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At various points of my life, I sat on one side or the other of a parent/teacher conference table. As a young teacher with no children of my own, I believed that I was the expert on the child in question; at least, certainly, while the child was in my domain. Three children later, and decades of teaching taught me that parents, instead, are the true experts on their children. Together, however, we, parents and teachers, (as well as the child) hold all of the pieces of the puzzle!
So, how do parents effectively advocate for their children? What methods seem to work better than others? How can you, as a parent/caregiver, make the most of this fall’s conferences with your child’s teacher/s? Here are some suggestions that I often share with parents when they ask me these questions:
Finally, one of the most important things we can do for our children is to teach them to advocate for themselves and their learning. When parents allow children to solve problems, they are effectively saying, “You are capable; you can solve things, and I trust you to help figure out some things that will work for you! Good luck! Keep me posted!” In fact, over the years, when I have enlisted the help of children to solve problems, they have invariably solved them in more creative and satisfactory ways than I had imagined. Good luck in your journey during this school year! Use your conference time productively, and reap the benefits all year long. Jackie Drummer, Past President and Current Board Advisor WI Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG would like to extend its deep appreciation to Esther Vazquez Guendulain of Appleton Bilingual School for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can be found below.) ABOGANDO POR SU HIJO En varios puntos de mi vida, me senté en un lado o al otro lado en la mesa durante las conferencias de padres/maestros. Siendo una maestra joven sin hijos, creía que era una experta en el niño(a) en cuestión; al menos, ciertamente, mientras el niño(a) estaba bajo mi dominio. Después de tres hijos y décadas de maestra me enseñaron que, en lugar de esto, lo padres son los verdaderos expertos en sus hijos. ¡Sin embargo, juntos, nosotros, los padres y maestros (al mismo tiempo que el niño[a]), representamos todas las piezas del rompecabezas! Por lo que, ¿cómo pueden los padres abogar por sus hijos efectivamente? ¿qué métodos parecen funcionar mejor que otros? ¿cómo puede usted, como padre/encargado, aprovechar lo mas posible estas conferencias de otoño con el maestro(s) de su hijo(a)? Aquí le presentamos algunas sugerencias que yo comparto frecuentemente con los padres cuando me hace estas preguntas:
Finalmente, una de las cosas mas importantes que podemos hacer por nuestros hijos es enseñarlos a abogar por ellos mismos y por su aprendizaje. Cuando los padres permiten que los hijos resuelvan los problemas, ellos les están diciendo efectivamente: “tu eres capaz, tu puedes resolver las cosas y confiamos en que puedas ayudar a ver como están algunas cosa que funcionarán para ti! ¡Buena suerte! ¡Mantenme informado! “ De hecho, al paso de los años, cuando he anotado la ayuda de los niños para resolver problemas, ellos los han resuelto invariablemente en formas mas creativas y satisfactorias que las que yo haya imaginado. ¡Buena suerte en su trayecto durante este año escolar! Use su tiempo de conferencia productivamente y coseche los beneficios durante todo el año. Jackie Drummer, Presidente anterior y Consejero actual de la Junta de Gobierno WI Association for Talented and Gifted ((WATG extiende su agradecimiento a Esther Vazquez Guendulain de la Escuela Bilingüe de Appleton por la traducción de este articulo al español para nuestras familias y educadores hispano-hablantes. La traducción la puede encontrar también en los bloques de nuestra página web.)
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I recently had the opportunity to interview a parent of a child identified as 2e, twice exceptional. Twice exceptional is a term used to describe children who are gifted and talented and also possess another learning difference such as dyslexia, ADHD, or autism spectrum disorder. The content of this article has been approved by the parent for the WATG Newsletter. For the anonymity of the family upon their request, we will give the parent the pseudonym -- Toni. Below is my interview.
Initially when I contacted Toni, I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted the interview to go. I simply started a casual conversation, hoping to touch on the journey of the parent raising a child who is both gifted and autistic. In this excerpt, I end up taking a turn and highlighting a different area I was made aware of and would not have discovered if it weren’t for my conversation with Toni. Initially, when I started talking to Toni, I wanted to confirm that her child was officially diagnosed as a 2e child. I followed up asking what came first -- the autism diagnosis or the gifted identification. She said early on she knew her child was intellectually different from his peers so she got his IQ tested around the age of 5. As she expected, he tested gifted. Then I followed up asking about when the autism diagnosis took place. Below is her paraphrased interview (approved by Toni): “I knew early on that he was emotionally and socially different. I spoke to the pediatrician about it when my child was an infant. The pediatrician dismissed my concerns, along with other health concerns. I eventually switched doctors once I felt my concerns were not addressed. I knew as a parent my child was socially behind and there was more to this situation than me being an overly concerned parent, which the previous pediatrician had assumed. When I spoke to our new pediatrician about my concerns, she referred me and my child to therapy. A few sessions in, I spoke with the therapist about my concerns about autism and that I wanted to get a complete neuropsychological evaluation. The therapist said there was no need for a thorough neuropsychological evaluation. She told me my child did not have autism, but instead had ADHD, and thus a further neuropsychological evaluation was not needed. It felt like all doors were closed to me. Then the pandemic hit and when my child started kindergarten, I felt this was another opportunity to ask for further testing. I went back to the pediatrician for a neuropsychological evaluation referral, and she gave me one. The therapist saw the referral in our health system and said it was not needed and that she felt strongly about it. I initially listened, but my gut told