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January 2023… summer camp sign-ups begin every year! How in the world are parents supposed to know what their June, July, and August will bring when we hardly know what our children will like next week? And yet, the competitive, variable, confusing summer camp schedules are released – and thus begins the challenge of creating a summer that will keep your little ones occupied, stimulated, and happy. Of course, all of this occurs while the rest of your work and family life carries on.
The considerations we make regarding summer plans as parents of gifted children are similar to those of many other parents. Here are some of them: What is the furthest I can drive on a daily basis to get my children to and from their summer camps? What is the most I am willing to pay for a week of fun (now multiply that by your number of children and number of activities…)? What other friends might be going to these camps, and would their parents be willing to carpool with us? How will this camp schedule work with your child’s already busy annual commitments? Should we continue private music lessons during the summer? Are we going on a vacation as a family? With friends? Can I piece together a week of activities with short, 1-2 hour long commitments all day long or will I be stuck chauffeuring my kids from one place to the next during the only decent weather in Wisconsin all year? It’s enough to make your head spin…and remember, summer camp season is months away! As parents of gifted kiddos, we have a myriad of other “problems” that come to mind when planning our summer schedules. We may have kids that want to keep advancing in academic areas and are searching for appropriately leveled summer classes that will allow our 8 year old to participate in 7th grade pre-algebra. We aren’t sure if the latest chess craze will continue beyond March, but we have to commit to a camp now, lest we lose out on one of the coveted spots to another (more consistently) obsessed chess addict. Will their recent love of ceramics, spawned during one 1st grade art class last week, carry on through the spring and still be top of mind when the art camp in July rolls around? Might our 5th grader’s newfound love of sports statistics wane prior to the College For Kids session in mid-August? Keeping up with the (often obscure and short-lived) interests of our gifted kids can feel like a full time job. Forecasting six months in advance, with any accuracy, is a challenge. We may find ourselves signing our kids up for a summer filled with tennis lessons because our child became enamored with Wimbledon after reading about it in the latest What Is It? book. We could send our children to a month-long, outdoorsy camp up north and hope for the best, knowing our children will likely have very few peers to connect with as they wind down each night in a cabin filled with strangers. Perhaps a plan in which each week features a different activity might keep their interests piqued throughout the summer. One thing that has worked for us is to return to the activities and places that have worked in the past. Sure, our daughter might not like synchronized swimming as much at 7 as she did at 5, but the teachers are great, the schedule works, and we even have some carpooling friends on the team. Maybe the dates of our favorite camp up north (for gifted children!!!) conflicts with a loosely scheduled family vacation (which can easily be pushed back by a day or two), but we prioritize that week of pure camp bliss because a week with true peers is worth its weight in gold! And, you know what, even if your winter chess “master“ becomes more of a chess “monster“, one week of chess camp never killed a kid, right? Who knows… maybe your kiddo will meet someone else who loves to categorize their Pokemon cards as much as they do during their chess lunch break! We’ve discovered over the years that summer schedules which allow for some flexibility while also containing enough structure and stimulation are desired. Summer away from a traditional school setting can be very exciting for our gifted learners, but the need for new information and exploration still remains. How will you meet your gifted learner’s needs this summer? Good luck on your quest! Mary Pape, WATG Board Member
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It is no surprise that extracurricular activities are beneficial for gifted students. However, the degree to which those benefits were unknown to me until recently. Olszewski-Kubilius, Subotnik & Worrell in the chapter Programming for Talent Development Beyond the Classroom attest, “Learning outside the school day is critical to the development of every child” (p. 439). There are a multitude of extracurricular activities our child(ren) can participate in; some are connected to school, whereas some we as parents will need to provide (both cost and transportation). Time is also a most valuable commodity, so thinking deeply about which activities you want your child(ren) to participate in is a worthy endeavor.
