Irish Gifted Education Blog

Giftedness and Learning Disabilities

2012-03-14T15:34:00.001Z

Giftedness and Learning Disabilities:

Unearthing the Missed Diagnosis

Presented by Paul Beljan, PsyD, ABPdN

15th March 2012

7.30pm Eastern/11.30pm GMT

Cost: $40

In this SENGinar, teachers, parents, and counselors will learn how to correctly diagnosis learning disabilities in gifted and talented children.

Characteristics of gifted and talented children can result in incorrect diagnoses, such as overlooking learning disabilities.Learning disabilities can take the form of academics (reading and math) or innate abilities in general learning that may relate to social learning.

In this SENGinar, Dr. Paul Beljan will review some of the basic tenants of giftedness that include intellect and asynchronous development. He will then turn to the nuts and bolts of learning disabilities: what they look like, how to assess them, and what to do about them in the contexts of the gifted population. The "discrepancy model" of learning disability will be dispelled in favor of understanding the brain basis of learning disabilities. Dr. Beljan will present several anecdotes and case examples to illustrate the process of learning disabilities.

Sign Up Now!

NOTE: Register now and you will receive a link to the recording of this SENGinar the week following the live event.

About Paul Beljan, PsyD, ABPdN
Dr. Paul Beljan is a past president of the American Board of Pediatric Neuropsychology. He holds child and adult diplomate qualifications with the American Board of Pediatric Neuropsychology and the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology. Dr. Beljan co-wrote Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults, and has authored several chapters and articles in various publications. Dr. Beljan currently is working on his post doctoral master's degree in psychopharmachology. Dr. Beljan's professional focus is on Alcohol/Drug Related Neurodevelopmental Deficit (A/DRND), Gifted Intelligence, Learning Disorders, Traumatic Brain Injury, Trauma, and non-medication-based Attention and Executive Functioning Deficit interventions.

About SENG Webinars

For more information, contact Patricia Petrillo. This webinar is provided by SENG, www.SENGifted.org. SENG is committed to sharing complex issues relating to the social and emotional needs of giftedness. SENGinars reflect the opinions of their speakers and do not necessarily represent SENG's philosophy. SENG invites your comments and discussion about this webinar following the session.

Reflections on Gifted Education Awareness Week 2012

2012-03-04T18:42:00.001Z

As Gifted Education Awareness Week 2012 has now come to an end, it is time to reflect on what has been achieved.

Firstly, an enormous THANK YOU is due to Peter Lydon who is almost single-handedly responsible for Gifted Education Awareness Week (GEAW2012) in Ireland. He is someone for whom I have developed the utmost respect and admiration as we have worked together over the past year or so and it is only fitting that he is given the recognition he deserves.

In December 2011, Peter was minding his own business teaching geography in Wesley College. Karen and I had heard to a presentation he gave on teaching gifted children and, delighted to find that he was within our area, we approached him to discuss how we might work together to raise awareness of the needs of gifted children. What a force we unleashed! While Karen and I are talkers and procrastinators, Peter is a doer. Mention an idea to him and, within a few hours, it has been acted upon. (We have learned to be careful with this!!) Within no time at all, we found ourselves caught up in a whirlwind of EU Talent Day and National Gifted Education Awareness Day 2011. Websites appeared, registers were created, information leaflets and posters designed. We hardly had time to draw breath.

This year, in our usual fashion, the two of us talked over numerous cups of coffee about holding another awareness day. It would be bigger and better...we had some fantastic ideas, but time flew by and eventually we pretty much decided that we had missed the boat and it was too late to do anything. Not a bit of it...Peter cracked the whip and we were off. He and his talented wife, Susannah, designed a new logo and banner. He wrote another information leaflet, did a flyer, contacted supporters for permission to use their logos, asked Fred Boss if #edchatie could be devoted to GEAW, wrote articles and blog posts...

On Monday 27th February, the topic for #edchatie on Twitter was “meeting the needs of gifted students”. This was a very lively, positive and engaging chat co-hosted by Peter. It reassured us for us that teachers are interested and would like to know more, However, they receive little or no information about giftedness during their training and this is something which would be of enormous benefit to teachers, parents and students alike. Needless to say, Peter has this gap in his sights and his first lecture to trainee teachers will be in Maynooth later this month!

On Tuesday and Wednesday, with the help of the Institute of Child Education and Psychology (ICEPE), the new flyer and information leaflet were emailed out to all schools for the attention of the Special Education Needs coordinator. They are still available for download on the GTNetwork website.

We had several blogposts written by international friends. Most notably Dr Tracy Cross, of William and Mary in Virginia who wrote an excellent synopsis of the Common Endogenous Characteristics of Students with Gifts and Talents. This will be of help to parents and teachers alike. Procuring this article is one of the few things for which I can take credit!

Finally, we had a record attendance at the annual conference at CTYI where 120 teachers and parents came together to hear presentations from educators and psychologists. The slides form these presentations will be made available shortly and we will share them with you. Peter turned up with a pile of flyers and leaflets which he had spent the previous evening printing at home and then gave an excellent presentation on classroom strategies for teaching gifted learners.

He will be hosting the weekly Irish gifted chat on Twitter, #gtie, this evening at 9pm and then I hope he takes a well-earned rest...well a quick one before the school week starts again in the morning!
It is now up to the rest of us to keep this ball rolling. How can this be done?

Parents and teachers can sign up on the Gifted and Talented Network Ireland register to be kept appraised of any future initiatives.

You can seek out other parents or teachers in your area and form a support group. Anyone who wishes to use the GT Network website as a means of doing this, is more than welcome.

Teacher can sign the TEACH Ireland register so that you can be included in any initiatives run for teachers.

Development of this Network will help to ensure that a coordinated and focused response to any future developments in education can be made on behalf of all stakeholders. It would also be of benefit if local groups could participate directly in future awareness-raising initiatives and help in the dissemination of information.

Common Endogenous Characteristics of Gifted Students

2012-03-04T12:46:00.000Z

To celebrate the final day of Gifted Education Awareness Week, we are honoured to share with Gifted and Talented Network Ireland, an article written specially by Dr Tracy L Cross, the Jody and Layton Smith Professor of Psychology and Gifted Education and the Executive Director of the Center for Gifted Education at The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia.

Common Endogenous Characteristics Among Students with Gifts and Talents

I have been asked to share some ideas about the social and emotional needs of students with gifts and talents (SWGT). To that end, I will describe five examples of endogenous characteristics. Endogenous means “about the person,” so these are characteristics about gifted children that I think are more common among SWGT than their peers of average abilities. I am not claiming that they are present for every gifted student, only that from my experience overseeing a residential high school for intellectually gifted students for nine years, my research and familiarity with the research literature, I believe that this list is supportable. The five are: asynchronous development, overexcitabilities, multipotentiality, excessive self-criticism, and perfectionism.

Asynchronous development results when there is a difference between two areas of development. For example, among SWGT there is often considerable difference between a child’s intellectual development (e.g., IQ scores) and level of development in the social and/or emotional areas. This gap can be quite difficult for the child. We often see SWGT whose intellectual capacity allows them to converse with much older people, but they still may behave as children of their chronological age. School personnel are often perplexed by these situations. Some consider asynchronous development an actual definition of giftedness.

The Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD) was created by a Polish psychiatrist and psychologist named Kazimierz Dabrowski. TPD posits the necessity for anxiety and tension to exist for positive growth to occur. An important part of the TPD is what Dabrowski called overexcitabilities, or heightened sensitivities. The theory has created a significant following among gifted educators, as it provides a good mechanism to consider the development of SWGT, to understand them and their needs. In this theory, there are five areas of heightened sensitivities Dabrowski believed were more common among SWGT: intellectual, sensual, imaginational, psychomotor, and imaginational. The theory is very complicated and detailed, so I encourage you to read about it to gain a fuller understanding of it. I found it particularly helpful when I worked as the executive director of a residential high school for intellectually gifted students. I got to know many of the students and found that this theory could easily be mapped on to approximately 70% of them. It became a practical window into how they functioned and allowed me avenues through which to communicate.

Multipotentiality is just what it sounds like. It is common for SWGT to also be especially good at, have great passion for, and/or be extremely interested in more than one area. In general, this is a good thing for their future well-being, in that its can enhance agency and self- confidence. However, when these areas cut across societal conventions and stereotypes, quite often stress is raised and limitations applied. For example, when female SWGT approach college and are good at both physics and music, they will often be encouraged to pursue the field that more closely represents society’s stereotypes. In addition to maintaining the stereotypes along gender lines, it also can cause considerable stress among the SWGT. Being supportive of these students’ passion areas is very important to their mental health. Moreover, it can be confusing to them when no clear direction appears as it may for others.

Excessive self-criticism is a less well-known common aspect to SWGT. Being self-aware and even critical at times are healthy aspects to growing as an individual. Being excessively self-critical can be debilitating to young (and older) SWGT. The good news is that it seems that excessive self-criticism is learned. This makes it similar to most phobias. Therapists are exceedingly successful at eradicating phobias, because what is learned can be unlearned. Excessive self-criticism is the same. With proper counseling, SWGT who struggle with this can successfully work through it with professional help.

