PROJECT EYE-TO-EYE. If you admire the work of Jonathan Mooney in highlighting how learning disabilities can undermine self-esteem in any child, you might be interested in Project Eye-to-Eye, a non-profit organization which, through mentorship, aims to "build self-esteem, develop meta-cognition and implement asset-based academic accommodations" in children with LDs or AD/HD. The organization is holding a fall fund-raising program called 20/20 (oops, eye-to-eye, 20/20, just got that) asking for $20 donations and that donors forward a solicitation email to 20 others. Find out more. (Mooney is the co-author of Learning Outside the Lines and a frequent speaker at gifted/LD events)
CHILDREN AND CLINICAL STUDIES. Have an interest in research in children, or thinking about enrolling a child in a clinical study? The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have a website that offers parents and health care providers with "an insider's guide to children's medical research," according to the NIH. On the site is an award-winning video featuring young people talking about conditions they have and their experiences, along with interviews with clinicians and parents. Visit the site.
DUKE GIFTED LETTER. The Fall edition of the Duke Gifted Letter is online and features an article called "Guiding the Gifted to Honest Work" -- a description of problems such as plagiarism along with guidelines for fostering ethical school work. Also included: articles on differentiated instruction and on the recent Fordham Report on high-achieving students in the era of NCLB. Find the letter.
WRIGHTSLAW. The October 7th edition of Special Ed Advocate focused on how to prevent reading difficulties and reading failure -- risk factors, preventing reading difficulties, and the best ways to teach reading. Read the newsletter.
JAVITS GRANTS. Ever wondered where the money goes from this "poster program" for gifted education? NAGC has posted the abstracts for 2008 grant recipients. One of the funded projects, from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, focuses on 2e students (called "2X learners" in the abstract). The objectives of the project are to establish a protocol for identifying 2e students, implement professional development for teachers of 2e learners, and establish a training program for parents of 2e learners. Find the abstracts.
AD/HD STIMULANTS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. The correlation isn't what you might think. On October 8th, researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital announced that "treatment with stimulant drugs does not increase and appears to significantly decrease the risk that girls with AD/HD will begin smoking cigarettes or using alcohol or drugs." The hospital noted that the results parallel the findings of earlier studies of the effect of AD/HD stimulant drugs in boys. Read the press release.
INSURANCE AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. Monahan & Cohen's Special Education ENews brought us links and information about the passage of the Mental Health Parity Act, which requires insurance companies to cover mental health treatment at the same level as physical health. The bill applies to plans sponsored by businesses with 50 or more employees. Find more information at the CHADD site.
GIFTED WEB RESOURCES. The website of Prufrock Press, publisher of materials in the area of giftedness, contains several links to resources for gifted young people -- one on virtual field trips, another introducing symphonic instruments and performance, and another devoted to Nate the Great. Find the resources and descriptions at Prufrock Press.
PRIVATE SCHOOL HAIKU. How admirable!/ to see the tuition bill/ and not think life is fleeting. (From Basho, tr. R. Hass)
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