Website: https://www.a12gifted.org

Email: info@a12gifted.org

Facebook: Adams 12 Gifted & Talented Parents Group

Coming Events:

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• December 6 - Leadership/Liaison Meeting, 6 pm at ESC

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• January 27 - Parent Meeting (what do you want to hear?)

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• February 18 - Future Forward Friday (Grades 6-8)

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• February 26 - Super Saturday (Grades K-5)

National Association of Gifted Children

NAGC Convention, November 11-14, 2021

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• 1500+ attendees
• 3 days, 300+ sessions
• Parent Day
• 2 hour Parent Day program + access to Saturday sessions
• 100+ parents and caregivers attended
• Major Themes: Equity, Supporting the Whole Child, Parenting for Success

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CAGT Conference - October 16-18, 2022

“Unconventionally, Unconditionally Gifted”

**CWC: Conversations with CAGT

https://www.coloradogifted.org/resources/conversations-with-cagt/

Equity

What Causes Disproportionality in Gifted Education and How Do We Address It?

Joy L. Davis, Dina Brulles, Scott Peters, April Wells

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• What are the primary drivers of disproportionality?
• Our own biases
• Identification methods

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• How do we address it?
• Identify our own biases and work to change them
• Train across departments on recognizing gifted
• Local norms
• Move from deficit model to strength-based model
• Who are we missing?

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Updated methods for gifted identification

**CWC: Joy Lawson Davis

Best Practices and Equitable Identification of GT Students

Danielle Politi & Debbie Roby - Multi-Health Systems Inc.

• NNAT3 - Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test. This is the one that Adams12 currently uses in 2nd grade
• The new test called Naglieri General Ability Tests was designed with Dr. Naglieri, Dr. Brulles and Dr. Lansdowne, created to address previous issues on identification
• 40 questions total, took out inequities and biases, measures everyone the same. If on one questions one gender performed better than the other for example, the question was taken out. If kids from a geographic area took longer in one question, it was taken out. Etc.
• The new test MHS designed has 3 aspects to it:
• Verbal, nonverbal and quantitative.

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**CWC: Angelina Paolozza

Gifted Doesn't Always Mean Compliant: Using Behavior Data to Find Hidden Potential

Stacey Pendleton, Robin Greene, Vanessa Ewing

Denver Public Schools

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• Looking at student populations over-identified for SPED/behavior and under-identified for GT

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• Identified students with behavior referrals as well as high CMAS scores → invite to test for gifted

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• 442 students invited, 180 tested
• ~ 30% had behavior referral mentioning “defiant”
• 31% gained services (gifted, talent pool, magnet school eligible)

What Causes Disproportionality in Gifted Education and How Do We Address It?

Joy L. Davis, Dina Brulles, Scott Peters, April Wells

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• What are the primary drivers of disproportionality?
• Our own biases
• Identification methods

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• How do we address it?
• Identify our own biases and work to change them
• Train across departments on recognizing gifted
• Local norms
• Move from deficit model to strength-based model
• Who are we missing?
• Don’t wait to identify; support all learners
• Encourage parent advocacy

These themes were repeated throughout the convention

The

Whole GT

Child

Essential Strategies for Nurturing the Whole Gifted Child: At Home, School & Community

Kathleen M. Nilles, Janette Boazman, Tracy F. Inman

Supporting Social Emotional Development

• Educate yourself on GT
• Provide opportunities to struggle
• Teach calming
• Facilitate spending time with gifted peers

Supporting Cognitive Development

• Partner with teachers and schools
• Acceleration - good option when done correctly (Iowa acceleration scales)
• Extracurricular clubs and summer opportunities

Supporting Physical Development

• Asynchronous development
• Every child is different - know and accept your child

Natural Abilities

Character

Talent

Integrity

Development

Relationships

Spirituality

Using Metacognitive Cycle to Improve Executive Functioning Skills in Gifted/2E Students

Emily Kircher-Morris, Madeline Kaleel

https://neurodiversitypodcast.com/

How to support kids build executive function skills?

