1. Fitting Square Pegs in Round Holes Gifted Kids Don’t Always Fit
Dr. Barbara L. Branch
Director, GATE/Extended Learning
Nancy Craig, M.S.
Curriculum Training Specialist
Sacramento City Unified School District

2. Dr. Barbara Branch GATE Teacher - 10 yrs.
Principal of a school with GATE Program – 5 yrs
Director of the GATE Program – Sac City – 7 yrs
Consultant – 11 yrs
Author
Chairman – Capital Region GATE Consortium – 7 yrs
Educator Rep to the California Association for the Gifted State Board from the Capital Region -8 yrs
Executive Director of the California Association for the Gifted – 3 yrs.
Passionate about the gifted – 36 yrs.

3. Who are the Gifted?

4. 8 Gripes of Gifted Students
No one explains what being gifted is all about - it's keep a big secret.
School is too easy and not challenging
Parents, teachers, and friends expect us to be perfect all the time.
Friends who really understand us are few and far between.
When Gifted Kids don't have all the answers, by Jim Delisle & Judy Galbraith

5. 8 Gripes of Gifted Students
Kids often tease us about being smart.
We feel overwhelmed by the number of things we can do in life.
We feel different and alienated.
We worry about world problems and feel helpless to do anything about them.
When Gifted Kids don't have all the answers, by Jim Delisle & Judy Galbraith

6. Bummer of a birthmark, Hal…
Differing from the norm can
have disadvantages…
Bummer of a birthmark, Hal…

7. Social and Emotional Needs
Asynchrony
Perfectionism
Sensitivity and Intensity

8. Asynchrony
Uneven development
Cognitive abilities surpass motor or emotional development
Seeks friends who are older
Relates well to adults

9. Asynchrony
Gifted students are asynchronous. Their chronological age, social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development may all be at different levels.
For example, a 5-year-old may be able to read and comprehend a third-grade book but may not be able to write legibly.

10. Perfectionism
High expectations of self and others
Sometimes leads to limited risk-taking
May lead to low self-worth
Highly self-critical

11. Healthy Perfectionism vs. Dysfunctional Perfectionism
Reflective organism
High personal standards
Agreeable
Extroverted
Conscientious
An Empirical Typology of Perfectionism in Academically Talented Children, Parker 1997

12. Healthy Perfectionism vs.. Dysfunctional Perfectionism
Excessive concern about mistakes, doubts, or parental criticism
Anxious
Disagreeable
Doubts about actions
An Empirical Typology of Perfectionism in Academically Talented Children, Parker 1997

13. Healthy Goal Setting
The pursuit of excellence by individuals who enjoy setting and attaining
high standards is not
perfectionism.

14. Keep striving when first attempts are unsuccessful.
What Parents Can Do
Help your child to
Keep striving when first attempts are unsuccessful.
Don’t quit when the going gets rough
Don’t punish yourself for failing.
Hold onto your ideas and believe in your ability to reach them.
Recognize that there are good parts and bad parts to perfectionism.
Perfectionism, Carole C. Peters

15. Gifted Children’s Intensities
Barbara Branch
Executive Director
California Association for the Gifted

16. Intensity
Emotional intensity in the gifted is not a matter of feeling more than other people, but a different way of experiencing the world: vivid, absorbing, penetrating, encompassing, complex, commanding - a way of being quiveringly alive. 

17. INTENSITY
A salient descriptor that characterizes the personality of a gifted child is intensity. Intensity takes many forms that can be both strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing and understanding these intensities can help toward improving the social and emotional life of a child.
From J.R. Delisle, Once Upon a Mind: The stories and scholars of gifted child education

18. Gifted Kids and Brain Activity

19. MRI Research “Brains on Fire”
Bright red blazes of high metabolic activity burst out all over the scan. Each red patch represents millions of microcombustion events in which glucose is metabolized to provide fuel for the working brain.
Gifted brains are remarkably intense and diffuse metabolizers.