me I should get a thorough evaluation and so I did. During the deeper neuropsychological evaluation, a diagnosis was finally made. I felt I finally reached someone who understood and had experience with 2e children. My child was officially diagnosed for autism along with his giftedness and thus became a 2e child. It was, of course, bittersweet. Autism has challenges, but I was happy that I was finally heard.” I initially contacted Toni to talk about social challenges and other challenges she faces as a parent of a 2e child; however, I was shocked to learn that not all healthcare professionals have expertise in 2e children and are able to identify them. I asked if she felt her child’s giftedness almost confused the pediatricians and therapists; perhaps they were not exposed to enough 2e children. She does believe it did cause resistance and thus delay in diagnosis. She feels she lost early years of therapy because early intervention is key. I’m sure her story is not uncommon; hopefully her story helps shed light and encourages further training and knowledge in diagnosing children who are gifted. Note: The Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted is currently in talks with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin about 2e children, and about the social and emotional needs of gifted children. Our hope is that we can get more professional development on these topics to our medical professionals. Cathy Schmit-WATG Board Advisor/Past President
Even the best among us need reminder talks of courage, endurance, commitment, resiliency, kind leadership and dedicated teamwork! Some of the best sports speeches about these topics could apply to ordinary situations for parents and school staff: the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, the importance of teamwork, and the discipline required to reach lofty goals. In light of that, I am taking this opportunity to have a “half-time locker room talk” with each of you. Why? Because we could all use a little (or BIG!) pep talk right now. As I write this article, I am surrounded by a wonderful, vivacious group of 40 gifted middle school kids, from different backgrounds and family groups. While watching them play today, it hit me-- these kids are happy right now. Truly happy at this moment without access to technology or the pressures of homework. Concerns of the pandemic seem to have melted away for perhaps the first time for some. Forgotten for the time being (or not), these children have all experienced something over the last 2 ½ years of the pandemic that will inevitably affect the rest of their lives. If we do the math, an average 12-year-old has now given roughly 1/3 of their lives to the ways of this pandemic. This math does not include the first 4 years of life that are hardly remembered. Rather, it counts the 7 formative years following this point. To phrase this differently, one third of their young lives have been disrupted and unsettled by Covid. One third of their school years have been dismantled, play groups canceled, activities and social gatherings discontinued. Chaos is slowly inching toward a new “normal” for these children that engulfs the most memorable part of their young lives. As an adult, can you even begin to imagine a third of your lifetime being interrupted by something so unerringly profound as a pandemic? For some of us, this statistic would represent decades of discomfort made better only by the fact that we have memories built up of “different times” that kindle a dream for things to become “normal” again. As I sit here I am struck by the realization that many of these children have less than five years of memories of ‘normalcy.’ To them, this has become normal. When was the last time they were able to breathe, simply breathe without the challenges typically associated with being gifted-- when was the last time they were able to simply breathe without the pressure of a world that currently fears breathing? In my lifetime, I have seen “hands-off” parenting, “helicopter parents”, “lawn mower parents” and many other styles of parenting. But what will future generations call our parenting style through Covid? Will we be remembered for helping our children build the space and time in their lives to breathe, or will we be remembered for barely being able to keep it together ourselves despite decades of practice in resiliency? Parents and caregivers, we have to step up and be parents and caregivers. I know! We are tired, but there are jobs that need to be done… must be done for the sake of the youngest generation! There are jobs that only parents and caregivers can do and one of them is simply just showing up, we can grow from there! I can honestly say, our kids have probably never needed us more. Teachers and other school personnel. You have to step up! We are tired! But there are jobs that need to be done. Our kids are hurting and scared, buckling under the weight of everything being thrown at them. We are the adults--they need our care and concern. I know it is hard. We are battling through each day mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. In these last few moments of summer, in this “half-time” before school begins, I challenge you to see how you can make space and time for these children to just be children. How do you need to show up for yourselves so that we can show up (even better) for them? I implore you to take time to sit with yourselves and find ways to parent and teach with energy again, help these children remember what it is like to have people show up for them simply for the joy of showing up. I know the pandemic is hard but in order to continue to move forward, we must do so as a team and to do that it takes teamwork, perseverance, resiliency, humility, and heart. Take a deep breath… This is YOUR time! Go get’m team! Parenting doesn’t come with a handbook. Luckily I have a really great support system with family and friends who’ve made the parenting journey easier. However, as a parent of a gifted child, I find myself hesitant to share successes and struggles I have when it comes to anything related to my child being gifted. Even with my closest family and friends there is a perception of what it means to be gifted, and I often find it to be isolating. More recently I’ve started sharing more with my loved ones, and have been seeking opportunities to connect with people outside my inner circle who are in similar parenting situations. The Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG) is one way I’ve gotten connected with other parents and found resources to make sense of my unique parenting journey.
