Hurrah!

The new website is up and running.

Please check it out at  www.gtcarpediem.com and pass it along to everyone who might be interested.

Let me know if you run into any glitches,  using the contact page to report any concerns or recommendations.

Still trying to figure out how to embed a calendar so people know where I am and when I'm available, but I think all the other important info is there.

Now on to the fun of finishing the book and facilitating the fall workshops!

Post-SENG

Great thanks to everyone we met and all who attended our sessions at the SENG Conference in San Jose last week.  We were energized and inspired by your passion for helping gifted children.  As Maureen Neihart wrote in Risk and Resilience in Gifted Children,

“The single most powerful predictor of positive outcomes for

vulnerable children is a relationship with a caring adult.”

You are those adults!

The hand-outs of slides for the Self-Advocacy and Decision-Making presentations can be found under the "Related Articles" tab.  Please contact me directly if you'd like the original PowerPoints or any of the other materials.

Also, the information regarding the GT Carpe Diem Workshop (self-advocacy for gifted teens) is posted here on the blog.  Check the tabs above.

Back home in Wisconsin now, I'm eager to continue our quest:  
Seize a day, change a lifetime!

Great way for SENG families to relax after an intense day!

The Butterfly Effect

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2013: A Year of Celebration

This year marks two milestones in Wisconsin’s gifted history:

·      40 years ago the Wisconsin Council for Gifted and Talented was formed, our first state advocacy organization.

·      20 years ago Wisconsin parents and educators joined their separate advocacy groups to form the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted.

We are thrilled to be working with archivists at the Wisconsin Historical Society to preserve our history.  Our “History Hunters,” a group of Wisconsin gifted education pioneers, are collecting and recollecting the stories of our work.

As I listen to their tales of struggle from 40 years ago I’m saddened that the same struggles exist today.  Yet I’m also encouraged.  For I remember that it was they and their efforts that made all the difference for my own kids over 25 years ago. And it was their voices I heard and responded to, their research I relied on and their organization that supported me when I began my own professional journey into gifted education.

I’m reminded of the butterfly effect: What may have begun with just one small flutter of wings in 1973 changed the history of gifted education in Wisconsin.   It also changed my life and my children’s lives . . . and no doubt the lives of thousands of others throughout the years and throughout the world.

And what about the future?  Rather than feeling disheartened by the struggles that lie ahead, I’m energized.   For today we parents and educators continue to work together for the sake of our gifted children.  We have successes; we have failures.  But I believe those seemingly small steps we take each day for the sake of one child . . . those little wing flutters in the Wisconsin wilderness . . . will also impact lives around the world.

We stand on the shoulders (or maybe we fly on the wings?) of some very wise and wonderful people.

Talent Factories

Check out this YouTube video.

Dylan William on Remodeling Schools into Talent Factories

 

Comparing academics to sports isn't new to advocates for gifted kids, but William's comments are a good indication that those outside the field also recognize the inequity.    

 

I'm not sure where it came from, but the decades old story told by educators of the gifted goes something like this:

 

So I walked into my high school principal's office and asked for a few minutes of his time.  "I'd like you to consider this proposal," I said.  

 

"I'd like to select a handful of our best students and allow them to work together with specialists in their talent area for 3 or 4 hours each day. Then they could interact with other students with similar interests and abilities. The adults would be good role models, experts who could work individually with the students, perfecting their skills, making sure each is appropriately challenged."

 

"We'll need a big part of the school building for our program.  And lots of specialized equipment.  Probably a budget of $500,000 a year or more."

 

"I'd also like the kids to go to other schools several times a week to interact with and learn from kids just like them.  We'd need busing and chaperones, of course.  And also school logo clothing for each of them would be nice, just to show that we're proud of them and want others to know they're from our school."

 

"As a matter of fact, I think this selection process should begin in elementary school where we'll identify the most promising students and provide year-round programming for them, including summer camps and after school lessons.  That way, by the time they reach high school they will truly be our best and our brightest."