20. MRI Research “Brains on Fire”
Gifted thinkers are rarely one-mode thinkers.
Gifted brains are essentially "hyper-sensitive

21. MRI Research “Brains on Fire”
Enhanced Sensory Awareness / Sensitivity
Enhanced Memory Efficiency and Capacity
More Efficient Organizational-Analytic Capacity
More Extensive Associational-Synthetic Capacity
Greater Potential for “Creative-Corporate Thinking”

22. MRI Research “Brains on Fire”
Neurological characteristics carry a number of potential drawbacks
sensory, emotional, and memory overload,
sensory hypersensitivities,
personal disorganization,
sensory distractibility,
delayed processing due to "analysis paralysis" (or getting "lost in thought" due to an excess of options)
mental fatigue

23. Dabrowski’s Overexcitiabilites
Kazimierz Dabrowski ( ) – Polish psychiatrist
Two Concepts
Developmental Potential
Your initial opportunity for growth
Depends on how it is actualized
Multilevelness
Various levels of inner growth
Might be higher in a young person who has been self-integrated
The work of personal growth

24. Dabrowski’s Overexcitiabilites
Psychomotor
Sensual
Intellectual
Imaginational
Emotional

25. Psychomotor Surplus of Energy Rapid Speech Need for Action
Misdiagnosed as ADHD

26. Sensual Enhanced sensual experience Sight Sound Touch Taste Smell
Beauty
Music

27. Intellectual Curiosity Capacity for sustained intellectual effort
Search for truth and understanding
Capable of reflective thought

28. Imaginational Creative thinking Capacity for image and fantasy
Can create private worlds
Need for novelty and variety

29. Emotional Extremes of emotion Empathetic Shyness and timidity
Capacity for strong attachments

30. Overexcitabilities lead to Intensities

31. Emotional Intensity
Emotional intensity in the gifted is not a matter of feeling more than other people, but a different way of experiencing the world: vivid, absorbing, penetrating, encompassing, complex, commanding- a way of being quiveringly alive.

32. INTENSITY OF THOUGHT “Her mind is always whirring.”
From J.R. Delisle, Once Upon a Mind: The stories and scholars of gifted child education

33. INTENSITY OF PURPOSE
“Once he makes up his mind to do something, he’s not satisfied until it’s accomplished.”
From J.R. Delisle, Once Upon a Mind: The stories and scholars of gifted child education

34. INTENSITY OF EMOTION
“She internalizes anything anyone says about her.”
From J.R. Delisle, Once Upon a Mind: The stories and scholars of gifted child education

35. INTENSITY OF SPIRIT
“He’s always looking for someone less fortunate who needs help.”
From J.R. Delisle, Once Upon a Mind: The stories and scholars of gifted child education

36. INTENSITY OF SOUL
“She asks questions that philosophers have asked for centuries and gets upset when we can’t give her definitive answers to them.”
From J.R. Delisle, Once Upon a Mind: The stories and scholars of gifted child education

37. Problems with Being Gifted and Intense
Emotionally intense
Unrealistic expectations of self and others; perfectionist; depression
Excessively competitive
Low frustration tolerance
Easily hurt
Feels powerless to solve world problems

38. Problems with Being Gifted and Intense
Impatient; sees or knows too much
Disruptive; class clown
Uses humor to seek attention
Excessive questioning (why, why)
Goes too far; seems disruptive
Unable to accept help

39. Be an Emotional Coach Christine Fonseca
Coaching moves away from telling a child what to do and focuses on giving him or her the tools necessary to independently figure things out
Teach specific strategies so they can learn to self-monitor and adjust behavior
Focus is on teaching how to think, not what to think
Teach relaxation skills or biofeedback

40. Parenting Strategies
Start early by helping the child talk about his or her emotions
Develop emotional vocabulary
Use prompts – written or verbal
I feel best when …
I’m afraid when …
I like it when …
I feel different when …
Give the Overexcitabilities Questionnaire and share the results together

41. Overexcitability Questionnaire
Do you ever feel really high, ecstatic, and incredibly happy? Describe your feelings (Younger children can draw a picture.)
What has been your experience of the most intense pleasure?
What are your special kind of daydreams and fantasies?
What kinds of things get your mind going?

42. Overexcitability Questionnaire
When do you feel the most energy, and what do you do with it?
How do you act when you get excited?
What kind of physical activity (or inactivity) gives you the most satisfaction?
Is taste something special to you? Describe in what way it is special.

43. Overexcitability Questionnaire
Do you ever catch yourself seeing, hearing, imagining things that aren’t really there? Give examples.
When do you feel the greatest urge to do something?
If you come across a difficult idea or concept, how does it become clear to you? Describe what goes on in your head in this case.
Describe what you do when you are just fooling around?