The best-known and most misunderstood common characteristic has been left for last. Perfectionism among SWGT is fairly common. I believe more common than the general population, but clearly not an issue for all SWGT. In the early days many thought it to be a pathological need for flawless performance. In the past 20 years, considerable research has been conducted that better informs us about nuances of perfectionism. It was originally thought to be unidimensional and always debilitating. More recently we have learned that there are multiple types of perfectionism and that many, many SWGT function quite well as perfectionists. This is exciting work and as it increases its sophistication, our ability to better understand it and treat it, as need be, improves.

For further reading, I suggest going to HoagiesGifted.org. This website provides hundreds of publications about SWGT, including many on social and emotional issues. The articles are free and provide a good foundation on many topics. From there, I encourage you to contact me if I can be helpful to you. My email is tlcross@wm.edu.

Gifted Education Awareness Week Day 2

2012-02-28T23:45:00.001Z

This flyer and leaflet were emailed out to all schools in Ireland today, for the attention of the Special Education Needs Coordinators, with the hope that they will be passed on to all interested staff and printed off for display on the staffroom noticeboard.

Gifted Education Awareness Week 2012 leaflet

Gifted Education Awareness Week 2012

2012-02-27T10:06:00.001Z

Gifted Education Awareness Week 2012 (GEAW2012) kicks off today.

The first event is a chat on Twitter at 8.30pm. Irish teachers who use twitter have been getting together every Monday evening at this time for quite some time now to discuss all sorts of topics relevant to Irish education. We are very grateful to the host, Fred Boss of the National Council for Education in Technology (NCTE), for kindly devoting this week's topic to GEAW.

Having watched some of these chats over the past few months, we have been so impressed by teachers enthusiasm and willingness to share and learn from each other. We are really looking forward to engaging with them as we discuss "Meeting the Needs of Gifted Children Inside and Outside the Classroom". If you would like to watch or join in, take a look at our Twitter Guide. It's a little out of date, but you'll get the idea. Otherwise, we'll post the transcript after the event.

For further details of GEAW2012, keep an eye on Gifted and Talented Network Ireland where all the news will appear.

Transcript of #edchatie

Gifted Education Awareness Week 2012

2012-02-23T09:10:00.001Z

Peter Lydon, giftedandtalented.ie

2011 was a very successful year in terms of raising awareness about issues affecting

the inclusion of gifted children in schools in Ireland. Thanks to Brian Clavin of KPMG we were able to fund the distribution of a poster and information leaflet to every school in the country as part of Ireland’s first National Gifted Education Awareness Day. The combination of this event with the first EU Talent Day represented a new departure in bringing the needs of gifted children to the attention of teachers.

Several articles were published in the Irish Independent, the Sunday Business Post and importantly in the ASTIR, the ASTI publication that reaches 17,000 teachers (page 28). An advertisement for the Awareness day in INTOUCH, the magazine of INTO reached every primary school teacher on the island – north and south.

Our chat on gifted issues in Ireland (and elsewhere) on Twitter on Sunday evenings at 9pm has drawn a steady interest. #gtie is now a recognisable hash-tag among many significant advocates. Teach Ireland and Gifted and Talented Network Ireland are growing and 2012 should see further, positive developments on those fronts. The Network also has a presence on Facebook for people who want to connect, join discussions and share resources.

Last year also saw, for the first time, a reference to gifted students in a Programme for Government. Coupled with support from the Minister and the Department this really was the icing on the cake.

"I very much welcome the initiative to establish the first EU Talent Day on 9 April, together with the National Gifted Education Awareness Day in Ireland on 8 April. We must nurture and support talent and giftedness, if we are to meet the challenges which face today’s society. This is a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate talent in many disciplines, and to promote an inclusive education system which meets all our students’ needs."

Ruairí Quinn, Minister for Education and Skills (courtesy of the Sunday Independent).

This year we decided to be a little more ambitious and promote Gifted Education Awareness Week. We have invited and will invite several fellow bloggers to contribute with a post on their site. We have a new leaflet in the pipeline to distribute to schools. And hopefully the media presence will come through. The main site for the week is gtnetwork.ie. Gifted and Talented Network Ireland is a network of advocates and Gifted Advocacy Support (GAS) groups in Ireland.

Awareness is not something that will suddenly take hold over night. However, I know that teachers are very interested in the idea of gifted children and how to meet their needs. And every step we take is one step closer to greater inclusion in schools.

Gifted Education Awareness Week (GEAW2012) begins on Monday February 27th and culminates in the annual CTYI Conference in DCU on Saturday 3rd March. The theme of the conference is ‘Gifted Children inside the classroom and out’. This is the theme we have adopted for the Awareness Week. It is fitting that the first event of the week will be a special #edchatie Twitter Chat at 8.30pm on Monday evening. Big thanks to Fred Boss of the NCTE who hosts #edchatie every Monday. #edchatie attracts a large number of teachers from all around Ireland and it is great to have the opportunity to chat directly with them. The title of the chat is ‘Gifted children inside the classroom and out’.

The logo (below) is the official Gifted Education Awareness Week logo. We think it’s pretty and speaks for itself.

GEAW 2012 Logo

World's First Virtual Global Anti-Bullying March

2012-02-16T21:28:00.001Z

The Big March 2012

Bullying is not a topic specific to giftedness, but it is one close to our hearts. Beatbullying is a UK anti-bullying charity and we are delighted to join them on the first virtual global march for children's right to be safe: The Big March 2012.

On 1st March 2012, thousands of virtual marchers will cross the websites of the world biggest brands. Beatbullying is calling on individuals, celebrities, politicians, charities, businesses and communities to take part in the march which will culminate with the delivery of a petition to the United Nations Building in new York, asking the UN to explicitly enshrine "bullying" in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

"The right of every child to be safe from bullying, violence and the fear of violence by their peers as well as abuse by adults".

This will help to protect children all over the world from the pain and distress of bullying and harassment. If successful, it will be the first time that the Convention has been updated in over 10 years.

Governments and world leaders who have ratified the Convention are bound to it by international law and are therefore obliged to introduce and implement measures and legislation which serve to protect children. The addition of 'bullying' to the UNCRC will give weight and legitimacy to the demands of children, families, schools, and communities who want to build a world where bullying is unacceptable.

Any individual or group can sign up to participate by visiting Big March 2012 where you can register, create an avatar for yourself and sign the petition. If you have a blog, website, or facebook account, you can download material from the toolkit to add to your site.

NB: The 31st January is mentioned in several places as the date of the march. This has been changed and the 1st March is the big day.

ADHD, Gifted or Both?

2012-01-24T15:26:00.000Z

SENG Embarks on International Campaign to Educate Pediatricians
About Possible Misdiagnosis of ADHD in Gifted Children

Intellectually gifted children whose needs are neglected or misunderstood may exhibit traits and behaviors that resemble those of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and be wrongly diagnosed, possibly resulting in unnecessary medication and unintended harm, according to the international nonprofit organization Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted(SENG). SENG is developing a public awareness effort to alert the pediatric healthcare community to the potential for misdiagnosis. Giftedness education is currently not a standard teaching component in medical schools and is addressed infrequently in the pediatric medical literature.

SENG recently sent a letter of concern to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in response to the AAP's new guideline discussed in "ADHD: Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity in Children and Adolescents" (Pediatrics, 2011, Vol 128 [5], November, pp. 1-17.). The new AAP-directed guideline extends the range of ADHD diagnosis from ages 6-12 to ages 4-18, and fails to include the critical possibility that a child's intellectual giftedness may contribute to symptoms similar to ADHD. Thus, precocious preschoolers may be at even greater risk for misdiagnosis.

"There is a reasonable amount of professional literature supporting the need for physicians to consider intellectual giftedness...However, the ADHD rating scales have not yet incorporated this consideration into their manuals, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) only mentions it in passing. Our opinion is that a substantial number of intellectually gifted children are being incorrectly diagnosed as having ADHD," according to a letter from SENG leaders James T. Webb, Ph.D., ABPP-Cl; Marianne Kuzujanakis, M.D., M.P.H.; and Rosina M. Gallagher, Ph.D., NCSP.

In response to SENG's letter, the AAP indicated that it will share the information with its committees reviewing the issue, consider the feedback in its next revision of the ADHD guidelines, publish an article on the topic in its newsmagazine, and propose a session on gifted children at its national conference.

James T. Webb, who also co-authored the book Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults and is highly published in the gifted field, believes that while ADHD can and does occur in gifted children, many traits and behaviors characteristic of giftedness are frequently misinterpreted as ADHD, particularly in the very young.

"Some of these traits include being strong-willed, impulsive, impatient with the relative slowness of others, and having the tendency towards heightened sensitivity, perfectionism, and intense focus on personal interests and experiences," Webb says.

"As pediatric healthcare providers become better informed on giftedness issues, they better understand the value of correctly identifying giftedness in their patient population, and are better able to make recommendations to meet their needs via strength-based planning and educational strategies prior to traditional behavioral and medical interventions," he adds.