Chances are if you have a gifted child, you or someone close to you is also gifted (identified or unidentified). This consciously or unconsciously impacts the choices you make as a parent. Research and educational supports are very different now than when we parents were in school. Navigating the current world we live in and how to best support our child(ren) can be challenging, overwhelming and frustrating. It can also be exhilarating, rewarding and gratifying. It can be all of these things in one day! For this reason, it is important to surround yourself with people who can relate with you and offer encouragement. Also, this is a reason to keep up to date with the most current information related to supporting gifted and talented children academically, socially and emotionally. Becoming a parent member of WATG has been invaluable for me because of the friendships, veteran parents, and experts who’ve offered me guidance and support. If you're ready to expand your parenting tribe, connect with WATG experts, and/or find more resources on parenting your gifted child, come join us at the first ever WATG Parent Conference on Sunday, October 2, 2022 at the Wilderness Resort in the Dells. We’re looking forward to meeting you! Registration information can be found here. Dr. Jenna Cramer WATG Board Member  I’m Marshall Vielmetti, a graduating senior at Nicolet High School. My family moved to Fox Point when I first entered 1st grade, and other than 2 years spent abroad, I spent the entirety of my K-8 education in Stormonth School’s, and subsequently Bayside’s, Gifted & Talented Program. I’m planning to go to the University of Michigan this fall to study Robotics & Computer Science.
After entering high school, I was left looking for a similar community, and I found that in Nicolet FEAR, our FIRST robotics team, and through the science fair. I’d always been interested in STEM fields and enjoyed math and science, so both of these felt like natural next steps. Like many others, I joined FEAR my freshman year with no prior experience. At first, it was somewhat overwhelming; there were so many different things to do, so many people, and a lot to learn, but I quickly felt at home within the programming subteam. I spent my freshman and sophomore years primarily working on programming, where I was able to learn a lot of Java, and build a foundation for my skills. What’s been great about FEAR, however, are the limitless opportunities for growth. As much as I enjoyed programming, I felt somewhat limited in my role on the team, and wanted to branch out in order to make more of an impact. So during the latter half of my sophomore year, I decided to branch out into manufacturing, where I was able to learn how to operate a CNC router, and use Solidworks, an industry standard Computer Aided Design tool. And on top of that, I grew into my own as a leader, spearheading multiple design groups. Now, as a senior, I was responsible for leading the design and manufacture of our robot’s entire game mechanism. Less important than the specific skills, however, was the environment that encouraged me to learn them. With FEAR, there was really no limit to the breadth or depth of skills to learn, and the environment heavily encourages pursuing them. This experience was very similar to what I felt participating in science fairs. I’ve built three programming-centric projects in the last three years (partially motivated by my experience programming in FEAR), which has given me an excuse to dive both into programming, and 3 other interesting topics. For people who love to dig deeply into a topic that they find fascinating, science fair is a great environment, and one of the best parts of every year is competing. I’ve been at the International Science and Engineering Fair for the past two years, once virtually, and was able to meet other students with similar passions and interests. Learning about the amazing projects they’re working on has been incredibly rewarding and motivating Taken together, they’re a lot of work - FEAR’s competition season and science fair presentations have a way of colliding with one another. But regardless, both have provided me with an amazing opportunity for growth, and have been two amazingly supportive communities throughout high school. Competing internationally in both was also really a great experience; having the opportunity to meet and interact with so many people with similar interests was great! Marshall Vielmetti Graduating Senior, Nicolet High School There are many sayings about grandparenting that ring true, and grandparents of gifted children often appreciate and comment on them. Some examples include, “If I knew grandchildren would be so much fun, I would have had them first.” And “If children are the rainbow of life, grandchildren are the pot of gold.”
Indeed, grandparenting gifted children can bring a certain richness to the lives of grandparents and grandchildren. To begin with, many studies have confirmed the inheritability of gifted characteristics. In many families, children, parents, and grandparents exhibit characteristics of gifted individuals, and see them in each other. Grandparents may be very curious, have high energy levels, or exhibit sensitivities or intensities, just as their children and grandchildren do. They may have specialized interests or passions. They have lived with their own giftedness over decades, and they are experts at managing its joys and challenges. They may have been bullied or lonely. They may have found special friends who “get them.” They may have followed their dreams and passions for decades. They’ve spent years honing their observations and wisdom, and they are usually willing and able to share. They take the long view of things. One grandparent expressed it like this, “I was that kid, just like my grandkid is now. I was the loner, the kid who had weird interests that none of my friends had. I didn’t join the social crowd. It took me years and years to find my few friends, ones who really get me. The apple didn’t fall far from this family tree with my grandson. But I know he’ll be okay. I’ve lived it, and we talk about