Acknowledging Diversity: Gifted is not a homogenous group

Better late than never!

New Zealand’s Gifted Awareness Blog Tour is held in June

www.nzcge.co.nz/blog_tour_2017

This year I volunteered to contribute a post for the blog tour but real life got in the way of my writing. I am living with my daughter and son in law and their Stumpy Tail Australian Cattle Dogs had a litter of puppies. Caring for the puppies took up a great deal of time both during the day and overnight. The pups liked to play and be fed at between 2.00am and 4.00am. We called it the ‘stupid o’clock session’!

In the past, when I lived in Rosebud, the folk at Sprite’s Site have gone down to the beach to wave ‘across the ditch’ to New Zealand

https://spritessite.wordpress.com/tag/gifted-awareness-week-new-zealand/

But this year I am not living near the beach so they have to be content to hold up signs and send postcards and emails.

The theme for this year is Diversity.

It is a topic dear to the heart of the Sprite’s Site folk as they are a very diverse lot themselves.

The Psych-Owl –Ogist explained the concept to Retweet when she queried whether both her tweetlets could be gifted as they were so different from each other

https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/the-psych-owl-ogist-6/

Gifted students come from every racial, ethnic, religious, and socio-economic group.

They can have differing profiles as described by Dr. Maureen Neihart and Dr. George Betts Revised Profiles of the Gifted and Talented 2010
http://www.ingeniosus.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/PROFILES-BEST-REVISED-MATRIX-2010.pdf
Teachers would usually recognize gifted students with Successful profile, maybe the Creative ones and maybe the Autonomous Learners but may have more difficulty in recognizing the Underground, At Risk and 2E Twice Exceptional students as gifted.

The Persona Dolls from the Personas, Profiles and Portraits Blog https://jofreitag.wordpress.com/  are representatives of these profiles of giftedness

Columbus Cheetah is quick to point out that there are many myths about characteristics which contribute to the lack of understanding of the diversity present in gifted students. http://www.giftedresources.org/gr/columbuscheetah.htm

Myths such as:
All gifted students will do well in school https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2014/01/07/columbus-cheetah-myth-buster-myth-3/

Gifted students are polite, well behaved and have neat handwriting https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2014/01/08/columbus-cheetah-myth-buster-myth-4/

It is not possible to be gifted and have a disability https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/columbus-cheetah-myth-buster-myth-8/

All of these myths cause gifted students who do not fit those particular descriptions to be overlooked.

Gifted students also vary in the areas of giftedness and talent they have and come with varying personality types and varying types of intensity and sensitivity.

Sprite’s Site discussed the various types of giftedness in the post Gifted – How? https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/gifted-how/  which was a contribution to

Hoagiesgifted September 2014 Blog hop www.hoagiesgifted.org/blog_hop_gifted_how.htm

Because of this diversity in gifted students there is no single program which fits all of them.

Sprite’s Site discussed this:

One size shoe cover system https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/de-bonos-6-action-shoes-9-one-size-shoe-cover-system/

I am very sorry that I did not manage to complete this post in time for the New Zealand Gifted Awareness Blog Tour.
However the good news is that the excellent posts in the Tour can still be read at www.nzcge.co.nz/blog_tour_2017

 

Gogglebox 2

Image Jo Freitag

When I returned from the Hoagies’ Blog Hop: Gifted in Pop Culture
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/blog_hop_pop_culture.htm
I found Sprite and co were still playing the Gogglebox game and were watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory where Sheldon invents a formula for making friends
This is something which Sprite often finds difficult
Little Bully Black Dog was literally rolling around the floor laughing.
“It is funny because it is true!” he gasped between bursts of laughter.
“That is exactly what Sprite is like all the time!”

“She is not like that ALL the time” said the pedantic Intellectual Dabrowski. “I will admit that she is SOMETIMES like that. But these TV programs show exaggerations of the characters because they are trying to condense it into 30 minutes. So they have to magnify the characters’ mannerisms so that the audience notices them.

“Well I think it is hilarious!” said Little Bully Black Dog “In half an hour I get enough material to tease Sprite for a whole month!”

“See, that is what I wasconcerned about!” said Edward the Autonomous Learner “When I said what messages are being given about giftedness and gifted people?
Are the depictions accurate?  Do they make viewers like and feel empathy with gifted people? What are the consequences if they do not? I was thinking about situations like this where people would use what they saw on TV as fuel for teasing or bullying”

“I think that is why I don’t like cartoons” said Sprite “Usually they are drawn with exaggerated features so they do not look realistic. That is why I don’t like the way Jo draws me
She even drew this picture of me for the topic Exaggerated for her Art Challenge.”

“I am sure that is a good illustration of how it felt” said Sensual Dabrowski.

Image Jo Freitag

“Yes it was. But I know it was not how I looked because I have the other picture for comparison” Sprite replied.
“I believe it also depends on perspective” said Intellectual “Things can look very different when viewed from a different angle.
And that is true of the TV audiences too. How they understand and interpret what they see will depend on their background and viewpoint.
And how people act toward gifted people after viewing will also differ.”

“What did you see on the other blogs on the Hoagiesgifted’ May blog hop?” asked Edward

These are the posts I visited and the comments I left or tried to leave.

Giftedness in the media by Adventures of Hahn Academy
https://adventuresofhahnacademy.wordpress.com/2016/05/01/giftedness-in-the-media/ 

Sadly, the portrayal of gifted individuals in popular media is not always correct or positive. Rather, the media tends to reinforce stereotypes and send the message that the highly gifted are not normal. Gifted individuals or geniuses in pop culture have an unbelievably high IQ, exaggerated behavior or personality traits, elicit conversation, interests in obscure topics, rattle off statistics and calculations, play chess, read thick books, seem blunt and insensitive, some level of arrogance, emotionally detached, logical-minded, etc… The media’s insistence on reinforcing stereotypes is not helping how the gifted are perceived by others. Instead, people are sometimes describing gifted children based on which TV character they think the child is more like…

My comment: What an excellent compilation of sources and resources! Many of them are new to me and I will enjoy investigating them.

