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Advocating for the Twice-Exceptional Child

Life with a twice-exceptional child - gifted with a learning disability/difference - can be enormously rewarding and at the same time extremely frustrating when attempting to advocate for an education that meets all their needs.

Perhaps the biggest challenge is circumventing the prevalent mind-set of many school administrators and educators these days who simply do not believe twice-exceptional children exist. It has become increasingly disturbing to read articles in major media outlets that our children are simply spoiled brats who need a little discipline like in the ‘old days’.

Here’s an idea: . Then, ask them to tell you again why your child does not have special needs. A simple conversation with one of these kids can be quite revealing. The breadth and depth of their knowledge can suddenly be overshadowed by their inability to complete a thought after being distracted by … well, by just about anything.

A recent study reported in Gifted Child Quarterly (Vol 59 No 2 April 2015), "The Advocacy Experiences of Parents of Elementary Age, Twice-Exceptional Children", found that parents of twice-exceptional children fight an uphill battle throughout their child’s school years. Only after educating themselves about school policies and learning how to use appropriate educational terminology when talking to school officials did they have any success; often sacrificing any sense of working ‘with’ the school. They found that rarely did school personnel act in the best interest of the child. Parents eventually lost faith in the system and simply did their best to monitor their child’s school for compliance of any meager accommodations gained in the advocacy process.

"Parents felt that school officials were not living up to their professional responsibilities, and feared that one advocacy error on the parents’ part could potentially impede their child’s future." (GCQ 59 (2) p. 114)

This scenario accurately reflects not only my own personal experiences but those of most of the parents I have worked with over the last 15 years. Lack of information, cooperation and education combine to make advocacy a daunting task. ; abandoned by a system they once placed so much value in and are suddenly faced with the reality that it simply doesn't work for everyone – certainly not for their children.

Advocating for the twice-exceptional child is like a never-ending story filled with disingenuous gestures from school officials and lack of respect for parents. Ask any parent who has walked this path and the tales reflect an eerie similarity. Few have happy endings. Perseverance, tenacity, and a thick skin become indispensable life-skills for these parents.

Parents in the above-mentioned GCQ study were driven by a longing that ultimately their child would achieve happiness, and become a self-sufficient and productive member of society. There was, however, a disconcerting sense that ultimately their child’s disability would over-shadow their potential.

When giftedness is identified, the disability is often ignored. In other cases, the disability may render a request for identification of giftedness unattainable. And to add insult to injury, parents who obtain an official diagnosis from private non-school professionals often find that the results are unacceptable in most school districts.

Parents are not the only ones who can benefit from further education. School administrators and teachers who take the time to learn about twice-exceptionality are found to be more empathetic and willing to develop a collaborative relationship with parents. The GCQ article references research (many listed below) conducted over more than two decades which firmly establishes that a child can be both gifted and have a learning disability.

How can this situation be improved? What has to change? Well, for starters, the well-being of each individual child needs to be front and center. They are not simply reflections of data mined from results. One-size-fits all education plans do not work with these kids. Identification of giftedness cannot supplant the necessity of accommodating any co-existing learning disabilities.

And finally, progress will only be made when and strive for true collaboration, to provide the child with a beneficial educational experience that prepares them for a fulfilling life.

What has been your experience in advocating for your child?Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

This post is a part of this month's Hoagies' Blog Hop: 2ekids. Please check out the other blogs by clicking on the link below!

References from GCQ Article:

(pdf)

Additional Resources:

(pdf) from the Colorado Dept. of Education

(pdf) Canada

(pdf) from the NEA

(pdf) from the Virginia Dept. of Education

(Tolan)

(Position Statement from the NAGC)

(pdf) (Davidson Institute for Talent Development)

(Amazon) by Jen Merrill and GHF Press

Photo Courtesy of

Photo Courtesy of

My First EdCamp Experience and Why It Matters

One of the most difficult conundrums for gifted advocates is preaching to the choir and reaching out to the general education community at the same time. This past weekend, I decided to step out of the choir loft and into the main auditorium … I attended my first . To be clear, I was venturing well out of my comfort zone; I am not a teacher and that fact often does not bode well in a room full of teachers.

Any apprehension I felt on the drive into the city melted away as I took a seat to listen to the day’s Inspire Talk. Before the presentation, several people came up to me and thanked me for coming as I had mentioned on Twitter that I planned to attend the event. It occurred to me that it only takes a short walk to bridge the gap between teachers and advocates when we realize that our passion is ultimately to see all students succeed!

