Ready for Advanced Learning? It Starts at Home

Most parents I meet think advanced academic programs are some kind of mysterious ecosystem—reserved for children whose parents are “in the know,” have friends in the right places, or somehow cracked a secret code. Let me reassure you: none of that is true.

Advanced learning isn’t about insider access.
It’s about readiness.
And readiness is something you can support every single day at home.

In my 25+ years of teaching in gifted programs, AAP, abroad, and high-rigor environments, I’ve seen the same thing again and again: children thrive when curiosity is part of the family culture—not when they cram for a test or try to act “smart” for an evaluation.

As I say in Raising Advanced Learners:

“Advanced learning isn’t a label—it’s a lifestyle of curiosity, questions, and small daily habits that grow a child’s confidence.”

If you’ve ever wondered whether your child could be successful in an advanced or gifted program, here’s what I want you to know:

1. Motivation matters more than method.

Kids don’t need elite tutors or hot-housed prep.
They need the freedom to ask big questions and the encouragement to follow them.

“A curious child will outgrow a rigid curriculum every single time.”

2. Advanced programs look for thinkers, not perfect test-takers.

Schools want kids who wonder, explore, build, read, design, tinker, and dream.
Those habits start early—but it’s never too late to build them.

3. Your home can be the greatest accelerant.

Small choices have big effects:

• reading together

• talking about the world

• visiting museums

• playing logic games

• letting your child build things

• encouraging creative messes
  All of this sends the message: learning is something we do here.

4. You don’t need to be an expert—you just need a roadmap.

And that’s exactly why I wrote this book.

Raising Advanced Learners helps parents understand what giftedness looks like today, how to support motivation, how to build executive function skills, and what to do when a child is curious, bright, and eager for more challenge than school provides.

One more line from the book that parents consistently tell me hits home:

“Your child doesn’t need to be labeled gifted to learn like one.”

If you’re wondering how to support your child’s readiness for deeper learning—whether for gifted programs, advanced academics, or simply becoming a thoughtful, engaged human being—this guide was written for you.