SENG leaders finally propose that future editions of diagnostic manuals (DSM and ICD) provide specific codes for giftedness in the medical record, and recommend that pediatric clinicians routinely consider giftedness in all developmental assessments, particularly when diagnosing ADHD and relevant behavioral and mental conditions.

About SENG

Founded in 1981, SENG is an organization that empowers families and communities to guide gifted and talented individuals to reach their goals: intellectually, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. With more than 12,000 subscribers to its newsletter, and a board of globally respected authorities on gifted education, SENG offers online resources, shares research, and provides webinars for parents, educators, and healthcare professionals. Its 2012 national conference will be held July 13-14, 2012 in Milwaukee, Wis. For more information, see www.SENGifted.org.

Additional resources

Prof Tracy Cross to Speak at DCU on 10th December

2011-12-06T00:01:00.003Z

Social and Emotional Issues in Relation to Gifted Children

Guest Lecture by

Professor Tracy Cross

Professor of Psychology and Gifted Education

College of William and Mary, Virginia, USA

Saturday 10th December

Room CG12

Henry Grattan Building
Dublin City University

10.30am and 2pm

It’s not often that we in Ireland have the opportunity to hear in person, one of the world’s experts in gifted education. Professor Cross has written many books on the subject and is, not only an expert in the field, but a very entertaining speaker. CTYI welcome anyone to come along on Saturday but ask that you email Lynne Mooney at lynne.mooney@dcu.ie to confirm a place.
Directions and Map of DCU campus

Dazzled and I will be there for the 2pm session as will teacher, Peter Lydon, and are happy to chat to any parents and teachers afterwards. So, be sure and say hello!

The Junior Cert Reform Glass is Half-Full!

2011-11-07T21:36:00.000Z

The current Junior Certificate was introduced in 1989 with the first exams in 1992. It replaced the Intermediate Certificate and was heralded as being a much more modern qualification. In the interim it has become a content-heavy “Leaving Cert Lite” with parents, students and teachers alike extolling its virtues as being “good practise for the points race”. Reform is therefore welcome and overdue if we are to address issues of curriculum overload, rote-learning and outdated ways of assessment in our education system.

Many of the proposals in our submission to the NCCA review have found a place in the final plan and we are pleasantly surprised at some of the elements proposed. From a “gifted” perspective there is much to be applauded and welcomed. Children learn in so many different ways and this document recognises that all children should get the opportunity to show what they can do within the exam system and outside of it. Of particular interest are the short courses which give students welcome scope to follow their talents and strengths. Many children already take part in activities both in and outside school from sports to music to computers to theatre. Lots of them shine in this their chosen environment. It is a very positive thing that their commitment to participation in a wide range of activities can be recognised and rewarded.

The new system may have much to commend it, but it also raises many questions. How will teachers respond? Will they think it will merely increases their workload? How will they feel about assessing their own students, long a hot-button issue for the teachers unions? Will some subjects fade into obscurity if they are not examination subjects? What implication does the new Junior Cycle have for Transition Year? What will happen to the Leaving Cert if students are examined differently for Junior Cert? Will it have the desired effect on Literacy and Numeracy, and the infamous Pisa study? And the biggest one of all; is this merely a dumbing down, no child gets ahead, minimum achievement proposition?

The jury is out for now, it will probably take a few years to see the results, but I believe that good schools have nothing to fear from the changes. It will finally show parents what the “league tables” don’t. Schools have been telling us for years that a fairer way to judge the education provided by individual schools would be to consider all activities, sports, co-curricular, learning support measures and exemplary school leadership in addition to academics. This is an opportunity to show us exactly that. It will tell us which schools have strong effective leadership. It will separate good teachers from poor ones. It will show us how good school management produces real results. It will showcase innovative, inclusive and imaginative schools. It will identify those schools which genuinely support all types of learners, including those with difficulties and those who are boxed in by the current exam system.

There was a recent article in The Irish Times about a school in County Limerick which in the space of a few years turned itself around from being on the brink of closure to being one of the most desired schools in the locality. It did this through innovative leadership and a strong vision of what they wanted to achieve. This school should be the inspiration for all schools and teachers who look on this new Junior Cert as a negative development. Coláiste Chiaráin was at rock-bottom and used the same resources available to every other school to create a learning environment second to none. They didn’t see the glass as half-empty, they looked to fill it to the brim. I’m guessing they won’t see the new Junior Cert as anything other than an opportunity. I hope other schools can do likewise.

The responses so far have been mixed, but a central theme has been funding. Some teachers of my acquaintance want to know where the money for their training will come from. They say that without huge investment this will never work. I am starting to wonder if that's a prediction or a threat. We have had enough negativity in Ireland in the last few years. It is time to change the way we view the challenges ahead. Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, looking for flaws in every new development with our typical Irish Peig Sayers-like keening why don’t we seek out the positives and make them work? The can-do approach which is the hallmark of the most admired entrepreneurs and innovators in Ireland and throughout the world should be to the forefront of our minds as we head into this new Junior Cycle. Enough complaining, let's get on with ensuring that our children have a first-class learning experience. My glass is half-full, how is yours looking?

Junior Cycle Reform, Here We Come!

2011-11-06T20:09:00.000Z

Following a lengthy period of consultation with teachers, students, parents and anyone who wished to have a say, the NCCA has put forward a new Framework for Junior Cycle. This has been approved by the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn, and is due to be implemented from 2014, meaning that children now in 5th class in primary school will be the last to go through the Junior Certificate as we know it now.

This new model has drawn mixed responses. Given that it incorporates many of the elements which our support group wished for in the Junior Cycle Portfolio which we submitted to the NCCA, we cannot be anything but pleased!

The new framework will, in my opinion, allow schools and teachers to really get stuck in and do something innovative. No longer will the Junior Certificate be all about rote learning and regurgitation in which success depends on learning how to play the game and know how to score points on the test rather than display knowledge and understanding of a subject. Now, there will be the potential for students to explore areas which interest them to a level which matches their ability. It should be all about learning to learn and being excited by the process, rather than turned off by the whole idea. However, the success of the new model will be very much dependent on the attitude and skill of individual schools and teachers. Schools with enthusiastic innovative leadership and passionate teachers will take it and make it their own. I imagine that teaching in such an environment will be far more enjoyable too and there are teachers who are already champing at the bit to get going. Success will depend on the ability of each school and teacher to engage students and create an environment in which they want to participate. Enthusiasm is infectious.

There are, admittedly, many challenges ahead. A high level of innovation will be required when it comes to subject choices and time-tabling. If some students are preparing for the end-of-junior-cycle exam in a subject, will all others taking that subject take the same classes with them? Will this stunt creativity in that class? Much will depend on the type of assessment/examination at the end. Let’s hope it doesn’t perpetuate teaching-to-the-test. Cross-curricular modules or classes would be very worthwhile, but how can these be facilitated while also preparing students for the Junior Certificate exams in discrete subjects and at different levels? The ASTI has raised concerns about teachers assessing their own students' work. That will require integrity and professionalism on the part of teachers and trust on the part of parents, but it has been achieved in other countries, so there must be a way.

While it is important that we strive to ensure that as many as possible reach certain minimum standards, recognition for talent in other areas is to be welcomed. There are many valuable life-lessons to be learned from participation in areas beyond the scope of the current education system, such as the arts, technology and sport. No fifteen year old should be made to feel a failure simply because they score poorly in an academic setting. I suppose the question we must ask ourselves, is “what is the goal of second level education?” Personally, I believe that it should be to produce young adults who are equipped to go out into the world and to participate in society as fully, positively and productively as possible, given their own unique skill-set.

One element about which I have some reservations in the standardised testing proposed for the end of second year. There is value to this insofar as it allows schools to ensure that all students reach a certain minimum standard. However, there is the risk that, once this standard has been reached, the box is considered ticked and all is well. For students of exceptional ability, all is not well at all. What is not often appreciated is that these students may be able to perform at a level several years above their grade level. Standardised testing allows no room for their ability or progress to be monitored. With a ceiling in place, how do we know they aren’t, in fact, disimproving over time relative to their own ability?

Then there are those exceptionally able students who, for whatever reason, just don’t do well in standardised tests. Some look at multiple-choice questions and, because of their ability to think deeply and around corners, may see several possible correct answers and not know which box to tick. Some may have a learning disability which brings their score down. As long as it falls within acceptable limits, they tick the box and their ability and disability, having masked each other, both go unnoticed.

Having said that, I believe that with a combination of the new Junior Cycle Framework and some basic instruction on the characteristics and needs of gifted students during pre-service teacher training, then such children could be far more easily identified than at present. Indeed, the new model, implemented well, is just the sort of environment in which these children could be allowed to stretch their wings and learn how to use their ability with pride. It’s just a shame that none of these changes will come in time for my own children to benefit.

To Label Or Not To Label?