 

"Are you crazy?" he said.  "That would be elitist."

 

"No," I said.  "That would be our athletic program."

 

Go! Fight! Win!
BIG THINKERS

OE: How Parents Can Help

Parents in Oconomowoc asked what they could do to help their children understand, accept and celebrate their overexcitabilities.

Here's one perspective from SENG.  I've summarized it but you can read the entire article by Sharon Lind on the SENG website here.

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR OE CHILDREN

 

(It's good to remember that OE people living with other OE people often have more compassion and understanding for each other, but may feel conflicts when their OEs are not to the same degree.)

Discuss the concept of overexcitability

Share the descriptions of OEs.  Ask individuals if they see themselves with some of the characteristics. Point out that being OE is OK and it is understood and accepted.

Focus on the positives

Discuss the positives of each OE. Benefits include being energetic, enthusiastic, sensual, aesthetic, curious, loyal, tenacious, moral, metacognitive, integrative, creative, metaphorical, dramatic, poetic, compassion-ate, empathetic, and self-aware.

Cherish and celebrate diversity

• OE is just one more description of who they are, as is being tall, or Asian, or left-handed. Since OEs are inborn traits, they cannot be unlearned!
• Provide opportunities for people to pursue their passions. This shows respect for their abilities and intensities and allows time for them to “wallow” in what they love, to be validated for who they are.
• Removing passions as consequences for inappropriate behavior has a negative effect by giving the message that your passions, the essence of who you are, are not valuable or worthy of respect.

Use and teach clear verbal and nonverbal communication skills

Verbal-listening, responding, questioning, telephoning, problem solving, and nonverbal-rhythm and use of time, interpersonal distance and touch, gestures and postures, facial expressions, tone of voice, and style of dress.

Verbal and nonverbal strategies improve interpersonal communication and provide the skills individuals need to fit in when they wish to, to change the system if necessary, and to treat others with caring and respect.

Teach stress management from from toddlerhood on

OE individuals have increased stress reactions because of their increased reception of and reaction to external input.

key components:

• learn to identify your stress symptoms: headache, backache, pencil tapping, pacing, etc.
• develop strategies for coping with stress: talk about your feelings, do relaxation exercises, change your diet, exercise, meditate, ask for help, develop organizational and time management skills and
• develop strategies to prevent stress: make time for fun; develop a cadre of people to help, advise, humor you; practice tolerance of your own and others’ imperfections.

Create a comforting environment whenever possible

Intense people need to know how to make their environment more comfortable in order to create places for retreat or safety.

For example:

                              * find places to work or think which are not distracting,

* work in a quiet or calm environment,

* listen to music,

* look at a lovely picture

* carry a comforting item

* move while working

* wear clothing that does not scratch or cling.

Learning to finesse one’s environment to meet one’s needs takes experimentation and cooperation from others, but the outcome will be a greater sense of well-being and improved productivity.

Help to raise awareness of behaviors and their impact on others

Paradoxically, OE people are often insensitive and unaware of how their behaviors affect others. They may assume that everyone will just understand why they interrupt to share an important idea, or tune out when creating a short story in their head during dinner.

Teach children

·      to be responsible for their behaviors,

·      to become more aware of how their behaviors affect others

·      to understand that their needs are not more important than those of others.

Remember the joy

Often when OE is discussed examples and concerns are mostly negative. Remember that being overexcitable also brings with it great joy, astonishment, beauty, compassion, and creativity. Perhaps the most important thing is to acknowledge and relish the uniqueness of an OE child or adult.

Talent Act Petition

Please consider signing the petition on the White House "We the People" site:

Talent Act Petition

 

"We petition the Obama administration to support the unique learning needs of academically gifted students by passing the TALENT Act."

 

To be considered by the administration, the petition needs 25,000 signatures by  December 16, 2012.

 

MCGT

What a great day I had with parents at the annual conference of the Minnesota Council for Gifted and Talented in Minneapolis last weekend.