• Step 1: Rapport - try not to use rewards or punishments.
• Step 2: Explicit Instructions - GT kids can be oblivious, and take things literally.
• Step 3: Supports - Bring the kid into the process, you want to accommodate, not enable
• Step 4: The Metacognitive Cycle:

GAPS

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Gradual

Adjustable

Personalized

Simple

From Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today’s Classroom by Emily Kircher-Morris

Parenting for Success

The Parenting Playbook: Coaching Gifted Children for Success

Emily Kircher-Morris, Edward R. Amend

Emotional Regulation - How to coach kids? How do we teach resilience?

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I CAN Method (Teaching Twice-Exceptional Leaners in Today’s Classroom)

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I - Investigate - Recognize emotions and patterns in emotional dysregulation

C - Communicate - Emotional literacy. Find the right word for that emotion. Scale 1 to 5. Talk to each other

A - Activate - Activate problem solving skills, use cognitive flexibility to assess and determine best strategies

N - Navigate - Get through the dysregulation and return to a regulated state

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Strategies can be as simple. Don’t try to talk it out when they are still upset.

Breathing techniques Colors of emotions

Keep it short Give them time to process and respond

Drop in information and let it percolate

Stop talking and listen

**CWC: Emily Kircher-Morris

Effort vs Outcome: FOCUS on the PROCESS/EFFORT, not the result.

The Parenting Playbook: Coaching Gifted Children for Success

Emily Kircher-Morris, Edward R. Amend

Comfort

Zone

Confidence Zone

Edge of Confidence

Out of Your League

Comfort

Zone

Find skills in the edge of competence.

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Reflect on skills they have moved into comfort zone.

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Ask what they think will happen if they fail??

GT kids WILL COMPLAIN

Resilience - they need to be frustrated, have perseverance skills. Where can we allow them to fail that it won’t cause harm? Growth mindset!

Intensity/Sensitivity OR Mental Health Disorder

It takes a team - parent, teacher, social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist

**CWC: Emily Kircher-Morris

IOWA center for youth mental health - focus on current mental health crises in our country.

• Not a lot of research when high ability is a part of the identity of the disability
• 2E kids are the most underrepresented kids
• Cognitive abilities often times get in the way of GT
• Risk of misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis because giftedness adds to the complexity of the diagnosis
• Some things are SO easy, and some things are SO hard

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How to help my child?

• Emphasize EFFORT over outcome
• Model emotion regulation
• Seek out individual or group therapy services
• Help kiddo access true peers - engaging kids in talent development activities in areas of interest
• Know what you want to communicate with classroom teachers
• Understand 504 and IEP, determine whether one is needed and which one would be the best
• Make sure the strength also gets the focus, not only the disability
• Much of the traditional parenting advice may not be helpful, doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong

Essential Tips for Parenting Your Twice Exceptional Child

Alissa Doobay Ph.D., Katie Schabilion Ph.D. & Megan Foley Nicpon Ph.D.

University of Iowa

Strengths based approaches for 2E students

• Providing advance classes, enrichment activities, acceleration
• Understanding the student’s unique pattern of strengths and weaknesses, and accommodating accordingly
• Allowing enough time to process information
• Teaching self-advocacy and problem-solving skills

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• If we focus on what is wrong, we can't help them achieve their strengths
• Accelerating 2E students. Needs to come with accommodations, tailored to individual needs of each student.

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Essential Tips for Parenting Your Twice Exceptional Child

Alissa Doobay Ph.D., Katie Schabilion Ph.D. & Megan Foley Nicpon Ph.D.

University of Iowa

When an IEP is Not enough

Susan Baum, Ph.D. - Bridges 2e Center for Research and Professional Development

• Why adding strength-based,talent-focused component helps students become more successful
• Students with desire to fit in and little social awareness; creative ideas and difficulty putting them down on paper.
• Usually they can stay in the struggle. Show grit in passion area. Constant flight or fight
• accommodations are a double edge sword. Draws attention, they think it’s cheating, students don’t want to feel different, many students do not want them.

