My gifted child seems to struggle getting his work done and being motivated.  How can I help him be successful?

Homeschooling gifted children presents unique opportunities and challenges. Gifted students usually need to understand the purpose or benefit of an activity to become actively involved. Since this information is often not given by the teacher in a classroom setting, gifted students can become unmotivated or unproductive. If you are homeschooling a gifted student, you have a wonderful opportunity to make sure your child knows the purpose and benefit of the activities and materials you place before him. This will give you direction as a homeschooling parent, so that you know the value of an activity before you place it before your child. Don't engage in huge debates with your child, just give the basic purpose and desired effect of an activity. This will often satisfy their need to feel like what they are doing in meaningful.

If your student says that he already has the skill you are practicing or working on, ask him to show you by completing the task. A gifted student, like all other students is not motivated to demonstrate the ability to do the same skill over and over, so if your child has demonstrated mastery of a concept or skill, move on to something new. If you are unsure whether or not your child is competent, provide a means of assessment that the child can understand and complete. Whether you call it a test or not, ask your child to help you make sure he has that skill down pat. Don't look so much for perfection; look for a high degree of mastery. If your child can complete a skill or task with up to 90% accuracy, I would say that he is proficient. Oftentimes, 80% accuracy is considered an acceptable level of mastery in school settings. You may accept a greater or lesser degree or accuracy at times, depending on the importance of the skill. Insisting on 100% may create a perfectionist attitude in a child that may not be beneficial. Children striving for that level of correctness often focus a great deal more on what they don't know or can't do, than on what they have accomplished.

It is very important for gifted students to feel like they are able to give their input as to what they would like to learn and do. Using a team approach when planning and choosing curriculum is best when a child would like to have input in the decision-making process. Incorporating their opinions and ideas also conveys the idea that they have a responsibility for the learning that will take place in your homeschool it isn't just mom or dad's job to make it all work!