Picture books for gifted children by Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley, My Little Poppies
http://my-little-poppies.com/picture-books-for-gifted-children/

I love it when I stumble upon a book that speaks to me. It is a wonderful feeling when you step into a book that feels like home. These books feel like old friends, safe and comfortable. As a bibliophile and homeschooling mom, I want my children to experience this phenomenon.
Gifted children are outliers. They think outside of that proverbial box. They are unique and all too often misunderstood.
There is a safety in books that can be life-altering in the early years. The right book can make you feel whole, understood, valued

My Comment: Great selection of books! Thank you, Cait.

Einstein, the Big Bang, and Scorpion by Linda Wallin, Living with Geniuses

Just because a person has a high IQ, they do not necessarily lack social graces. There can be some difficulties adjusting to others, as a friend told me twenty years ago. Her son’s IQ approached 190, and he would complete assignments that did not fulfill the teacher’s requirements. She would patiently explain to him why he should change it, and he would patiently explain to her why it had to be done his way…

My Comment: I think often the media exaggerate characteristics which can make their portrayals of gifted people seem less realistic.

Everything I needed to know about being a smart kid, I learned from 80’s movies by Jen, repurposed genealogy
3. Get a mentor to guide you
Maybe your mentor can artfully sculpt a bonsai tree and catch flies with chopsticks like Mr. Miyagi. Maybe he invented a time machine like Doc Brown. Your mentor needs have the intellect and ability to guide you through challenges….

My comment: Thanks for a really enjoyable revisiting of these movies!

G” in Popular Culture ~ or ~ How to Be a Gifted Elder by Joy Navan, ongiftedelders

Now I am an elder.  I thought when I retired, I was supposed to quilt, and travel occasionally. I thought I would be leaving everything else that defined me behind – wife, mother, professional. What a surprise! I am still gifted as an elder and must find my way in this strange new world. Thankfully, there are role models like my mentor, Annemarie Roeper, and others who teach us how to be a gifted elder…

My comment: I love the idea of being an autonomous life long learner – there is always so much more to learn! And I like your words of wisdom especially numbers 3 and 4

Profiling the Gifted in Popular Culture by Gift-Ed Connections

From Sheldon to Rachel, Matilda to Ender, we are enthralled with gifted characters. We are fascinated by the complexity of their thoughts, their unique and amazing abilities, their unusual reactions to situations, their character flaws and how they overcome difficulties. Do they serve us well as we seek to understand more and educate about giftedness? As with any caricature as characters often tend to be, storylines can highlight some qualities of the gifted experience but ultimately fail in capturing the unique qualities…

My comment: I enjoyed this post and the examples of gifted individuals you gave.

Using Pop Culture References to Explain Giftedness by Lisa on Raising Wizards

Sometimes it’s hard to explain what giftedness really is, and how it makes children feel. Luckily, a good example can really pave the way for a great discussion. Here, we’ve compiled all of our favorite posts that use pop culture references to describe elements of giftedness. Feel free to steal some ideas next time you need to explain giftedness to someone!

My comment: A really great collection of articles about depictions of giftedness in popular films and books.

Gilmore Girls and Two Faces of Giftedness by Institute for Educational Advancement

…re-watching a favorite episode, it hit me that one thing I have never seen addressed is the giftedness of two of the characters and the contrasts in how it is manifested.
Rory is a teenager who would be considered “gifted” by most traditional definitions of the word. She craves knowledge and grasps concepts easily. As her grandfather put it, “This girl could name the state capitals at 3, recite the periodic table at 4, (and) discuss Schopenhauer’s influence on Nietzsche when she was 10.” Rory clearly has an advanced ability….

My comment: It is interesting to see possible causes of underachievement being addressed in a popular TV series.

Gifted in Pop Culture: Role Models Required by Carolyn K., Hoagies’ Nibbles and Bits

One thing our kids want and need to watch and read are stories where they find others “like them.” Other gifted kids, passionate about real-world issues. Other gifted kids, with strong interests and sometimes stronger fears. Other gifted kids who work hard and play hard. Gifted kids, as all kids, need books and movies with role models who they can identify with. They need to know they are Not Alone

My comment: A great selection of books and plays – some of them new to me. Thank you, Carolyn!

It’s Been a While… by Chocky’s Child

Chocky was a science fiction novel by John Wyndham, and it was adapted into a TV series in the mid 1980s, when I was a child. I like the book and the original series, but two subsequent follow up series – Chocky’s Children and Chocky’s Challenge spoke to me more, because of the presence of one character in particular. Her name was Albertine – and she’d named after Albert Einstein. Albertine was only a kid – a girl of about 13, I think – and she was a genius.

My comment: Great to hear from you again Shaun! I loved Chocky and Welcome to the Ark. And you were the one who introduced me to Top kid and Ender’s game which I appreciated too.

Gifted Characters In Korean And Japanese Dramas by Elgarmummy

The Korean Wave, known as Hallyu, has been sweeping Asia and the rest of the world in terms of entertainment for years, and there is no sign of abating. With East Asian countries placing strong emphasis on academics and other areas such as music, it is no wonder that some of the lead characters in dramas are gifted

My comment: Wow, Sarah! All these characters were new to me and I found the post really interesting!

