May 2022 - Volume 2
WATG Mission: To educate about and advocate for the needs of gifted in Wisconsin.
NEWS
Student Spotlight
Madison Olszewski, a student at Menasha High School, has been selected to have her art be part of an exhibit displayed in Sarasota, FL through a non-profit group called, Embracing Our Differences. This organization uses the power of art and education to expand consciousness and open the heart to celebrate the diversity of the human family.
WATG Blogs
Jackie Drummer
WATG Past President and Advisory Board Member
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Grandparenting and Gifted Children
There are many sayings about grandparenting that ring true, and grandparents of gifted children often appreciate and comment on them. Some examples include, “If I knew grandchildren would be so much fun, I would have had them first.” And “If children are the rainbow of life, grandchildren are the pot of gold.”
Dr. Maria Katsaros-Molzahn
WATG Board Member
Misguided Suppositions
In a highly theoretical and suppositional world, monkeys with typewriters (keyboards) could ostensibly create the works of Shakespeare. Theoretical probability has shown that over the vastness of time and space, nature appears to sporadically generate highly talented individuals capable of creating phenomenal works of art, though the singularity of these occurrences highlights their rarity. Statistical probability aside, one person, William Shakespeare (1585-1613), is credited with this body of distinctive work.
GT Meanderings: Amazing Names from the Past
There are an amazing number of nationally renowned authors, researchers, and professors who have been speakers at our conferences over the years. We have very scant documentation from the 1970s, however, we continue to search. A Google search of any of the names will complete your understanding of their contributions to the field of gifted education.
Ruth Robinson
WATG Past President
Dr. Wanda Routier
Past WATG Board Member
Ask the Doctor: Brain Breaks
In recent years, taking time to give students a brain break has become a common practice in many classrooms, at home, and other places. When students work hard or give 100% to a particular task, they are often rewarded with a brain break for a few minutes. This practice may be somewhat controversial; some people may consider the time spent on a brain break to be a waste of time when there are so many important things to teach and learn during the school day and never enough time to cover it all..
Motivated by Challenge: A Parent's Perspective
Gifted individuals can often be described as people who crave challenges. One of the earliest indications that our son was gifted was his consistent thirst for knowledge and challenges. He was potty trained at the age of 2 and was motivated by the opportunity to learn about ceiling fans through catalogs he “read” while training. He learned to swim independently across the pool at 3 years old after doing multiplication problems in between each attempt. While in K5, he became disengaged in class because of a complete lack of challenge.
Mary Pape
WATG Board Member
FREE PARENT MEMBERSHIP
Parenting gifted children can be an exciting, yet challenging journey, and WATG is committed to providing information, resources, and networking opportunities for parents and caregivers of gifted children.
As a service to gifted children and their families, WATG is offering FREE memberships to all parents/caregivers beginning now and extending through September of 2022. Benefits of WATG membership include:

  • Support for educational outreach
  • Support for parents/caregivers and advocates
  • Voting privileges
  • Consultation and coaching
  • And so much more!

So far, over 150 parents/caregivers have taken advantage of this outstanding opportunity! We encourage more of you to join us by filling out this Free WATG Parent Membership Form, and look forward to meeting you and growing with you.
Any organization mentioned in this newsletter does not constitute an endorsement by or partnership with WATG. No recommendation regarding the services of these organizations is being made by WATG. Families and educators are urged to perform due diligence in researching all organizations.
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