Thinking Out Loud: NCAGT's Public Facing Blog

Friendship, Loneliness, and Belonging:  Why Connection Feels Different For Gifted Kids By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. There’s a moment many parents of gifted kids experience — usually on the car ride home from school, or after a birthday party, or standing in the kitchen at bedtime. Your child says, “I don’t think I have any real friends.”  Or, “Nobody gets me.”  Or the quiet version: “It’s fine… I just like being alone.” And your heart cracks a little. Gifted children are often

Giftedness Into Adulthood:  What It Looks Like Later in Life By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. Here’s a question almost every parent of a gifted child thinks at some point — usually late at night, after a hard day:  “What is this going to look like when they grow up?” As parents, we want reassurance. We want to know that the intensity, the sensitivity, the curiosity, the complexity, the struggle, the brilliance — all of it — will someday make sense…and that our kids will be okay An

The Trouble With the Label:  What “Gifted” Does & Doesn’t Mean By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. If you’ve ever hesitated before telling another parent that your child is “gifted,” you’re not alone. Many parents describe the same moment:  You’re at a school event, or chatting in a parking lot, and someone asks, “How’s your child doing?” You pause — because you know that one word can change the whole conversation. Sometimes people get quiet.Sometimes they joke.Sometimes they look at

Why Gifted Kids Sometimes Struggle By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. If you’ve ever looked at your gifted child and thought, “Why is something that seems so simple… so hard for them?”  — you’re not alone.  In fact, most parents of gifted learners quietly carry this same question, but almost no one says it out loud. Here’s the truth that popular culture rarely explains: Gifted kids don’t struggle in spite  of their giftedness. Sometimes they struggle because of it . This is the arti

When Friendship Feels Hard By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. You see it the moment they walk in—the look that says something went wrong. Their eyes avoid yours, their shoulders curve inward, and without a word they retreat to their quiet place, the one where they go to make sense of the day. You give them space, waiting for the story to surface in fragments: “They laughed.”   “I didn’t get picked.”   “I just sat by myself.” You take a deep breath and wonder—should you call another

Big Feelings, Bright Minds By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. You hear the door slam, and your heart sinks. You know that sound—the one that means something has gone wrong, even if you don’t know what yet. A broken pencil, a misunderstood comment, a tiny mistake—whatever it was, it feels enormous to your child. And somehow, you’re swept into it, too. Parenting a gifted child often means living at full volume: big ideas, big laughter, and big feelings that arrive without warning. Why

When Effort Feels Like Failure By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. “I can’t do this.”   “It’s too hard.”   “I’m never doing this again.” You’ve heard the words—or maybe you’ve seen the tears before the words even come. Your child shuts down,rips up the paper, or walks away. It’s heartbreaking to watch, especially when you know how capable they are. For many gifted kids, effort feels like failure. They’re so used to things coming easily that the first stumble feels like proof somethin

It was just announced that the NC Dept of Public Instruction will be a key research partner for the new National Research Center on Advanced Education. The first initiative for this center is studying the impact of the innovative automatic advanced math enrollment legislation. Read the NCDPI Press Release here: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/12/04/north-carolinas-advanced-learning-efforts-gain-national-recognition

When School Isn’t Enough By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. The ride home tells you everything. “How was school?” “Fine.” But the slump in their shoulders says otherwise. It feels backward, doesn’t it? We’re used to worrying when school is too hard. For gifted kids, the struggle is often when it’s too easy. Even the best teachers can’t feed every spark, answer every question, or move at every speed. That’s not failure—it’s reality. And it’s your cue to help your child rediscover lea

Finding Your People By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. Parenting a gifted child can feel like standing on an island. Other parents talk about soccer schedules and missing homework, while you’re quietly wondering, “Is it normal for my eight-year-old to cry because a math worksheet feels too easy?” You nod and smile, but inside there’s that whisper: No one else gets this. Maybe your child melts down over a small mistake, as if a single drop of rain turned into a flood. Maybe they ask

What Challenge Really Looks Like for Gifted Kids By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. Maybe you’ve heard it: “I’m bored.” Or, “Do I have to go to school today?” Some gifted kids don’t say anything at all—they just get creative with their waiting. They doodle in the margins, flick paper footballs, or build tiny worlds out of erasers and pencils while the rest of the class catches up. On paper, everything looks fine—good grades, quick work, neat answers. But inside, many gifted kids are

The Myth of “They’ll Be Fine” By Danielle Sullivan, Ed.D. You’ve probably heard it before — sometimes from a teacher, a relative, or another parent at the park:  “Don’t worry. Your child will be fine.” It sounds comforting. But for many families of gifted children, it’s a phrase that lands heavy. Maybe your child finishes classwork in five minutes and spends the rest of the lesson helping others. Maybe they cry over a 97 instead of celebrating it. Maybe they ask questions so

Great news! NCDPI Superintendent Mo Green has made the decision to continue funding Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate...

