Gifted Education Cooperative

The Gifted Education Cooperative (GECO) serves Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Burr Ridge and Oak Brook.                                      

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Welcome to the Gifted Education Cooperative web site!  Here you can learn more about GECO, find out what events we have planned for ourselves and our kids,  find references to useful resources on the web, join our group and volunteer to help out!  Please select from the options on the menu to the left.  

Recent updates from GECO:

Update from Tuesday, March 10, 2009

GECO Forum - Looking ahead to high school and beyond A panel of experts including Hinsdale Centrals Principal and Director of Guidance, an admissions officer from Northwestern, and experienced parents discussed how to tailor the high school experience to have fun and minimize stress, while at the same time keeping an eye toward selective college admission. We discussed the testing and college application process, advice for middle school students and their families and answered some questions.  Due to higher than anticipated attendance, we ran out of handouts.  Here are copies for you to print:

          Online Resources, Books, and Advice from an experienced parent

For the college planning timetable and the factors in the college admission table, please see the Hinsdale Central Guidance Office website. They also have a variety of other information of interest. 

http://central.hinsdale86.org/Guidance/Pages/GuidanceHome.aspx  Then click on Eighth Grade to see these resources and more.

Monday, March 16, 2009:  7 to 8:30 p.m. - Hinsdale Middle School

 GECO Kids’ Event – Math night for grades 5-8. Dr. Edna Bazik, (see 3/5 event for bio), leads children and their parents in fun math games. Email geco@arvamont.com or click here for more information. Click here for a list of Math websites recommended by Dr. Bazik.

Monday, March 23, 2009:  7 to 8:30 p.m. - at a members home

GECO Event – Meet the District 181 School Board Candidates. An informal gathering to meet, chat with, and ask questions of the candidates. Although there are four people on the ballot for four open positions on the school board, it is still important that the community get to know these candidates. Contact geco@arvamont.com or call Susan Portland at 630-920-1027 for more information.

Thursday, April 9, 2009:  12:30 p.m. at a member's home

GECO Book Club Book to be determined. Email GECObookclub@arvamont.com to RSVP.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009: IAGC Springfield Day

 GECO Family Field Trip. Advocates from all over the state of Illinois descend on Springfield to encourage recognition of and funding for gifted education. Visit the Lincoln Museum, other historic sites, meet with legislators and see the legislature in action.  For more information or contact geco@arvamont.com

Thursday, April 30, 2009:  7 to 8:30 p.m. Đ Madison School

GECO Kids’ Event – Math night for grades K-4. Dr. Edna Bazik, (see 3/5 event for bio), leads children and their parents in fun math games. Email geco@arvamont.com or click here for more information.  Click here for a list of Math websites recommended by Dr. Bazik.

Thursday, May 7, 2009:  12:30 p.m. at a member's home

GECO Book Club Book to be determined. Email GECObookclub@arvamont.com to RSVP.

 

Recent updates to other items of interest:

Fermilab Science Adventures — January – April 2009  For more information

 

Information Kept by Popular Demand:

 

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In her talk “Encouraging Reluctant Mathematicians”.. Dr. Edna Bazik, recommended several math websites, click here for her full list.  Dr. Bazik, a noted educator and author, is the winner of the 2009 Illinois Council of Math Teachers Max Beberman award for outstanding service in the field of mathematics education.

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Gifts for the Thinking Child.  Are you stymied for a good gift for your child?  GECO has compiled a list of parent recommendation, click here: Gifts for the Thinking Child.

        

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See our new page, Opportunities, for information regarding the Davidson Institute Scholarship.

 

       
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Did you miss the GECO Summer Camp Fair, but you're still searching for the right thing for your children?  See our  2009 Summer Camp Catalog . 

 

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Thanks to Theresa Wilkie and Dr. Edna Bazik, who have been kind enough to share their annotated bibliography of sixty-four children's literature books with a Mathematics theme. This list was created as part of an action research project for National Louis University and includes books for a wide age range.  For more information: Book List

 

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Literature for gifted kids:  This article by nationally recognized speaker  and gifted consultant Dr. Bertie Kingore contains an annotated bibliography with dozens of quality examples of children's literature that meet three important criteria: the books are written by authors of merit; each book contains well-developed characters who display gifted behaviors; and the stories include thought-provoking problem situations, issues, or personal needs with which gifted students can identify.  Includes books for grades K to 8.  http://www.bertiekingore.com/gtchildreninlit.htm

Join other parents in a Guided Reading of A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children by Webb, Gore, Amend and DeVries.  This book covers issues including peer and sibling relations, discipline, intensity and stress, and underachievement and motivation.   A small group will read one or two chapters of this text each week and then discuss what we have read with moderator Newenka DuMont.  There will be two sessions beginning in January: one daytime, one evening. Parents who have participated in a similar guided reading session in the past have found this to be exceedingly helpful, both in understanding their children and in learning from other parents.  Please see attached for additional details. 

 

If you have questions or comments about GECO, please email us at GECO@ArvaMont.com.   For questions specific to this web site, please email GECOweb@ArvaMont.com. 

 


Prepared with Flair by ArvaMont.  For problems or questions regarding this web contact GECOweb@arvamont.com