chris@nationalcenterforgiftedservices.com Developing Emotional Intelligence in Gifted Children Using Art, Music, Chess and Yoga

Introductions www.nationalcenterforgiftedservices.com Parents Facebook Group: “Raising Children with Intelligence” www.locopogs.org Parents Facebook Group: “LoCoPOGS”

The G Word The Columbus Group, 1991 “Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally.” 

What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)? Emotional self-awareness: recognizing, naming, and understanding the cause of one's feelings. Handling emotions appropriately: demonstrating productive options for managing stress and upsetting feelings rather than "acting-out" negatively. Self-motivation: thinking, planning, and solving problems by using impulse control, frustration tolerance, and delayed gratification to reach a specific goal. Empathy: recognizing and understanding emotions in others. Social Skills: handling emotions in relationships and interacting harmoniously with others.

Gifted Children and EQ 85 percent of financial success in life is due to skills in ‘human engineering’ including your personality, ability to communicate, negotiate and lead.’ (Carnegie Institute of Technology)

Building EQ Using Music Science Researchers have discovered a specific link between music and emotional sensitivity…The ability to identify, understand, reason and manage emotions in life use the same types of mechanisms as being sensitive to emotions in music. Those with musical experience demonstrated enhanced perception of emotions; the strongest results were with those people who initiated musical training before the age of 7

Building EQ Using Music Ideas Expose children to a variety of forms of music Ask them how the music makes them feel Allow them to create music and make rhythms – not only in music class Include singing in the daily routine (e.g. clean up song) Some gifted children have music playing in their heads all of the time – “it’s one of the channels in my brain”

Building EQ Using Art Science Research shows many gifted children have trouble with seeing “gray” in life…they are binary in their thinking…love it or hate it Many gifted children are also perfectionists – they are fearful of making a mistake so the idea of creating art can paralyze them with fear

Building EQ Using Art Ideas Ask gifted children to explain how art makes them feel and WHY they like or don’t like a piece of art Create ‘safe to fail’ projects where the kids can make mistakes When students are exhibiting their work, it forces others to learn to be respectful and responsive audience members Gifted kids love Jackson Pollock!

Building EQ Using Yoga Science “Yoga calms the mind and opens the nervous system allowing us to access our truth within…which allows us to articulate the things that cause emotional stress.” (Hammond) Where a breathing/yoga program was introduced, 76% of the 7,000+ students surveyed showed significant improvement in: Mood and feelings, calm state of mind, focus and concentration, anger and frustration, ability to sleep, stress and worry (YES! Youth Empowerment Seminar) 51% of high school students reported an increase in caring and cooperative behavior after taking the course (Ibid)

Building EQ Using Yoga Ideas Teaching children to breath in through the nose and out through the mouth Taking a minute before starting a new activity to breathe together Teaching students to take three breaths when they are upset before speaking or responding Building basic yoga poses into the curriculum – down dog, sun salutation, basic poses (watch YouTube for ideas)

Building EQ Using Strategy Games Research Bring together children of different ages, races and genders in an activity they can all enjoy Build individual friendships and also school spirit Encourage students to imagine all possible move alternatives and train the mind to play with possibilities - a cornerstone of original thinking (Connections Academy) Teach graceful winning and losing

Building EQ Using Strategy Games Ideas Chess Rubik’s Cube Blokus Mastermind Kinder Catan

Introductions www.nationalcenterforgiftedservices.com Parents Facebook Group: “Raising Children with Intelligence” www.locopogs.org Parents Facebook Group: “LoCoPOGS”