it often.” Additionally, grandparents bring other great gifts to the relationship. First, they are free to enjoy their grandchildren, for the most part, without being the enforcers of rules and discipline. They can love unconditionally. They also may have more time and disposable income than parents do, and delight in sharing both with their grandchildren. Many grandparents report taking their grandchildren to ball games, concerts, theater productions, museums, festivals, car shows, and other events, and report that these “treats” are so special for both of them. Many grandparents serve as family mentors for their grandchildren. They uphold family beliefs, values, and traditions, and are able to convey these non-judgmentally to their grandchildren. One grandfather explained it like this, “My granddaughter is at that age where she is breaking away from her parents. She’s still looking for guidance and support, but she certainly won’t take it from her mom. Sometimes I remind her of our family values and how we do things in our family. Sometimes I’m not even very covert about it, but somehow, I always get a pretty good response. Actually, I think she’s just perfect! And I tell her that all of the time!” When comments like these are shared, so many elders smile. So many lucky grandparents have very, very special relationships with their grandchildren, and so many lucky grandchildren blossom in the shared devotion. Dr. James Webb, author of Grandparents’ Guide to Gifted Children, and SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of Gifted), explained it so beautifully with these words, “Gifted children, with their intensity, may need the safe haven of grandparents more than other children. High achievement, for example, is not necessarily valued by age-peers of gifted teens, and there is much pressure to camouflage and hide one’s abilities. Grandparents can play a major role in helping gifted children appreciate the long view–how peers change, how important education is, and that one can largely determine one’s role in the world.” In today’s world, many grandparents are extremely integral parts of their grandchildren’s lives, and they may even assume parenting roles. Children live with grandparents for a wide variety of reasons – parents are in the armed forces, are incarcerated, travel, or are seriously ill, for instance. In these cases, the role of the grandparent may look more like the role of a parent, but in most cases, there are special bonds between the generations. In other families, grandparents can choose their level of involvement. Some grandparents ascribe to the “been there, done that” school of thought. They believe that they have raised their children and now deserve a break. Others become involved with grandchildren when invited, and are willing to help, but they may not be an integral part of the lives of their grandchildren. Another group relishes in active grandparenting, and they spend much time with their grandchildren. They believe that it does “take a whole village to raise a child,” and they cherish being involved. Yet another group may be physically distanced from their grandchildren, and they rely on infrequent get-togethers and virtual communication to keep in touch. And sadly, a final group may be cut off from their grandchildren for a wide variety of reasons, depriving both the grandparents and the grandchildren the special joys of this ineffable bond. Grandparents offer many wise suggestions about being successful in this role. They share these ideas:
Many grandparents hold a very special place in the hearts of their grandchildren. One young adult described it like this, “My grandpa was always there for me. He was serious and studious. In that way we were alike. When I was growing up, we had so many discussions about life. I could talk to him about anything, and I did. Then a funny thing happened. As he grew older and older, and became frail, he often asked my opinion on things. We talked about the meaning of life. We talked about God and death. We talked about really deep stuff. I really felt honored that he chose me for these conversations. I don’t really know why, but when he died, I decided that we were put on earth for each other. I still really miss him and our special talks.” So much research on the golden years of life centers on gifted adults finally growing into their gifts and finding a way to give back to the world. Grandparenting has to be one of the most perfect ways of doing this. When elders give back, everyone benefits. The grandparents are blessed, and the grandchildren are equally blessed. The circle of life is complete. Jackie Drummer, Past WATG President and Board Advisor Grandmother of Six :) (WATG would like to extend its deep appreciation to Esther Vazquez Guendulain of Appleton Bilingual School for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can be found below.) Crianza de abuelos y niños con talentos excepcionales Hay muchos dichos sobre el ser abuelos que suenan verdaderos, y los abuelos de niños con talentos excepcionales a menudo agradecen y comentan sobre estos. Algunos ejemplos incluyen, “si hubiera sabido que los nietos son tan divertidos, los hubiera tenido primero”. Y “si los hijos son el arcoíris de la vida, los nietos son un tesoro”. De hecho, la crianza de abuelos a niños con talentos excepcionales puede traer cierta riqueza a la vida de los abuelos y de los nietos. Para empezar, muchos estudios han confirmado que las características de talentos excepcionales se heredan. En muchas familias, hijos, padres y abuelos muestran características de individuos con talentos excepcionales y se ven en cada uno de ellos. Los abuelos pueden ser muy curiosos, tener altos niveles de energía o mostrar sensibilidad o intensidades, tal como sus hijos y nietos lo hacen. Puede que tengan intereses o pasiones especializadas. Ellos han vivido con sus excepcionalidades por décadas y son expertos en el manejo de sus gozos y desafíos. Puede que ellos hayan sufrido acoso escolar o hayan sido solitarios. Puede que ellos hayan encontrado amigos especiales que los “aceptaran”. Puede que hayan seguido sus sueños