44. Parenting Strategies
Help the student discover his or her own escalation cycle
What buttons push them too far
What buttons push you too far –share them

45. Parenting Strategies Develop a plan to deal with intensity
Relaxation techniques - biofeedback
Redirect energies
Things to do INSTEAD
Make a list and consult it when needed
Journal or blog
Go for a run
Take pictures
Clean a drawer
Read a book outside
Make a collage
Listen to happy music
Watch a funny movie

46. Parenting Strategies
Focus on the behavior you want to see –not the inappropriate behavior you are seeing
Focus on the good behavior
Avoid acknowledging the bad behavior
Model the good behavior as an adult would display that behavior

47. Suggested Reading Living with Intensity Susan Daniels
Emotional Intensity
Christina Fonseca
Once Upon a Mind
Jim Delisle
Misdiagnosis
Jim Webb

48. Barb’s website

49. What Parents Can Do
Accept children's' emotions:
Exercise appropriate discipline as this helps develop a sense of security
Discuss feelings openly

50. What Parents Can Do
Take time to listen to children's ideas, opinions and feelings.
Appreciate their sensitivities, intensities and passions.

51. What Parents Can Do
• Reassure them when they are afraid and help them to find ways of expressing their intense emotions
• Realize that they become frustrated when their physical capabilities do not match their intellectual abilities
• Honor emotions in boys as well as girls.

52. What Parents Can Do • Realize that sensitivity does not mean weakness.
• Find like-minded peers for them to prevent social isolation.
• Provide professional counseling where appropriate; it is important both to support healthy emotional development and to prevent social and emotional problems.

53. What Parents Can Do
Encourage your child to explore all of the possibilities for his or her talents.
Find mentors for your child in the areas of their passion.

54. What Parents Can Do
When children protest that something doesn’t bother them, it could be the thing that is hurting them; for example, what others think, lower than typical grades, not winning a competition, or not being selected for a team or activity.

55. What Parents Can Do
Help your child with decision-making skills.
Help your child prepare for college (6-8 grade)

56. What Kids want you to know
Come into my bedroom at night, tuck me in and sing me a song. Also tell me stories about when you were little.
Give me hugs and kisses and sit and talk with me privately.
Spend quality time just with me, not with my brothers and sisters around.

57. What Kids want you to know
Give me nutritious food so I can grow up healthy.
At dinner talk about what we could do together on the weekend.
At night talk to me about anything; love, school, family etc.

58. What Kids want you to know
Let me play outside a lot.
Cuddle under a blanket and watch our favorite TV show together.
Discipline me. It makes me feel like you care.
Leave special messages in my desk or lunch bag.

59. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
There aren’t any models of high achievement in our lives, so we don’t even know what is possible for us.  We don’t know what others can do so we don’t ever explore what we can do.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

60. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We know our talents and abilities, but being comfortable is very important to us so we don’t do anything that may jeopardize that.  And standing out from the crowd in any way is definitely uncomfortable.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

61. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We have a lot of interests and can’t choose which one or two we want to pursue in depth.  We get lost by getting caught up in, or being reasonably good at, too many things.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

62. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We are extremely perfectionistic and would rather not do something at all than be wrong or inadequate at it.  We avoid trying to avoid failing in any way.

63. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We decide not to decide.  When offered a choice, we find ways not to make a decision and either let someone else do whatever it is for us, or put it off until it becomes forgotten.

64. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We move forward in life, but stop just before reaching the goals we set for ourselves.  We are perfectionistic and fear not being able to have what we want so we quit before we get close enough to find out.

65. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We set impossibly high standards and then blame ourselves when we can’t reach them.  We consider any success only an accident.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

66. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
There aren’t any models of high achievement in our lives, so we don’t even know what is possible for us.  We don’t know what others can do so we don’t ever explore what we can do.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

67. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We’ve gotten very good at talking our way out of just about any situation and use this skill to avoid completing our tasks or being prepared for our responsibilities.  We make excuses with a smile and people accept this from us.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

68. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We thrive on excitement and spend life totally on the edge.  We take risks on a grand scale, even if we aren’t prepared for them or their consequences.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

69. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We want things our way and have a lot of trouble listening to authority.  Though it seems we are very outgoing, we just want to do enough to get by so that people will leave us alone.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

70. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We think we know a whole lot more than everyone else and tend to blame our failures on others’ ‘incompetencies’.  We’re right, they’re wrong.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

71. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We only take on challenges at which we know we will succeed. We win, but at levels much below our potential.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

72. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We only take on challenges at which we know we will succeed. We win, but at levels much below our potential.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

73. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We only take on challenges at which we know we will succeed. We win, but at levels much below our potential.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

74. What Gifted Adults Want You to Know
We only take on challenges at which we know we will succeed. We win, but at levels much below our potential.
Gifted but Underachieving, Sonia Dabboussihttp://giftedforlife.com/

75. Summary Social and Emotional Needs
Asynchrony
Perfectionism
Sensitivity and Intensity
Multi-potentiality

76. Educate yourself about the needs of your gifted child.
Make Yourself Aware
Educate yourself about the needs of your gifted child.

77. www. drbabs. wikispaces. com www. diigo