In This Issue:
~ Welcome to the Dolphin GATE Academy!
~ Parenting the Gifted: Introverts
~ Gifted & Bullied...
~ Parenting the Gifted: Emotionally Intense Children
~ All Children Have Gifts...
~ Who Is A GATE Student? What Do They Look AND Act Like?
~ Great Books For The GATE Family!
~ 8 Standards Guiding GATE Programs
~ Internet Resources for Families
~ Ms. Findlay: Dolphin GATE Academy Teacher

Welcome to the Dolphin GATE Academy!
Congratulations! Your child has qualified to join the Dolphin GATE Academy at Central Elementary. The 2006-2007 school year will prove to be a great year of learning and growing for us all.
As this is the first year of the Academy, your child will flourish with the enthusiasm of the new program. Staff at Central are united and committed to making the Dolphin GATE Academy the "Best on the Westside" of the 805 freeway.
Parental participation and input will be critical as we compose and prepare for the learners the most well-rounded and comprehensive program possible. Monthly "GATE Gatherings" will highlight on-going Academy study. Parents and families will be invited to share in the fun!
Stay tuned for more in our weekly updates, which will be available via the Internet and on paper.

Parenting the Gifted: Introverts
Characteristics of Introverts (from Sengifted website)

* Have two personas -- private and public
* Are private people who enjoy doing things by themselves and who reveal inner most thoughts to only a few
* May talk a lot to people whom they feel comfortable with, but are quieter with others
* Refuse to discuss the day’s events until later, even days or weeks
* Are thorough thinkers
* Rarely interrupt and hate to be interrupted
* Learn by watching and mentally rehearsing
* Become grouchy if around people too long, especially after contact with many people
* Have a strong sense of personal space
* Seem to enjoy being sent to their rooms to sit alone
* May find it difficult to share what they are feeling
* Are humiliated easily -- they do not want to appear foolish

Tips for Living with Introverts

* Celebrate diversity in your home -- diversity of intellect, emotional make up, physical attributes, ethnicity, psychological makeup, whatever.
* Honor and acknowledge introverts’ need for privacy. Be sure they have a place they can go that is all their own and where they will not be intruded upon. This need for privacy is exercerbated by long term exposure to others ( i.e. school or work).
* Honor their need to process the days events before sharing their feelings and understand that sharing may happen with only one person.
* Honor their need for personal space (around their body). It will be larger than for most other people.
* Respect their need for time to think, observe, or mentally rehearse before they try something new.
* Respect their discomfort with interruptions.
* Help them to develop an authentic external or social persona. Help them decide in advance what they will say to strangers in new situation and what personal interests or feelings they feel safe sharing with others.
* Help introverts understand that others may perceive of them as rude, stand-offish, arrogant, shy, or even unapproachable. They may need to explain their behaviors or needs. (i.e. I always room by myself at conferences because I need the alone time to reenergize.)
* Remember that introverts can be very sociable with other introverts, family members and close friends.
* Keep in mind that being an introvert may bring with it some internal conflicts
o Between providing for themselves and providing for others
o Between the strong need to be compassionate and being unable to spontaneously reach out
o Between retaining privacy and seeming open
o Between meeting own needs and sustaining a relationship with and meeting needs of an extravert
* Help introverts to find ways to refuel -- to find what works best for them (i.e. being out of doors and among nature, meditation, music/TV/movies, shower/bath, solitary exercise, video/computer games, reading, art, dance, being in own space with own things, etc.)
* Give detailed feedback privately and allow them time to respond.