y pasiones por décadas. Ellos han pasado años perfeccionando sus observaciones y sabiduría y usualmente están dispuestos y pueden compartir. Ellos toman la visión amplia de las cosas. Un abuelo lo expresó así, “yo era ese niño, tal como mi nieto es ahora. Yo era el solitario, el niño que tenía intereses extraños que ninguno de mis amigos tenían. Yo no me uní a la multitud social. Me tomó años y años encontrar mis pocos amigos, los que realmente me aceptaran. La manzana no cayó muy lejos del árbol familiar con mi nieto. Pero sé que el estará bien. Yo lo viví y hablamos a menudo sobre eso”. Adicionalmente, los abuelos traen otros grandes regalos a la relación. Primero, son libres de disfrutar a los nietos, para la mayoría, sin tener que ser los que ponen las reglas y disciplina. Ellos pueden amar incondicionalmente. Puede que también tengan más tiempo e ingresos disponibles que lo que los padres tienen, y se complacen en compartir ambos con sus nietos. Muchos abuelos reportan que llevan a sus nietos a juegos de pelota, conciertos, producciones de teatro, museos, festivales, exposiciones de carros y otros eventos; y reportan que estos paseos son muy especiales para ambos. Muchos abuelos sirven como mentores de la familia para sus nietos. Ellos defienden las creencias, valores y tradiciones familiares y son capaces de transmitirlos sin juicios a sus nietos. Un abuelo lo explicó así: “Mi nieta está en la edad en la que está apartándose de sus padres. Ella aun busca guía y apoyo, pero ella de seguro no lo tomará de su mamá. Algunas veces yo le recuerdo nuestros valores familiares y como hacemos las cosas en nuestra familia. Algunas veces ni siquiera cubro mucho sobre esto, pero de alguna manera, siempre obtengo una muy buena respuesta. En realidad, ¡pienso que es perfecta! ¡Y se lo digo todo el tiempo!”. Cuando comentarios como estos se comparten, muchos adultos mayores sonríen. Muchos abuelos afortunados tienen muy, muy buenas relaciones especiales con sus nietos y muchos afortunados nietos florecen en la devoción compartida. Dr. James Webb, autor de Grandparents’ Guide to Gifted Children, y SENG (Apoyando las necesidades emocionales de los talentosos), lo explico bellamente con estas palabras, “Niños con talentos excepcionales, con su intensidad, podrían necesitar el paraíso de los abuelos mas que otros niños. El alto desempeño, por ejemplo, no es necesariamente valorado por compañeros de la misma edad que adolescentes con talentos excepcionales y, es hay mucha presión para camuflajear y esconder las habilidades de uno. Los abuelos pueden jugar un papel importante ayudando a los niños con talentos excepcionales a apreciar la visión amplia – como los compañeros cambian, que tan importante es la educación y que uno puede ampliamente determinar el papel de uno en el mundo”. En el mundo de ahora, muchos abuelos son extremadamente parte integral de las vidas de sus nietos, y puede incluso que ellos asuman el papel de padres. Los niños viven con los abuelos por una variedad de razones – los padres están en las fuerzas armadas, están en la cárcel, viajan o están gravemente enfermos, por ejemplo. En estos casos, el papel del abuelo puede parecer más como el papel del padre, pero en la mayoría de los casos, hay lazos especiales entre las generaciones. En otras familias, los abuelos pueden escoger el nivel de envolvimiento. Algunos abuelos se adhieren a la escuela de pensamiento “he estado ahí, hice eso”. Ellos piensan que ya educaron a sus hijos y ahora merecen un descanso. Otros, se involucran con los nietos cuando los invitan, y están dispuestos a ayudar, pero puede que no sean una parte integral de las vidas de sus nietos. Otro grupo disfruta la crianza activa y están mucho tiempo con sus nietos. Ellos piensan “que se necesita toda una villa para criar a un niño” y ellos aprecian estar involucrados. Sin embargo, otro grupo podría estar físicamente distanciado de sus nietos, y ellos dependen de reuniones no muy frecuentes y comunicación virtual para mantenerse en contacto. Y tristemente, el último grupo el cual podría no tener relación con los nietos por una variedad de razones, privando a ambos, los abuelos y nietos, del gozo especial de este lazo inefable. Los abuelos ofrecen sabias sugerencias sobre como tener éxito en este papel. Ellos comparten estas ideas:
Muchos abuelos tienen un lugar especial en los corazones de sus nietos. Un joven adulto lo describió así: “Mi abuelo estuvo siempre ahí para mí. El era serio y estudioso. En eso nos parecíamos. Cuando estaba creciendo, tuvimos muchas pláticas sobre la vida. Yo podía hablar con el de todo y los hice. Entonces algo chistoso paso. Conforme fue haciéndose más viejo y se hizo más frágil, el continuamente me pedía mi opinión sobre ciertas cosas. Hablamos sobre el significado de la vida. Hablamos sobre Dios y la muerte. Hablamos de cosas profundas. Me sentí realmente honrado de que me escogió a mí para estas conversaciones. No sé realmente porque, pero cuando murió, yo decidí que nos pusieron en esta tierra para cada uno. Aun extraño mucho a él y a nuestras platicas especiales” Mucha investigación sobre los años dorados de la vida, se centra en adultos con talentos excepcionales haciendo crecer finalmente sus talentos y encontrando la manera de dar de regreso al mundo. La crianza de los abuelos debe ser una de las maneras perfectas de hacer esto. Cuando un anciano da de regreso, todos se benefician. Los abuelos son bendecidos y los nietos son igualmente bendecidos. El circulo de la vida está completo. Jackie Drummer, Presidente anterior del WATG y Consejero de la Junta de Gobierno Grandmother of Six :) (WATG extiende su agradecimiento a Esther Vazquez Guendulain de la Escuela Bilingüe de Appleton por la traducción de este articulo al español para nuestras familias y educadores hispano-hablantes. La traducción la puede encontrar también en los bloques de nuestra página web.) I coach a lot of youth sports teams, and the one thing we keep asking is how to challenge highly skilled athletes. We move kids from one division to another, put kids in a higher age group, or balance teams out, all in the name of a challenge.