Giftedness Magnified by Ann Grahl, Supporting Gifted Learners

Think of the pop stars we’ve witnessed go from America’s darlings to targets for trolls and critics alike.
As a gifted young adult friend recently observed, “You think it is tough growing up gifted. Just imagine growing up gifted under a magnifying glass.”
Popular gifted performers of all stripes face challenges similar to those that less-well-known gifted young people face…

My comment: Great post Ann. It is hard enough dealing with the asynchrony and intensities of giftedness without doing it in the public spotlight!

Post script: Gogglebox was awarded a Logie in the category of Best Factual Program

This has been a review post for Hoagies’ May Blog Hop: Gifted in Pop Culture.
Read more by going on the hop at
www.HoagiesGifted.org/blog_hop_pop_culture.htm

Gogglebox

“We are playing Gogglebox!” Sprite told me “Well, all except Psycho Motor Dabrowski – he’s bouncing.”

“Yes” agreed Psycho Motor “I was getting bored with playing Gogglebox and going Boing takes the AHR out of Boring. I will go back and watch when something exciting comes on.”

Gogglebox Australia is based on the U.K. program of the same name and is a weekly “reality” TV observational series which captures the reactions of “ordinary” Australians as they watch selected television programs. The chosen households are rigged with cameras to capture their reactions.

Sprite, the Dabrowski Dogs, Columbus Cheetah, the Persona Dolls, and Sprite’s soft toys were sitting in groups watching a television screen, a laptop or a cardboard box representing a TV.
“We all watch the same program and we talk about it – like a running commentary” Sprite said. “And I do the voice-over introductions.”

Intellectual Dabrowski was conducting fact checks and then arguing loudly about any inconsistencies he found.
Sensual was appreciating the images and the background mood music and canned laughter in the shows and the taste of the snacks they were sharing while they watched.
Imaginational was imagining what it would be like to be the characters or to experience the situations they were viewing.
And Emotional Dabrowski was riding an emotional roller coaster – sad, happy, indignant, proud, happy, nostalgic, sad, confused….

Columbus Cheetah was checking the content for depictions of stereotypes of myths relating to giftedness.

“Tonight, in a special edition of Gogglebox, our families will be watching television programs which feature gifted characters” Sprite said in her announcer’s voice.

The first program was The Simpsons.

“I like Lisa” said Miranda, the Successful student “She is like me!”
“I think she is snooty” said Vincent, the At Risk student
“I like that Lisa has strong ethics and is concerned about the environment” said Imaginational.
“Are there any other gifted characters?” I asked.
“Bart might be” said Vincent
“And Maggie is very young but she does seem to be very clever, the dear little poppet” said Emotional.
“What about Marge?” I asked
“Ha!” said Sprite “You want me to say yes; because you think Marge is like you!”

“Do you think people who watch this show would like the gifted characters?
And do you think it gives an accurate picture of them?” I asked.

“Well you know what I think about cartoon characters!” Sprite snorted. I remembered that she had been cross with me when I created a Simpson character avatar for her
“They don’t even have the right number of fingers – so how accurate do you think it is?”

“This show does not reinforce any of the ten myths about giftedness that I endeavour to bust at http://www.giftedresources.org/gr/columbuscheetah.htm” said Columbus Cheetah. “And it does address a number of the social emotional issues that gifted people face so I score this show quite highly for depiction of gifted characters.”

“Do you think people would like the gifted characters?” I asked

Suddenly everyone was speaking at once.
“Yes”
“No”
“Maybe”
“If they felt empathy with them”
“Everyone here is gifted (except some of the soft toys) so what we say might not be what other people say”
“But we don’t even all agree so it is not a matter of whether the viewer is gifted or not”
The only group that remained silent was the soft toys.
“What do the soft toys think?” I asked
“They think what I tell them to think!” said Sprite.

“Big Question Time!” said Edward, the Autonomous Learner “Are the people who write and produce these TV shows trying to tell us what to think? How many people watch TV critically and evaluate what they see? How many just sit in front of it and accept it all as true?
And, if so, what messages are being given to them about giftedness and gifted people?
Are the depictions accurate?  Do they make viewers like and feel empathy with gifted people?
What are the consequences if they do not?”

Dr. Wilma Vialle has written a paper titled Pink or Paris? Giftedness in popular culture about the depiction of giftedness in popular culture and how it impacts gifted girls in finding their role models. You can read it at http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2222&context=edupapers

As well as television another major influence on popular culture is films. Many films have featured gifted characters and Jo has developed a series of film discussions which can be found at http://www.giftedresources.org/gr/filmsrev15.htm

There are so many television series which feature gifted characters.
Some which come to mind are
Daria
Scorpion
The Big Bang Theory
Num3ers
Bones
Doogie Howser, MD
Star Trek: The next generation
Malcolm in the Middle
Sherlock
The Pretender
House
We would not be able to able to discuss them all in one Gogglebox sitting.

“Next our families will be viewing The Big Bang Theory” intoned Sprite in her voice-over announcer’s voice.

This is a post for Hoagies’ May Blog Hop: Gifted in Pop Culture.
Read more by going on the hop at www.HoagiesGifted.org/blog_hop_pop_culture.htm

Bachelor of Bouncing, Doctor of Daydreaming

Image Jo Freitag

Columbus Cheetah and the Dabrowski Dogs were discussing the new school year and how they could help Sprite to succeed.

Columbus Cheetah had the Feetspeak Quest map  and Prof Francoys Gagne’s DMGT model diagram  spread out and was trying to plot a path for Sprite from innate giftedness to fully developed talent.
“We can provide her with support and make opportunities available” Columbus was saying “But there are still speed humps and difficulties to overcome.
Being 2E does complicate matters.
It is quite a challenge to prevent her from being an underachiever.
She finds it hard to demonstrate her giftedness and many of her areas of strength are not ones that are recognized and rewarded in the school system.
She does not receive any credit from the school for the astronomy evenings with her mentor.
And the school is not impressed with her very original way of thinking such as:
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/thats-what-its-all-about/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/critical-thinking/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2015/11/24/timelines/

It is a myth that all gifted students will be successful in school.” Columbus concluded.