Over the past 24 hours, I’ve reflected on why this experience was so different for me when clearly the emphasis of an is geared to primarily professional development for teachers. Then it struck me … the very nature of this relatively new type of unconference brought together the avant garde of the teaching profession; the forward thinkers who are not bound by rules of from whom they can and cannot learn.

All in attendance considered themselves life-long learners. There was the sense that learning can take place anywhere. There was also a general sense of frustration among these teachers that their profession had taken a hit in recent years with the continual demands of standardized testing which sapped the creativity and innovative spirit that had sent many of them into the classroom in the first place. This was particularly evident among those who taught in public schools. How sad.

Unlike past experiences in formal school district settings, I felt accepted and heard when I spoke about in social media to facilitate the conversation between parents and teachers in the gifted community. Gifted students were viewed as a part of the school population who had needs that deserve to be met. It was an uplifting experience to say the least.

are probably not a destination for most parents. However, they are something parents should talk about with their child’s teacher as a viable option for educators who seek quality professional development. And did I mention the conference was free? The only expense was getting to the conference, and with the proliferation of around the country this should not be a major issue in the future.

Why does my attendance at an educational conference matter? It is a sign of hope that there are teachers who are not bound by traditional expectations of how children learn or how anyone learns. We must seek out ways to work together.

Preaching to the Choir: They Need to Hear the Message, Too!

Recently, I have read several blog posts focused on some negative aspects to ‘preaching to the choir’. They believe the gifted community has become too insular and must now focus on outreach.

This seems like a reasonable assumption; except for one thing. Members of the choir can come from any segment of the community; including parents. For too long, parents have often been dismissed as transient members flowing in and out of the greater community as their children enter the system and eventually leaving when their children reach adulthood.

Am I advocating against attempts to reach out to the larger education community; to policy wonks; to decision-makers? Certainly not! What I am saying is that the leaders in our community should not forget about parents. They need to hear the message. The entire concept of ‘giftedness’ may be new to them.

Those who make these observations have often been living and breathing gifted advocacy for more years than many of you have been alive. They have been going to gifted conferences every year since becoming involved with gifted education. It’s easy to see how some of them wouldn't notice the new faces in the audience.

I am talking about parents attending their first meeting, workshop or conference. I’m also talking about first-year teachers who may never have had a single undergraduate course in gifted education. Reaching out is fine as long as it isn't in lieu ofattending and presenting at gifted conferences as well.

The gifted community is relatively small in the grand scheme of things. The very idea of community is one of shelter; refuge. For many, especially parents, a conference is the ONLY time they can associate with those who understand the struggles and frustration of advocating for a gifted child.

Parents, in fact, are on the front line of community outreach. Parents are the ones facing skeptical or unsympathetic teachers. Parents are the ones attending school board meetings to advocate for better gifted programs in their schools. Parents are the ones who need to be persuaded to call their elected officials to request funding for gifted education. They need to know what they are talking about.

Preaching to the choir? Not such a bad idea after all.

Teachers Partnering with Parents

The key to creating an effective parent-teacher partnership is communication. Actively communicating with parents can have long-lasting benefits for your gifted program. It will:

foster goodwill
improve the overall image of your program and school
lessen your workload
increase parent support of your efforts

Students thrive when they have the support of both their teachers and their parents. Team work has long been known to contribute to the success of any endeavor. An effective team has the best chance at succeeding when it provides a communication plan that benefits all stakeholders ~ teachers, parents and students.

What steps should teachers take to ensure success?

Develop a plan before the start of the school year
Communicate that plan to parents and follow through with regular updates
Appreciate and follow-up on feedback from parents
Utilize a variety of forms of communications
Don’t rely solely on report cards & parent-teacher conferences

It is important that teachers take a pro-active approach to communicating with parents. The possibilities are limitless. Consider these options:

conduct regular parent-teacher meetings at monthly/quarterly intervals
become involved with gifted parent support groups by attending meetings or volunteering to speak at a meeting
create a weekly email update about what your class is doing and upcoming events
consider quarterly focus groups to crowd-source ideas for your program

Parents of gifted children can often be excellent resources for networking, volunteering, fundraising, and career guidance. Most, if not all, are college educated and may be considered assets for role-modeling, job-shadowing opportunities and as guest lecturers in your classroom.

Educators can enhance parent-teacher relations by becoming empathetic listeners and solution-oriented when approaching parental concerns. Talk honestly with parents about their children based on legitimate assessments; not on your impressions of a child’s ability. It is important to understand that asynchronous development and social-emotional issues can easily mask a child’s giftedness. Giftedness does not always equate with high achievement.