The value of these outside of school learning activities was shocking to me, even as an educator. Olszewski-Kubilius, Subotnik and Worrell (2018) conducted a longitudinal study and concluded that, “...summer programs and other outside-of-school learning activities, often viewed as nonessential luxuries sought by advantaged parents, are in fact central to the development of talent, particularly for disadvantaged children. Disparities in access to them significantly affect the chances of some children realizing their full potential” (p. 440). For these reasons, it is important that families seek out opportunities for their child(ren) to participate in extracurricular activities. There are often scholarship opportunities (such as the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted’s summer scholarships) so that students have the chance to continue to grow and learn outside of school. Traditional extracurriculars offered through school are not the only out of school opportunities we can provide. As parents, we need to be aware, “Education and discovery take place within children's homes, neighborhoods, and communities through informal interactions with family members and more formal or structured programs offered through park district's, museums, or other cultural institutions” (Olszewski-Kubilius, et. al., 2020, p. 440). Extracurriculars do not always involve spending money; there are many free opportunities in our communities. Talking to your child’s teachers, local librarians, and other parents in your area can serve as valuable resources in finding extracurricular activities such as summer programs, library offerings, weekend programs, online courses, contests, competitions, and clubs. As parents, we entrust schools with the education of our child(ren). Most schools, “...provide an introduction, but more serious pursuit typically involves individual lessons with coaches and teachers and participation in specialized programs. Even for academic subjects such as mathematics, creative writing, or science, activities and opportunities beyond the school day are important and, in many cases, the most critical factor that crystallizes interest, investment, and motivation” (Olszewski-Kubilius, Subotnik & Worrell, 2020, p. 440). For our individual children, we try to provide them the best opportunities to help them learn and grow within the areas that matter most to them. Encouraging our child(ren)’s continued development and devoting time and resources to extracurriculars are a worthwhile sacrifice to ensure they have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Olszewski-Kubilius et al. (2020) note, “Many students find their passion via afterschool activities” (p. 442). Fueling our child(ren)’s passions by providing them opportunities to participate in extracurricular opportunities are essential for fostering our child(ren)’s continued growth. Jenna Cramer, Ed.D. WATG Board of Directors Works Cited Robins, J.H., Jolly, J.L., Karnes, F.A., & Bean, S.M. (Eds.). (2020). Methods and Materials for Teaching the Gifted (5th ed.). Routledge. WATG would like to thank Esther Vasquez Guendulain of the Appleton Bilingual School for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. Hablemos de Actividades Extracurriculares No es una sorpresa que las actividades extracurriculares son beneficiosas para estudiantes con talentos. Sin embargo, el grado en que los beneficia eran desconocidos para mi hasta recientemente. Olszewski-Kubilius, Subotnik & Worrell en el capítulo Programando para el Desarrollo de Talentos más allá del Salón de Clases, testifica que, “El aprendizaje fuera del día de clase es crítico para el desarrollo de cada niño” (pág. 439) Hay una multitud de actividades extracurriculares en la que nuestros hijos pueden participar; algunas están conectadas a la escuela, mientras que otras nosotros como padres necesitamos proporcionarlas (ambos, costo y transportación). El tiempo es también un bien muy valioso, por lo que pensar profundamente sobre qué actividades es en las que quiere que su hijo(s) participe, es un esfuerzo que valdrá la pena. El valor de estas actividades de aprendizaje fuera de la escuela