used her professional yoga expertise to give some insight on breathing exercises. 

RESOURCE ROUND-UP: 7 RESOURCES FOR GIFTED GIRLS

We kicked off Women’s History Month last year with this handy post detailing links parents of gifted girls can check out. It’s got everything from essay contests to summer programs and more!

UNDERSTANDING SCREEN TIME AND GAMING FOR GIFTED STUDENTS

A lot of families are, understandably, interested in how video games and screen time can best be fit into their child’s schedule. In this post, we try to add some insight and provide resources for making these decisions.

COMICS FOR LITERACY

Comics are a fun, engaging and deep genre of literature. They’re also ideal for children at all reading levels! Here are some reading recommendations we made last year.

HOW TO FRAME PRAISE FOR CREATIVE YOUTH

There’s a lot of nuance in how you can give a child praise. In this post, we try to convey and expand upon a lesson learned in How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen by Joanna Faber and Adele King.

SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL WELL BEING AMIDST THE PANDEMIC

The pandemic remains top of mind for many of us, and we want the community to know we’re here for support. In this post, we’ve curated a list of resources that might help with coping with the various stresses and uncertainties: podcasts, blogs, books and more. They’re strong resources for all kinds of heightened and tense feelings.

Thanks to everyone for reading our blog in 2021. We’re certain you’ll love what we have in store for the coming year.

Q: Our family is new to Academy. How does enrollment work? 

A: Welcome! Enrollment begins with the submission of a New Academy Student Application. The portfolio-style format provides opportunity for you to share information about your child’s interests, abilities and learning needs. While Academy does not require assessments or a formal gifted identification, we encourage you to share as much detail as is informative and relevant to your child. Especially helpful are responses to sections “Tell Us About Your Child” and “Student Quick Takes”. We also love to see student work samples, whether a snapshot of your child’s artwork or Lego build, or video of their best tap dance routine! If submitted during office hours, you should receive a response within a few short hours, after which time, Part II (Medical/Emergency) will need to be submitted prior to making your course selections in Part III (Enrollment).

To begin a New Student Application, you must first create an account through our IEA Community Portal by clicking here. Please be sure to use your parent information (not your child’s). Once logged in, you may create a Student Contact for your child and begin the application. If you have already created an account and wish to return to your application in progress, click here.

Q: Do I have to fill out a full-length application again if my child is a returning student? 

A: No. If you have taken classes with us before, you may submit a Returning Student Enrollment Form here.

Q: My child is academically advanced for their age. How do I determine which classes are the best fit? 

A: Academy classes are grouped by suggested age range and are designed for bright inquisitive minds. Your child’s application should provide information that will help us in determining an optimal match, however, we encourage you to reach out to a team member for advisement as each class is unique in both content and instructional approach. Depending on the individual needs of your child, age range may be flexible.

Q: How are Academy classes structured? 

A: Academy classes provide a safe space for positive interactions with peers, deep-dives into topics that students are passionate about, and project-based mastery. While each individual class is different, classes are designed to be engaging, stimulating, hands-on, interdisciplinary, and fun. Classes are taught by skilled educators and content area professionals who embrace the continual pursuit of knowledge and exploration of ideas. While homework assignments are optional, teachers may ask students to complete some work outside of class to enhance their learning experience.

Q: Where can I find the schedule of classes and tuition fees? 

A: Please visit our Academy page here to find a calendar view of our in person and online course offerings. You may read the full course description by clicking on the course block, then scroll a bit further down the page to see our Spring 2022 tuition fees listed.

Q: Is financial aid available to families in need? 

A: Yes! Please click here to submit an inquiry and an Academy team member will reply to you directly to assist.

Q: What if my child is interested in a class, but there are no more spots available? 

A: Placement in requested classes is first come, first serve. However, we do maintain a waitlist for classes in case a student withdraws from a class. We will contact families on the waitlist via email or phone if any spaces become available. We also encourage you to let us know if your child would be interested in an alternative placement should their first choice be unavailable.

Q: What are our options if a class is not a good fit? 

A: Every effort is made to ensure that students have a rewarding first day of Academy and our team would be happy to speak with you about any questions or concerns you may have. No payment is due until your child’s placement is confirmed with the minimum enrollment, at which time, a non-refundable $50 deposit is required per confirmed class. The tuition less paid deposits is due after the first class meeting. We work closely with families and instructors to ensure each child’s needs are met, however, should your child withdraw before the second class meeting, you are responsible for the deposit amount only. No refunds are given for withdrawals after the second class meeting.

Q: What are your COVID safety protocols? 

A: For information on IEA’s current COVID safety protocol, please see our landing page at https://ieastaging2.wpengine.com/about/ieas-statement-on-covid-19-coronavirus/. Updates to the Academy section will be shared as we adjust to recommendations from the CDC, WHO, and state and local officials.

Q: Can I arrange a tour of your Learning Center and meet with a member of the Academy team? 

A: Absolutely! We would be happy to meet you. Please call us at (626)403-8900 or email academy@educationaladvancement.org to schedule a time to visit.