“Dumb Kid,” TECA, Dyslexia, More

PAUL BELJAN: “DUMB KID.” We know pediatric neuropsych Paul Beljan from his contributions to 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter and from covering his always-informative conference sessions for that newsletter. What we never knew was his background: that he was a “dumb kid.” Beljan — a guy with a PhD, two post-doc fellowships, and a master’s in psychopharmacology — writes about his childhood… and then his post-childhood achievements. He also offers advice for framing “gifted” for parents and kids. We think you’ll find this article at the site of GHF Dialog to be very impactful. Read it.

TECA. In the most recent newsletter from Twice Exceptional Children’s Advocacy you’ll find a pointer to an article on IEPs for gifted and 2e kiddos by parent/advocate Miriam Nunberg. The article has a slight New York slant, but the author explains why there are differences in the way various states handle IEPs. She also explains the IEP “framework” in terms of federal guidance and court decisions, and offers concrete advice for preparing your own IEP argument. Find the article. Separately, TECA’s next online support group will focus on “Understanding Motivation in the 2e Child/Teen.” It’s on March 4, and a fee applies. Find out more.

DYSLEXIC ACHIEVER. At the site of Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities you can read an interview with John Hoke, design leader for Nike. He describes his early diagnosis and how he came about feeling dyslexia was a gift. Find the interview.

WAETAG RESOURCE. The Washington Association of Educators for the Gifted and Talented offers a free webinar at 4pm (presumed Pacific time) today, February 27, on how educators can communicate withthe school district. A month from now, on March 26, the webinar topic is “Tips and Tools for Communicating with Parents.” April 30th’s topic is “Equitable Identification.” Find out more.

ADOLESCENCE. A writer at The New York Times describes a certain sequence of events: “First, teenagers bring us their problems; second, we earnestly offer suggestions and solutions; and third, teenagers dismiss our ideas as irritating, irrelevant or both.” If this sounds familiar to you, check out the article for advice on making the interchange more productive.

SCIENCE, RESEARCH, MEDICINE
— Teens, sitting: “Too much time sitting still — sedentary behavior — is linked to an increased risk of depressive symptoms in adolescents, finds a new study.” Find the study write-up.
— Social/emotional/behavioral health: “UConn researchers looked at school districts across the country to better understand how social, emotional, and behavioral health screening tools are being employed, and what factors influence their use.” Find the study write-up.
— Video game attention boost: “Spending 25 minutes a day with a video game-like intervention improved symptoms among adolescents with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a randomized control trial found.” Find the study write-up.

Spotlight on 2e Series Booklets

This series consists of 13 booklets in softbound, 8.5×11 inch format, 30-40+ pages in length, addressing various aspects of twice-exceptionality. Three booklets address specific “e’s” — ADHD, Asperger’s, and dyslexia. All are published by Glen Ellyn Media, which also brings you The 2e Resource.

Find out more!