“If Sprite is going to succeed academically I should be the only one to accompany her to school” stated Intellectual Dabrowski.

There were growls and howls of disagreement from all the other Dabrowski Dogs.

“I am the only one who has a remote chance of getting her through the system and ending up with some sort of official academic qualification” Intellectual continued.
“What will you others help her achieve?
Bachelor of Bouncing with Psycho Motor Dabrowski
Honorary degree in Histrionics with Emotional Dabrowski
Certificate of Completion in Corporeal Comforts with Sensual Dabrowski
Or Doctorate in Daydreaming with Imaginational Dabrowski”

“What I am trying to say” said Columbus Cheetah “is that, as well as advocating for provisions for Sprite at school, it will be necessary for her to be given plenty of opportunities and experiences outside the school setting and that time with her mentor, Paula the Physicist will be very valuable.”

This is a post for Hoagies’ Gifted February 2016 blog hop:
Other Achievement: when your child doesn’t achieve where you hope. 
To find out what advice other bloggers have come on the hop with us starting at www.HoagiesGifted.org/blog_hop_other_achievement.htm

 

Discovering the depth and breadth of giftedness

Image Jo Freitag

The sign announcing the Gifted Homeschoolers Forum October blog hop: Discovering the depth and breadth of giftedness appeared at Sprite’s Site at much the same time as the Lobsters arrived for their Annual Lobby Lobsterfest with the Lolly Lobbing competition and dancing of the Lobster Quadrille.

The suggestions for the topics which could be discussed read

This hop is about exploring the breadth and depth of giftedness – in general, in your kids, or in whatever you want to explore. Perhaps it’s also an opportunity to discuss what the public doesn’t understand – how giftedness looks like a lot of things because it IS a lot of things, not just a kid sitting in the front row of the classroom getting easy As. Perhaps less simplification of giftedness would help others to understand nuances and complexity – why we keep going on about it, and why a one size fits all GATE program doesn’t work for all gifted kids (nor even identify them all).

“Depth and breadth suggests the necessity to measure” declared the Lobsters.
The Forensic Lobsters had brought all the tools necessary to gauge the possible presence of the Wicked Lemon Wedges
They produced rulers to measure the extent of the giftedness and a protractor to measure the degree of the giftedness.
With the help of One Twitter Bird on a ladder they measured Sprite while she was standing. Even though Sprite was not standing up straight the ruler was not long enough to give an accurate measure.

Image Jo Freitag

So then they measured her in a seated position and checked the number of degrees of the angle of elevation of her leg and added the total (in degrees) to the height total (in centimetres) to compensate for Sprite being a 2E student and came up with an IQ of …….

“What on earth dooo yooou think yooou are doooing?” hooted the Psych-Owl- Ogist.

“To identify giftedness and derive an accurate score for IQ it is necessary for a qualified psychologist or education consultant (preferably with an interest and expertise in giftedness) to administer appropriate testing. The tests must have a sufficiently high ceiling level to be accurate at the upper level; otherwise you will only be able to say that the IQ is above a certain level. I have heard it likened to measuring all the members of the Harlem Globe Trotters basketball team with a six foot ruler and then saying they are all more than six feet tall.
And there are also other ways of identifying giftedness by observation and check lists.

But, as I told Retweet Gifted is not a homogenous group!
There are varying levels of giftedness and varying domains of expertise combined with varying character profiles and personality types.
I discuss some of the aspects of giftedness here https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/the-psych-owl-ogist-2/

And I talk about social/emotional issues here https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/the-psych-owl-ogist-4/

Fortunately Gifted Homeschoolers Forum has an excellent collection of articles about these topics at http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/resources/parent-and-professional-resources/articles/
Defining giftedness at http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/resources/parent-and-professional-resources/articles/defining-giftedness/
Tests and testing http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/resources/parent-and-professional-resources/articles/testing-2/

“The other problem” chimed in Columbus Cheetah “is that very often people have mistaken ideas about what giftedness is and is not. There are so many myths surrounding giftedness. I always aim to counter the myths in my role as Myth Buster
http://www.giftedresources.org/gr/columbuscheetah.htm
And I also advocate for employing acceleration when appropriate and using the Iowa acceleration scales
https://www.accelerationinstitute.org/Resources/IAS.aspx

One of the common misconceptions is that all children are gifted
Gifted Homeschoolers Forum has a page of Rapid Responses to this issue at http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/resources/parent-and-professional-resources/articles/are-all-children-gifted/

Thank goodness Gifted Homeschoolers Forum gives links to information about giftedness and its measurement so that we do not have to do not have to rely on Lobsters with rulers and protractors.

This is a post for Gifted Homeschoolers Forum October blog hop.
To find all the posts please go to

http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/blog-hops/discovering-the-depth-and-breadth-of-giftedness/

Beginning the journey: Gifted 101

Image Jo Freitag

Hoagies’ Gifted Blog Hop for August 2015 has the theme Gifted 101
‘For back to school, let’s share all we’ve learned with those who are just beginning the journey. Whether it’s your favorite resources, advocacy advice, parenting, schooling, homeschooling, acceleration… There are so many things we have to share!’

The stories about The Tweet family of Twitter Birds who live on Sprite’s Site Blog illustrate the beginnings of the gifted journey.

In February 2012 Retweet laid a blue egg and a pink egg and in March 2012 the tweetlets, Tweetil and Tweetelle, hatched.

