What Educators Can Do Now to Make Coming Back to School After Winter Break Easier for Twice Exceptional Learners
Transitions are never easy for gifted and twice exceptional kids. Looking forward, there are specific actions that can help bridge leaving and returning to school as the holiday season approaches. Here are some 2021 Holiday Goals to try and accomplish BEFORE leaving for break to make coming back easier. Try scheduling a one-on-one 5 minute […]
How to Engage Your 2e Student in Online Learning
Parents and educators are asking how to engage their 2e students in online and hybrid learning. Never mind having to learn under the stressful circumstances of today, engagement in online learning is almost always tough. We are social creatures and we crave meaningful interactions. If we don’t have a balance of in-person and online interaction […]
Zooming in, Zooming out; Telescoping to Alleviate Stress
Changing perspective based on the issue in front of us is necessary to address stress and other challenges typical for the gifted and twice exceptional communities. ‘Telescoping,’ the act of zooming in and zooming out, is necessary to shift perspective and persevere.
Identification, not Education is the Problem with Gifted Programs
A recent article published in the Seattle Times, (“All Children are Gifted Just in Different Ways,” Feb. 7, 2020, ) lashes out at #giftedprogramming as racist, in fact, author @davidgardner, refers to what he calls “so-called ‘gifted’ education” as “institutional racism and elitism.” Mr. Gardner is incorrect in labeling gifted programming as racist and unfortunately […]
The Importance of Classroom Culture and Connection for Gifted and Twice Exceptional Learners
If you have a child who is an empath, emotionally overexcitable, one who seems “over-sensitive,” it’s important to speak to him about his nature and to focus on strengths. We don’t want to quell this child’s inclinations but we need him to know that not everyone is wired like he is, and he has to protect himself.
2e and PTSD
…the twice exceptional (gifted with a learning difference) population is under inordinate, constant stress.
The Importance of Seeing the Forest Through Trees
Teaching our children to ask questions pertinent to their learning style empowers them to understand their own viewpoint and communicate their needs in a productive way.
Adjusting Environments for School Success
Pegs – we hear about them all the time; our 2e children’s school experience is often described as “trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.” I have to be honest; I can’t stand that expression. Why does square have to be negative? Why do we want everyone or anyone to fit into […]
Innocent Until Proven Guilty
2e kids don’t get a whole lot of patience and understanding. But that’s what they sorely need. They need the adult in charge to understand them so they feel safe sharing their complicated feelings and can honestly explain the events, from his point of view, that precipitated the behavior.
Smart Dog
“Poodles are difficult to train as guide dogs, they’re too smart.” So said the elderly blind gentleman who was holding the leash of a black standard poodle guide dog named Espresso. I had just crossed the street to meet Espresso – that’s what poodle people do – we cross streets to meet poodles. But I […]