On-line Ed, Our Kids as “Outliers,” and More

THINKING ABOUT A VIRTUAL SCHOOL? A report, “Virtual Schools in the U.S. 2019,” is summarized in the Washington Post. One take-away: the marketing hype for such schools is not necessarily supported by research. The number of virtual and blended schools is over 600, and they enroll more than 400,000 students. Find the report summary.

GIFTED CHALLENGES. Psychologist Gail Post writes about gifted kids as “outliers” who can experience over-thinking, anxiety, and shame over their differences. Post explains the emotional dynamics and tells what parents can do to help. (And you can’t just talk them out of their feelings, she says.) Find Post’s post.

ADDITUDE says that one of its most popular articles in May was on nutrition: “Nine Food Rules for ADHD Families: What to Eat, What to Avoid.” Included is some discussion of using elimination diets to see which foods might be causing problems with focus, mood, energy, or memory. Find the article.

PARENTAL RESOURCE. Debbie Reber, through TiLT Parenting, has the goal of building a “global, comprehensive database of schools that support differently-wired kids.” She has created an online form to get input for the database and asks that contributors use one form per school. To contribute, start here.

GIFTED AND DISTRACTIBLE. Julie Skolnick’s most recent newsletter is out, featuring Julie’s blog posting on negative self-talk, pointers to some relevant articles in the media, and information about a variety of events. Find the newsletter.

WEBINAR. ADDitude has scheduled a free expert webinar for June 11, “Optimize Your Child’s Summer Schedule: Fun, Learning, and Connection.” Find out more.