By late March the tweetlets were demonstrating characteristics often
associated with giftedness in early childhood and their stories described parenting
issues and differences of opinion with Great Aunt Hashtag
 https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/tweetlets/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/in-my-day/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/the-tweetlets-meet-the-dabrowski-dogs/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/nappies-on-tweetlets/

Then came a series of tales about asynchronous development as the Tweet family commenced Flight School
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/flight-school/
 https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/flight-school-with-help-from-the-dabrowski-dogs/
 https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/flight-school-hits-the-asynchrony-speed-bump/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/marking-time-to-the-beat-of-their-own-drum/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/in-my-day-reprise/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/tweetelle-becomes-a-seedetarian/

Image Jo Freitag

The Psych-Owl-Ogist was consulted and we learned about characteristics of giftedness and social/emotional aspects
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/the-psych-owl-ogist-1/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/the-psych-owl-ogist-2/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/the-psych-owl-ogist-3/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/the-psych-owl-ogist-4/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/the-psych-owl-ogist-5/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/the-psych-owl-ogist-6/

Next came the discussions involved in finding the right flock for the tweetlets
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/07/17/finding-the-right-flock/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/finding-the-right-flock-2/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/finding-the-right-flock-3/
and the decision to continue with Nest Ed and the challenges associated with that choice
 https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/socialization/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/socialization-2/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/qualified-to-teach/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/cuckoos-in-the-nest/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/when-extended-family-dont-get-giftedness/

Image Jo Freitag

I hope that sharing these stories about the experiences of the Tweet family will be helpful.

To read more about the topic of Gifted 101 join the Hoagies’ Blog hop at http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/blog_hop_gifted_101.htm

Gifted relationships

Image Jo Freitag

Retweet the Twitter Bird was back from the Hoagiesgifted’ July blog hop feeling very encouraged and bubbling over with ideas for future projects for her tweetlets.

She had been encouraged by Paula Prober’s post   If I’m so smart, why am I so lonely? at Your rainforest mind that there were other like minds to be found

And she had found tips about where to find like minds at Cait’s My little poppies post Finding and forging gifted relationships

She heard about the effort required maintain relationships at Adventures of Hahn Academy’s post Relationships require work /

And she had seen the value of relationships in Celi’s Crushing tall poppies post
Gifted relationships The silver lining in the gifted storm

She had found these helpful tips about building healthy friendships at Up Parenting Creek
7 Tips to help your kids build healthy friendships
Build Negotiation Skills
Foster Empathy
Teach How to Say, “I’m Sorry” (and Mean It!)
Role Play Through Tricky Situations
Encourage Hobbies (Find a Tribe)
Make Your Home Welcoming
Model Healthy Friendships

She had decided that she would incorporate these tips into their NEST Ed and also would investigate the Virtues program mentioned in GiftEd connections post
Gifted and Struggling with Relationships? The Virtues are a Good Place to Start

But it was the post from Braver than you believe which really made Retweet think!
Five relationships every gifted kid needs
http://www.braverthanyoubelieve.com/2015/07/01/leaving-on-a-jet-plain-um-plane-2/

She agreed that it is important to have people in our lives who have the relationship of role model, mentor, peer, apprentice and sergeant.

Her tweetlets had found true peers of all ages at the Bower Holiday Programs and the Psych-Owl-Ogist had arranged a mentor for them. She was not sure whether they had anyone filling the other roles.

She asked Sprite whether she had people who fitted those descriptions.

“My mentor Paula the Physicist is also my role model” Sprite told her “She has overcome the same problems I have and has earned tertiary degrees. And she loves astronomy like I do so we always have plenty to discuss”

Image Jo Freitag

“The role of Sergeant is being filled by Intellectual Dabrowski and P’est Pour Parfait, the Perfectionist Poodle. I don’t need anyone else telling me what to do and how to do it!”

“I guess I do have an Apprentice” Sprite continued. “There is a little kid in a lower class who follows me round and copies what I do. Like when I got my new pinafore she wore a pinafore just like it two days later.
I do not know what her name is. I call her Pincher because she always wants to have a go on my crutches and if I sit down to eat lunch she will try to borrow them. Sometimes I let her use them and one time I took a photo of her. Then I noticed she has a bandage on her ankle so maybe she is like me and I should try to help her like Paula helps me.”

“There was a post on the hop about gifted/special needs relationships” Retweet said.
The Fissure – The Power of Special Connections: Gifted/Special Needs Friendships

Image Jo Freitag

“What about peers? Do you have any special friends?” asked Retweet
“Can I count Paula and Columbus Cheetah and the Memory Elephant and the Dabrowski Dogs?” asked Sprite.

This is a follow up post to the Hoagiesgifted’ July blog hop http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/blog_hop_gifted_relationships.htm 

Friends and relations

Image Jo Freitag

Great Aunt Hashtag was visiting the Tweet family again.

Retweet was trying to make the visit a positive experience by declaring that as part of their NEST Ed activities for the week they would be researching their family tree as Great Aunt Hashtag was very knowledgeable about Tweet’s family history.
“I am glad to see you are doing that.” said Great Aunt Hashtag.
“In MY day we knew how to respect our ancestors and relatives!”

Retweet already knew that there were several illustrious ancestors who were Leaders of the Great Migrations in Tweet’s family tree. She attributed the giftedness of her tweetlets to the genes they had inherited from Tweet’s family. However she acknowledged that there were many brilliant musicians, poets and visionaries on her side of the family tree.
And of course she had discussed the nature versus nurture issue with the Psych-Owl-Ogist on several occasions. He had shown her a diagram of Professor Francoys Gagne’s DMGT model and pointed to the Environmental Catalysts section to demonstrate how the influence of the nest environment played its part in the development of the Tweetlets innate giftedness into fully developed talent.
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/the-psych-owl-ogist-2/

Tweet had also told Retweet about an old uncle who was a brilliant thinker and was said to be rather peculiar. Retweet was really keen to know more about him.