2011-10-30T14:09:00.000Z

In the

, it is estimated that up to 20% of gifted children may also have a learning disability of some sort, i.e. are twice exceptional. We don’t have figures for

Ireland

, but I assume they would be roughly similar. Is this accurate? Do these children really warrant a diagnosis or label or are they just plain gifted and displaying behaviour typical of giftedness?

Physical disabilities and some learning disabilities may be easy enough to identify. Others are not so clear-cut, particularly in gifted individuals. What is the difference between ADHD and overexcitability? Does the daydreaming, unfocused child or the one who keeps blurting out the answers in class have a brain which is working at a hundred miles an hour or do they have ADHD? Is a child who does not mix well with their classmates displaying asynchrony or do they have Asperger Syndrome? Is a child who can be elated one minute and distraught the next, suffering from bipolar disorder or just emotional intensity? Do you see the problem?

In Ireland, very few psychologists, psychiatrists and occupational therapists have expertise in giftedness. So, when faced with these issues, they may be too quick to label. On the other hand, for the very same reason, they may miss the diagnosis of a learning disability if giftedness is masking the problem. It is important to be able to see the big picture because, as Dr Linda Silverman says when describing how the gifted cope with learning disabilities, compensation is a two-edged sword.

Most behaviours or traits have a spectrum and we each display them at different intensities. Much like a graphic equaliser gives a piece of music its overall character, it is the combination of all these behaviours at different levels which gives us each our unique personality. Some of us lie near the centre of the range for all the traits; others fall well to one end or the other of some. Does that indicate a diagnosable condition or are we just a little eccentric?

Let me use ADHD to illustrate my point. I am very disorganised, I procrastinate, I flit from idea to idea without seeing things through, and my house usually looks like a tornado just passed through. Do I have ADHD? Well, I am certainly well up along that particular spectrum! Whether I warrant the label or not, I am not sure.

Excuse the sexist stereotyping but, consider a married man with ADHD and a personal assistant. His assistant keeps him organised at work and, more than likely, his wife keeps him organised at home. So, it's quite possible that he does fine and may never even know he has ADHD. In contrast, a married woman with ADHD who chooses the traditional role of stay-at-home-mother may be expected to manage the household and organise everyone; herself, her children and her husband. Throw in a child or two with traits of ADHD (it tends to run in families) and a couple of pets and the chances are, she may struggle somewhat. She may, like me, be frazzled!

So you see, the impact of the “problem” very much depends on life circumstances at any given time. If we choose the “right” job and the “right” partner, we may sail through just fine. Alternatively, we may end up in trouble at various times. My view is that we must be aware of our traits and how they affect us. Firstly, it makes us better able to make good choices and not to be too hard on ourselves when we mess up. Secondly, we can learn strategies that may help us to cope. What works for people with the full-blown disability, may help those with milder traits. It is our job as parents, to help our children to understand themselves in this way and to take responsibility for their behaviour.

Having said that, there are times when we may need to accept the label and seek help. This is particularly important for our children. It is all very well to say we don’t want them to be stigmatised, but if they are struggling to cope at school, getting a diagnosis or label can be the only way to get support for them. This may make all the difference, not only to their level of achievement, but also to their self-confidence and general well being during their formative years.

References:

Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities : Lost Treasures by Linda Kreger Silverman

Overexcitability and the Gifted by Sharon Lind

Asynchronous Development by Jean Goerss

Emotional Intensity in Gifted Children by Lesley Kay Sword

The Two-Edged Sword of Compensation: How the Gifted Cope With Learning Disabilities by Linda Kreger Silverman

Understanding How Gifted and Twice Exceptional Children Can Benefit From OT by Debra Johnson

Happy World Teachers' Day!

2011-10-05T13:36:00.000+01:00

It’s World Teachers' Day today, so a big THANK YOU to all teachers in Ireland and across the globe! I hope you continue to inspire and be inspired by your students every day.

As a parent I am grateful for the many inspiring teachers in whose classrooms my children have spent time. I am amazed at their patience, commitment and dedication to the children they teach. Many of them go way beyond the call of duty in providing support, extra-curricular activities, supervision hours and a determination to help students succeed. My son’s History teacher is a fine example. His enthusiasm for his subject is infectious, his story-telling legendary, his commitment to helping a classroom full of teenage boys see the value of history in their modern high-tech world is fantastic. One of those brave souls who volunteers to travel on school trips (and even appears to enjoy them!), his influence is such that my 2nd Year son has already decided to take History as a Leaving Cert subject as long as his teacher is Mr. Carey. This is one great teacher! And I am lucky that my children’s schools are full of teachers like this; able to reach their students in a myriad of different ways.

My children are also Exceptionally Able which can make for a different experience of our school system. There is, I think, a growing awareness that gifted children have quite distinct and different needs. Supporting those children in a meaningful way without compromising the needs of others and balancing scarce resources is the hard part. Being able to identify which children are gifted is the first step. As a parent of Exceptionally Able children there are a few things of which I wish more of our teachers were aware. Here are five things which might ease the way for these students for whom our educational system is not best suited;

The Exceptionally Able are not always the high-achievers in the classroom, and the high-achievers are not always Exceptionally Able. Spotting EA students is not an easy task. It would be a great leap forward if schools and teachers could make it their mission to be able to recognize gifted pupils.
We (their parents) often know a lot about our particular children and giftedness in general. We have often spent many hours researching giftedness from classroom strategies to friendship or social issues to help us raise these different children. Use us, we’d love to help.

Work is not supposed to be too easy. If our children always get 100% please make it more difficult for them, otherwise they will fall apart when they finally face a challenge that doesn’t come easy. See our post on Vygotsky’s ZPD for more.

Playing to my child’s strengths gives him or her confidence to tackle any weaknesses, the other way around does not. You’ve probably all already seen this clip about how unique all our children are, but it really says it all.

These students could often go far far beyond what the curriculum, the classroom or the teacher can offer. I understand the limits within which you have to operate, so do these students. By the simple act of letting them know you recognize their ability you can give a powerful message that they are understood and valued.

But most of all; Thank You, for giving my children and hundreds of others the gift of life-long learning. That is priceless.

Gifted Students and Ability Grouping

2011-09-28T17:20:00.000+01:00

It is interesting that, within a week of #edchatie and #gtie both discussing mixed ability/streaming/setting on twitter, this article by Dr Emer Smyth of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) appears in the Independent.

"Some second-level schools use streaming, placing pupils in particular classes on the basis of entry tests. Thus some pupils are taught in lower ability classes, not only for English and maths but also for metalwork, physical education and religious education."

In my experience, most Irish schools engage in setting, not streaming. Streaming, whereby a student is placed into a high or low ability stream for all subjects does not make sense to me. It does not allow for the very many students who are much better at some subjects than others. Setting for individual subjects such as maths and Irish/English makes perfect sense as I cannot imagine how a teacher could adequately teach both higher and lower level in the one class when the course work is different, never mind having to deal with the wide range of student abilities.

But now to the bee in my bonnet:

"Contrary to popular perceptions, there is no benefit to those placed in higher ability classes; their results are similar to their peers in mixed classes."

Everything I have read suggests that high ability students do better in high ability groups than mixed ability groups. I fully accept the drawbacks for lower ability students, but I am not convinced that the negative impact is entirely due to the grouping itself. It seems to be at least partly related to the expectations, the behaviours and the teaching. However, that's another issue. In this article, Dr Emer Smyth refers to a "ceiling on potential achievement" being set in lower ability classes. Could a similar ceiling effect not also be part of the reason that high ability students in high ability streams do no better than their peers in mixed ability classes?

International expert, Dr Deborah Ruf has just written published School is Not Real Life, Part 3 in which she says:

"Most people think that teachers teach to the average. Well, no, they don't. They can't! If they taught to the average, too many of the slower learners simply wouldn't catch on to most of what was happening in the classroom. Teachers teach to the top of the bottom third once they know their class. This way, they reach the slower learners fairly well and the majority of the kids in the middle get lots of encouragement and opportunity to manage their time, learn study skills, and how to handle a certain amount of intellectual struggle and feel success when they finally "get it." The sad truth, though, is that the brightest students end up spending a lot of time waiting for something new to happen. Depending on a number of other factors, like whether they are male or female and their personality profiles, they learn a lot that ends up not being helpful to real life. They learn that if you are smart, you don't need to study or work hard. They learn that their parents and teachers don't know what they are talking about if they think this assignment matters. They learn that they are smarter than everyone else in the class and are in for a shock when they actually do get out into the real world."

Why is equality of achievement the holy grail of education? What about equality equality of challenge? Are we closing the achievement gap by holding the most able back? In what other area are we so focused on equality of achievement? We are happy to promote and celebrate the pursuit of excellence in sport and music, for example. Why not also in learning? Why is the education system in Ireland now heading down the same standardised testing route as the US with its No Child Left Behind policy? It has now become known as the No Child Gets Ahead Act and, to my mind this is not fair or equitable either.

Here is the transcript for #gtie chat on setting/streaming and mixed ability.
Here is the transcript for #edchatie on setting/streaming and mixed ability.

Glad to have that off my chest. Off to make dinner now!

