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Showing posts with label academic competitions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label academic competitions. Show all posts

From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

BRAIN RESOURCES from SharpBrains. The organization has released its May eNewsletter. In it are two articles that might be of interest to those who raise, educate, and counsel gifted kids with learning challenges:
  • "AD/HD: Brain training Neurofeedback, Diet, and More"
  • "Neuroplasticity in the Brain of Children with Neurological Disorders," dealing with Tourette's
EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS NEWSLETTER. Deborah Ruf has issued her June newsletter. In it are a number of pointers to useful things: an article on why gifted girls may not be as confident as they should; a list of top-10 gifted education blogs; a list of top-10 open education resources; and more. Find the newsletter. 
EDUCATOR RESOURCE FOR SUMMER. If you're a teacher of the gifted or twice-exceptional, you might be interested in Edutopia's current issue, which contains ideas for summer relaxation and learning. We notice, however, that one of the articles is titled "The Myth of Summers Off." Go to Edutopia. 
SCHOLARSHIP FOR KIDS WITH AN LD. An Alabama Internet consulting company, Lumin, has established a $2000 scholarship for a young person with an LD who is going to college. The company's founder says her mom suggested the idea and also suggested that "the scholarship be made available to students with learning disabilities. This came as no surprise since she and I spent countless hours looking for available scholarships when I was in college. (Yes…I have a learning disability…two in fact.)" Find out more, and good for Lumin Consulting!
SENG SUMMIT EARLYBIRD DISCOUNT EXTENDED. You can still save money with an earlybird discount to the July SENG conference in Seattle, but only through June 10th. Thinking of going? Check it out.
COMPETITIONS FOR GIFTED MIDDLE-SCHOOLERS. A discussion on LinkedIn has elicited opinions on the most valuable competitions for gifted middle-school students. Responses include Destination Imagination, Odyssey of the Mind, Science Olympiad, Lego Robotics Challenge, National History Day, and more. Join in -- free registration is required, and then you can continue to participate in the group, Gifted Talented Network. 
FILE THIS UNDER "NEXT YEAR." PBS and Adobe have sponsored a competition whereby selected teen documentary filmmakers receive grands for their projects, along with mentoring. This year the competition received 250 applications and awarded 15 grants. Read more at Yahoo. 
DAVIDSON INSTITUTE. Don't forget the DITD "Tips" section, which offers collections of tips on various gifted-related topics such as acceleration, AD/HD, advocacy, depression,  and lots more. Find it.
AD/HD: THE BAD NEWS. "Analysis of data from two long-term studies of the impact of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) on the development of psychiatric disorders in young adults confirms that AD/HD alone significantly increases the risk of cigarette smoking and substance abuse in both boys and girls." Read more from this report.
AND FINALLY, THIS. A father and his dyslexic son collaborated on a fantasy novel that will be published next week. According to the Biloxi, Mississippi, Sun-Herald, "The story involves a young, idealistic, inspirational kid who decides he’s going to save his kingdom, which has been taken over by goblins. There’s a princess who escaped by chance the night the palace fell and learned magic. She watches what is going on and makes him a magic sword, which completely transforms him. He becomes a great a hero." Read more.


From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

GOOGLE SCIENCE FAIR. We've mentioned this new, online competition before, but want to pass on a pointer to an article with more details about the fair. The article discusses the differences between in-person and online fairs and also speculates on what's at stake for Google -- but if you're thinking about encouraging a teenager to enter this fair, find out more.
ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE? A child with belly pain may be experiencing an abdominal migraine, according to a new study. Reuters points out that the label is a common diagnosis in Europe and the UK, but not in the United States. According to the article, the condition affects about two percent of kids. Read more.
ATTENTION RESEARCH UPDATE. The March issue is now posted, and in it David Rabiner reviews an approach to helping "inflexible and explosive children" who are prone to outbursts and meltdowns. The approach was tested in a study that showed ODD kids and their families benefited long-term from a particular approach conceived by Dr. Ross Greene called collaborative problem solving. Find the issue.
SENG WEBINAR. SENG has announced an April 26th webinar titled "Stress, Anxiety, and Gifted: Coping with Everyday Life." Presented by Michele Kane, the webinar "examines the sources of stress as well as explores specific strategies designed to minimize stress and develop self-awareness." Find out more about the 1.5-hour, $40 event at the SENG site. 
TREATMENTS FOR AUTISM. If you've been considering any of a variety of autism treatments, check out an article about the effectiveness of such treatments, based on studies reported in Pediatrics. 
ANXIETY seems to plague lots of gifted and twice-exceptional children. If your child is one of them, an article at PsychCentral lays out various forms of anxiety, the ages at which they typically occur, and when you the adult should worry about the child's worries. Find the article.
WOODWORKING FOR KIDS is the topic of a a recent article in The New York Times. Benefits to the kids of participating in woodworking projects -- pride of accomplishment, satisfaction from solving problems, and being engaged. The article profiles a woodworking program or two and lists a few programs across the country. Read it.
DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION is used for severe cases of depression, OCD, and Tourette's, as well as for adult conditions such as Parkinson's disease. The current print issue of Brain in the News from the Dana Foundation contained two articles on the topic, one of which was reprinted from the Associated Press and the other from The New York Times.
AND FINALLY, THIS, about physical safety for your college student in Texas. CBS in West Texas reported last week on Texas Senate Bill 354, which would allow those over 21 who have a license for a concealed handgun to carry their weapons on Texas college campuses. The bill has been approved by a committee and is apparently ready to be voted on by the Senate. CBS notes polls indicating that "67 percent of Texans are against guns on campus." Read more.