fue impactante para mi, incluso como educadora. Olszewski-Kubilius, Subotnik and Worrell (2018) condujo un estudio longitudinal y concluyó que, “... los programas de verano y otras actividades de aprendizaje fuera de la escuela, a menudo se ven como lujos no esenciales buscados por padres con ventajas, son de hecho, centrales para el desarrollo de talento, particularmente para niños en desventaja. La disparidad en el acceso a ellos, afecta significativamente las posibilidades de que algunos niños desarrollen todo su potencial” (pág. 440). Por estas razones, es importante que las familias busquen oportunidades para que sus hijos participen en actividades extracurriculares. A menudo hay oportunidades de becas (como las becas de verano de la Asociación para Talentos Excepcionales de Wisconsin) para que los estudiantes tengan la oportunidad de continuar creciendo y aprendiendo fuera de la escuela. Los extracurriculares tradicionales ofrecidos a través de la escuela no son las únicas oportunidades fuera de la escuela que podemos proporcionar. Como padres, necesitamos estar conscientes de que, “la educación y el descubrimiento se llevan a cabo dentro de los hogares, vecindarios y comunidades de los niños a través de interacciones informales con miembros de la familia y programas más formales o estructurados ofrecidos a través de parques, museos u otras instituciones culturales” (Olszewski-Kubilius, et. al., 2020, pág. 440). Los extracurriculares no siempre involucran el gasto de dinero; hay muchas oportunidades gratuitas en nuestras comunidades. El hablar con los maestros de su hijo, bibliotecarios locales y otros padres en su área, puede servir como fuentes valiosas para encontrar actividades extracurriculares, como programas de verano, ofertas de la biblioteca, programas de fin de semana, cursos en línea, concursos, competencias y clubes. Como padres, nosotros confiamos a las escuelas la educación de nuestros hijos. La mayoría de las escuelas “.. proporcionan una introducción, pero la búsqueda más seria generalmente implica lecciones individuales con entrenadores y maestros y participación en programas especializados. Incluso para materias académicas como matemáticas, escritura creativa o ciencias; actividades y oportunidades más allá del día de clases son importantes y, en muchos casos, el factor mas critico que cristaliza interés, inversión y motivación” (Olszewski-Kubilius, Subotnik & Worrell, 2020, pág. 440). Para nuestros niños individuales, tratamos de proporcionarles las mejores oportunidades para ayudarles a aprender y crecer dentro de las áreas que más les importan. Motivar el desarrollo continuo de nuestros niños y dedicar tiempo y recursos para extracurriculares, son un sacrificio que vale la pena para asegurar que tengan la oportunidad de alcanzar su máximo potencial. Olszewski-Kubilius et al. (2020) dice, “Muchos estudiantes encuentran su pasión a través de las actividades después de clases” (pág. 442). Alimentar las pasiones de nuestros hijos brindándoles oportunidades de participar en oportunidades extracurriculares son esenciales para fomentar el crecimiento continuo de nuestros hijos. Jenna Cramer, Ed.D. Junta de Gobierno de WATG Trabajos citados: Robins, J.H., Jolly, J.L., Karnes, F.A., & Bean, S.M. (Eds.). (2020). Methods and Materials for Teaching the Gifted (5th ed.). Routledge. WATG le quiere agradecer a Esther Vasquez Guendulain de Appleton Bilingual School, por traducir este artículo al español para nuestras familias y maestros de habla hispana.  I was two or three years old when my parents uncovered an astonishing discovery. Initially, I worried them too much; my enunciation skills were underdeveloped and my parents suspected I had a speech development issue. But it was to their surprise that I could sing. I couldn't pronounce even the simplest of words correctly, but I did hit every pitch perfectly in that 80s Indian film number playing in the background. As a small, hyperactive, yet intellectually inclined child like me, music was a fascinating puzzle waiting for me; I wanted to discover its intricate works and pieces. From there, I continued to explore who I was as a musically-gifted child.
