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These myths would never be applied to a superstar athlete. Why would anybody say them about gifted children:

Gifted children are so smart that they don’t need help in their learning.
Everyone needs help at some time, even gifted kids. We all need encouragement, motivation, interesting learning and caring people in our lives. At any age, we all still have lots to learn. Being gifted is sometimes a real burden for children especially when they haven’t learned the essential skills of how to learn. They may lack social skills as well. Being given things to learn and being taught how to learn are two very different concepts.

Myth: Gifted children miss out when they leave their regular classroom for their special classes or go to meet a facilitator.
Most gifted children can process information much faster and to a greater depth than other students. For many, missing out on a lesson is perhaps a minor inconvenience. They get caught up later. Usually, very little is lost. The amount of time away from regular classes can become an issue when lessons are not reviewed or not even mentioned to the students when they return to class.

Myth: Special programs for gifted children are elitist.
Don’t we do the same thing for talented musicians and athletes? Many teachers group their students for certain classroom activities. Gifted children need to see that they are not alone. Many can relate well to peers who are less able, but shouldn’t they also experience the challenge of relating to other exceptional learners like themselves? They need to share experiences and work with others who are perhaps even more intelligent. Eliminating special programming would deny their differences and suggest that all people should conform to a norm. Try that with a star basketball player!

Myth: Gifted children get stuck up and then have trouble getting along with peers.
It may be surprising that many gifted children find it difficult to be gifted in their schools. Rather than flaunting their intelligence, some try to hide as best they can. Peers call them names – giffers, brainers, gifties, etc. There is stereotyping to contend with. Some people can’t even say "gifted" without a negative tone of voice. Interacting with people far below or above ones own level of intelligence or maturity can be as great a challenge to adults as it is for gifted children.

Myth: Everyone is gifted.
Many people are skilled and able. Some people, however, do stand out. Why? Because they can do things far better than others. This is where gifted people fit in. Is every science student going to become an Einstein? No. Will all people become masters and famous at something? No. Many ordinary people will always do things in ordinary ways. Let us cherish and nurture the ones whose gifts are greater. They have a greater chance of being our great leaders, musicians, inventors, humanists, writers, adventurers and others. Most of us will never be able to achieve at that level. But there are some gifted people that can! Shouldn’t we be nurturing them?

Myth: All children deserve the same learning as gifted children get.
Yes! Very true. But gifted children do not deserve only what all children get. The skills and concepts in gifted education can be provided to everybody. Average children, however, often cannot handle the greater learning load or the speed at which the teaching or learning goes on. The intention of gifted programming is to simply meet the higher level of needs of highly intelligent children, not provide something elitist or exclusive to them.

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"Poor people are just lazy and don’t want to work. They mooch off those that do work. Poor people are the dirty ones on the street that beg and drift around the city. The poor are the homeless, usually old male winos, bag ladies, molesters, ex-cons and drifters." Sound familiar? Many people have these stereotyped images of what poverty is all about.

A few weeks ago it was my honour to do several retreats right in the Toronto Daily Bread Food Bank building with students from St. Elizabeth Catholic High School in Thornhill. I learned many things that I hope you will appreciate:

• about 165,000 people in the Greater Toronto Area are helped by the food bank each month. This is up from 115,000 in 1995.
• There are about 600 distribution centers in Canada, about 300 of these are in Ontario and about 200 of the ones in Ontario are in Toronto. Toronto is the headquarters for all three levels of help.
• seniors on low and fixed incomes are a growing group of users.
• about 30% of all the food gathered is used to feed children in breakfast and lunch clubs especially in inner city schools.
• Many food bank users have jobs that provide low wages or less money than required to survive. (Statistically: about $16,000/single; $23,600/family of 2; $34,000/family of 4) A high percentage of the money these people earn goes to keeping an apartment or some other kind of shelter. The food bank is a supplement to what they can afford and buy. Many use it as a last resort when they run out of food at the end of the month.
• There is a sizeable group of users made up of highly trained immigrants who cannot get a job in their areas of expertise because they haven’t the Canadian experience or training. After much frustration and many closed doors they take on low paying jobs just to keep them going. (taxi drivers are one of the most educated groups in Toronto) The food bank is the last resort for many of them but they don’t have much choice.
• Over 13 million pounds of food are collected each year for distribution. About 25% comes from individual citizens/families and 75% comes from the business world.
• those using the food bank do not usually use it more than for 2-3 months until they find a job or leave the city. (comment: I wonder how many of us think that lots of people use it all the time or for several years at least?)
• only 3% of all money collected goes toward administration. The rest goes to buying food and necessities wholesale. This is one of the most efficient charities in the world. In some cases, charities use up to 85-90% on advertising, expenses and administration.
• almost everything in the food bank has come from generous people who care to donate food, household furniture and other goods. The building, the down payment for the property, office furniture and supplies, tables, chairs, packaging boxes, etc. have all been donated!!! Some people leave their estates to the Food Bank. Everything is used or sold to buy food.