SENG SURVEY FOR PARENTS OF GIFTED. The organization Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted is sponsoring a survey to help educate doctors and the public about gifted kids and to support appropriate training for doctors and medical personnel. SENG invites parents of gifted children to participate in the survey. Find out more.
BRAIN IMAGING FOR DIAGNOSIS? Not yet, but maybe soon. ABC's station WLS in Chicago reported on research at the University of Illinois/Chicago where researchers are attempting to use brain imaging to "see" disorders such as AD/HD and to differentiate AD/HD from bipolar disorder. Read more.
LD IN COLLEGE. As many as 8 percent of first-year students entering four-year colleges in the United States self-report that they have AD/HD or a learning disability, according to research from UCLA. The percentage has increased in recent years. An article in the UCLA Daily Bruin provides background information on the ADA and how UCLA handles such students; read it.
CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION RECOMMENDATIONS UPDATED. Read in US News about the most recent guidelines on vaccination from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
AUTISM AND "THEORY OF M IND." Research at MIT indicates that those with high-functioning autism "appear to have trouble using theory of mind to make moral judgments in certain situations," and to have trouble understanding the intentions of a second party. Read more.
AD/HD AND NUTRITION. Parents sometimes suspect that AD/HD symptoms may be worsened by certain foods; now a study in the Netherlands showed that an "elimination diet" improved symptoms in 46 percent of the children participating. The elimination diet reduces the foods in the diet most likely to cause allergic reaction. Read about the study.
COMPETITION. Discovery Education and 3M have announced the 2011 call for entries for the 13th annual Young Scientist Challenge, the nation's premier science competition for students in grades 5th through 8th. Ten finalists will be selected to receive an all-expense paid trip to the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minn. to compete in the final challenge in October, 2011. The winner will receive $25,000 and the title of "America's Top Young Scientist."

ATTENTION SPAN AND TECHNOLOGY, PART I. A looong article in The New York Times examines the effects of technology and immediate reward/feedback on young people. The issue: whether "developing brains can become more easily habituated than adult brains to constantly switching tasks — and less able to sustain attention." The story profiles several students, including one "whose ability to be distracted by computers is rivaled by his proficiency with them"; his grades range from F to A. Also profiled: a young woman who sends and receives 27,000 texts a month. Find the article, and consider what it means for your twice-exceptional child or student.
ATTENTION SPAN AND TECHNOLOGY, PART II. Are attention spans increasing? Being diminished? A short essay in The New York Times Magazine considers "attention span." From the essay: "A healthy 'attention span' becomes just another ineffable quality to remember having, to believe you’ve lost, to worry about your kids lacking, to blame the culture for destroying." The author's conclusion? Find it.
AD/HD PERSPECTIVE. The author of the new book Buzz about herself and her son as the family dealt with his (and her) AD/HD wrote a column in the Washington Post summarizing some of her experiences and her opposition to the $5B "AD/HD-industrial complex." If you thought you spent a lot of time and money as you tried to deal with your gifted-AD/HD child, check out her column.
GIFTED COMPETITORS. The annual Siemens Foundation competition in math, science, and technology is coming to a close. Regional winners are being announced, and the final judging occurs on December 6th. If you'd like to read about some amazing young people and some amazing projects, check out a press release about regional winners from New York and Indiana; and see other press releases at the Siemens Foundation site. Separately, the Wendy's  High School Heisman competition, which recognizes high school seniors for excellence in academics, athletics, and leadership, has posted state winners at the competition's site. 
IDEA'S ANNIVERSARY. The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) is 35 years old, and the U.S. Education Secretary expressed his commitment to it while also acknowledging that not every child with a disability gets a "world-class education."  Read more. Separately, an Education Week writer notes that the number of students identified with specific learning disabilities has dropped in recent years; find out how and why.