In sports, it is an oft-spoken sentiment that “the best offense is a good defense”. This, however, does not apply to a supportive and collaborative relationship between parents and teachers. It is easy to blame budget deficits and a lack of resources, but good teaching will always overcome these complaints.

Partner with parents and listen to what they have to say. Respond to their concerns and communicate with them on a regular basis. By working together, your students will soar! Isn't that what teaching is all about?

TAGT Annual Conference 2012: Building Connections

As many of you know, aside from writing this blog, I am also employed by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) as moderator for #gtchat on Twitter. As part of my job, this year I attended their Annual Professional Conference and Parents’ Conference in Dallas at the end of November.

What an experience! I have attended state conferences elsewhere, but nothing prepared me for being in the midst of 2,000 educators and parents who actually wanted to learn more about gifted education. Until this point in my life, I had only met a handful of teachers who even remotely cared about gifted kids.

During the 3 day conference, I presented 3 times with mixed results. Did I mention that I had never presented before in my life? Never. Nada. Not even a PowerPoint presentation. Many heartfelt thanks to Lisa Van Gemert of American Mensa for sharing her expertise with me about presenting which saved the day!

Lisa Van Gemert

It was a memorable experience … there is an undeclared camaraderie ~ a shared experience … among parents of gifted children. There was a sense of relief in the faces of my audiences when they learned that others had experienced the same frustrations and fears they felt. There were {{hugs}} and tears as parents realized they were not alone and shared their stories with me after the presentations.

Twitter Wall

On the last day of the conference, we held a live Twitter chat at the Social Connections Area of the Exhibit Hall. People from all over the world participated in the chat via Twitter. It was extraordinary to watch the two geographically separated groups join together virtually to discuss how they could work together to ‘Build Connections’ within the gifted community globally. Afterwards, we had a Tweet-Up for conference attendees.

I met, listened to and rubbed elbows with some of the most influential people in gifted education today. At one point, I looked out at one of my own presentations to see Carolyn Coil and Lisa Van Gemert sitting in the audience. Awesome! Check out the Conference Program (.pdf).

Angie French, Stacia Taylor, Jen Martin

Friends that I had met via Twitter were there … Jen Martin, Stacia Taylor, Angie French, David Sebek, Stacy Ledbetter Hughes, Mika Gustavson … all seemed like I’d known them in real life for years! Ian Byrd and Brian Housand were as cool as they are online.

Dr. Lynette Breedlove and J.J. Colburn

And then there was the TAGT and . I have NEVER worked with a more committed and professional group of people in my life! This conference was such a success because they.get.gt! Kudos to Executive Director, J.J. Colburn; Assistant Executive Director, Tracy Weinberg; Executive Assistant/Meetings Coordinator, Lisa Varner; Business Development Manager, Keri Kelley; Member Services Coordinator, Casey Martinez; Past-President of TAGT, Dr. Lynette Breedlove and TAGT President, Marilyn Swanson for all their long hours spent bringing together an incredible conference.

Next year’s will be held in Houston, Texas, December 4– 6, 2013. It will include over 100 intensive training sessions in fifteen strands. Hope to see you there!

Standardization ~ The Implications for Gifted Children

Every time I hear the word ‘standardization’, I {{shiver}}. And I shiver a lot these days! When I consider the implications for gifted children, I visualize a roll of duct tape about to be applied to the ‘box’.

I fail to see how the road we’re headed on leads to anything but a dead end. Standardization has been twisted and turned into a grand scheme of seeming equity, but in truth – it is the stifling of innovation and creativity. It sounds like a nice idea, but it is not.

Children today are taught to excel on standardized tests. Teachers are being rewarded for how well their students do on those tests. Can you see where this is headed? Equating high test scores with educational success is short-sighted. What happens when teachers vie for the best test-takers based on a child’s previous scores?

When people embrace a ‘standardized is good’ mindset, they are often thinking ‘all children are gifted’. For these folks, the very existence of gifted classes and programs becomes a threat. The only way to eliminate the threat is to eliminate the perception that some are gifted and some are not. This ultimately leads to the demise of gifted programs.

Gifted kids get the message loud and clear every single day. If everyone is gifted, then no one has a right to acceleration, differentiation or to learn with their peers. Their needs are unimportant, an illusion or worse ~ nonexistent. They dare not say anything. Denial becomes ingrained in their very being. This can lead to very serious mental health complications.