Providing for the Introvert in the Classroom and at Home

1. Allow for personal space or territory for privacy/thinking and to restore energy
2. Provide own room, corner; headphones; picture, object, window -- something to focus on unobtrusively
3. Provide time with little or no interruptions
4. Allow for internal processing time
5. Offer depth and intensive learning
6. Help child create the public persona
7. Allow child to compete with self rather than with others
8. Teach how to stop thinking and start acting

Changes Adults Need to Make for Introverts

1. Forms of feedback
* Private, giving time for child to respond
* Detailed, with rationalizations
2. Assignments
* Allow for more thinking time
* Allow for concentrated effort -- do not jump from subject to subject
* Offer alternatives to oral presentations
3. Teaching/parenting style
* Honor child’s need for space and privacy
* Give time for thought
* Ask child what is best for him/her
4. Expectations
* Not everyone has to be an extravert

Gifted & Bullied...
Apr 22, 2006

Gifted Children Especially Vulnerable to Effects of Bullying
Posted by: Joel McIntosh


This morning I came across an article from the Purdue University News Service. The article was titled "Gifted Children Especially Vulnerable to Effects of Bullying," and it summarized research findings coming from a study by Dr. Jean S. Peterson and Ms. Karen E. Ray at Purdue University.

Quoting from the article:

In what is believed to be the first major study of bullying and gifted students, researchers found that by eighth grade, more than two-thirds of gifted students had been victims.

"All children are affected adversely by bullying, but gifted children differ from other children in significant ways," says Jean Sunde Peterson, an associate professor of educational studies in Purdue's College of Education.

"Many are intense, sensitive, and stressed by their own and others' high expectations, and their ability, interests, and behavior may make them vulnerable. Additionally, social justice issues are very important to them, and they struggle to make sense of cruelty and aggression. Perfectionists may become even more self-critical, trying to avoid mistakes that might draw attention to themselves."
It does strike me that gifted children might find the effects of bullying especially difficult to manage. It is generally accepted that gifted children often have heightened emotional sensitivities. It makes a lot of sense that, in turn, gifted children respond more strongly to something as unfair and cruel as bullying.

In the article, Dr. Peterson offers some suggestions for parents concerned about this issue. "We found that the vast majority of students who were bullied were silent about it because they thought others would see them as weak or because they believed they wouldn't be taken seriously. That's why it's crucial that adults take an interest in their child's life and pay attention if they mention they're being picked on."

Dr. Peterson explains that if a parent suspects their child is being bullied, the first step is to talk with school officials. "Most bullying probably happens under the radar, and teachers may not be aware of it. It is important that all school personnel agree that bullying can be either or both verbal and physical, and it needs to be addressed in and outside of the classroom whenever it occurs."

The findings of this study will be published in two separate articles scheduled to appear in the Spring 2006 and Summer 2006 issues of Gifted Child Quarterly.

The folks over at Free Spirit Publishing, and they have published several books on this topic. The reviews for their books on this issue are very positive.

Teachers concerned about bullying in their classroom and school may wish to take a look at The Bully Free Classroom: Over 100 Tips and Strategies for Teachers K-8.

Free Spirit also publishes a book for kids on this subject titled, Bullies are a Pain in the Brain. This book looks like a really good resource for kids during the elementary years.


Article copied from: http://www.prufrock.com/client/prufrockBlog/index. cfm on May 4, 2006

Parenting the Gifted: Emotionally Intense Children
(from Sengifted website) Living with emotionally intense children and partners can be turbulent, exciting, challenging, and joyful. Emotionally intense individuals are often accused of "overreacting." Their compassion and concern for others, their focus on relationships, as well as the intensity of their feelings may interfere with every day tasks. It is often quite difficult and demanding to work and live with intense individuals. Those who are not so, find the behaviors unexplainable, frequently incomprehensible, and often bizarre. Intense people living with other intense people often have more compassion and understanding for each other, but may feel conflicts when all the intense people are intense simultaneously. Finding strategies for helping children (and adults) deal with and take advantage of these innate and enduring characteristics may seem difficult. However, resources may be gathered from varied places: counseling, learning style, special education, and classroom management literature; parenting books; even popular business texts.

Below are some specific strategies for helping gifted children and adults to recognize, cope with, cherish and take advantage of their emotional intensity.