Homework Tips For The Easily Distracted

2011-09-13T09:43:00.000+01:00

Getting through homework can be a major battle for some students and gifted students are no exception. The reasons are varied: some have ADD/ADHD; some have already been bored by the material in class and just can’t face doing yet more of the same at home; some find it difficult to resist the pull of other more interesting projects. Young people today are digital natives in a vibrant and fast-moving world of technology and information. It must be incredibly difficult for them to switch their minds away from all of that and to focus on the rather more mundane task of homework, particularly when they have been told to use the internet as a resource. Whatever the reason, there is a problem as most teachers expect students to do the homework. It doesn’t matter whether or not they clearly understand the material, it matters that the homework has been assigned and everyone must do it. Over recent years, I have been given some advice which my own easily distracted student has found helpful and I thought it would be useful to share it.

There are two parts to maximising your chances of success:

1. You must establish a routine and a system. Everyone is different in this respect, so you may need to try a few alternatives before you find the one that works best for you. Then you must be tough on yourself and stick to it.

2. You must set yourself up to succeed. The psychology of this is important as constant failure will drag you down whereas constant little successes will make you feel more confident and more likely to succeed further. It doesn’t matter how small the success or how trivial it seems to others. This is about removing fear and dread and replacing it with confidence. As the saying goes, success breeds success.

Before You Go Home

At the end of each class, make sure you have made a note of the homework assigned. If you have any doubts, now is the time to ask.

At the end of the school day, to go through the list of homework and pack your bag carefully before leaving school. A few minutes spent at this point making sure that you bring home all the necessary books and materials may save a lot of time later.

Getting Ready

Have a specific starting time so that you can’t keep putting it off.

Some people need a break after school before they begin, others find it better to just keep going. If they take a break, they find it hard to get back into the right frame of mind again. Be very careful about watching TV or going on that games console, as they switch your mind into a totally different mode and it can be very difficult to escape from them and switch back to study mode!

Exercise raises the body's levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline which aid concentration. You may find that things go better after a rugby game, dancing, a run or even walking the dog.

Make sure you eat something before you start. It’s hard to concentrate on an empty stomach.

Don’t kid yourself. You cannot do homework in front of the TV or while facebooking and texting. Find a place with as few distractions as possible and get your head “in the zone”.

Getting Started (the hardest part!)

Have a list of the homework to be done so that you can tick each item off as you finish it.

Decide how much time you think each item should reasonably take.

Then do something quick to begin with, or something you quite like. This way, you will find it easier to get stuck in and get one item ticked off on your list.

Next, do the item that you least want to do so that it isn’t hanging over you all evening. It will give you a boost once it’s done and it’s best to do the most difficult item before you get too tired.

Make a note of the time you start each item and the time you finish it. This helps to show you how much time you are spending and will, eventually, show you how you are improving. It will also be useful to show to any teachers who might doubt your effort!

Keeping Going

Some people find doing something active helps concentration. Try chewing gum, using a stressball or a piece of modelling clay/bluetack (this can be used in school too). Try sitting on a move-and-sit cushion or an excercise ball.

Contrary to the usual advice, there are a few people who work better with music in the background...Try it, but be honest about the results! Others find that white noise helps.

If you find yourself drifting off too frequently, set a timer to ring at intervals to bring you back. You might need to begin with just five minutes, or less. Set the timer and know that once you have done five minutes, you have succeeded. Enjoy the success and then go for another five, and so on. It is far better to set the bar low and succeed rather than constantly fail and feel frustrated and panicky. Over time, you should aim to increase the amount of time you go for. Often, when the stress of facing an enormous task is removed, your brain works better and you will actually get much more done.

As you complete each item of homework, tick it off on the list and get up and move around. Get some fresh air or a drink/snack. Just don’t get sucked in by the TV or a video game, though...we all know that vast amounts of time can whizz by when doing those things and before you know it, you will have left yourself with no chance of getting all your work done.

If All Else Fails

If you find that, despite your best efforts, you are spending hours and hours getting through your work and really struggling to get it all done, speak to your teachers about the problem, or get your parents to do so on your behalf. Once they appreciate that you are trying, they may very well be happy to support you. Maybe they can help you decide how much time each piece of homework should take and maybe they will be happy to accept an incomplete assignment once they know that you have spent a reasonable amount of time on it. Maybe they will suggest that you don’t need to do all the homework at all and that a shorter assignment will do. After all, homework is supposed to reinforce what you learned in class and show the teacher that you have understood it. There is often more than one way to achieve this.

For Parents

For students who have difficulties, it is important that their parents accept the problem as genuine and that they support them. They will be feeling bad enough about themselves as it is, without you adding to the sense of hopelessness and inadequacy. This will include speaking to their teachers to make them aware of the problems so that they can help. It may even mean seeking the advice of a psychologist. Don’t let the fear of labelling get in the way of seeking help. Teachers will have come across similar problems many times before and may well have some useful suggestions to make. Psychologists are trained to offer advice for problems such as these and a little input from one of them can make all the difference.

As with the organisational difficulties discussed in the previous post, it is important that, as your child gets older, they take ownership of these difficulties for themselves. Finding a teacher/mentor who is willing and able to help is very important in this regard as it means your child doesn’t have to continue depending on you, but learns to recognise when they need help and to seek it for themselves as they will have to do once they head out into the world on their own.

Further Reading:

Rewired: The Psychology of Technology. Multitasking Madness by Larry Rosen, PhD

15 Minutes of Excercise "Boosts Children's Concentration" by Jennifer Trueland

How To Improve ADHD Symptoms With Excercise interview with John J Ratey, MD

Does Your Gifted Child Have ADHD? by Kathleen Nadeau, PhD

Organising A Homework Space For Special Needs Children

How To Do Homework Without Throwing Up by Trevor Romain

My Thoughts On Homework by Justin Tarte, Assistant School Principal

Organising the Gifted but Scatty

2011-09-02T11:11:00.000+01:00

Do you have one of those kids who lives in a world of their own much of the time, completely oblivious to the passage of time; who needs constant reminding to "put the other sock on and finish getting dressed"; to "never mind that the dog's water bowl is empty, you have five minutes to eat your breakfast and get out to school"?

Does the start of the day go something like the version on the right below?

llustration by Buck Jones, used with the kind permission of Allie Golon of Visual-Spatial Learners

You finally get them out the door and are just recovering when you spot the Irish homework that was slaved over for hours the night before, sitting on the table. Or the text arrives to say "I've forgotten my maths book", "forgotten my lunch", "forgot there was P.E. today"...and so begins that inner battle: if you constantly bail them out they'll never learn, so you should let them suffer the consequences of not planning ahead and paying attention, versus the gut feeling that they really can't help it and will be devastated to turn up in class without all the right things.

In my experience there are some kids who, by suffering the consequences of their actions or lack of them, will quickly learn to be better organised. However, there are some who really do have genuine organisational difficulties related to what are known as executive skills deficits. No matter how hard they try, they always struggle to be organised. They know this and it frustrates them, causes them distress and makes them feel useless.

Sometimes the issue is just delayed development of executive skills, sometimes it’s ADHD, sometimes it’s that your kid is a visual-spatial learner. Whatever the reason, recognising for themselves the tasks with which they struggle and learning how to best to work around the problem is something that will stand to them forever. Plenty of scatty, disorganised people go on to lead productive, creative and fulfilled lives. For them to be left to constantly mess up or to have you forever picking up the pieces for them is hugely damaging to their self esteem and will delay their independence. The trick is to get the balance right between being supportive and allowing to learn by failure.

As a parent, I have found it helpful to avoid comparison of my children's progress in this area with that of other children of the same age. My goal is to ensure that, by the time they reach adulthood, they have learned to be as independent and self-sufficient as possible and are ready to leave the nest. In the meantime, they may need a little more support that their peers, but it's not a competition. It can also be helpful to discuss the problem with your child's teachers so that they understand and can work with you. It is absolutely vital that your child is included in the process so that they take responsibility for their own progress and learn to advocate for themselves as they get older.

Here are some tricks which help them to cope better.

Getting out in the morning:

1. Mornings are usually hectic and full of distractions, so pack your schoolbag and look out all your clothes before going to bed the night before. Use the school timetable to check off what is needed.

2. Set a timer in your bedroom to go off when it really is time to be dressed and ready to go for breakfast. (To begin with, mum may need to pop her head around the door at intervals to make sure progress is being made. Don’t bite it off!)

3. Follow a routine and do everything in the same order so you don’t leave anything out.

4. No TV or other distractions!

5. Have a mental checklist of the essentials and go through it before you leave. Schoolbag, lunch, money, bus ticket...whatever you need, but keep it short or you’ll forget items. My own list, which I automatically recite on my way out the door, is “keys, money, phone”.

In school:

6. If you have a homework journal, USE IT. If you don’t have one, get one. Write in, not just the homework given, but when it is due and any other special announcements. eg If the teacher tells you there is a test or you must bring in a particular item next Wednesday, write a note in next Tuesday’s slot to remind you

7. Colour code your books. You can buy sheets of coloured stickers in various shapes and allocate one to each subject eg red circles to maths, blue squares to English etc. Stick these to the spine of all your books, copybooks included. Then, when you look into you locker, you will see quickly which books you need for each class...provided you take the time to keep your locker tidy.

