Mentorship programs can provide motivated gifted and talented students with an opportunity to apply inductive thinking and problem-solving skills to advanced content that often is associated with real-life situations. They need to investigate the complexities and interrelationships among disciplines that can only be discovered with assistance from highly knowledgeable experts. As gifted students develop their interests and talents in a chosen area of study, it often is necessary to structure learning experiences with out-of-school mentors. This guide offers practical strategies for starting and developing a mentoring program. From structuring a program, to selecting a mentor and monitoring progress, to ensuring success, this book provides an excellent introduction to the topic. This is one of the books in Prufrock Press' popular "Practical Strategies Series in Gifted Education." This series offers a unique collection of tightly focused books that provide a concise, practical introduction to important topics concerning the education of gifted children. The guides offer a perfect beginner's introduction to key information about gifted and talented education.
Dr. Del Siegle is an associate professor of educational psychology in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut where he was honored as a teaching fellow. Prior to earning his PhD, Del worked as a gifted and talented coordinator in Montana. He is past president of the National Association of Gifted Children and serves on the board of directors of The Association for the Gifted (CEC-TAG). He is co-editor of the Journal of Advanced Academics and authors a technology column for Gifted Child Today.