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Showing posts with label gifted and talented. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gifted and talented. Show all posts

From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

THE LEARNING STYLE DEBUNKERS are at it again. NPR's health blog "Shots" quotes psychologist Dan Willingham, whom you've read about before in this blog, in saying that teachers should not "tailor instruction to different kinds of learners." This seems counter-intuitive to many of us parents and educators, but the blog also mentions another psychologist who, in reviewing studies of learning styles, "found no scientific evidence backing up the idea." So the debate goes on... Read "Shots."
KNOW AN ASPIE KID? Read a great article about Noah Egler, 13, who  because of his intelligence and interests recently got a chance to participate in a med school seminar on prosthetic limbs, bonding with his 23-year-old lab partner in the process. In Noah's mind, "Asperger's is what makes him him," according to the article. Read it.
DYSLEXIA MYTHS. Read about them in blog at "Accredited Online Colleges," where all of the posts seem to involve a number. (10 Scary Red Bull Facts Every College Student Should Know. 25 Funniest Academic Raps on YouTube. And more.)  Myth 10: "Dyslexia is rare." The reality? It impacts up to 20 percent of us. Find the myths. 
YOU KNOW YOU'RE A BAD MOTHER WHEN you don't get you son a birthday card he really appreciates -- and you don't include money in it. At least, that's what an 18-year-old son of an attorney, divorced from the boy's mother, thought when he and his sister filed a lawsuit (through the father) against his mom for bad mothering. Two  years into the suit, a judge dismissed it. Read more and marvel.
ONLINE DEGREE FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM. Sage Colleges in Albany, New York, will in January initiate an all-online bachelor's program for students with autism or LDs. The school promises individualization and flexibility. Find out more.
LAUGHING AT CHAOS is the name of a blog by the mother of two, one apparently 2e. Last month she blogged about the family move from Colorado to Illinois: "For the record, you haven’t lived until you’ve driven across Nebraska in July with a flatulent dog. We’ve been playing a New!Awesome!Game! 'Where’s the feedlot or was that Rosie?'" This is obviously an astute and discriminating person, because yesterday she picked up on Monday's quote of the week on the 2e Newsletter Facebook page and riffed on that for awhile. Find the blog.
"DUH!" OF THE WEEK. The Canadian Paediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics (not Paediatrics) are against boxing, saying that "Boxing is not an appropriate sport for children and teens." We agree; save young brains. Read more.

From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

BRIDGES ACADEMY PROFILE. Those interested in the concept and reality of a school for twice-exceptional kids may enjoy an article in the Studio City (California) Patch about Bridges Academy. We've profiled Bridges in 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter, but readers can find the history and current information about Bridges in the Patch.com article.
THE LANG SCHOOL in New York City is hosting an open house on April 6th to let prospective families learn about their program for twice-exceptional children. Find out more, and read Lang School founder Micaela Bracamonte's excellent article called "Twice-exceptional Students: What Are They and What Do They Need?" at the 2e Newsletter website.
FOOD COLORINGS FOLLOWUP. Following Monday's announcement of the upcoming FDA reassessment of the effect of food colorings on children, other media outlets have weighed in, one being The New York Times; read what the Times has to say. (Note: the Times has changed its access policy; supposedly you still have free access to articles referred to in blogs like this one. Let us know if not.)
2e GOV -- That's Dannel Malloy, governor of Connecticut. He spoke recently at a school for children with language-based problems like those he grew up with. Read more about his challenges and achievements.
SENG RESOURCES. In its latest newsletter, SENG has published a couple article that might be of interest to parents and educators of twice-exceptional children. One is titled "Getting Over Overexcitabilities," by Debbie Michels and Teresa Rowlinson; the other is an interview with Christine Foneseca titled "Social and Emotional and Other Needs of Gifted Children." The SENG site offers a variety of resources; go there.
TV SERIES ON AUTISM. Robert McNeill will host a PBS NEWSHOUR series on autism. McNeill is the grandfather of a 6YO boy with autism. The series begins on April 18. Find out more.
DOCTORS FOR TEENS. There are only about 650 physicians in the U.S. certified in adolescent medicine, but if you're thinking of one for your gifted or 2e teen, read an article in the Wall Street Journal on the topic.
AND FINALLY, THIS. If the issue of vaccines and autism is still on your mind, read a scary excerpt from a new book on the topic; the book is called The Panic Virus.

From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

THE GT LABEL is the subject of continuing debate in Montgomery County, Maryland. According to an article at the Maryland Gazette.Net, "critics say the Gifted and Talented, or GT, label is damaging students because it ends up dividing them along racial lines and makes those who don't get identified as Gifted and Talented — typically about 60 percent of students — feel inferior. They also argue that what constitutes Gifted and Talented curriculum in Montgomery County Public Schools, such as critical reading skills and research projects, should be taught to all students." Read more about the controversy.
SOCIAL SKILLS IN AUTISM. A Scientific American article covers "how social intuition goes awry in individuals who have autism," touching on typical development of social behaviors and hypothesizing on the link with a certain cerebral structure (Con Economo spindle neurons) which shows disruption in autistic individuals. Find the article.
NASA'S INSPIRE program is accepting applications for the program through June 30. The selected students and their parents will participate in an online learning community with opportunities to interact with peers, NASA engineers and scientists. The online community also provides appropriate grade level educational activities, discussion boards, and chat rooms for participants to gain exposure to careers and opportunities available at NASA. Visit the NASA site for more information.
ON TEACHERS, THEIR BURDENS, AND THEIR REWARDS. Teachers, whether of the gifted or not, have come under lots of fire lately as states try to balance budgets. We offer pointers to several recent articles that might provide perspective to those interested in the issue. One is a New York Times article titled "Teachers Wonder, Why the Heapings of Scorn." Interesting reading after that is reader reaction to the Times article. And an article in The New Republic gives some international perspective on the issue of teacher pay and reward.
RESEARCHERS HONORED. Two researchers who devoted their careers to child development and mental health have been honored by the Child Mind Institute. Dr. Judith Rappaport did some of the earliest research on AD/HD, OCD, and child-onset schizophrenia. Dr. Jerome Kagan was a developmental psychologist; we've pointed to some of his articles from this blog. Read more at Medscape.com.
DIRECT LINE TO THE WHITE HOUSE -- at least, for education. We found out about this resource from a Mensa listserv. At a White House site, parents, teachers, and students have the opportunity to opine on education -- what's working and what needs change. It looks as though the topic is education for this week only, so if you'd like to share your opinions, do it quickly. Find the site and sound off about gifted education and  education for the twice-exceptional!
GOT A LEFT-HANDED KID?  You might be interested in an article on the topic that covers historical background (how it's been viewed in past times), the role of the brain (it's less asymetrical), and the fact that a high percentage of achievers seem to be left-handed -- including seven presidents as well as some dynamite baseball pitchers. Find the article.
NUTRITION. The American Pediatrics Association is using the book The Hungry Caterpillar in a campaign for healthy eating. Read more about how the book provides "teachable moments." Separately, eating apples -- or the antioxidants contained in them -- apparently extends the life of test animals by 10 percent. So there's evidently truth in that old saw. Read more.
AND FINALLY, THIS. Do you, O Parent of a Twice-Exceptional Child, complain about the property taxes used to fund education in your community? Then read an article that almost made us feel good about the amount of tax we pay, an article about a community where property taxes approach the level of the median annual US  household income.