For those who attended my session, The Right Triangle, here are the documents I promised.

The Right Triangle powerpoint hand-out
The Right Triangle Suggestions

Thanks to all for your energy and enthusiasm.  Isn't it great to be in a place where we can say the "G" word without having to explain ourselves?

A High School Hint

Often as budgets decrease, class sizes increase.  This is a critical problem for high school teachers who may be instructing 150-200 students a day.  And they are right to be concerned about the amount of time it takes to learn the individual academic needs of each teen.  All the more reason to make the kids part of the solution.

Here's a tip that worked well when I was  a GT coordinator:

1. Secure time during a back-to-school staff meeting to talk about the needs of gifted kids.
2. Acknowledge the difficulty of teaching so many students with diverse needs.
3. Recommend that part of the responsibility lies with the teens themselves.
4. Explain that "outlier" students often need encouragement to talk with teachers about their needs.
5. Hand out copies of Galbraith and Delisle's "10 Tips for Talking to Teachers" (printed on neon paper and laminated, if possible.)
6. Suggest that teachers hang the posters prominently in their rooms and, as part of their opening day class orientation, go over the steps and encourage all students to speak up for themselves . . . appropriately.

  
We never know what gates might be opened when students find their voices!

 

Ten Tips for Talking to Teachers

1. Make an appointment to meet and talk.  This shows the teacher that you're serious and you have some understanding of his or her busy schedule. Tell the teacher about how much time you'll need, be flexible, and don't be late. 
2. If you know other students who feel the way you do, consider approaching the teacher together.  There's strength in numbers.  If a teacher hears the same thing from four or five people, he or she is more likely to do something about it. 
3. Think through what you want to say before you go into your meeting with the teacher.  Write down your questions or concerns.  Make a list of the items you want to cover.  You may even want to copy your list for the teacher so both of you can consult it during your meeting.  (Or consider giving it to the teacher ahead of time.) 
4. Choose your words carefully.  Example:  Instead of saying, "I hate doing reports; they're boring and a waste of time," try, "Is there some other way I could satisfy this requirement?  Could I do a video instead?" Strike the word "boring" from your vocabulary. It's a word that's not helpful for teachers (and it might even make them mad.) 
5. Don't expect the teacher to do all of the work or propose all of the answers.  Be prepared to make suggestions, offer solutions, even recommend resources. The teacher will appreciate that you took the initiative.
6. Be diplomatic, tactful, and respectful.  Teachers have feelings, too.  And they're more likely to be responsive if you remember that the purpose of your meeting is conversation, not confrontation.
7. Focus on what you need, not on what you think the teacher is doing wrong.  The more the teacher learns about you, the more he or she will be able to help. The more defensive the teacher feels, the less he or she will want to help. 
8. Don't forget to listen.  Strange but true, many students need practice in this essential skill.  The purpose of your meeting isn't just to hear yourself talk. 
9. Bring your sense of humor.  Not necessarily the joke-telling sense of humor, but the one that lets you laugh at yourself and your own misunderstandings and mistakes. 
10. If your meeting isn't successful, get help from another adult.  "Successful" doesn't necessarily mean that you emerged victorious.  Even if the teacher denies your request, your meeting can still be judged successful.  If you had a real conversation - if you communicated openly, listened carefully, and respected each other's point of view - then congratulate yourself on a great meeting.  If the air crackled with tension, the meeting fell apart, and you felt disrespected (or acted disrespectful), then it's time to bring in another adult.  Suggestions:  a guidance counselor, the gifted program coordinator, or another teacher you know and trust who seems likely to support you and advocate for you.  Once you've found help, approach your teacher and try again.

Excerpted from The Gifted Kids Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook by Judy Galbraith, M.A., and Jim Delisle, Ph.D. © 1996.   Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN.

From New Zealand

I've recently discovered Sonia White's blog, Gifted Chatter.  She's a parent, teacher, author, teacher educator and gifted education consultant in New Zealand.  Though we've never met, I'm guessing we have a lot in common!  

