In our GAW episode, we’re talking to Dr Deborah Ruf about the 5 Levels of Giftedness and her new book which follows those original children who are now all grown up. 

Memorable quote… “

“So, those are the five levels and you really can find lists of those with lots of details and early milestones and that's how I created it. It was after I looked at the milestones of children over the years and what they were like when they were born and what they were like when they were three months old and six months old, and then a year and then two years, and see what they are like. 

And then later we have scores and we see how those fit or don't fit. And it really is rather amazing how well the scores are in the range you would predict from those milestones.” - Dr Deborah Ruf 

Bio… 

Deborah L. Ruf earned a Ph.D. in Tests & Measurement with a minor in Learning & Cognition at the University of Minnesota.  

She worked as a private consultant and specialist in gifted assessment, test interpretation, and guidance for the gifted for 30 years.   

She is the author of the award-winning book Losing Our Minds: Gifted Children Left Behind (2005) and retitled 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options in 2009.

In 2023, Dr. Ruf will release her follow-up longitudinal book study of the now-adult children from the original book and how they are doing now.  Her focus has now progressed toward the social and emotional health of the gifted adults who parent gifted children.  

For more than 40 years, Dr. Ruf has served as a keynote speaker, workshop, and conference presenter, and written chapters for 5 textbooks, more than 12 peer-reviewed journal articles, and 100 plus articles and handouts for newsletters, magazines, and websites.

- - - -

More…

Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

- - - -

Love the podcast? Find out how to support the podcast. 

Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids

Subscribe to our newsletter

- - - -

Join our community

- - - -

Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine 

Free Facebook Group

Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

Sponsor this podcast  

- - - -

Episode Resources:

• Dr Deborah Ruf Facebook

• Dr Deborah Ruf Instagram

• Dr Deborah Ruf Website: 5LevelsofGifted

• Her first book - 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options

• Article by Dr Deborah Ruf about personality types in school

• Personalitypage.com

• Medium - Dr Ruf Articles

• Unleash Monday Episode 16. Designing 145+ IQ tests for hyper gifted children with Femke Hovinga

- - - -

Hit play and let’s get started!