Here’s a few ‘what ifs’ for you. What if all tall people were expected to play basketball … and win? What if all children with red hair were expected to go into theater and play the lead role in Annie? Oh … and what if ALL children were expected to score proficient on standardized tests without ANY accommodations? Most people would agree that these scenarios are absurd; and they would be correct.

It is much more appropriate to say that all children are different with unique needs. No one teacher in our current educational system should be expected to produce individualized lessons plans for each student each week. They could, however, provide differentiated lessons to groups of students who were clustered in regular classrooms or educational peer-based classes.

The problem is not a national one. It occurs around the world; some places more than others. As parents, we need to explore all options for educating our children. A one-size-fit-all approach does not benefit anyone. Support open dialog with your child’s teacher and school administrators. Educate yourself of the possibilities available in your area. Do not settle for ‘standardized’ solutions. If few exist, create your own!

Supporting Your Child’s Gifted Teacher

Parents often concentrate all their time advocating for their child. Isn’t that what parents should do? Sure, but I’m about to expand your job responsibilities. Listen carefully ~ parents of gifted children should also support their child’s gifted teacher.

Now I know what you’re going to say ~ What if the teacher does not support my child? First, it IS a two-way street; but things will go better for all involved if you take the first step. And if you have tried without good results … stop reading this post (not the blog, of course!) now. Second, for the purpose of this post, I am speaking specifically about your child’s ‘gifted’ teacher; not the regular education classroom teacher (though it wouldn’t hurt to support them as well).

Your next question may well be ~ Why? Believe it or not, gifted teachers often feel alone and isolated from the rest of the faculty. Far too often, general education teachers believe the same myths about gifted children and their education that the general population believes. To be fair, a vast majority of teachers are NEVER exposed to gifted education in undergraduate school or during professional development classes.

I hope your next question is ~ How? Why thank you for asking. Here are a few suggestions that will go a long, long way to developing a long-term beneficial relationship between you, your child and their teacher.

When the teacher goes ‘above and beyond’ such as arranging a field trip or doing a special project, make sure you tell the principal, superintendent and/or school board. When appropriate, offer to be a guest speaker about your work, mentor a student or offer to assist in coaching an academic school team. Offer words of encouragement when you become aware that the teacher isn’t getting the support they need from their school. Speak up in support of gifted education in your regular teacher-parent conferences and at school board meetings.

One of the best things you can do is to start a parent support group. Invite teachers, gifted teachers and administrators to attend monthly meetings. This has the added benefit of helping keep the lines of communication open. Often, school district personnel are more willing to share information at an informal meeting. It also allows them to get a sense of how parents feel about the gifted program.

No one likes to be taken for granted. Good gifted teachers work tirelessly to challenge your child and provide them with an education that leads them to reaching their full potential. This isn’t to say that there will be times when you are disappointed in a teacher, but when you are fortunate to find a great teacher ~ support them and watch your child soar!

Gifted Education in Rural Areas

Does it make a difference where a child lives with regard to their education? Why, yes … yes it does! In fact, it matters a great deal. In the

U.S.

, 40% of American schools are considered rural; towns with populations of less than 2,500 people.In other parts of the world, the percentage is even higher.
    The University of Iowa conducted a of rural educators and found some strengths in rural education overall. As might be expected, the role played by the community-at-large was greater than that of an urban area. Smaller numbers of students allowed for more inclusive participation in activities of all kinds. Less mobility of students resulted in greater stability of cohesive classrooms. Teachers got to know their students and were more invested in influencing educational outcomes.
    What does this mean for gifted education? How do these factors influence the way in which teachers deliver services to gifted students? There are pros and cons to rural life when considering the education of academically gifted students.
    Many advocates today – me included – would like to see ability grouping in the classroom. In rural communities, multi-grade/age classes are more common than in other settings. It’s an easy transition for teachers to segue into grouping students by ability without regard for age. If truth be told … it’s a rather ‘natural’ way of educating children. Now if we could only convince other educators of the benefits of this method!
    For one reason or another, people in rural areas tend to value education more; another finding of the Iowa study. This is a huge benefit for schools; having the support of family and community members. Children are expected to work hard, complete assignments and generally to do their best in school.
    The cons of rural life for gifted students often involve lower actual numbers of students identified as intellectually gifted. In Mary St. George’s (New Zealand) excellent post, , she wrote,

“Whatever rural teachers in small schools can do, they can’t organise

rural parents to synchronise the delivery of gifted babies in convenient

batches so that gifted rural children can grow up rubbing shoulders

with others like themselves.”