One of my favorite series of posts is 10 Ways to Help Your Gifted Teen Get the Best out of Secondary School.

Check it out!

Twice Exceptional

When Allan was in 3rd grade his favorite book was Jeanne Cavelos' The Science of Star Wars: An Astrophysicist's Independent Examination of Space Travel, Aliens, Planets, and Robots as Portrayed in the Star Wars Films and Books. He was fascinated by the content but struggled to read it himself because in addition to being intellectually gifted, he had dyslexia.

Traditional identification methods often fail to reveal the talents of twice-exceptional or 2E students. Occasionally their extraordinary abilities mask their academic struggles and their disabilities go undiagnosed. One of the best sources of info on this issue is The 2E Newsletter and Blog.

The self-advocacy movement began in the world of developmental disabilities but gifted kids also need to find their voices. 2E people have twice the need to speak up for themselves.  And we, their advocates, can help.

As Linda Silverman wrote, "Gifted children with learning disabilities who are seen as defective, in constant need of remediation, come to view themselves with shame and doubt….But when those closest to them honor their strengths and believe in their ability to fulfill their dreams, they are able to mobilize their will to succeed against all odds."

 

Should I tell my child she's gifted?

At the recent SENG conference in Milwaukee a father asked a heartfelt question, “Should I tell my child she's gifted?”

It’s something a lot of parents and teachers struggle with, but my answer is a resounding, “Yes!”  And when we talk to our kids about their exceptional abilities we must make it a long, complete, on-going conversation about what that means.   Remember the number one gripe of the gifted kids surveyed by Galbraith and Delisle?  "No one explains what being gifted is all about - it's kept a big secret."

So, yes, we must talk to our children about their giftedness. To paraphrase Carol Anne Tomlinson, if we pretend that all children are gifted, that all have the same abilities, then our children will think we're stupid.  They are well aware that they are different, but they often lack the self-reflection or even the vocabulary to describe the ways they feel different.

Here, in no particular order, are things we should include in that conversation:

• You are better at some things than others your age, but of course that doesn’t mean you’re better than they are.

• Being gifted is not what you do, but who you are. 

• Being gifted is not how well you do in school or what you become some day or what you can contribute to society, but a unique set of characteristics you will have for all your life.

•  There are many ways to be gifted and gifted people are not all alike.

• You have a combination of exceptional abilities; some are intellectual, academic, creative, artistic, or leadership gifts - a mixture that is different for every gifted person.

• You have definite strengths but you also have underdeveloped areas that need some work.

• Being gifted means you may often have different educational needs than some of your classmates.  Every brain needs to be challenged in order to grow and you can help your teachers and parents know when the challenge feels right, when it’s too tough and when it’s too easy.

• Because you’re gifted you may experience life very Intensely. You may have overexcitabilities (more here.) 

• Being gifted is a good thing. It doesn’t mean your life will always be easy, but it is part of what makes you uniquely wonderful.  

 
 

The Right Triangle

Welcome to Day 6 of the NPGC Blog Tour.

Today's topic: 

Advocacy for gifted children –

teaming with educators and legislators

If you're new to my blog, you might want to start with an overview of my vision - teaching gifted children to self-advocate.  You can also find more details in an article for parents and my 2004 action research summary from the Roeper Review.


By definition, self- advocacy is the process of recognizing and meeting the needs specific to your learning ability without compromising the dignity of yourself or others.

Yes, I believe wholeheartedly that students (and especially those who are outliers) must play a major role in making sure they have appropriately challenging and satisfying educational experiences.  No one knows better than they what is going on in their heads and hearts as they sit in class, walk the halls, complete assignments, interact with their peers and teachers.

Most gifted kids are not naturally adept at self-advocacy, however.  In fact, their naive attempts often can get them into trouble and it's best if we teach them specifically why and how they should speak up.  When students, parents and teachers work as advocacy partners they form a wonderfully right triangle.  The children are the foundation, leading the way, while the adults support them from all directions.  