“Oh he was a bad egg, a bad egg!” said Great Aunt Hashtag “He was the black sheep of the family!”

Tweetelle tugged at Retweet’s wingtip “You told us sheep and dogs do not come out of eggs” she whispered
“The black sheep of the family is just a saying. We will talk about it later.” Retweet whispered back.

“It is a good thing you can choose your friends because you cannot choose your relations” Retweet said.
She was trying to smooth the conversation but she was also remembering some of the awkward moments when Great Aunt Hashtag had caused upset to the tweetlets during her visits.
Relationships can become quite strained when the characteristics of giftedness are not understood.
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/when-extended-family-dont-get-giftedness/

“Talking about friends – do you still keep in touch with Trending and her family?” asked Great Aunt Hashtag.
“No. Trending and I have grown apart over the years and her tweetlets did not have any interests in common with my tweetlets.” Retweet replied.

https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/socialization/

https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/socialization-2/

Retweet had found that her tweetlets preferred the company of older tweetlets or adult Twitter birds. Finding same age friends had proved quite a challenge. She was glad that the tweetlets had found some like minded peers of all ages at the Bower Holiday Program.

“Is the Peculiar Bad Egg Bird my Uncle?” asked Tweetil.

“Let’s work it out” said Great Aunt Hashtag “If I am your great aunt and he was my third cousin once removed what relationship is he to you?

“I thought ‘In a Relationship’ was a polite way of saying the naughty word” said Tweetelle. “The baby sitter said she was In a Relationship and….”

Retweet went very pink in the face. “I think we may have to revisit the Birds and the Bees talk later” she said.

This is a post for Hoagiesgifted’ July Blog Hop: Gifted Relationships
To read more posts on the hop please visit
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/blog_hop_gifted_relationships.htm 

 

Changing the way you see us

Image Jo Freitag

New Zealand’s Gifted Awareness Week 2015 takes place on 15-21 June 2015 http://giftednz.org.nz/resources/gifted-awareness-week/

Once again Mary St George is organizing a blog tour 8-21 June to mark the occasion
https://creatingcurriculum.wordpress.com/2015/06/01/announcing-the-nzgaw-blog-tour-2015/

The Origami Secretary Bird had seen the memo I had written about the blog tour and had summoned all of the Sprite’s Site folk to gather opinions.

“I understand that ‘Changing the way you see us’ will be the theme of the week “the Origami Secretary bird told them.

Psycho Motor Dabrowski stopped bouncing for long enough to ask “Who is you and who is us?”

“I surmise” intoned Intellectual Dabrowski “that Us refers to gifted and twice exceptional students and You refers to teachers, parents, politicians and the general public.”

“I would like to proffer this piece of wisdom” Intellectual continued “To paraphrase Robert Burns
O, wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!
Or so much better, if by spells
Others see us as we see oursels”

“That is all very well if you have good self-esteem and are contented with the way you see yourself” said little Thinks He’s An Alien Black Dog. “But it is bad enough if I see myself as an alien without everybody in general seeing me as an alien too.”

“He does make a good point” said Columbus Cheetah “It is probably more helpful to show what gifted and twice exceptional students are really like and to dispel the myths which most people have about them. This has been a major focus of my work and you can find my Myth Busting Efforts on Gifted Resources website at http://www.giftedresources.org/gr/columbuscheetah.htm

“We usually go down to the beach and wave to New Zealand during their Gifted Awareness Week” said the Memory Elephant, showing the pictorial memories of all the previous years.

“Are we going to do that again this year and, if so, how could it be related to the theme?”

“Oh yes, yes, Frisbees and kites with messages on them” barked Psycho Motor.

“Or messages in bottles It makes people feel all warm and fuzzy to get a message in a bottle” said Emotional Dabrowski.

Image Jo Freitag

“I think having gifted and 2E students telling their own story or having their story told is a really powerful way of changing the way people see them” said Sprite. “That is why I don’t mind you writing about me on the blog – though sometimes I wish would not show my faults and embarrassing moments!”

I certainly enjoy telling the story of the 2E Twice exceptional Sprite  and I found, when I was considering whether she was a suitable candidate for being made into a Persona Doll, that over the years I have drawn quite a detailed description of her.
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/could-sprite-be-a-persona-doll/

I also consider it effective to tell the stories and investigate the needs of many different types of gifted student using Persona Dolls. https://jofreitag.wordpress.com/

The three webinars I have presented about them should contribute somewhat to changing the way people see and understand gifted and twice exceptional students.

Information about these webinars and links to the recordings of the sessions can be found at
https://jofreitag.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/ozelive-webinar/
https://jofreitag.wordpress.com/2015/05/12/australia-e-series-tech-talk-tuesdays-webinar/
https://jofreitag.wordpress.com/2015/06/07/australia-e-series-tech-talk-tuesdays-webinar-part-2/

Image Jo Freitag

Websites such as Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/ and Gifted Homeschoolers Form http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/  provide information about gifted and 2E students and links to resources and also conduct monthly blog tours on specific aspects of giftedness

Social media
Facebook groups such as Mary’s Gifted Contacts
Twitter chats such as #gtchat http://globalgtchatpoweredbytagt.wordpress.com/
webinars, Vlogs, podcasts Livebinders, Slideshares
can all be very helpful in raising awareness about gifted and 2E students.

I was really delighted to receive this comment on Facebook after Gail Poulin, a dynamic teacher from the U.S., had attended a presentation I gave using Blackboard Collaborate for Jo Hart’s Fine Focus webinar series http://johart1.edublogs.org/about-edublogs-serendipityfine-focus-webinars/

So here we are again for the fifth time going down to the beach to wave across the water to New Zealand and wish them all the very best for a wonderful and productive Gifted Awareness Week while the Persona Dolls watch on the laptop.
Emotional Dabrowski is sending a warm fuzzy message in a bottle. The Memory Elephant is sending greetings on a helium balloon. Tweetil is attempting to catapult his lucky acorn across ‘the ditch’.
Wishing you success with changing the way people see the gifted!