Parents of gifted children often struggle to find intellectual peers for their kids, but this can become a more daunting task in rural areas. One response to finding peers for your child is to search online gifted communities. Parents need to be active participants in connecting their children, and it can be a very rewarding endeavor.
In an in The School Administer , Donald Kordosky suggested 4 key points to improving gifted education in rural areas. They were 1) raise awareness of the needs of gifted students, 2)establish clear standards for identification/eligibility for gifted programs, 3) professional development in gifted education for regular classroom teachers, and 4) GIEPs for all gifted students. Come to think of it … those are excellent suggestions for all gifted education.
Dr. Susan Assouline of Belin-Blank at the University of Iowa offers the following strategies for gifted students in rural school districts: 1) meet the child where they are at, 2) utilize acceleration when appropriate, 3) utilize online classes if available, 4)increase opportunities for students to come together (such as at competitions and conferences), and 5) consider mentoring or study abroad opportunities.

I would leave you with these sage words penned by Dr. Joy Lawson Davis in her blog post entitled, “” ~ “While we are considering the needs of gifted learners ... this is just a brief appeal to NOT forget about the young scholars sitting in 'the country' in classrooms where they are bored, looking out of windows contemplating the solar system, the earth's ecology, designing a futuristic vehicle, writing the next classic novel in their minds, creating poetic verse, or developing a solution to world peace OR the cure to cancer.. these students need our attention too.”

Gifted Education in Rural & Small Districts, ColoradoDepartment of Education, 2005.

The Real Lesson to be Learned from Finland

The world of education is all a flutter about Finland! Year after year, Finnish students finish at the top of international assessments. Educators from around the world are beating a path to Finland in hopes of finding the magic elixir to their success.

Granted … Finlandis a great place to visit, but we all can’t live there! The fact of the matter is … that’s what it would take to duplicate its success. There are about 5.3 million people who call Finlandhome; 93% are Finns and 7% are not. 100% of its population attend or have attended school and 93% graduate. It boasts a 100% literacy rate. Wow-za! Who wouldn’t want those numbers? Throw in the fact that Finlandis one of the wealthiest countries per capita in the world and has the smallest gap between their lowest and highest achievers … and you have a grand slam!

Think this all happened by accident? Do the Finns possess superior genes? Is it something in the water? No. I don’t know. And no. And why would I be writing about this anyway? Finlanddoes not provide ‘gifted’ education per se. All children are included in the same classroom with few exceptions. The simple answer is that I believe there are lessons to be learned, but that it won’t work everywhere. This last point is significant because there are countries (my own included) that seem to think imitation will bring the same results to their shores.

After weeks of research on my part, it appears the Finns have managed to create a public education system that resembles homeschooling in the U.S., but on a grand scale … the best of both worlds. Finnish children are nurtured both at home and at school. They do not start school until the age of 7 and are expected to be reading by that time. 75 minutes of each school day is dedicated to outdoor recess. They are not bombarded with high-stakes testing and the avalanche of test prep that surround these tests. How ironic that other countries currently choose an approach to surpass Finlandthat is the antithesis of the Finnish system?

Teachers are well-educated; an education subsidized by the government. The majority of teachers in Finlandpossess master’s degrees. Teachers belong to a strong union. Teachers earn the respect of the public. They receive professional development on a weekly basis. At the elementary level, teachers and students bond by staying together as a class for up to 5 years. To ensure that each child succeeds, Finnish teachers are given the freedom to control their own curriculum and methods of assessment rather than dictated to by a national policy deeply entrenched in the numbers game. When teachers are encouraged to be creative and innovative, students are the benefactors.

In the U.S., a disturbing trend has emerged to eliminate gifted education by saying that all children should receive gifted education ala Finland. Perhaps in a perfect world where all children began life in a setting such as Finland, this could be an achievable goal; but they do not. To impose this logic on a school system without Finnish parameters is ridiculous.

This country is witnessing the loss of a generation to the lunacy of No Child Left Behind where the best and brightest were not only left behind but ignored. And we wonder where all the gifted under-achievers came from? This one piece of legislation alone is one of the greatest travesties bequeathed to our children from a system controlled by wayward politicians and the burgeoning peripheral industries that supported NCLB’s testing mania.

If the world wants to compete with the likes of Finnish students, it should look beyond the test scores to understand that the key to success is ‘mastery’ of content in the early years of education rather than ‘exposure’ to content because instructional time is reduced for test preparation. Pasi Sahlberg of Finland’s Ministry of Education and author of the book Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in

Finland

? states that, “We prepare children to learn how to learn, not how to take a test.” This is the real lesson that should be learned from Finland.

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