To this day, I am the most confident version of myself on the stage with a microphone in hand. I remember one of my first school performances in the fifth grade vividly. I was quite nervous, but I walked to center stage just like I had practiced and waited for my cue. The spotlights faced me; they were brighter than I anticipated. The soundtrack played through the speakers, the bass stronger than it was before. The cue arrived, I opened my mouth, and began to sing. I forgot about the room around me. I mentally conducted myself, focusing on the notes, the feel, and the fun of the classic Mary Poppins number “Spoonful of Sugar.” During the instrumental break, I decided to improvise by clapping along to the beat. I kept on clapping until the first row joined, then the second row, then the third, and so forth. I had led the room like a conductor, with pride and joy, then continued to sing once my part returned again. I finished the song with a heavy breath and a gleeful smile on my face. For the first time in my entire life, I received a standing ovation. To further develop my musical talent, I started working with a private vocal coach who happened to be a professional opera singer. Before high school, I had only focused on musical theater and pop vocals, which were fun genres to perform but not musically interesting for me. Classical voice and opera caught my attention when I started working with my coach because they were the most demanding styles I’ve ever worked with. They are technically challenging, requiring me to be precise and exact with my vocal technique and develop the appropriate muscle memory needed to sing very powerfully. Furthermore, I had to study the pronunciations of common European languages such as Italian, German, and French. Throughout the process of working with my vocal coach, I discovered other unique aspects of my musical abilities. For one, I have perfect pitch, which means I can independently sing a note correctly without any help from another instrument. Later on, my vocal coach helped me understand the phenomenon of color-sound synesthesia, a condition that allows me to “hear” colors and “see” sound. It’s an interesting phenomenon that I never paid much attention to until I realized its significance to musicality, song interpretation, and music composition. To describe what synesthesia is like, each individual major or minor scale has its own color or texture to it: C Major is red, G Major is sky blue, Ab Major is a warm green, and a minor is “an evening crimson”. Synesthesia is the backbone for my perfect pitch. It enhances my performance experience; the colors I see allow me to set the appropriate mood for the song I am singing. When I experiment with composition, synesthesia is especially advantageous while attempting to figure out the structure or pace of a piece. The color-sound synesthesia phenomenon is still a mystery for me and one that I enjoy experimenting with. In ninth grade, I auditioned for and was accepted into a conservatory-based high school program. Throughout my high school experience, I was surrounded by other musically-gifted students who inspired me to work harder on my vocal talents. Compared to a normal public high school, my conservatory experience allowed me to study music to a greater level. For example, I took classes on choral music, diction, advanced music theory, and even participated in master classes with professional singers and college vocal performance professors. One of my favorite high school experiences was getting the chance to write and perform an original opera. My peers and I worked together to write a storyline based on existing popular operatic numbers and we performed this opera for a steampunk festival. I am so grateful for my unique high school experience as it helped me understand more about myself and what I want out of my future. I am currently a freshman at UC Irvine, double majoring in music and cognitive sciences. In college, I’m section leader of three of my university choirs and was the first freshman to finish an advanced year-long musicianship course in just three months. In my future, I hope to have a career as an auditory neuroscientist, where I will study how music is perceived, learned, and performed with the goal of helping to diagnose and treat various auditory and speech pathology conditions like the one I had as a child. Based on my personal experience, music was a powerful force that helped me overcome issues related to speech production and pronunciation. Music is what helped to bring out something special within me and I hope to help others discover the magic of music within themselves as well. Meera Sriram, UC Irvine Freshman High levels of stress are often cited as concerning in the world of gifted education. Kids constantly strive for higher achievement – better test scores, advanced placement classes, honors classes, retreats, scholarships, and public recognition, to name a few. All of these are amazing and should be goals for any student, but the stress can be problematic, too.
Giftedness has lofty rewards, but it also has deep pitfalls. Kids expend so much time, energy, and emotion taking the high achievement route; this means there is often less time spent with friends, family, or simply being a kid, and this can take a toll on mental health. As we approach the holidays, let’s remember how important time is. This is the time that some of my fondest memories as a kid were spent tree shopping with friends and family, eating peanut butter balls, and sleeping in late. I’m sure you have many holiday memories, too. Kids have enough to worry about with school, extracurricular activities, and responsibilities at home, community, or church. As adults, we look forward to vacations as we anticipate a chance to give ourselves a much needed mind break; so do children and adolescents. Time is a funny thing; when we’re young, we think we have an ample amount, and then as we get older, we try to squeeze as much time out of the hourglass as possible. But just because younger folks may not put time into perspective doesn’t mean they don’t need plenty of it, especially unscheduled time. A perfect gift for gifted children would be the gift of time. Don’t let them think about schedules, preparations, or practices. For a couple days during this busy holiday season, encourage them to connect with friends, dive into a good book, or do whatever they are needing at that particular moment. Teach them how to savor unstructured time, and the benefits that it brings to life. And while you’re at it, take some time for yourself too! This pause will help to refresh, refocus, and reimagine the importance of a balanced life. Don’t forget to slow down; this is the gift that will keep on giving. Cory Jennerjohn WATG Board Member From time to time, we at WATG are asked about the characteristics of giftedness in very young children. Though there is a great amount of information out there on “the web,” in our work we also have much anecdotal evidence from parents and caregivers.