Image Jo Freitag

To read about Sprite’s Site’s participation in previous NZ Gifted Awareness Week blog tours see the posts at https://spritessite.wordpress.com/tag/gifted-awareness-week-new-zealand/

This is a post for the New Zealand Gifted Awareness Week blog tour. To read the other posts on the tour go to http://giftededucation.ultranet.school.nz/WebSpace/1286/

The Perfect Quirky GHF blog wheel

Image Jo Freitag

Sprite, Retweet the Twitter bird and White Poodle joined me in visiting all the posts on the GHF May blog hop Perfectionism and other Gifted/2E quirks.
http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/blog-hops/perfectionism-gifted2e-quirks/

 Gifted kids can be pretty quirky, and one of the most common of these quirks is perfectionism. In these posts, several of our bloggers share their experiences – for better or for worse – with perfectionism and other gifted characteristics in their own families. 

“It is usually a blog hop for me; but there are more than 15 posts to visit so it was a blog wheel for me this time” Sprite said.

We did wish to leave an image of a note containing our comments at each blog we visited and had even prepared a little card and signed it

Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle
But found we could only leave text messages with no option to add a picture.

So here are the posts we visited and the comments we left or tried to leave.

A Touch of Perfectionism ~ Gifted Unschooling (Amy Harrington)
http://www.giftedunschooling.com/a-touch-of-perfectionism/
Contrary to popular opinion, I don’t view perfectionism as a negative. I see motivation, determination and unwavering focus as an asset. Perhaps our unschooling philosophy helps shape my full glass view of the relentless drive that is perfection. Perspective is everything. Espousing a positive view of perfectionism keeps one aspirational until completion.
Comment:
Thanks for a great post, Amy!
We loved these phrases
‘healthy perfectionists’
‘Perfection is subjective’
‘Success doesn’t come from mediocrity’
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

A Very Quirky Life ~ Homeschooling Hatters (Care Martin)

http://homeschoolinghatters.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/a-very-quirky-life.html

Mad Natter and I actually share quite a few of the same quirks – we sleep better when we can hear someone else breathing, we don’t do things if we can’t do them well, we will watch the same movie over and over, repeating the dialogue as we go… I think that might just be us, though.
Anyway. Some of the more common quirks that we see here in our Mooselandia home are fairly widespread amongst other like-type people.

My comment:
Great post!
Movement like pacing or juggling does seem to be necessary for many gifted people to do their best thinking and creating
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

Asynchronous and Awkward ~ Madeline’s Musings (Madeline Goodwin)
https://ecosciencegirl.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/asynchronous-and-awkward/

For me, and for other gifted and twice-exceptional young adults, it is asynchrony in our development which turns our abilities into challenges. It is when several aspects of ourselves are in different places, leaving us in a constant state of tug-of-war. My observation is that executive function tends to lag behind, learning ability shoots way ahead, and emotional regulation requires control to prevent it from swinging back and forth like a pendulum. Sensory processing, motor skills, and social skills vary. This can lead to some awkward situations.
Comment:
Madeline, thank you so much for sharing your experience of asynchrony and all the aspects that made you thankful!  You are a great role model for gifted and 2E students.
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

Beautifully Sensitive ~ Every Day Blessings (Tabitha Ferreira)

https://randomeverydayblessings.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/beautifully-sensitive/

There are four of them living in my house. Four beautiful, creative, curious, and extremely sensitive children who live under our roof It really is a blessing, most of the time.

Comment:
What a beautiful description of your children’s sensitivities, Tabitha!
Films and news broadcasts can be really distressing.
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

Happy Quirks of Perfectionism in a Young Asynchronous Boy ~ The Cardinal House (Carissa Leventis-Cox)
http://thecardinalhouse.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/happy-quirks-of-perfectionism-in-young.html

When my 2 year old son discovered that he wrote one letter of his name backwards, he threw himself on the floor and howled for 30 minutes. It was an unbelievable and uncontrollable temper tantrum. Nothing I did consoled him and I felt just as defeated. But since that first outburst, I have learned that perfectionism comes with happy quirks too and we often lose sight of these. Let us remember that by celebrating these happy quirks, we allow our children to accept and delight in one of the fundamental parts of their being.

Comment
Lovely description of the positive aspects of perfectionism!
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

Healthy Perfectionism and How to Encouragement ~ Through a Stronger Lens (Nicole Linn)

https://throughastrongerlens.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/healthy-perfectionism/

Healthy perfectionism fuels the Olympic athlete, the best-selling novelist, and the mathematician who spends years proving a theory. Embrace it. Teach your children that mistakes are hurdles, not roadblocks, and teach them to leap.

Comment
Thank you Nikki! You have given some very helpful practical advice here and valuable links to further reading
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

In Defense of Perfectionism ~ Up Parenting Creek (Maggie McMahon)
http://upparentingcreek.com/in-defense-of-perfectionism/

Perfectionism gets a bad rap. Let’s face it; there are lots of professions out there, where we expect precision. If your child is naturally precise, learn to embrace and encourage it, while balancing against the fear of failure and unreasonable expectations.

Comment
I really appreciate the distinction you have made between precision and perfectionism. A great post, thank you!
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

Managing Perfectionism: 10 Tips for Helping Your Child ~ Raising Lifelong Learners (Colleen Kessler)

http://www.raisinglifelonglearners.com/managing-perfectionism/

Perfectionism can be so overwhelming for gifted kids that they can become paralyzed, and unable to even try new things. As a parent, watching your child struggle isn’t easy, especially when you’re not sure what to do. Here are 10 tips to help you help your child. Managing perfectionism is often a lifelong battle — but these tips can help build a toolbox of strategies.

