Library Resources

The Centre for Gifted Education Library at the University of Calgary has a comprehensive collection of books, videos, and periodicals about gifted children and their education. Any interested person is welcome to come use the library. Borrowing privileges are available for an annual fee of $20. For more information call 220-7799.The Calgary Public Library has a good collection of books about gifted children and it's very easy to get a book transferred from the owning branch to the location most convenient to you.

The Bright Site Library in Edmonton is run by the Alberta Associations for Bright Children. They have an extensive file of article reprints which they will mail to any requester for a nominal fee of $.25/page. Their catalogue is found at http://review.calgaryschild.com/www.freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/aabc/brsite.html

Support Groups

The ABC (Calgary) Society is a group of individuals with an interest in promoting awareness, understanding and services for gifted children and their families. They hold regular information meetings which are open to the public. For more information about Action for Bright Children call their hotline at 244-8801.

Web sites

• Gifted Education in Alberta (http://review.calgaryschild.com/www.educ.ucalgary.ca/altagift) Information about Alberta Learning policy, what's happening around the province, and links for parents and educators.
• Hoagies Gifted Education Page (http://review.calgaryschild.com/www.hoagiesgifted.org). Developed by a parent this is a very well organized and comprehensive site, packed with information about all aspects of gifted education.

Recommended Books

The following books provide good introductions to the characteristics of gifted children and their educational needs. They are all available from both the Public Library and the Centre for Gifted Education Library.

• Bringing out the Best by Jacqueline Saunders and Pamela Espeland. For parents of children from birth to age seven.
• Gifted Children: Myths and Realities by Ellen Winner Authoritative, readable and very current.
• Parents Guide to Raising a Gifted Child by James Alvino. A classic and helpful manual for parents.
• Raising your Spirited Child by Mary Kurcinka. Not specifically about gifted kids, but very descriptive of them.
• Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom by Susan Winebrenner. A practical work for every classroom teacher. Parent lecture series.
• Twice a year the Centre for Gifted Education at the University of Calgary offers a three-part lecture series for parents. Check out their website for dates and times. http://review.calgaryschild.com/www.ucalgary.ca/~gifteduc/programs.html)
• A resource which will be a great boon to teachers and parents is due to be published by Alberta Learning within the next two months. Entitled Teaching Students Who are Gifted and Talented, it is Book 7 in their Programming for Special Needs series.