8. Colour code your timetable to match the book system.

9. Make lots of timetables. Stick one where you do your homework, one in the kitchen, one inside your locker. Make a small one, laminate it and keep it in your pocket.

Most importantly:

10. Accept that this is not your fault and, once you are doing your best, don't be too hard on yourself. If you keep working at it, after a while, these habits become automatic and you will find life much easier. Some of us spend our whole lives using to-do lists and little tricks to keep us on track.

Back to School. Back to Reality.

2011-08-09T14:32:00.000+01:00

For many gifted children and their families, the school holidays are a time of great relief. As we brace ourselves to re-enter the fray, we would do well to remember a few of those issues which can make school particularly difficult for gifted children. They are perfectly normal kids, just different, and we need to understand and make allowances for those differences so that we don't end up causing more stress than is necessary:

Gifted children learn faster in some areas than their classmates and often have interests not shared by children of the same age or taken to the same depth. They may find it difficult to find true peers in school and may feel isolated or somehow "out of sync". For further reading, take a look at Social Skills of Gifted Children by Louise Porter.

A gifted child may "suffer" from oversensitivities and may find stimuli which other children take in their stride, to be overwhelming. School is full of loud noises, bright lights, pungent smells, odd textures, not to mention emotional encounters which they often take very much to heart. Check out Dabrowski's Over-excitabilities. A Layman's Explanation by Stephanie Tolan.

While 60% to 75% of the general population are extroverts, about 60% of the gifted population are introverts. An extrovert is energised by being around others but an introvert finds their energy drained by others. After a period of time in other people's company, they need some time alone to recharge. A very worthwhile read for teachers and parents of gifted children is Introversion: The Often Forgotten Factor Impacting the Gifted by Jill Burruss and Lisa Kaenzig.

Considering that at least one of the points above may apply, which of the following do you think your gifted child would most welcome at the end of a school day:

A. To be whisked off on a playdate with a couple of their classmates?

B. To be greeted by you with a string of twenty questions about the details of their school day? (My own personal specialty!)

C. To be left alone to escape into a world of their own for a while to process and "re-centre" themselves?

This doesn't apply to all gifted children, of course; some arrive home raring to go. But it's worth bearing in mind that many are exhausted, drained, frustrated, have had just about enough, thank you very much, and simply want some time alone. It's nothing personal!

Gifted Students and Web-Based Education

2011-07-31T22:09:00.011+01:00

Guest post by Lindsey Wright

School is meant to provide a nurturing learning environment for kids of all ages. Yet all too often, the traditional school model leaves gifted kids feeling bored, restless or trapped. Unable to work beyond the pace of their classes or take courses that meet their skill levels, it's easy for these kids and their parents to feel like they have no recourse when it comes to education. Luckily the growing number of online educational resources can give gifted students a way to expand their horizons and learn beyond what's offered in the classroom.

The Benefits of Online Learning

Online learning has many advantages over the traditional school setting, especially for gifted kids. One of the most important is pacing. When learning online, kids can do the work on their own time and don't have to work on the same part of an assignment at the same time as their classmates. Additionally, since course materials are available any time students are logged on, there is flexibility in when the work can be done. This aspect also fosters a greater sense of responsibility since kids are required to take the initiative when it comes to getting work done.

Course availability is another positive aspect of online learning. Brick-and-mortar institutions can only offer so many courses at each grade level. For some gifted students, even advanced placement (AP) classes aren't enough. Being able to turn to an online school allows these students to reach beyond the classroom and participate in classes that they wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to take.

Online class sizes may also be smaller than those held in traditional classrooms. A lower student-to-teacher ratio means more individualized attention and more potential for positive interaction between the students themselves. When kids are taking a class voluntarily in a subject they enjoy, boredom becomes a thing of the past and ideas can be exchanged freely.

Online Classes

Since online learning requires a measure of self-discipline, some students may fare best taking classes in a structured environment. Programs like the Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) and Virtual High School (VHS) offer classes headed by trained instructors and include virtual classrooms or discussion boards through which teacher and student interaction may take place. Assignments are given with clear deadlines, but students have the freedom to log on at any time of day or night to complete the coursework. Some classes include digital lectures to further enhance the learning experience.

These types of courses give gifted students a measure of flexibility and independence without completely removing the school structure. Likewise, as there is no restriction on when the work can be done, online classes can be pursued in tandem with traditional schooling. Kids who feel that they're not being challenged enough during the school day can add courses to expand their academic reach and give themselves something else to work on. As long as a gifted student has the time to devote, online classes are a positive solution to the problem of being dissatisfied or bored with school.

Unstructured Learning

An open-ended curriculum benefits kids who are self-motivated and desire a further measure of freedom in their education. While this format may require more participation on the part of parents or teachers, it can be worth it for gifted students who feel that their current school doesn't provide classes that delve deep enough into the subject matter that they find interesting. By working together parents and educators can create extra projects for kids to work on in subjects they enjoy. With the Internet as a guide and a myriad of informative websites for resources, there is really no limit to the amount or type of extracurricular learning that can be done.

Using computers and the Internet also aids developing skills that are necessary in today's technology-focused world. Gifted kids who like computers may benefit from spending time working with adults who know and understand subjects like website building, blog publishing, and troubleshooting both software and hardware. Learning these skills can give students a head start when they begin college or go out into the world. A solid grasp of technology offers an edge that students in traditional schools may not be getting.

Supplemental Education

Both structured online classes and the use of Internet resources to further education should be considered supplemental to traditional schoolwork. The foundations set by a basic school curriculum are essential for all students to be able to excel as they continue learning. On the other hand, a brick-and-mortar school shouldn't be looked at as the be-all and end-all for education. Learning is a lifelong endeavor that needs to be nurtured as kids grow, and gifted students require extra challenge to feel fulfilled in their learning experiences.

Therefore, gifted students who need something to focus on over and above what they're learning in school can benefit greatly from online education. Whether through structured courses or independent projects, it's possible to expand kids' horizons well beyond the traditional classroom. Best of all, the skills and knowledge gained through this supplemental learning will serve students well as they progress through primary and secondary school, and eventually move out into the world.

Lindsey Wright is fascinated with the potential of emerging educational technologies, particularly the online school, to transform the landscape of learning. She writes about web-based learning, electronic and mobile learning, and the possible future of education.

The Centre for Talent Youth, Ireland offers correspondence courses for:

Second level CTYI students
Transition Year students (no assessment required)

Update: "Aimed at parents who are home-educating their 11-16 year old children, expats who want their offspring to have a UK education when overseas, and those who favour flexible learning, The Web School (http://www.thewebschool.eu ) is opening its virtual doors for the academic term starting on 5, September 2011."

Intelligent design | The Post

2011-07-25T12:16:00.005+01:00

Many thanks to Catherine O'Mahony for writing such a well-researched and sensitive article in the Sunday Business Post yesterday. It makes a pleasant change to see giftedness discussed as something, well, "normal"! We do hope she's wrong about gifted education being destined to remain a middle-class phenomenon. It is up to us to ensure that this is not allowed to happen and that is why we are so determined to build a network of parents and teachers who can work together to raise awareness of these students and to ensure that they are provided for in every school, regardless of demographics.

Intelligent design | The Post

Parenting the Gifted in the Land of Saints and Scholars!

2011-07-20T13:04:00.002+01:00

It is an honour to be a part of the SENG National Parenting Gifted Children Week blogtour. Little did we think when we tentatively launched our blog last year, that we would be celebrating our first birthday in such prestigious company! We hope our contribution will offer a different perspective and give some food for thought among our international friends.

To celebrate NPGC week, SENG has published a free e-book The Joy and the Challenge: Parenting Gifted Children.

For a nation which makes national sports of both put-downs and self-deprecation, being the parent of gifted children in Ireland can be like negotiating a minefield. Unless you tread very carefully, something is bound to blow up on you! First port of call after the suggestion of exceptional ability is usually the internet where most of the references are to programmes and research far away from our shores. It can be difficult to relate to discussion of GATE programmes, GT school coordinators and specialist teachers, AP programmes, G&T registers, One-day schools, acceleration or cluster-grouping when we have no such options available to us. Provision for gifted learners in Irish schools is largely a function of what individual schools and teachers can do within the confines of their classroom, their time and the school budget. As there is almost no teacher-training in giftedness, there is little real understanding of the issues involved in providing for these children. In addition, our Education Act of 1998 ensures that schools cannot enrol on the basis of a child’s ability, which leads to an emphasis on mixed-ability in all classrooms. This was underpinned by research from our Economic and Social Research Institute which found that streamed classrooms “do not boost the performance of the top group”.* We would love to know if any parents of gifted learners were consulted for that little bit of research!

