Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Help for 2e students

I can't believe there are *23* pages devoted to 2e issues on this site and yet it is near impossible to find an employee in any school district who knows what the term 2e means or who has an interest in supporting these brilliant and creative minds. It seems that when charters open or new gifted schools or private programs begin, the 2e kids flock to them. Then the programs morph into academic talent programs only (easier to run and study) and the majority of 2e kids are weeded out. Is there any movement out there making a strong push for our nation's schools to stop allowing these students to fall through the cracks and start committing to nurturing their learning style? Do new students coming our of colleges and universities education departments know what 2e means?

shamusMom - I had a long rant to myself the other day after another disastrous day at public school and it was exactly concerning what you just said.....a part of me is just raging to do something to help these 2e/gifted children (my DS6 included) to get the word out, to do something for them! I just felt so angry and helpless last week - these kids are absolutely falling between the cracks and they have such amazing and unreal potential. When I was in college getting my education degree we barely and I mean barely touched on the subject of special needs and gifted children and I graduated in 1990....my friend just finished her education degree about 3 years ago and she said the exact same thing.

I am hoping things get better in the next few years too. The problem is that there just isn't widespread awareness and so each parent must fight each battle teacher by teacher. Educators just don't know the term twice exceptional and its meaning. I can't see how things will get better until parents come together and make noise in a big and organized way. Unfortunately, many 2e parents are already at their wits end with day to day living so it is very difficult forming a group of people willing to devote time to changing the big picture. Frustrating.

ShamusMom ... you are absolutely right to rant and something I have ponder as I read the boards and know a few older kids that are 2e and see the challenges they have to go through. It isn't sinking in for our educators and I think it has a lot to do with their own education. I have a Master's in Education from the 2nd ranked school in the country and the way our program was/is set up does not even consider 2e. You are either gifted/talented or special ed. It was not until having my own child and watching my best friend's daughter that I even heard of 2e ... so what does that tell you?!? I really think visits to the universities is a good start. Take your children ... talk to the professors and see if they are aware of the lack of support for these children. You might be surprised that they will be open to studies. Get the facts and recommendations established and let's see how it moves into actual education.

It is a fairly new concept, right? I checked the 2e page on wikipedia, and the books cited as sources only go back to 1998 (not too scientific, I know).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twice_exceptional

Our ds' psychologist (who assessed him) mentioned that the study and understanding of 2e people is definitely in it's infancy. But I agree, it would be so fantastic to speed up the slow-moving trickle of knowledge from way up at the 'cutting edge theories' end of all things to the gt committee at a local school!!

What do you think it would take to get parents to be willing to unite and give voice to this issue? I know that there have been school programs in Montgomery County, MD, Albuquerque and NY. The State of CO, the State of OH and Montgomery County have 2e manuals (available online). ID is working on one too. Having manuals doesn't mean there are programs though. ID, UT, MA, WA and ME have twitter accounts (e.g. www.twitter.com/Maine2e) The GTSpecial listserv has been around for many years (GTworld.org) and OGTOC has a subgroup for Twice Exceptional (giftedonlineconferences.ning.com). So, I guess there is a bit of a fire smoldering...but these sites represent just a handful of people. And those people will eventually tire out I'm sure.

Well, I guess it would take the time and energy of a bunch of people who are already up to their ears in time-intensive educational questions.

Our Ds9 has a vague 2nd exceptionality, which usually is well hidden, but sometimes really rears it's head during of all things, timed tests.
I think before there can be better programs there have to be better methods of identifying giftedness in general, giftedness in the identified disabled population (ld or otherwise) and learning disabilities in the id'd gifted population (I pondered for quite a while about ds' varied test results, from a child who seemed gifted to me ).
And before that id effort can get very far, I think the awareness of more than just a handful of teachers in any school district needs to be broadened, folks need to be aware and on the look out for gifted kids in all their many guises...

Once the real population of 2E kids is identified, perhaps larger than we realize, funding for efforts/programs becomes more justifiable, right? I know in my mind it's already justified, but in regards to 'working the system' this seems important.

What about a plain old 'awareness' campaign?
You know, magnetic ribbons on backs of cars, and go from there....