My continuing search for information was often debilitating, mired in ambiguity and desperation to find clarity not for myself but for my students and my own children. Questions that started to plague me included some of the following: Does learning disabled mean broken? Does an affinity for aesthetic beauty and art become void when paired with dyslexia? What about a need for … [Read more...] about Urgent, Paralyzed Possibility
2e
Lonesome Town: How This Gifted Girl Unapologetically Navigates Friendship
For gifted people, alone is part of the gig. That's just math. There are fewer of us out there. But alone and lonely are two separate words for a reason. I can be lonely in a crowded room. And I can be quite happy and alone with myself for extended periods of time. What I had to learn is that popularity is for prom queens and yearbook autographs. Popularity might get you … [Read more...] about Lonesome Town: How This Gifted Girl Unapologetically Navigates Friendship
Q: I just found out that I am on the spectrum and have an IQ of 153. What does that mean? Who am I?
It means you are AMAZING! Having an IQ of 153 and being on the autism spectrum is what you call twice-exceptional (2e), where one has a dual identification of giftedness and a learning difference. Being 2e is part of the neurodiverse spectrum where your mind and body are uniquely wired. This unique brain wiring is foundational where one’s receptivity, processing, … [Read more...] about Q: I just found out that I am on the spectrum and have an IQ of 153. What does that mean? Who am I?
My Journey to Being Gifted and Talented
Sometimes we need to consider extenuating circumstances in the child’s life, such as poverty, lack of opportunities, twice-exceptionalities (2E), limited parental understanding of the system, and just being a “late-bloomer” like me. Sometimes it’s about changing the mindsets of teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and students. How do we get to certain … [Read more...] about My Journey to Being Gifted and Talented
Brilliant, Gorgeous, Talented, and Fabulous—or a Hacker?
I became a talent scout as I started looking for intensities, creativity, ingenuity, and quirkiness in my students and the adults around me. Listening to a comment from a student that was particularly insightful or witty, I dug deeper. If I heard a teacher complain about someone not ever turning in homework, but acing tests, I flew into the office to dig into student files for … [Read more...] about Brilliant, Gorgeous, Talented, and Fabulous—or a Hacker?