I hope you'll browse through past entries, all geared toward self-advocacy in one way or another, and let me know if you find something that strikes a cord with you and your family.  And check out all the other NPGC Blog Tour sites.  

As I wrote when I started this adventure.  Too often, one voice sounds like whining; many voices sound like a cause.  There is great power in collaborative advocacy.  Together we do make a difference for the gifted people we know and love.

Strength in Numbers

The 2012 SENG Conference was held in Milwaukee this week.  I had the pleasure of presenting my thoughts on self-advocacy to a full room yesterday and was energized by the passion and compassion of those in attendance.  Parents and educators and counselors and so many others, all intent on working together to support the emotional needs of the gifted.  How refreshing.  No need to explain our mission or justify our work.  Just as gifted kids thrive when networking with their like-ability peers, events like this are vital to their advocates.

NZ Gifted Blog Tour: What Angie Taught Me

Today I'm honored to be part of the 

New Zealand Gifted Awareness Week Blog Tour.

Please check out all the blogs and help us celebrate and advocate for gifted children around the world.

Angie loves words.   
Always has; always will. 

The works of C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, Bradbury and L’Engle enchanted her in grade school.   For birthday gifts, she and her older sister exchanged volumes of poetry and Shakespeare’s plays.  By the time she was 10, there was little that could be differentiated for her in a regular reading class.  And when asked what she’d like to do instead, her immediate response was, “Learn Latin.” 

Those younger than 30 will find this hard to believe, but it wasn’t so long ago that there were no online classes!  And classical languages aren’t typically offered in small town Wisconsin.  Fortunately, we found a Latin correspondence course through Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development.  But after hungrily devouring the four-term program in record time, Angie wanted more.  She wanted and needed to commune with someone who shared her passion.  Finding a mentor seemed impossible and I would have given up but for her persistence. 

The answer came from a surprising source.  A small Catholic convent outside of town was home to several elderly nuns. And as luck would have it, one was a Latin scholar. 

So twice a week this little girl knocked on the convent door.  Then she and Sister Mary Agnes (75 years her senior), bent their heads close together to joyfully read and discuss Tacitus and Pliny the Younger and Pliny the Elder and both of the Senecas, too.

I’m reminded again of the Maureen Neihart quote I posted last February:

"The single most powerful predictor of positive outcomes for 
vulnerable children is a relationship with a caring adult."

Happy New Zealand Gifted Awareness Week!

 

NUMATS Conferences

A surprising discovery . . . over half of the middle school students we honored last Saturday do not know if their school districts use their extraordinarily high scores on the ACT and SAT to match them to appropriately challenging academics.  Is it a lack of communication or an indication that educators are not actually using the scores - the whole point of kids taking out of level exams?

And from a self-advocacy standpoint, how can students make informed decisions if we don't give them all the information?

Several years ago I described how my district used the data.  I've excerpted a bit of it here, but the whole article, Post-NUMATS Meetings Build Partnerships, is on the WATG website.  

The needs of our brightest students can be best addressed when families and schools work together.  Thus, when the ACT, SAT and Explore results arrive in spring, it is important for students, parents/guardians, and educators to meet for individual conferences. These meetings can be initiated by anyone: parents, teachers, counselors, gifted education coordinators, or the students themselves as they seek to self-advocate.

Families come to the conference with many questions, of course. What was gained by participating? What do all the scores mean? What does the school plan to do with the data?  What can we do?  What should our child do? What’s next?  Educators can help by listening to concerns, offering suggestions, and providing resources.

During the conference, students can reflect on the testing experience, statistical summaries can be clarified, and appropriate educational options can be discussed.  These conversations help all NUMATS participants, no matter how well they scored, to understand their strengths and take charge of their own education.  

More than a Test Score

Sorry for my absence!  I've spent the last month organizing a celebration honoring some of Wisconsin's brightest middle school students.  These amazing kids participated in Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search, taking the EXPLORE, ACT and SAT exams intended for students 4-6 years older than they are.  Believe it or not, these youngsters in grades 4-8 scored quite a bit higher than the average high school seniors. (For those of you who know the tests, some earned as high as 33 on the ACT and 1530 on the SAT.)