* Jointly discuss the positive outcomes of being emotionally intense--i.e. sensitive to others, caring, loyal, have strong feelings
* Cherish and celebrate diversity and individual differences
* Think about how these traits effect a person's perception of the world -- through a different, perhaps kaleidoscopic, lens
* Accept the individual as is -- including "bizarre" descriptions and expressions of feelings and alternative ways of viewing and doing things
* Learn listening and responding skills to help the intense people deal with and respond to their feelings
* Develop a feeling vocabulary -- including a continuum of feeling words
* Teach emotionally intense people to share their feelings with others when they are ready -- verbally, through movement, art, journaling, music, whatever
* Teach emotionally intense people to be respectful of others' feelings or seeming lack thereof
* Teach individuals to find ways to change their behaviors and responses, rather than just dwell on personal failures
* Share that intense feelings, depression, are OK
* Teach individuals to anticipate physical and emotional responses and prepare for them
* Consider attachments to people, places, things, when a change is about to occur
* Help individuals to understand how their intense emotions may adversely affect others
* Encouraging journaling to express intense feelings
* Find physical outlets for emotional energy

All Children Have Gifts...
BUT, not every child is gifted.

In the state of California there are 6,322,000 students currently enrolled in public schools.

Of those, only 482,000 are identified as Gifted or Talented, for the purposes of GATE services. That's just over 7%.

So, the fact that your child is one of those 7% statewide is quite impressive. Along with this identification comes both special benefits, but also responsibility.

They say knowing is half the battle. Well, I agree. As was told to me by my own GATE teachers while growing up, giftedness alone cannot be rewarded...only effort.

Now that your child's potential has been revealed "officially" - s/he faces the challenge of living up to that potential...in a balanced way. Both academically AND socially...the ultimate goal is a highly productive, HAPPY and PROUD individual.

Thank you for taking on the challenge of being an active part of your child's GATE pursuits. It will not always be easy, but then again, anything worth having is worth working for, right?!

--by Mary-Allegra Findlay

Who Is A GATE Student? What Do They Look AND Act Like?
A gifted person is someone who shows, or has the potential for showing, an exceptional level of performance in one or more areas of expression. Some of these abilities are very general and can affect a broad spectrum of the person's life, such as leadership skills or the ability to think creatively. Some are very specific talents and are only evident in particular circumstances, such as a special aptitude for mathematics, science or music. It is generally recognized that approximately five percent of the student population in the United States are considered gifted. These children and youth exhibit high performance capability in intellectual, creative and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity, or excel in specific academic fields. Outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.

What Characteristics Distinguish Gifted Children From Others?

- Asks lots of questions. Wants to know how or why something is so. Not satisfied with simple answers to questions.

- Has lots of information on many things. May show more interest in 'big ideas' than in basic skills knowledge.

- Remembers things that have only been heard or seen once. Seems to understand easily.

- Becomes unusually upset at injustices. Interested in adult concerns.

- Has high expectations of self and others.

- Seems restless if given unchallenging tasks.

- Likes solving puzzles and problems.

- Reads books that are normally read by older children.

- Enjoys meeting or talking with older children or adults.

- Tries to do things in different, unusual, imaginative ways.

- Has an unusual or quirky sense of humor

- Likes variety and novelty, unusual questions; has a vivid imagination.

- Responds emotionally to stories or events.

- Invents new ways of doing things, e.g. new rules for games.

Great Books For The GATE Family!
GIFTED CHILDREN, MYTHS AND REALITIES, Ellen Winner, HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., New York, NY 1996. ISBN: 0-465-01760-6

GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN: Leading the Way, Frances Karnes, Suzanne Bean, Free Spirit Publishing Co., Minneapolis, MN 1993. ISBN: 0-915793-52-0

GROWING UP GIFTED, Barbara Clark, Macmillan Publishing Co., New York, 1992. ISBN: 0-02-322680-3

GUIDING THE GIFTED CHILD: A Practical Source for Parents and Teachers, James T. Webb, Elizabeth A. Mechstroth, Stephanie Tolan, Ohio Psychology Publishing Co., Columbus, OH 1982. ISBN: 0-910707-00-6

IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD: A Guide to Understanding Your Brain and Boosting Your Brain Power, Susan Barrett, Free Spirit Publishing Co., Minneapolis, MN 1985. ISBN: 0-915793-2

KEYS TO PARENTING THE GIFTED CHILD, Sylvia B. Rimm, PhD, Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 1994. ISBN: 0-8120-1820-6