What is universal however, is the experience of parenting gifted children. There we find we have much in common with our friends throughout the globe as we stumble through our parenting years as best we can. If there is no roadmap handed out in the delivery suite to any parents, it seems as if someone has actually tampered with the sat-nav of parents of gifted offspring. We are sent off on side-roads, dead-ends, even to the edge of cliffs at times before we start to find our way. Granted, it is a fascinating journey, but it can also be draining and exhausting. That’s where sharing our experiences with others can be a huge help. The thing is, there is no destination here, no neat platform to tell you you’ve arrived. So sharing with other parents is a way of making sure that you really are moving forward even when it feels as though you’re standing still, or heaven forbid, hurtling backwards!

So what’s different about doing this job in Ireland? Well, we admit to being somewhat envious when we read of parents “looking for a good school fit” in their district. Here, we have no school provision of programmes for exceptionally able children, so school choice on that basis is non-existent. Early enrolment in kindergarten or university is impossible in Ireland as children must be four years old to enrol in school and sixteen to enter third level education. In fact many parents hold off sending their little ones to school until they are at least five, sometimes very close to six because there is such an emphasis on the perceived advantage of being among the oldest in the class. This has a similar effect at the other end of the system where it is very unusual for sixteen year olds to go to university.

While trying to cope with all the usual issues of parenting a gifted child, in Ireland we must do this against a background where the education system barely recognises that our children have needs somewhat different to those of other children. It can be a heavy burden to bear and we find engagement with our global gifted friends through social networking provides us with support, inspiration and motivation to keep going. We hope that by encouraging other Irish parents and educators to join this community, we will eventually bring about positive change for our children.

*One of the ESRI researchers answers questions on Mixed Ability vs Streaming: What the Research Says, How Can Schools Make a Difference (02.29)

Gifted Students and the Literacy And Numeracy Review

2011-07-11T18:18:00.003+01:00

Literacy and Numeracy Strategy For Learning and Life

The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020

The Department of Education and Skills launched this new initiative on Friday 8th July. As participants in the consultation process, our support group GAS, was invited to be present.

Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn, introduced the strategy by explaining that literacy and numeracy skills are “crucial to a person’s ability to develop fully as an individual, to live a satisfying and rewarding life and to participate fully in our society. Ensuring that all young people acquire these skills is one of the greatest contributions that we can make to achieving social justice and equality in our country.” This strategy is the result of a period of consultation following information, both national and international, which indicates that many children in Ireland are not developing these skills to the best of their abilities.

Later, the Chief Inspector, Harold Hislop and Alan Wall, Director of the Department of Education and Skills went into some detail on the plan:

Literacy includes the ability to use and understand spoken language, print, writing and digital media.
Numeracy is the ability to use mathematics to solve problems and meet the demands of day-to-day living.
Before we make judgements about how well students are achieving, we need a clear statement of the learning outcomes that we expect children and young people to achieve at each stage in the education system.
The Government will clarify what they expect children to learn and develop at each stage of the education system and standardised tests will be introduced at the end of second, fourth and sixth class in primary school and at the end of second year at second level. This will enable schools and teachers to ensure that students achieve what is considered to be age appropriate for them at each stage.
In implementing the strategy, the Department of Education and Skills will draw on specialist advice from from national and international experts on literacy, numeracy, assessment and school improvement and consult regularly with the education partners and relevant interests regarding the implementation and development of the strategy through meetings, conferences and other means.
Pre-service and in-service teacher training will be improved to ensure that teachers understand how to interpret and use this data to plan the next steps in their teaching and their students’ learning. There will be emphasis on both assessment of learning and assessment for learning (AfL).
There was much emphasis on improving pre-service teacher training and on continuing professional development (CPD) to ensure that all teachers remain up-to-date with the latest best practice in their field after qualification.
Procedures between the various education providers should ensure that relevant information transfers at each juncture to facilitate continuity and progression for the child.
Engagement with parents should be a core part of the literacy and numeracy plans of schools
Children with special educational needs, including children who are exceptionally able, need to be supported in different ways. While children and young people who are exceptionally able may not experience difficulties in acquiring literacy and numeracy skills, we need to adjust their educational experience to enable them to achieve their potential.
Ensure that serving teachers and principals have access to continuing professional development courses and guidance on meeting the learning needs of students with special educational needs.
Ensure that schools prioritise the tracking, assessment and analysis of the achievement of students with special educational needs as part of the school’s self-evaluation and improvement process.
Parents will often be able to enrich teachers’ knowledge of their students’ progress through providing further information about the students’ learning at home.

We were delighted to see mention of “exceptionally able” students in the report and like to think that our participation may have had a role to play in this. However, our excitement was dimmed a little during Dr Hislop’s address for two reasons:

1. He did not refer to exceptionally able learners at any stage, but mentioned “high achievers” at least twice. Our concern here is that, for many reasons such as lack of stimulation/motivation or a learning difficulty, not all students with exceptional ability are high achievers. These terms are not interchangeable. The very students who may be in most need of support are the ones who have high ability but who are not achieving.

2. He described the plan to introduce standardised testing at various stages of a student’s school career and said that this will be done to ensure that students achieve a level of achievement deemed appropriate for their age and that they continue to achieve at this level throughout their school career. Once a student scores full marks, will the school then rest assured that all is well and they are doing very nicely, thank you? We feel that there is a very real risk that standardised testing may work to the disadvantage of gifted students unless it is recognised that for some children, this arbitrary ceiling is a barrier not a challenge.

So, we approached Dr Hislop to attempt to express these concerns. He was very anxious to assure us that by having these tests, teachers would be able to make sure that all students were achieving to an age-appropriate level and that they maintained this level of achievement as they progressed through school. Precisely our point, Dr Hislop! However, he was in a hurry to move on, so we were unable to attempt any further explanation.

We had better luck with Minister Quinn who was interested to know what organisation we were representing. One could say that he is a very experienced politician, but we got the distinct impression that he was genuinely listening and that he appreciated what we had to say. He explained that every child would carry a passport with them from primary level to secondary level. He felt that this would help to ensure that the depth of understanding of each child which is built up by a primary school teacher who has a child in their class all day, would not be lost in the transfer to second level where several different teachers see each student for only a few classes a week. This would appear to be a positive development.

We were encouraged to note how much emphasis was put on parent engagement in education. Yes, our right as the primary educators of our children has always been enshrined in the Irish Constitution, but we are often made to feel less than welcome in our children’s schools. It seems that the DES recognises that, in order to really improve children’s literacy and numeracy levels, parents will have to be actively involved.

So, the bottom line as we see it, is that we need to keep our eye on the ball here to ensure that the needs of gifted learners are indeed fully appreciated and addressed and that we avoid the pitfalls encountered in the USA when they introduced the No Child Left Behind Act which has come to be referred to in gifted education circles as the “No Child Gets Ahead Act”.

Irish Talent Development Programmes

2011-07-06T12:46:00.003+01:00

A recent online discussion caught my eye and got me thinking about the idea of “talent development” in Ireland. The discussion centred on the opinion of a teenage blogger that by participating in the CTYI summer programme in DCU many young people became arrogant about their intelligence. The post was roundly criticised by many former CTYI students who took issue with the blanket accusations therein. The young man in question had taken part in the three-week residential course last summer. The post touched on all sorts of gripes, from elitism, to labeling, to nature versus nurture to questioning the criteria for entry to the programme. It was quite a rant, designed for maximum impact! The responses from other teenagers who had gone to CTYI were predictably articulate, passionate and well written. Most of them conceded that there are some arrogant teens among the two hundred or so on each course, but rejected the assertion in the blogpost that all of them are arrogant about their intelligence or became so as a result of attending CTYI. But what really piqued my interest were the comments from some adults:

“These kids lack social skills”

“Their parents put them on a pedestal”

“Everyone is equally gifted in their own way” (italics mine)

“The idea of ‘needing’ to be surrounded by those who have similar academic qualities to yourself is ridiculous....it is simply intellectual snobbery, and the less of it there is the better.”

And this gem, which is no doubt familiar to many of us who work to dispel the myths surrounding giftedness;

“I suspect you’d do a lot more for the ‘gifted’ students by addressing their deficits rather than focusing on their already exceptional abilities.”

So, I thought I’d do a little research into other “talent development” programmes in Ireland and see what differences there were in their entry criteria. I wanted to open up some dialogue on the attitudes of adults, parents, teachers and students into their benefits. It was easy to find information on various national squads for sports, and for entry into music academies. It was difficult to find any opinion on whether these programmes are a negative for the participants however, so I had to dig a little deeper! I trawled various social media in Ireland for any trace of opinion either positive or negative on these specialist academies but found none. A very unscientific bit of research on Twitter is ongoing, results to follow!

Tennis Ireland has in its Criteria for Team and Representative Selection what they call the “future potential factor” in choosing their national squad for training at junior level. National squads under Swim Ireland must reach qualifying times in designated swim meets in order to qualify for inclusion in their elite training programme. In rugby, Ireland’s clubs and schools take on player development at younger ages, then the province academies take over when player potential has been established through participation at highest school levels. The Royal Irish Academy of Music hold auditions to determine potential in their admittance procedure, and all new entrants must pass an exam at the end of their first (probationary) year to retain their place.

