We love celebrating the highlights and accomplishments of the IEA community, so we wanted to take the opportunity to showcase this amazing community and what you have done over the past month so that we can all celebrate together. Summer days at IEA continue to be...
By Jennifer Kennedy Several years ago, as I was looking for content to share on IEA’s social networks one day, I stumbled across a TEDTalk by Susan Cain. I found myself captivated by everything she was saying. She discussed introverts in an extraverted world, and I...
Much like many of the kids we serve, the IEA staff is a group of voracious readers. We wanted to share what we’re reading now in case you are looking for some good summer reads. New and Selected Poems, Volume 1 by Mary Oliver “I give my...
Every gifted child has a unique story. The following story is part of a series of posts highlighting gifted children and adults we have found through IEA programs, depicting the many faces of gifted. The IEA Academy – mentioned in this story – provides young...
We love celebrating the highlights and accomplishments of the IEA community, so we wanted to take the opportunity to showcase this amazing community and what you have done over the past month so that we can all celebrate together. Summer is a busy time at IEA...
By Jennifer Kennedy Jennifer is IEA's Marketing and Communications Coordinator and puts her enthusiasm for grammar to good use daily. I have a confession to make: I love grammar; I always have. When I began learning Spanish, I was excited about how much it taught me about English grammar. Proofreading...
Literature has so much to teach all of us. Because reading is a cherished pastime for many gifted individuals, we thought we would share some great quotes from children’s literature and beloved children’s authors that teach gifted kids and adults alike important lessons. Be Yourself “It is very...
Kate Duey is the Director of Admission Planning, LLC. She has worked with IEA supporting gifted students since 2009 and has a wealth of knowledge about their unique challenges and their wonderful potential. Kate has a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard...
“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau In The Little Prince, the narrator describes a picture he drew as a child. He was rather proud of this drawing and was certain it would inspire fear in those...
It’s not news that parents of gifted learners are often tired. The seemingly endless trial-and-error of finding the right resources for your child can be as exhausting as it is exhilarating. Even in the boundless age of technology and digital resources, the one clear truth...
The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) is dedicated to providing and advocating for the most relevant and impactful programming for highly able students possible. Your experience and feedback are critical to assisting us in supporting purposeful change in gifted programs and services. It is crucial...
By Brianna Safe Nearly two weeks have passed since the 2015 Bradley Seminar, and I remain energized by the abundance of community, conversation, and enthusiasm that infused our weekend in Washington, D.C. The Bradley Seminar – an annual three-day event – is a keystone of the...
By Mark Erlandson Mark Erlandson, the parent of a gifted student who presently attends a boarding school out East, is a former lawyer and public high school English teacher from Wisconsin starting a new business as a legal writing consultant. While many may look at online...
By Jennifer Kennedy Do you remember your elementary school report cards? They were more than just a column of letters with all of your hard work reduced down to a number – a number to be judged against that perfect 4.0. In those early years, you...
By Jennifer de la Haye Jennifer is the Program Coordinator for Yunasa, IEA’s pioneering summer camps that unite gifted young people ages 10-15 with experts in highly able youth. In a nurturing setting, campers explore and grow the intellectual, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of...
By Zadra Rose Ibanez “When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut, a doctor, a movie star, a teacher, a fireman and president!” Many gifted students are faced with a dilemma – “I love everything, so which do I choose?” In the 1920’s, Lewis Terman...
By Alicia A. Ayala “Many of the gaps in my knowledge and understanding were simply limits of class and cultural background, not lack of aptitude or application as I feared.” ― Sonia Sotomayor, My Beloved World Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic and third woman appointed to the...
In the spirit of the Academy Awards this weekend, we thought we would share a list of good movies featuring gifted children and young adults. Based on a discussion on the IEA Facebook page and a poll of the IEA staff, here are some of...
IEA is thrilled to announce a suite of program offerings for our high school community in Los Angeles County – all designed to help students advance their intellectual, creative, and personal potential. IEA is building on successful relationships with distinguished local researchers from Caltech, USC,...
If you visited the IEA website or blog before 2015, you probably notice that the website you see today is strikingly different. To cap off an amazing year, we launched a new website at the end of 2014. We hope that our new website will...
By Jennifer de la Haye “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.” -Anne Lamott Perfectionism has the tendency to lurk in our minds; it is a monster who strives to slash at...
By Mark Erlandson Mark Erlandson, the parent of a gifted student who presently attends a boarding school out East, is a former lawyer and public high school English teacher from Wisconsin starting a new business as a legal writing consultant. Now that my daughter is a high...
2014 was another eventful year at IEA! Here are just a few of the highlights from the year. We dedicated and named our new home, The Barder House, in honor of Sarah D. Barder, whose generosity and vision have greatly impacted the Institute for Educational Advancement...
Every year at IEA, we choose a theme to incorporate across all of our programs. This year’s theme was “The Common Good.” At IEA, we believe it is important to inspire and encourage children to make a difference in the world, to pursue the common...
By Louise Hindle, IEA Program Manager It’s that time of year when we rack our minds to recall, imagine, or anticipate the ‘perfect’ gift. Whether that perfect gift is for a holiday party, for Christmas, for Hanukkah – it just is, unrelentingly, ‘that’ time of year. Trying...