• Can’t look at pillars, they go together. (Yellow strengths/Blue challenges)
• IEPs usually don’t consider the yellow, the concern tends to be with grade level performance
• Peer group looking at the whole child is VERY important. Gifted and learning support need to work hand in hand in order to succeed
• TDO - Talent Development Opportunities should be an essential component of IEPS

**CWC: Susan Baum

**Copied from slides provided during the presentation

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The Conversation

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“I know my child is _________________ (not performing, not paying attention, not

producing, etc.)

but is ____________________ (totally engrossed in building with legos, developing

dialogue for his superheroes, drawing animé, arguing, etc.).

If we could find a way to include _____________ (current topic of interest,

strength area, past success, talent area)

by ____________or____________ (describe possible preferred ways to learn)

and showing his/her learning through _________________ (acting, debating,

drawing, building, demonstrating),

Then, given some time and support, I believe we will see __________________

(improved behavior, attention, quality and quantity of work, willingness to stay in the

struggle, and achievement).

Through the process of Action Research, we will document growth and positive

When an IEP is Not enough

Susan Baum, Ph.D. - Bridges 2e Center for Research and Professional Development

Parent/Teacher Talk: Real-world Strategies for Effective Child-centered Collaboration

Nicole N. Mattingly, April Walker - University of North Texas

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Parent/Teacher Relationship

What NOT to Do

Tips for Effective Collaboration

Conclusions

Lessons from Leaders for Moving Forward into an Unknown Future

Closing Keynote

Tracey Cross - Support our teachers!

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Ken Dickson - Improve identification and train staff in anti-racism

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Rich Olenchak - Get proactive and educate all children with a focus on strengths

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Jonathan Plucker - Change perspective; Try new solutions with an eye on increasing equity

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Dorothy Sisk - Focus on student skills: internet proficiency, communication, mindfulness

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Julia Roberts - Employers want complex problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity; Gifted ed. knows how to teach these skills; “Stay curious!”

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Joe Renzulli - Shift to assessment for learning (potential) instead of assessment of learning

“During this time of unprecedented change, what words of advice and inspiration do you have to share?”

**CWC: One year Anniversary, Jim Delisle, Linda Silverman, Dina Brulles, Gil Whiting

Additional Resources

Colorado Association of Gifted and Talented (CAGT)

Conversations with CAGT

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• General - Jim Delisle, Linda Silverman, Marc Smolowitz, Terry Bradley/Student Panel, Jennifer Cassell, Paula McGuire, Colleen Urlik – Legislative Affairs – 8/3/2021
• SEL - Jenny Hecht, Patty Gatto-Walden, Julie Skolnick (2e), Emily Kircher-Morris
• 2e - Bobby Gilman, Jonathan Mooney, Seth Perler, Nicole Tetreault
• Equity - Colin Seele, Joy Lawson Davis, Michelle DuBois and Robin Greene

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Adams 12 GT Parents Group https://www.a12gifted.org/

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• Recordings under Events/Parent Education Series (GT 101, ALPs, 2e)
• Parent Resources/Websites and Further Reading

Come talk to us!

Email at info@a12gifted.org or attend monthly leadership meeting

NAGC Parent TIP Sheets bit.ly/NAGC_TIP (link)

When are Intensities and Sensitivities A Sign of Mental Health Disorder

Barbara Kerr - University of Kansas and M. Alexandra Vuyk - Universidad Catolica Nuestra Senora de la Assuncion

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• How to separate one from the other?
• It takes a team. Teacher, social workers, psychologist, psychiatrist
• Careful to not overpathologize - a label that will follow through life, overmedicate or mis-medicate

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• How does community plays a part in it?
• Community standards and behaviors
• Access to mental health services
• Socioeconomic status
• Why the label? Caregivers and schools goals.
• Anxiety - excessive worry occurring more days than not for at least six months
• Depression - 2 weeks consistently
• Obsessive compulsive disorder - persistent urges that cannot be suppressed, or are suppressed by repetitive behaviours