Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional School Placement...will traditional work?

Hi All,

DD 11 was finally diagnosed (accurately) after a two year struggle.

She's highly gifted (GAI 158) and 2E: dyslexia, dysgraphia, and auditory processing weakness.

While I am definitely relieved, I am concerned that the college prep school she attends is not going to be able to adequately address both her high ability AND her learning disorders. The list of accommodations was long, and included things like "Allow an exercise stability ball to sit on rather that chair", "Allow a standing desk so she can move as needed", "Allow her to do posters instead of written work for projects" etc. etc.

I just don't see school implementing all this, and I dont see them offering her acceleration for her strengths. Heck, they have failed for two years to recognize her giftedness or her disability! It was just pure perserverance and gut instinct that made me seek a specialist in 2E for correct diagnosis (she was prev. misdiagnosed with ADD).

Anyone have any thoughts? Homeschooling is not an option.

Information at the following links on the Davidson Database may be of interest...
1- Advocacy - Working with your child's school http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10558.aspx
2- Choosing the right school for your gifted child http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10511.aspx
3- Basic educational options for gifted children http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10270.aspx
4- Guidebook - Advocating for Exceptionally Gifted Young People, plus lists of other resources http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/browse_resources_165.aspx

For learning about the other "e" in your 2e advocacy: the book From Emotions to Advocacy by Pam Wright and Pete Wright

You may wish to read up on all you can, then visit with your child's college prep school to present the information and see how well it is received. If it does not seem like a good fit, you may wish to visit other schools, have your daughter shadow, and work toward choosing the learning environment with the best (or least-worst) "fit".

I am highly gifted and I was able to be in traditional schools, so I say stay positive and optimistic and give it a try. I love the ball idea and we do that at home. I love to stand and now it has been proven to be much healthier than sitting anyway. My warning applies to any school and anywhere, especially if your child is out and about (instead of a homebody). We are extremely animated, louder than average, ask too many questions, too enthusiastic (and the like) compared to average and it gets us bullied. To me, bullying is one way the group that is the majority thinks they can change the minority. They often are just annoyed by the minority. A gifted person learns so easily that hopefully they can figure out how to handle it, but it might depend on personality and self-esteem. I knew from when I was very young that the bullies of mine were not my intellectual peers, so I understood what was going on and I knew that I wasn't the problem. Even at my college, because I went on full merit scholarship and into an honors program, the same kids were on campus (it wasn't a college of only geniuses) and they still bullied me. It only showed me that I was right in my assessment as a very young child. They were clueless. You should try to find out if some students are bullied even at the Ivy League schools; I'm thinking yes based on maybe some reports about hazing, but I don't follow it. Hope it helps.