MANAGING THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF THE GIFTED, Connie Schmitz, Judy Galbraith, Free Spirit Publishing Co., Minneapolis, MN 1985. ISBN: 0-91579305-9

PARENT EDUCATION: Parents as Partners, Dorothy Knopper, Open Space Communications, Inc., Boulder, CO 1994. ISBN: 0-9638228-4-5

PARENTING THE GIFTED: Developing the Promise, Sheila Perino, Joseph Perino, R.R. Bowker Co., New York, 1981. ISBN: 0-8352-1408-7

PARENT'S GUIDE TO RAISING A GIFTED CHILD, James Alvino, PhD, Ballantine Books, New York, NY, 1996. ISBN: 0-345-41027-0

PERFECTIONISM: What's So Bad About Being Too Good?, Miriam Adderholdt-Elliott, Free Spirit Publishing Co., Minneapolis, MN 1987. ISBN: 0-915793-07-5

THE SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR PARENTS OF GIFTED KIDS, Sally Y. Walker, Free Spirit Publishing Co., Minneapolis, MN 1991. ISBN: 0-915793-28-8

8 Standards Guiding GATE Programs
Section 1: Program Design Districts provide a comprehensive continuum of services and program options responsive to the needs, interests, and abilities of gifted students and based on philosophical, theoretical, and empirical support.

Section 2: Identification The district’s identification procedures are equitable, comprehensive, and ongoing. They reflect the district’s definition of giftedness and its relationship to current state criteria.

Section 3: Curriculum and Instruction Districts develop differentiated curriculum, instructional models and strategies that are aligned with and extend the state academic content standards and curriculum frameworks. The differentiated curriculum is related to theories, models, and practices from the recognized literature in the field.

Section 4: Social and Emotional Development Districts establish and implement plans to support the social and emotional development of gifted learners to increase responsibility, self-awareness, and other issues of affective development.

Section 5: Professional Development Districts provide professional development opportunities related to gifted education to administrators, teachers, and staff to support and improve educational opportunities for gifted students.

Section 6: Parent & Community Involvement Districts provide procedures to ensure consistent participation of parents and community members in the planning and evaluation of programs for gifted students.

Section 7: Program Assessment Districts establish formal and informal evaluation methods and instruments that assess the gifted program and the performance of gifted students (which meets or exceeds state content standards). Results of data collected, including state standardized tests, are used to study the value and impact of the services provided and to improve gifted programs and gifted student performance.

Section 8: Budgets District budgets for gifted programs support and provide for all the components of the district’s GATE program and meet the related standards.

Internet Resources for Families
http://www.sengifted.org/

In 1981, SENG established guidelines for SENG-Model Parent Support Groups. In communities around the country, parents of gifted children are invited to participate in a ten-week series to discuss the social and emotional needs of their children, and the parenting issues related to those needs. The emphasis is on positive aspects of parenting, avoiding power struggles, and helping gifted children learn appropriate life skills while enhancing the parent/child relationship and parent self-esteem.

http://www.cagifted.org/

This is an organization for both parents and teachers alike. Conferences and contact people are great resources that can be accessed via this site.

http://www.cosmeo.com/

This site is a GREAT resource! You must pay for full access, but we will work to make this a part of your child's GATE program here at Central.

Ms. Findlay: Dolphin GATE Academy Teacher
By accepting the invitation to join Central Elementary's Dolphin GATE Academy, you and your child will be in for an innovative and inspiring year of learning, growth, and FUN!
Ms. Findlay (formerly Miss McKinnell) has been at Central for the past 8 years. Her experience ranges from Kindergarten through 6th grade. She has a Master of Science in Information Technology from National University and a Bachelor of Arts from UCSD in Visual Arts: Media, with a double minor in Education and Political Science.
Over the course of your year you will come to learn more about her dog, Molly and her cats. Also, you'll probably hear a bit about her nephews and niece...plus her love for kayaking, Sudoku, and scrapbooking!
Your child will benefit from Ms. Findlay's experience and personal interests. She is a lifelong learner and was in the shoes of your child about 2 decades ago, when she was a GATE student at Ericson Elementary in Mira Mesa.