So often when we do those things, “Johnny’s” parents think that he’s going to be the next Michael Jordan, and “Jenny’s” parents have aspirations of her becoming the next Abby Wambach. Those dreams are fine, but the reason we use challenging strategies is to teach lessons. Now let’s transition to the classroom. If a student is breezing through fourth grade math at breakneck speed, knocking every assignment out of the park and acing every test, what does that student have left to prove? Do we let him/her sit and wait for a challenge? From my time spent as a teacher, I’ve learned that the worst thing for a kid is boredom. Boredom leads to inattentiveness and behavior issues that oftentimes spill over and affect other students. This, in turn, makes the teacher’s job that much more difficult. I believe that the antidote is offering challenges, and they can come in many forms. It doesn’t just mean moving students up a grade level in certain subjects. It means both recognizing where students’ strengths lie and feeding into those strengths, and offering challenges to foster growth. Think of it this way: If Michael Jordan only worked on free throws, he would not be a complete basketball player, and definitely not the best all-time basketball player. Similarly, a student that is gifted at math cannot solely focus on multiplication, division, or fractions, things that come easily to him or her. Instead, educators must recognize what the gifted student needs – and then provide him or her with mini-challenges which narrow the focus on that particular skill or skills. For example, if a student has a hard time with proofs, challenge the student with timed “test-like” questions which force the student to learn through mistakes. (You’ll actually get a “two-for” – teaching a skill, and strengthening a disposition for persistence.) Similarly, when I roll out a new drill for my youth teams, I give them a heads up at the beginning. I suggest that they will not be able to do this very well or at all right now, at least not yet. There is a lot of power in the words not yet; not yet builds both hope and persistence. Then, after a few weeks, we not only complete the drill, but do it very well and look like a well-oiled machine in the process — oftentimes surprising the opponent we are about to play. So the goal isn’t just to challenge students; it’s also about massaging failure. Kids have to learn to understand what failure is and know that it’s a vehicle that is used to learn and grow. When not yet becomes finally!, kids reap the benefits of hope and persistence. Challenges have been accepted in the sports world for a long time. It’s about time that challenges are widely accepted in the classroom as well. Cory Jennerjohn WATG Board Member (WATG would like to extend its deep appreciation to Esther Vazquez Guendulain of Appleton Bilingual School for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can be found below.) Entrenar, Aprender y Desafíos Yo entreno a muchos equipos juveniles de deportes y la cosa que seguimos preguntando es, como desafiar a los atletas altamente talentosos. Cambiamos a niños de una división a otra, ponemos a los niños en un grupo de más edad o balanceamos los equipos, todo en nombre de que haya un desafío. Seguidamente cuando hacemos esas cosas, los padres de “Johny” piensas que él será el próximo Michael Jordan, y los padres de “Jenny” tienen aspiraciones de que ella sea la próxima Abby Wambach. Está bien tener esos sueños, pero la razón por la que utilizamos estrategias de desafío, es enseñar lecciones. Ahora, permita que nos traslademos al salón de clases. Si un estudiante está avanzando en matemáticas de cuarto grado a una máxima velocidad, terminando rápidamente cada tarea y con excelencia en cada prueba, ¿que más tiene este estudiante que probar? ¿Dejamos que se quede sentado esperando por un desafío? Del tiempo que he estado como maestro, he aprendido que lo peor para un niño es el aburrimiento. El aburrimiento conlleva a la falta de atención y problemas de conducta, que muchas veces salpican y afectan a otros estudiantes. Esto a su vez, hace que el trabajo del maestro sea mucho más difícil. Yo creo que el antídoto es ofrecer desafíos, y estos pueden ser de muchas maneras. No significa nada más cambiar a un estudiante a un grado más arriba en ciertas materias. Significa ambos, el reconocer donde están los puntos fuertes del estudiante como el cómo alimentar esas fortalezas, y ofrecer desafíos que fomenten el crecimiento. Piense de esta manera: Si Michael Jordan hubiera trabajado únicamente en tiros libres, he no hubiera sido un jugador de baloncesto completo, y definitivamente, no el mejor jugador de baloncesto de todos los tiempos. Similarmente un estudiante con talentos excepcionales en matemáticas no puede enfocarse solamente en multiplicación, división o fracciones; las cosas que le parecen muy fácil a él o ella. En lugar de esto, los educadores deben reconocer las necesidades del estudiante con talentos excepcionales – y entonces proporcionarle mini-desafios que oriente el enfoque en esa habilidad o habilidades en particular. Por ejemplo, si un estudiante tiene dificultades con prueba, desafie al estudiante con “preguntas como si fueran de prueba” con conometro, lo que forzara al estudiante a aprender de los errores. (Usted actualmente obtendrá “al dos por” uno en la habilidad de enseñanza y de fortalecer la disposición por la persistencia) Similarmente, cuando hago un nuevo ejercicio con mis equipos juveniles, les aviso al principio, les sugiero que no podrán hacerlo muy bien o no lo podrán hacer por ahora, al menos aún no. Hay mucho poder en las palabras aun no; aun no construye ambas, esperanza y persistencia. Entonces, después de pocas semanas, no únicamente hacemos la práctica, sino que lo hacemos muy bien y se ve como una buena maquina aceitada en proceso – muchas veces sorprendiendo al oponente que estamos por enfrentar. Por lo que, el objetivo no es solamente desafiar a los estudiantes, es también masajear el fracaso. Los niños necesitan aprender a entender lo que es el fracaso y saber que es el vehículo utilizado para aprender y crecer. ¡Cuando el aun no se convierte en finalmente!, los niños cosechan los beneficios de la esperanza y la persistencia. Los desafíos han sido aceptados en el mundo de los deportes por mucho tiempo. Es tiempo de que los desafíos sean ampliamente aceptados en los alones de clase también. Cory Jennerjohn Miembro de la Junta Administrativa de WATG (WATG extiende su agradecimiento a Esther Vazquez Guendulain de la Escuela Bilingüe de Appleton por la traducción de este articulo al español para nuestras familias y educadores hispano-hablantes. La traducción la puede encontrar también en los bloques de nuestra página web.) As a gifted and talented teacher, I am able to work with students who vary in many ways. Some are highly intelligent in all subject areas, some really excel in specific areas, such as math or reading,while others are gifted in areas such as creativity, art, or leadership. I am often in awe of the wide range of gifts and talents that these students possess. However, some of them struggle when they find something that is difficult for them, or they think they are simply not good at a certain task. They often struggle to cope with the idea of not being perfect at something.