Many parents of newborns often are amazed with two characteristics of gifted children that seemingly are part of their personalities. They report that their newborns/toddlers seem to be “old souls.” Parents notice that their infants often gaze deeply into their eyes, seemingly for very, very long stretches of time as if to find and share the wisdom of the ages. Second, parents notice that their babies are constantly scanning their environment, seeking input. Their infants are often awake for very long stretches of time, defying conventional wisdom about how much time newborns spend sleeping. One parent put it this way, “She’s always alert. She arrived wanting to absorb the environment immediately. When she was born, they put her on my chest and she pushed herself up on her tiny arms, and she looked around. Then she never seemed to sleep, except for very brief naps. It was as though she couldn’t get enough of her world.” So many parents of gifted children report observations such as these, and they notice other characteristics as well. Some of the other characteristics often reported during these early months include long attention spans, high activity levels, smiling or recognizing caretakers early, intense reactions to frustration, noise, pain, or other stimuli, advanced progression through normal developmental milestones, and extraordinary memory. Some parents report astonishment when their babies begin to utter words or follow directions with great ease. One parent described it like this, “Our dog is named ‘Bub.’ Our tiny baby looked directly at our dog and clearly said, ‘Bub.’ We didn’t believe it until it consistently happened. All the baby books said this wouldn’t happen for many months.” During these early months, parents and grandparents may be astounded at what their infants are capable of doing. As their babies move into toddlerhood, parents may watch them navigate their world confidently -- assembling multi-piece puzzles or shape-sorters with confidence and ease, securing a snack for themselves, listening with rapt and sustained attention to much-loved or novel books, begging for information on interesting subjects, acquiring number sense, and, in some cases, even beginning to read. Though not all children read early, many do. They often effortlessly “crack the code” without formal instruction. Parents of very young, gifted children also report that their children “have memories like elephants.” They remember things in vivid detail for years and years. One parent shared this story, “I told her months ago that when she was two years old, we would buy her big girl panties. On her second birthday she was disappointed that big girl panties were not one of her presents. We had completely forgotten. She had not.” Many parents also share stories of advanced senses of humor in their toddlers, and they reveal that their child loves sharing “toddler jokes” with them. These jokes are often sophisticated and “on- point.” They report amazing vocabularies and well-developed sentence structures. They notice unusual dexterity, and precocity in running, hopping, jumping, skipping, and other large-muscle skills. Many also report early development of small-muscle skills, such as drawing, coloring, cutting, and manipulating small items, coupled with unusually long attention spans. Though this list of characteristics is not meant to be all-inclusive, it may give you a glimpse into the observations of parents and caregivers. For a more detailed and research-based read, you may want to check out this article Recognizing Giftedness in Young Children by Martin T. Rogers, Ph.D. and Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D. at the Gifted Development Center Denver, Colorado. In the meantime, keep your questions coming to us! Jackie Drummer, Past President, WATG WATG would like to thank Esther Vasquez Guendulain of the Appleton Bilingual School for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. Talentos Excepcionales y los niños pequeños De vez en cuando a nosotros en WATF, nos preguntan sobre las características de talentos excepcionales en niños pequeños. A pesar de que hay muy buena información sobre esto en “la red”, en nuestro trabajo también tenemos mucha evidencia de anécdotas de parte de padres o quienes están a cargo. Muchos padres de recién nacidos seguidamente se sorprenden con dos características de niños con talentos excepcionales, que parecen ser parte de sus personalidades. Ellos reportan que sus recién nacidos/niños aún muy pequeños parecen ser