Cindy West - Homeschooling Gifted Kids: A Practical Guide to Educate and Motivate Advanced Learners

Im in the trenches homeschooling gifted kiddos, and while its a lot of fun it can be a challenge. Cindys book was such a blessing! As I read through it, I found myself nodding, dog-earing (gasp!) pages to come back to or share with my husband, and feeling like someone was finally able to relate to my day-to-day homeschool.

Colleen Kessler, M.A.Ed.
Award Winning Educator, Gifted Specialist, Podcaster,
and Founder of RaisingLifelongLearners.com

Cindy is intensely practical, and although she discusses educational philosophies, most of the book delves into specifically how to teach children. I love how she sprinkled specific examples from her own children throughout the book. She includes book lists, activity ideas, and lots of hints. Homeschooling Gifted Kids covers all the academic areas, telling how to prod a student who does not excel in that area as well as how to challenge a student who does.

Jimmie Quick, M.S.
Owner of iHomeschoolNetwork.com
and Co-Creator of Homeschool.Marketing

Parents of gifted kids are often intimidated about how to meet the needs of their students. Other books Ive read on this topic have left me scratching my head confused about where to begin. Cindy does a wonderful job of making teaching advanced students practical, simple, and fun. The chapters on Teaching All Learners and Individualizing Instruction are alone worth the price of the book.

Marcy Crabtree
Gifted and Special Needs Blogger at BenandMe .com

Many parents of gifted and advanced children decide to homeschool so they can provide a rich learning environment only to find they are overwhelmed or do not know how to challenge such students adequately. Cindy West, a veteran homeschooler and publisher of NaturExplorers, shows how homeschooling children who are gifted can be a joy and doable for any parent. She rests your mind and equips you through helping you understand learning styles and strategies to use in your homeschool.

Richelle McFarlin
Co-Owner of TalkingMom2Mom.com

Cindy is a veteran homeschooler with gifted children; she knows what shes talking about. She includes practical ideas, websites, and resources, not just pie-in-the-sky theories. She also addresses practical ideas for those who struggle in certain areas, including how to find curriculum that will challenge your advanced learners. She helps parents think through the best course of action for each student. This is not just a one-size-fits-all solution manual. Cindy even incorporates practical ideas on how to find creative outlets for talented kids and how to find true intellectual peers.

Bethany LaShell
Veteran Homeschooler and High School English Teacher

The standard perception of a gifted child is that of a trailblazing high achiever. In truth, that standard perception is wrong. West maintains an incredible grasp of the unique nature of the gifted child, excels in communicating that knowledge, and offers a practical, approachable toolbox for home educating parents. Homeschooling Gifted Kids : A Practical Guide to Educate and Motivate Your Advanced Learners is a must-read for any family educating gifted children at home.

Ginny Kochis, M.A.
Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Advocate at NotSoFormulaic.com

This book was eye-opening. I learned the definition of giftedness. The different types and areas of giftedness. Plus, Homeschooling Gifted Kids: A Practical Guide to Educate and Motivate Your Advanced Learners armed me with the tools and ideas needed to meet the needs of my gifted learners. Maybe you know that your student is gifted in a particular area but arent exactly sure how to foster that giftedness. Cindys book will encourage and inspire you as well as offer the practical strategy to put in place for learning!

Tricia Hodges
Owner of ChalkPastel.com
and Author of Help! Im Homeschooling!

I found Homeschooling Gifted Kids when I was preparing a presentation on the topic. I was most impressed by its thorough review of the best resources to use with advanced learners. While it is a book focused on gifted kids, I recommend it to any homeschooling parent wanting to educate with excellence.

Melanie Wilson, Ph.D.
Psychologist, Author of Grammar Galaxy, Podcaster, and
Founder of Psychowith6.com

Cindy has done a terrific job of lining up resources for homeschooling parents to equip them for working effectively with their gifted kids. The book piqued my curiosity because meeting a gifted learner where he was is the reason we began homeschooling in the first place. Its the reason we began and its the reason we continue to press on in this endeavor.

Heather Woodie, M.S.
Creator of Homeschooling High School by Design
and Homeschooling for College by Design
and Owner of BlogSheWrote.org