I would imagine that all the children and young people who reach the standards required for these elite programmes are pretty talented and very committed. I am certain that we have in Ireland some very gifted young tennis players, swimmers and musicians. It is a tribute to those involved in these organisations that we can offer to our young citizens the specialised training that can support their talents and set them on the road to achievement. I also think that the parents of these gifted young people deserve huge praise for supporting them, driving them to training, matches, swim meets and concerts or buying them equipment, uniforms and instruments. I would be surprised if the parents would be regarded as pushy or delusional about their child’s talent. I think they would be quietly admired for their dedication! I doubt too many people would disagree with me and say that these programmes should not exist and we should caution against letting these children know how talented they are for fear of making them arrogant. I am pretty certain that not many would think that this kind of training is elitist and has no place in an egalitarian Ireland. I think most people, like myself would consider any government funds well spent in ensuring that these young people might one day represent Ireland proudly.

So, back to the Irish Centre for Talented Youth. This programme also requires people to qualify in order to take part, by sitting a test which measures their “future potential” much like Tennis Ireland, and by scoring above a certain point similar to Swim Ireland’s qualifying times. The teenagers whose intellectual ability qualifies them to take part in these programmes are no different than those whose musical or sporting ability allows them access to elite training in their field. So why does it seem to matter so much to some adults that CTYI exists and that the kids who attend are exceptionally bright? Why are they offended by the very idea of CTYI while accepting of other programmes offering elite training for sporting or musical talent? Our children are all different, they have all manner of talents which can be nurtured and developed with proper support. Some will reach the top of their talent pool, others will be content to achieve a more modest level, still others will not develop their talents because a support system was unavailable for them. Not all of the children who participate in these programmes will go on to win Olympic medals, Nobel prizes or join prestigious orchestras. Most of them won’t. But does that mean we shouldn’t even provide them the chance to see how far their ability takes them? Does it mean we should desist from trying to identify those who may have talent? Of course not, Ireland needs all kinds of talents to recover its strength, from modest to mind-blowing! If we can agree that tennis players, swimmers, rugby players, violinists, scientists and writers do not emerge fully formed from the womb, but rather with a potential which becomes apparent as physical maturity and opportunity arise, why can some not accept that all these various talents or gifts should be supported and encouraged whether they be physical, musical or academic?

Scroll back up the page to the quoted comments about CTYI and the kids who participate for a moment. Now reread them with our young high potential athletes and musicians in mind (you may have to replace a few words with ‘sporting’ or ‘musical’ but you get the idea). We shouldn’t allow our talented young violinists get together for orchestra training , that would be ‘musical snobbery’? We should identify our young swimmers weaknesses and get them out of the pool to improve them? They are so focused on their ‘ability’ and training at all hours of the day and night that they have social skills deficits which are far more important than their progress in tennis or flute? We should concentrate on making ‘well-rounded’ individuals instead of ‘one-dimensional’ achievers in tennis? I don’t know about you, but I think that sounds pretty ridiculous. How can young people be expected to reach the highest levels of ability without spending the time needed to develop the talent they have inside?

The original piece was just a teenage shot across the bow of a boat carrying some other teenagers. He went to CTYI, didn’t enjoy it for whatever reason and is doing something different this summer. Maybe he should have left it at that. The young people who go to CTYI in the summer should be able to do so without fear of misplaced criticism from the rest of us. The young people who spend their summers playing tennis tournaments aren’t generally pilloried for spending all that time getting better at their chosen activity. Let them all go enjoy their learning. Let them all act like teenagers. They will grow up as we all eventually do. And then there will still be pretty much the same percentage of arrogant ‘eejits’ as there always is, trust me!

All the same, I quite enjoyed the delicious irony of a teenage blogger basking in the glory of grown-up readers telling him he was absolutely spot on in accusing a bunch of other teenagers of being arrogant!

Irish Gifted Parenting Support

2011-06-23T15:06:00.000+01:00

In the marathon that is the school year, Frazzled and I hit the infamous “wall” at about the Easter holiday mark. We limped to the finish line this week with the end of the state exams and congratulated ourselves at having arrived at this stage. Now that we no longer have school runs to do, lunches to make, gear to wash and homework to check we have found renewed energy and purpose at last!

As summer kicks off we are hoping that other parents of gifted teens and children in Ireland will consider getting together for support in their local areas and come up with some common strategies for helping their children thrive in our education system next year. We have a great group within GAS who share experiences, ideas and resources at meetings and get-togethers. Notwithstanding the vast information available on the internet about gifted issues, the value of meeting each other face-to-face is immeasurable. For many parents a support group is the first time they have been able to speak to others openly about the issues which face their gifted child. They may have read widely online or ordered armfuls of books about the subject. They may have studied giftedness from all angles, but meeting others gives them something that no amount of research and thought can...a voice.

This voice is not just theirs, it is that of their children and teens too. To give voice to these learners is essential, and parents doing this together can be a powerful thing indeed. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to our children’s education and the gifted population is as diverse as any other. However, there are common themes in the stories parents bring to support groups and it is these which when articulated together can make a cohesive voice. Support groups allow parents to share their experiences free from the judgement of family, friends or fellow parents. It allows them to blow off steam about school issues, raise concerns about underachievement or share a proud moment in their child’s life. It affords them opportunity to ask others how they might approach a situation, all in an accepting environment and usually with a good cup of coffee thrown in!

With our new Minister and our unfortunate new austerity, we are on the verge of some big changes in Ireland. The NCCA has already had a public consultation on a new Junior Cycle and has published a report on that stage of the process. They will present their final recommendations to the Minister shortly. (Our GAS group submission to the consultation process can be found here) He will not let it gather dust and will move quickly to put his own stamp on it. He has already indicated that changes to the Junior Cycle will be brought into effect for incoming First Year students in 2012. That’s next year! The Leaving Certificate review is not far behind. Our children use this system for entry to third level so it is vital that we are aware of changes on the way. The NCCA invites all interested parties to contribute to the process, that includes parents as well as teachers and educators.

And this is where support groups such as GAS can play a vital role. Together, parents of gifted learners can pinpoint ways that our children may be considered when policy is being examined. A network of support groups all coming to the process from a similar angle would help put the needs of gifted learners into the picture for our legislators and policy makers. Minister Quinn is going to bring about change. The Junior Certificate as is was introduced in 1992, the Leaving Certificate even longer ago. Can we afford to wait twenty years for another chance? If changes are to come don’t we want our children’s very different learning needs to be considered? I hope that despite the dark shadow of the IMF looming over us, enough parents will see the potential for positive change that will benefit our children and consider getting a local support group together to share, talk and even voice their ideas for the new Ireland that is surely ahead of us all. Think about it over the summer, get in touch with us and let’s see if we can gather momentum together as our children head back to class in September!

Back In Action

2011-06-19T20:11:00.000+01:00

Dazzled & Frazzled Back In Action

Having a Junior Cert student each, we have been more frazzled than dazzled of late. In the home straight now, with only a couple of exams left, we are refocusing on the bigger picture again. As CTYI Session 1 kicked off today, we took the opportunity to reach parents as they converged on DCU from all around the country to drop of their excited teens. Colm, Catriona and the CTYI team were, as usual, very accommodating and encouraging.

As a result of National Gifted Awareness Day on 8th April, we already have people from sixteen counties who are interested in networking with other parents (see map below). With a bit of luck, we will gather enough new people today and at the start of Session 2 to facilitate the setting up of some new support groups over the coming months. We know that families are busy and out of their usual routines during the summer, but if they could register their interest, we could hit the ground running in September.

The very best of luck to all “CTYIzens”, new and returning. We’re sure you’ll have a ball!

View GT Network Ireland in a larger map

Unique Child Study

2011-05-21T16:17:00.052+01:00

Researchers at Columbia University's Paul F. Lazarsfeld Center for the Social Sciences are studying how children who are unique in some way are identified and developed. They are currently collecting stories from parents with children who have been identified as gifted, children who have unique artistic, scientific, or physical abilities, children on the autism spectrum, and children who have been identified as having attention disorders. They have contacted us to invite our readers to consider participating in this study. Peter Bearman, the Director of the Centre and the Principal Investigator, writes:

"While all children are unique, the goal of our study is to identify how children with unique developmental abilities or trajectories develop over early childhood. Parents have different experiences and observations of their child's development and they have different personal resources with which they access services or programs. Parents also differ in the type and extent of their support networks and social relations. And finally, parents make different decisions when finding the right academic, extra-curricular, or other placements for their children. We would like to give parents the chance to tell their stories. Survey responses will help us understand the experiences of unique children as well as their development over time.

We are collecting stories of parents of unique children through an online, semi-structured survey: http://uniquechildstudy.org. You could help our research tremendously by encouraging parents to participate in our study."

Before posting, I did the survey myself. It took approximately twenty minutes and was very straightforward. If you require any further information, you can contact the researchers at uniquechildstudy[at]columbia[dot]edu. They also have a Facebook page.

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