Comment:
Thank you for these helpful strategies for helping a child cope with perfectionism, Colleen
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

My Gifted Family: My Quirky Sense of Humor and Their Emotional Sensitivities ~ Crushing Tall Poppies (Celi Trepanier)

http://crushingtallpoppies.com/2015/05/18/my-gifted-family-my-quirky-sense-of-humor-and-their-emotional-sensitivities/

The emotional sensitivities and intensities of the gifted people in my house lowers the tolerance level to some of my greatest pranks.

Comment
Really loved the tale of the Valentines boxers!
Our family has a really strange sense of humour too.When we are all together there is a great deal of laughing – usually as we play word games building on each others comments.
The main crossing point between humour and sensitivities used to occur in relation to spiders. Some liked them and some were afraid of them. So cartoons, such as a picture of a huge hairy spider looming of a teddy bear, would be left warning about the location of spiders.
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

Navigating Perfectionism ~ Eclectic Homeschool (Amy B.)
http://eclectic-homeschool.com/navigating-perfectionism/
Perfectionism can be quite demanding. It can cause a child to crumple paper and throw it angrily across the room because something wasn’t just right. It can provoke a child to slam down a pencil and break the lead because one problem was missed. It can keep a child to from trying unless the child is assured of success. I know these things all too well.

Comment
Thank you for all these helpful strategies for combating perfectionism – love the idea of hiding Mr Perfect!
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

Perfectionism and Anxiety are No Fun ~ Gluten-Free Mum (Kathleen Humble)
http://yellowreadis.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/perfectionism-and-anxiety-are-no-fun.html

“I have to be perfect”
It sounds like a great thing, doesn’t it? A drive to get better at a task until you are the best you can be – a perfect swim, a perfect score, a perfect canvas, or a perfect story. Um, no. For our family, it sucks.
Comment
It will be a ‘long running campaign’ but it sounds as if you have some good strategies in place
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

Seven Signs of Perfectionism in Children ~ Everyday Learning (Alessandra Giampaolo)

http://everydaylearning.handinhandhomeschool.com/7-signs-of-perfectionism-in-children/

Aiming for high standards can actually be a positive trait we’d like to see in children. But when that drive for perfection breeds a fear of failure and avoiding opportunities, then the line has been crossed to the dark side… Can you spot the hidden signs of perfectionism in your child?

Comment
The red flags are helpful for distinguishing between positive  desire to do well and the darker negative aspects of perfectionism. Looking forward to your post about helping children to overcome perfectionism
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

Ten Signs That You’re a Perfectionist and Ten Things You Can Do About It ~ Your Rainforest Mind (Paula Prober)

https://rainforestmind.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/signs-of-perfectionism/

Distinguish between healthy perfectionism that looks like very high standards and aims for beauty, balance, justice, harmony and precision and unhealthy perfectionism that looks like anxiety, paralysis and worthlessness when faced with a task where you’re not guaranteed success. The former, you learn to love; the latter, you work to heal.

Comment
Always enjoy your wisdom and humour Paula!
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

The Curse of Perfect ~ Random Everyday Blessings (Tabitha Ferreira)

https://randomeverydayblessings.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/the-curse-of-perfect/

There exists in my house a parasite. A tiny vampire that feeds off of the insecurities that hide below the surface and infects the inhabitants with an obsessive need for perfection. He rears his ugly head in different ways for different family members but his existence plagues us all.

Comment
Thank you for sharing how you deal with the parasite of perfectionism.
Another wonderful young Australian singer who has overcome stuttering is Harrison Craig.
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

The Threads of Perfection: Tips for Taming the Talent ~ Wenda J. Sheard, JD, PhD

https://wendasheard.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/the-threads-of-perfection/

After I helped pin the quilt to the wall for photographing, I stood back to let the photographers do their magic. From a distance, the cream and brown colors of quilt’s fabric emerged into an elegantly scrolled capital letter, “F.” Suddenly I understood. The quilter’s decision to leave those threads hanging all raggedy was an “F” message about perfection.

Comment
Love the concept of taming the perfectionism by predetermining that some things do not have to be perfectly perfect and the concept of the humility square.
Thank you very much for an inspiring post, Wenda!
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

When Your Child is a Perfectionist: Advice from the Trenches ~ My Little Poppies (Caitlin Curley)

http://my-little-poppies.com/when-your-child-is-a-perfectionist/

Leo is a perfectionist and, as a perfectionist, he is afraid of failure to the point of complete immobilization. He will assess a new situation, determine his risk for failure, and refuse to participate if he doesn’t think he can immediately do it well. We have been dealing with Leo’s perfectionism for years now and I have a feeling it is something we will continue to work on as the years progress. So, what has worked? While I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, I am happy to share strategies that have worked for this school-psychologist-and–mom-to-a-major-perfectionist.

Comment
Love the idea of asking “What is the very worst thing that could happen?”
And also the concept of naming and discussing perfectionism with the child
Thank you for sharing some really helpful strategies, Cait.
Kind regards
Jo, Sprite, Retweet and the White Poodle

White Poodle, Black Poodle ~ Sprite’s Site (Jo Freitag)

Poodles can be white as well as black and, in the same way, perfectionism can be both positive and negative.

We are back home again with lots of extra insights and strategies
“I think I would like to try quilting again” Sprite said

This has been a summary of the Gifted Homeschoolers Forum May 2015 Blog Hop Perfectionism and other Gifted/2E quirks

http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/blog-hops/perfectionism-gifted2e-quirks/