Mark your calendars! NCAGT is thrilled to announce that our 2026 Annual Conference will return to the beautiful Embassy Suites by Hilton...

Nurturing Bright Thinkers When School’s Out Gifted kids don’t stop being gifted just because school’s out. Their minds continue to...

The latest proposed Senate budget includes significant cuts that could directly impact funding for Advanced Placement (AP) programs...

Dear NC AP Educator, You are invited to participate in AP Day at the Capitol  on May 7  to urge the reinstatement of Advanced Placement...

📢 Important news for North Carolina educators and students! For 11 years, the NC Advanced Placement Partnership has provided FREE...

Pulse on the Podcast: Recaps of Popular Episodes Welcome to our blog series, 'Pulse on the Podcast: Recaps of Popular Episodes’, where we...

For the past five decades, we've been supporting educators who dedicate their careers to teaching, supporting, and advocating for gifted...

Welcome to our blog series, 'Pulse on the Podcast: Recaps of Popular Episodes’, where we are highlighting the top 5 episodes of NCAGT’s '...

Welcome to our blog series, 'Pulse on the Podcast: Recaps of Popular Episodes’, where we are highlighting the top 5 episodes of NCAGT’s '...

Welcome to our blog series, 'Pulse on the Podcast: Recaps of Popular Episodes’, where we are highlighting the top 5 episodes of NCAGT’s '...

Pulse on the Podcast: Recaps of Popular Episodes Welcome to our blog series, 'Pulse on the Podcast: Recaps of Popular Episodes’, where we...

By: Chris Rice, MA, CAS (AIG School Psychologist) "Why would they need extra help if they’re gifted?" This is a question that I have...

This school year, districts and charter schools across North Carolina have the opportunity to plan for the figure of gifted education in...

How to Champion Your Gifted Child: Everything You Need to Know! By Teagan Taylor You are your child’s #1 support system, and with that...

How to Champion Your Gifted Child: Everything You Need to Know! By Teagan Taylor You are your child’s #1 support system, and with that...

How to Champion Your Gifted Child: Everything You Need to Know! By Teagan Taylor You are your child’s #1 support system, and with that...

You’re invited to join us and other gifted education advocates at the 50th Annual North Carolina Gifted Education Conference in Concord,...

How to Champion Your Gifted Child: Everything You Need to Know! By Teagan Taylor You are your child’s #1 support system, and with that...

How to Champion Your Gifted Child: Everything You Need to Know! By Teagan Taylor You are your child’s #1 support system, and with that...

By Teagan Taylor There are many curriculum resources out there, on the internet, in books and by word of mouth. With access to such...

By Teagan Taylor There are many curriculum resources out there, on the internet, in books and by word of mouth. With access to such...

By Teagan Taylor With access to the vast internet and with the onset of AI, our jobs as educators must be easy when it comes to lesson...

Winter Blog Series! Week Three By Kimberley Hackman and Kiersten Hackman Neurodiversity is a vast and diverse subject with a wide variety...

Winter Blog Series! Week Two By Kimberley Hackman and Kiersten Hackman Neurodiversity is a vast and diverse subject with a wide variety...

Winter Blog Series! Week One By Kimberley Hackman and Kiersten Hackman Neurodiversity is a vast and diverse subject with a wide variety...

While school provides our students with a good foundation of learning, oftentimes, students benefit from outside opportunities as well,...

While school provides our students with a good foundation of learning, oftentimes, students benefit from outside opportunities as well,...

While school provides our students with a good foundation of learning, oftentimes, students benefit from outside opportunities as well,...

While school provides our students with a good foundation of learning, oftentimes, students benefit from outside opportunities as well,...

Fall Blog Series! Week Six By Kimberley Hackman As we head further into the fall season and beyond the “back to school” phase, this is...

Fall Blog Series! Week Five Teagan Taylor As we are heading further into the fall season and beyond the “back to school” phase, this is...

Fall Blog Series! Week Four By Kimberley Hackman As we head further into the fall season and beyond the “back to school” phase, this is...

Fall Blog Series! Week Three Teagan Taylor As we are heading further into the fall season and beyond the “back to school” phase, this is...

Fall Blog Series! Week Two By Kimberley Hackman As we are heading further into the fall season and beyond the “back to school” phase,...