It is not uncommon for students to come into my office and ask to talk because they are so disappointed in a test score, particularly in an area that is difficult for them. I will sit down with them, talk it over, and often try to give them some advice to put them in a better headspace. This weekend I was talking with a friend who happens to be a psychologist and a parent of two gifted students, and she gave me some wonderful advice to give my students. She said, “Everyone is different and good at different things.” Sometimes students who are classified as gifted and talented feel that they need to be perfect in everything they do and every subject they take in school. They need help and support from their educators, family, and friends to help them realize that being average, or even failing in a specific area, is okay. I will repeat that, being average, or even failing in a specific area, is okay! If you are a support person for gifted learners, know that they need someone who will acknowledge their feelings. After you have acknowledged what they are feeling, you can do a few different things for them and with them. Here are some ideas:
Gifted learners are often natural born perfectionists who need to have their feelings acknowledged. Once they trust that you understand, they will often let you in to help them tackle their struggles. Good luck on your journey with them! Trisha Dahl WATG Board Member We at WATG, like many of you, often receive testimonials from parents, students, and educators about how gifted and talented programming has enriched lives, provided challenges, and opened doors to further learning. We’d like to share this letter from a parent of a gifted young lady. If you have a story to share with us, please contact us at watg@watg.org, and put the words Gifted Education Works! Into the subject line. We are blessed to have the opportunity to raise a gifted daughter, Elena. She has been a voracious reader since she could talk, and she quickly developed an advanced vocabulary. We were excited for her to start school, and she took to it instantly. The biggest hurdle she faced with her education was to be consistently challenged, as she quickly mastered her lessons. She had wonderful teachers who were gracious in providing her extra work to help push her development and keep her engaged. But they could only offer limited resources without a formal program in place. Being chosen to join the Gifted and Talented program at Glen Hills Middle School has been a tremendous benefit to her growth as a scholar. Her time in the program has been a huge boost to Elena's confidence. She was initially shy about participating in class, too timid to answer questions even though she typically knew the answers. She was shy about showing her skill set in the classroom, preferring to stay quietly anonymous. The Gifted and Talented program pushed her to participate in discussions. As her comfort and confidence grew, she began to develop leadership skills that manifested beyond simple class participation. She now sees herself as a mentor to other students and takes pride in lifting the performance of others. She is cognizant of her potential and confident in her abilities because of the accelerated learning opportunities that she received. Through Gifted and Talented she developed new interest in extracurricular activities. Her love of reading and writing have grown exponentially thanks to having opportunities beyond the classroom. She has been exposed to classic and modern literature through the Battle of the Books and online programs for gifted writers, and now has future dreams to be a writer. Her skills as a writer have grown through her extracurriculars, as she receives feedback and coaching that are not possible to provide in her standard classes. This past month she became a chess champion, winning a regional tournament. She learned the game less than two years ago. But she was driven to succeed and put in the work necessary to develop her skills. Now her goal is to coach others who are new to the game. I have no doubt that her work ethic grew considerably due to the lessons she learned in the Gifted and Talented program. Where Elena was once bored at school, now she carefully organizes her time to meet her extracurricular activities. As parents we are incredibly grateful that Elena has been exposed to these accelerated learning programs. She is developing habits and a drive for success that will stay with her throughout her life as a scholar, which would not be possible without the Gifted and Talented program. We are incredibly grateful that her school district offers this opportunity to be regularly challenged and introduced to new learning experiences.  Sincerely,
Craig Johansen Father of Elena Johansen (WATG would like to extend its deep appreciation to Esther Vazquez Guendulain of Appleton Bilingual School for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can be found on our website blog.) ¡La Educación para niños con Talentos Excepcionales Funciona! Nosotros en WATG, como muchos de ustedes, recibimos frecuentemente testimonios de padres, estudiantes y educadores sobre cómo los programas para niños con talentos excepcionales han enriquecido vidas; proporcionando retos y abriendo puertas a un amplio aprendizaje. Nos gustaría compartir esta cara, la del padre de una jovencita con talentos excepcionales. Si Usted tiene una historia que compartir con nosotros, por favor contáctenos en watg@watg.org, y utilice las palabras Gifted Education Works! en el espacio del tema del mensaje. La experiencia de criar a un niño con talentos excepcionales – La perspectiva de un padre Tenemos la bendición de tener la oportunidad de criar a una hija con talentos excepcionales, Elena. Ella ha sido una voraz lectora desde que pudo hablar y rápidamente desarrolló un vocabulario avanzado. Estábamos muy emocionados de que iniciara la escuela y ella lo tomó al instante. El mayor obstáculo al que se enfrentó en su educación, era que la desafiaban constantemente ya que dominaba sus lecciones rápidamente. Tuvo maravillosos maestros, los cuales tuvieron la atención de proporcionar trabajo extra para ayudar a empujar su desarrollo y mantenerla interesada. Pero al no haber un programa formalmente establecido, ellos únicamente podían ofrecer material imitado. El ser escogida para el programa de Talentos Excepcionales en Glen Hills Middle School, ha sido un tremendo beneficio en su crecimiento