como “viejitos”. Los padres notan que sus pequeños, continuamente los miran profundamente a los ojos, aparentemente por períodos de tiempo muy, muy largo, como si quisieran encontrar y compartir la sabiduría de sus edades. Segundo, notan que sus bebés están constantemente escaneando su entorno, buscando información. Sus pequeños están frecuentemente despiertos por períodos de tiempo prolongado, desafiando la sabiduría convencional respecto a cuánto tiempo pasan dormidos los recién nacidos. Un padre lo dijo de esta manera, “ella siempre está alerta. Llegó queriendo absorber todo su entorno inmediatamente. Cuando ella nació, la pusieron en mi pecho y ella se empujó hacia arriba con sus pequeños brazos y vió su alrededor. Y luego parecía que nunca dormía, excepto por pequeñas siestas. Era como si no pudiera tener suficiente de su mundo.” Muchos padres de niños con talentos excepcionales reportan observaciones como esta, y también notan otras características. Algunas de las características que seguido se reportan durante estos primeros meses incluyen, lapsos prolongados de atención, niveles de actividad alto, reconocen o le sonríen a quienes los cuidan pronto, reacciones intensas de frustración, ruido, dolor u otro estímulo, progreso avanzado en logros de desarrollos normales y una memoria extraordinaria. Algunos padres reportan asombro cuando sus bebés comienzan a pronunciar palabras o a seguir las direcciones de ellos con gran facilidad. Un padre lo describió como esto: “Nuestro perro se llama “Bub”. Nuestro pequeño bebé miraba directamente a nuestro perro y claramente decía ‘Bub’. No lo creíamos hasta que sucedía constantemente. Todos los libros sobre bebés decían que esto no pasaría por varios meses”. Durante estos primeros meses, padres y abuelos podrían asombrarse por lo que sus pequeños son capaces de hacer. Conforme sus bebés crecen hacia la infancia, podría ser que los padres los vean navegar en su mundo confiadamente – ensamblando rompecabezas de múltiples piezas o hacer figuras confiada y fácilmente, agarrando la comida por sí mismos, escuchando con arrebato y atención sustanciosa libros que adoran o de novela, rogando por información o temas de interés, adquiriendo un número de sentidos y en algunos casos, incluso empiezan a leer. Aunque no todos los niños leen tan pronto, muchos lo hacen. Ellos frecuentemente “descifran el código” sin necesidad de instrucción formal. Los padres de niños pequeños con talentos excepcionales, también reportan que sus hijos “tienen memoria de elefante”. Recuerdan cosas con detalles vívidos por años y años. Un padre compartió esta historia: “Le dije meses atrás que cuando tenía dos años le comprábamos ropa interior de niñas grandes. En su cumpleaños número dos, estaba decepcionada de que no le regalaran ropa interior para niñas grandes. Nosotros lo habíamos olvidado completamente. Ella no”. Muchos padres también comparten historias de sus pequeños de sentidos de humor avanzado, y revelan que sus hijos adoran compartir “bromas de niños” con ellos. Estas bromas son frecuentemente sofisticadas y “al punto”. Reportan vocabularios sorprendentes y estructuras de las oraciones muy bien desarrolladas. Ellos notan destreza y precocidad inusual al correr, trotar, brincar, saltar y otras habilidades de músculos largos. Muchos también reportan desarrollo temprano de las habilidades en los músculos menores, como al dibujar, colorear, recortar y manipular artículos pequeños, a la par que períodos de atención inusualmente largos. Aunque esta lista de características no pretende ser inclusiva para todos, podría darle una idea de lo que observan los padres y encargados de los niños. Para más información más detallada y de investigación, puede que quiera revisar este artículo Recognizing Giftedness in Young Children hecho por Martin T. Rogers, Ph.D. y Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D. en el Centro de Desarrollo para Talentos Excepcionales de Denver, Colorado. Mientras tanto, sigan enviándonos sus preguntas! Jackie Drummer, Consultor y Presidente anterior de la Junta de Gobierno WATG WATG le quiere agradecer a Esther Vasquez Guendulain de Appleton Bilingual School, por traducir este artículo al español para nuestras familias y maestros de habla hispana. 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.) 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 |
Student and Parent VoicesHear from and about gifted and talented students and parents across the state Wisconsin. 
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