Helping the Highly Gifted Achieve Their Dreams

I spent several years of my early life in the Retail Management circus. It wasn't until the birth of my only child that I would become interested in Highly Gifted Children. I became an expert in raising an exceptionally gifted child with a learning disability the hard way - by doing it! So, you might say I went to the school of hard knocks for my degree.

At first I felt as if I was lost in a maze. And of course I did everything wrong in the beginning. But after a rapid education on the different levels of giftedness, I learned that my son was "Exceptionally Gifted" and needed specialized education in a school district where maybe he was the only one. I started to fight for my child in the school district and before long I was treated with pure distain by the teachers because God forbid I wanted my child to learn "something".  And before too long I was advocating for all of them.  I soon learned that it wasn't enough for me to have to fight the school system  I also had to fight friends and relatives who all thought they knew more than me what was best for my son. I listened to everyone but myself in the first years of formal education. But ultimately, I founded the first gifted advocacy group in the West Warwick, RI school district. I worked with politicians, administrators and teachers to attempt to help these children. And many were helped with enrichment and acceleration. But it was evident that my own son didn't fit their model. And things were horrible for him.

When it became evident that my child would have a breakdown, I braved the inevitable storm of controversy through. I pulled him out of school in Rhode Island half way through the sixth grade and vowed to listen to no one and nothing but my own gut instincts. I promised myself I would not be politically correct and finally did what was right for my own child. I designed my own lessons based on areas of study he really needed while leaving any redundancy alone. But mostly, I just let him take the lead. I did not waste his time trying to teach him things I knew darn well he already knew. And then he re-entered school for his Sophomore year of high school in California without missing a beat and graduated with High Honors.

I did things my way. I chose to wait for college until he was ready socially. I won't criticize anyone else's choices. But had I put him in college at far too early an age, it would have been very wrong for him. I could have enrolled him with adjustments for his disability. But I chose not to.

It's been a long rough road. But if the proof is in the pudding, then my pudding is a happy and well adjusted 23 year old who can spell and write just fine thank you very much. He's graduated and made the Dean's List. And he is on his way to a promising career in economics.

I am currently a web designer and computer desktop support specialist and have done both professionally. I also developed an interest in entertainment and became a DJ and Event Coordinator. Along with being a resource to find great entertainment, I'm also a resource for DJs and musicians who hope to improve their craft. 

I am available to assist with advocacy in person in the San Francisco Bay area or through cyber space for anywhere else.

I am an honorary member of the Rhode Island Advisory Committee on Gifted and Talented Education and a member of their speaker's bureau.

I am Proud to be a Member of Phenomenal Women Of The Web 

Copyright © DiRhody 2005

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