For our theme "More than a Test Score" I created a slideshow of photos the kids submitted showing them doing all the things they love.  Truly amazing.  I plan to post it on the WATG website.  Some of the parents asked me to post my welcoming comments as well, so here they are!

Welcome!  We’re here today to recognize you for accepting the challenge of attempting an out-of-level achievement test intended for students 4-6 years older than you are.  Not only did you accept that challenge, but you did well on the exams.  Really, really well!

However, we’re here today to celebrate more than your high test scores.  As we saw on the slideshow, you are wonderfully interesting people who also happen to have great intellectual and academic gifts.  You’re artists and dancers and musicians and athletes and actors. You work, you play, you volunteer.  You’re special in many, many ways.  AND you are KIDS – typical, busy kids who sometimes feel like Caleigh did (in her caption) “I’d rather be sleeping!”  So today we’re taking this opportunity to celebrate the “whole” of you . . . your brilliant minds, your compassionate hearts and your active lives.  Congratulations to each of you. 

Dr. Maureen Neihart once wrote: “The single most powerful predictor of positive outcomes for vulnerable children is a relationship with a caring adult.”  Parents, your presence here today is a sign of your ongoing love and concern for your children’s welfare and happiness.  Students, will you join me in thanking your parents for being here and for always being there?

And I’d also like to thank you students.  Thank you for being you - wonderfully bright, caring, funny kids.  Thank you for your courage, for pursuing challenges and taking educational risks.  Thank you for your diligence, for working hard and valuing quality work. Thank you for your humility, for understanding that while you are definitely better at some things than your peers, you’re never better than others.  And thank you for taking charge of your own education and for allowing us, your parents and teachers, to help you create your own personal path to graduation and beyond.  Remember as you pursue your many passions - take time to enjoy the journey.

In Memoriam

With gratitude to Annemarie Roeper for her life-long commitment to gifted children.

“There is a goldmine of hidden creativity in each one of these children, which can blossom into spiritual, emotional, creative and scientific growth. We need to build bridges between the inner world of the individual and the outer world of society, so that knowledge, thoughts and emotions can flow freely between them. To contribute to the accomplishment of this great goal continues to drive my life passionately.”

The Roeper School has posted her official obituary here.

Things I Would Have Said

I recently heard an interview with Jackie Hooper, author of The Things You Would Have Said.   She also manages a blog (http://wouldhavesaid.com/) where people post letters they never wrote: “Whether the person has passed away, contact was lost, or the strength needed at the time was lacking, this is a chance to say what you have always wanted them to know.”   The letters are sometimes sad, sometimes humorous, but always poignant.

Of course I can’t help but hear through my “gifted self-advocacy ears” and as I listened to the interview my mind drifted back to my own school days, my classmates, my classes, my teachers.  What could I have said or done that would have made school better for me? 

The first thing that came to mind . . .

Dear Mrs. Bryce.  About that round-robin reading of Romeo and Juliet we’re doing in English class . . . I love the play, but the slow, slow pace is driving me crazy.  Could I do an independent project instead?

And then I thought . . .

Dear Mr. White.  I really don’t get this sine/cosine/tangent stuff but I’m afraid to ask for help. I don’t want you or the other kids to think I’m as dumb as I feel right now.

Of course finding an appropriate academic challenge isn’t a new concern.  We all probably struggled with it at one time or another and so did our parents and their parents.  But in an age of budget cuts, staff reductions, and gifted program elimination we MUST empower our students with the skills to advocate for themselves.

So now it’s your turn. What do you wish you’d said to an educator?  Revealing our own academic frustrations may give our students ideas on how to improve their own lives.

Post your own “note to my teacher” in the comments below or on my WATG president's blog here.   

Trust me.  Getting it off your chest feels pretty good!