escolar. El tiempo que ha estado en el programa ha sido un gran aliciente en la confianza de Elena. Inicialmente era tímida al participar en clase, demasiado tímida para contestar preguntas, aun cuando típicamente se sabía las respuestas. Era tímida al mostrar sus habilidades en el salón de clase, prefiriendo estar en el anonimato callada. El programa para Talentos Excepcionales la impulsó a participar en discusiones. Conforme su confianza y comodidad aumentaron, ella empezó a desarrollar habilidades de liderazgo que se manifestaron más allá de la simple participación en clase. Ella se ve ahora como un mentor para otros estudiantes y le da orgullo ser parte del crecimiento de los otros. Está consciente de su potencial y confía en sus habilidades debido a las oportunidades de aprendizaje que ha recibido. A través del programa para Talentos Excepcionales, ella desarrolló un nuevo interés en actividades extra curriculares. Su amor a la lectura y escritura han crecido exponencialmente gracias a que tiene oportunidades más allá de las que existen en el salón de clase. Ha sido expuesta a literatura clásica y moderna a través de la Guerra de los libros y programas en-línea para escritores con habilidades excepcionales, y ahora tiene el sueño de ser escritora en el futuro. Sus habilidades como escritora han aumentado a través de los extra-curriculares, mientras recibe retroalimentación y entrenamiento, lo cual no es posible que lo reciba en sus clases regulares. Este pasado mes, fue campeona de ajedrez, ganando un torneo regional. Aprendió el juego hace menos de dos años. Pero estaba muy motivada a tener éxito y a hacer el trabajo necesario para desarrollar sus habilidades. Su meta ahora es enseñar a otros que sean nuevos en el juego. No tengo duda de que su ética de trabajo ha aumentado considerablemente debido a las lecciones que ha aprendido en el programa para Talentos Excepcionales. Lo que a veces se aburría Elena en la escuela, ahora organiza cuidadosamente su tiempo para lograr hacer sus actividades extracurriculares. Como padres, estamos increíblemente agradecidos de que Elena ha sido expuesta a estos programas de aceleramiento en el aprendizaje. Ha desarrollado hábitos y una motivación por el éxito que permanecerá en ella a través de su vida escolar, lo cual no hubiera sido posible sin el programa para Talentos Excepcionales. Estamos increíblemente agradecidos de que su distrito escolar ofrece esta oportunidad de que sea desafiada regularmente y que la introduzcan a nuevas experiencias de aprendizaje. Sinceramente, Craig Johansen Padre de Elena Johansen (WATG desea extender su profundo agradecimiento a Esther Vazquez Guendulain de Appleton Bilingual School por traducir este artículo al español para nuestras familias y educadores hispanohablantes . La traducción puede encontrarse también en el blog de nuestra página web.) In a recent workshop with school counselors at the Wisconsin School Counselor Association Conference in Wisconsin Dells, we shared ideas about how to help gifted students understand themselves, their emotions, and other people’s reactions to them. So often there are many ways to approach guidance and counseling, (and parenting), and one of the ways that can work well with gifted students is to use bibliotherapy and/or videotherapy. Bibliotherapy, as the name suggests, uses books to help students solve problems. Videotherapy, on the other hand, uses films, videos, or plays to achieve the same goals. Students can examine characters in books, respond to situations, consider appropriate/inappropriate emotional responses, bond emotionally with characters, and see problem-solving in action.
Some benefits of both bibliotherapy and videotherapy include providing information and insight, stimulating discussion, examining values and attitudes, creating an awareness that others share similar problems (“you are not alone…”), and providing realistic solutions to problems. One book that is extremely helpful for bibliotherapy purposes is Judith Wynn Halsted’s Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers from Preschool to High School In this book, technically an anthology, Halsted groups books by both topic and age group. Topics include many of the things that gifted kids name as concerns…stress, friendship, perfectionism, feeling alone or different, etc. Halsted gives a brief description of the book and ties it to the theme. This anthology is highly recommended for school counselors, psychologists, and parents/caregivers of gifted children. It will soon become a favorite go-to resource. Videotherapy is also another tool that can be used to help gifted students examine life through the eyes of others. Over the years, I have kept a list of some films that could be used with gifted students, watched together at home with families, or viewed by adults alone to help understand their child’s giftedness. Though this list is certainly not complete, there are many titles that educators and families have suggested. These are not leveled by age, so it is recommended that adults view the movie first to determine what is appropriate for their intended audience. Here are their suggestions, organized loosely by topic: Behavioral Problems: The Breakfast Club Stand and Deliver Lean on Me The Principal Disabilities: Children of a Lesser God The Man Without a Face Dance With Me Mask Bridge to Silence Forrest Gump Ice Castles My Left Foot Annie’s Coming Out The Elephant Man African Americans: Conrack Roots Amistad Social and Emotional Issues: Dead Poets’ Society Little Man Tate The Outsiders Parenthood Real Genius Stand by Me This Boy’s Life Rookie of the Year With Honors Star Trek With Honors Babylon 5 Voyageur Star Wars The Night Train to Katmandu Good Will Hunting Toy Story Gifted Females: Desert Bloom Say Anything An Angel at My Table My Brilliant Career Matilda The Secret of Roan Inish The Night Train to Katmandu Contact Ever After Mulan Performing Arts: Fame Madame Sousatzka Process of Talent Development: Searching for Bobby Fischer Shine Contact October Sky Sometimes when topics are difficult to discuss, the safety of a book or film provides the on-ramp to meaningful discussion. I hope this list provides some inspiration for you and your gifted learners. If you have other suggestions for the video list, please share! Jackie Drummer, Past President and Board Advisor WI Association for Talented and Gifted |
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