In Toronto: Daily Bread Food Bank, 191 New Toronto St. (Islington south of QEW) Call 416-203-0050 to book time.

School classes and families are most welcome. They will train you to do the job. Go! Do a good thing!

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Auctions to attend: Waddington’s, 111 Bathurst St. @ Adelaide, Toronto, ON.

Canadian College Italy (apply for the summer courses)

Canadian International Documentary Film Festival

Driver Education Program (good time to start)

Rotary Agri-Food Career Adventure (visit an agricultural college)

Ryerson University Engineering Project for Women (great summer course)

Science Outreach Program (U. of Toronto summer science course)

Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival (on Toronto islands each year)

Young Peoples Press Summer Institute for Teen Journalists

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May 9 – Mother’s Day

May 4 – Full moon

May 24 – Victoria Day

This is also Cystic Fibrosis Month, Multiple Sclerosis Month, Hearing Awareness Month, Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month and Medic Alert Month

Question: What is your funniest father/male guardian story?

When we were little, my dad would take my brother and I shopping for presents for special days. We ended up buying a flower in a pot for Mother’s Day. When we got home we hid it and on Mother’s Day we took it out and watered it before giving it to our mother. As we presented it, the bottom broke and gushed water all over everything. Happy Mother’s Day. – W.B.

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Interesting Career (2): Horse Masseur (Equine Therapist)
An expertise in massage and animal physiology leads to administering deep muscle massage therapy or chiropractics to injured horses perhaps at race tracks, in the movie industry, horse breeding farms, or in live shows involving horses. Treatment usually results in a complete recovery.

A degree from a Natural Medicine College with an emphasis on massage is suggested.

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There are several good places online to get lots of knowledge and car smart: www.caa.ca , www.canadiandriver.com , www.carbuyingtips.com , www.thecarmagazine.com .

If you are buying a used vehicle, the Insurance Board of Canada’s Vehicle Information Centre has a web site where you can enter your vehicle model and obtain instant information on its safety track record and collision and comprehensive ratings. www.vicc.com . Make sure you check the claim history of your vehicle too.

Insurance costs can be extraordinarily high depending on the vehicle. Young men, especially, pay much higher premiums compared to females. You can generally pay more for imports than for domestic cars too. Premiums can be lower if you purchase a 4-door instead of a 2-door. If you don’t drive to work, it is also an advantage to lower premiums. Instant insurance quotes can be found at: www.insurance-canada.ca

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(by O.S.)

1. Update Your Operating System (this is #1 problem and easiest to fix!! Check the update site at least once a month.)

Most people run Microsoft Windows of different vintages. When on Internet Explorer, click "Tools" and go to "Windows Update." This is a simple process as the program will check your computer and list only the updates required. The Critical Updates should be done first. Do read through and choose the ones relevant to your system. Not all are needed. Once downloaded, there is only minimal need for checks as most of the holes where viruses come into Windows will now have been plugged.

2. Download and Use Free Spy Protection (at least once every 2 weeks)

This is a free one that I now have on my computer permanently:

Spykiller will scan files and give you a list of the spies and their location. http://www.webattack.com/get/adaware.shtml The program will not delete them for you unless you activate the company website and then pay for the program. If you don’t feel confident in manually removing the spyware, it is worth the money to have this program do it.

I learned how to remove the infecting files myself. Here’s how to manually remove the spies. It is not that difficult: a) Once scanning concludes, you will see a list of spies and their danger levels. Notice that there is a string of folders/files and eventually the file that is the spy. These direct you all the way. Easy. Most will be in the Registry of your system. To get to the registry, click "start", click "run" and type regedit , hit enter and follow the folders to get to the infecting file, highlight it and then right click and delete that file only. READ CAREFULLY! The deleted file does not go into the recycle bin and cannot be restored, so be very careful.

3. Download and Use Free Virus Protection (at least once every day or so)

Virus Removal Tools & Quick Repair http://sarc.ocm

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Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on frequency 124.7"

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