In the course of my fifteen years at the Institute for Educational Advancement at the helm of the Caroline D. Bradley (CDB) Scholarship program, I’m often asked, “What exactly do you do? What’s a typical workday?” So I’m here to set the record straight and hopefully provide some answers. First of all, there is no “typical” day which is precisely why I never get bored as the program director of CDB. In short, CDB runs year round with very little down time per se. The CDB team is comprised of myself and my extremely effective and efficient colleague, Mallory Aldrich. We are responsible for the approximately 150 CDB Scholars who are active within the program from 8th grade through high school, as well as maintaining contact with parents, CDB alumni, educators, organizing our CDB Selection Committees and the annual three day Bradley Seminar, collaborating with partner organizations who work with gifted students and assisting people interested in learning about and applying for the CDB Scholarship. Mallory and I are ably assisted by the IEA team who help with our marketing, tuition payments, Finalist interviews, development, data collection and all manner of IT assistance.

We base our schedule around an academic calendar beginning anew for the year right after Labor Day in early September with the annual selection of new CDB Scholars. Roughly, the CDB year plays out as follows: the new class of Scholars is announced in early September which begins the cycle of “virtually” introducing the nationwide CDB rising 8th graders to each other and learning about them as the exceptional individuals they are. Then begins several months in the fall months of interactive research about high school programs and our follow up with each Scholar as they visit and apply to at least three high schools or programs that best suit their learning styles and academic goals. At the same time, we’re actively monitoring the transition from middle school to freshman year of high school for the entering 9th grade CDB class, making sure the returning high school Scholars are still well placed at their schools, working with the CDB high school seniors in their college application process, checking with the new class of CDB alumni as they enter college and begin work on the upcoming year’s CDB application and important program dates, organize our national selection committees who work with us to select that year’s CDB Finalists and begin sketching out the three day Bradley Seminar which encompasses travel, lodging, meals, activities, workshops and socializing for our entire CDB community of high school students, parents, guest speakers and educators with support from the entire IEA team. All of the CDB Scholars are responsible for submitting their midterm and final term grades and teacher comments to the CDB team which is followed by individual feedback we proved to each Scholar. Within the new class, it’s rare that we are not in touch with them either by phone or email every two weeks to check in and get to know them and how their high school selection process is going.

Winter involves making sure all of the high school and college CDB applications have been completed and submitted within their deadlines, as well as personal recommendation letters and CDB information to all of the colleges being applied to by our college applicant Scholars. The new CDB application is online by now, so in addition to at least three webinars we conduct to provide information and answer questions, we are available to work with prospective applicants, recommenders and schools by phone or email. Plans for the Bradley Seminar are solidifying with the theme selected and agenda being meticulously planned out. Individual Scholars are inquiring about recommendations for summer internships that we will assist with. Winter term grades are coming in and holiday wishes extended back and forth. Scholars are hearing from their Early Decision and Early Action colleges, so that always brings a round of congratulations or calming messages about hanging in there and doing whatever we can to alleviate stress and anxiety on the part of our Scholars. This is also the time we work with any of our high school Scholars who are considering transferring for any number of reasons to a different high school program or looking for an alternate educational experience. One of the exceptional aspects of the CDB program is our flexibility to handle each individual’s ongoing academic requirements and to advocate for each Scholar should they seek to expand their horizons.

Spring is the Bradley Seminar, a highlight of the CDB program for all involved and in April the due date for that year’s CDB applications when Mallory and I go into lockdown mode to process and read the hundreds of eligible applications that we receive. By early May, we have divided the top tier applications into groups of approximately 55-60 each that will be sent to the members of our mulitple selection committees for their evaluations. The end of May- early June involves Mallory, our IEA president and my travel to meet with the selection committees to select that year’s CDB Finalists who we will spend the summer traveling throughout the United States to interview them as the next phase of the CDB selection process. Spring is also when our Scholars hear the results of their high school and college applications, so it is a time filled with tremendous emotions and a lot of support extended to our Scholars as we support and work with them to finalize their high school and college decisions.

Summer brings extensive travel for the CDB team as well as support from our SoCal staff in conducting local CDB Finalist interviews and helping organize our schedule that extends from June- August when we have the heady experience of meeting a group of awesome and awe-inspiring CDB Finalists and parents from coast to coast. The end of the summer brings the selection of that year’s CDB class.

Mallory and I function as connectors throughout the work we do during the year. We help new Scholars connect with high school Scholars when they visit new schools that have current CDB Scholars in attendance; we connect CDB alumni and parents with current CDB Scholars looking for potential mentors or having questions to ask of fellow community members regarding their careers, current occupations or life out in the “real world.” We connect organizations interested in the work we do with IEA programs and initiatives as well as attend local and national conferences and conduct webinars and monthly gifted support group meetings on site to inform interested people in what CDB and IEA are about.

It is impossible to fall through the cracks, so to speak, as a CDB Scholar. Mallory and I simply won’t let that happen. We work very hard to develop ongoing trust-based relationships with all of our Scholars and communicate regularly with them as additional support systems or advocates when it comes to any issue they might be facing at school—with their classes, teachers, peers– or as they navigate finding balance in their often very fully scheduled lives. We work to impart life lessons to the CDB community about being proactive when it comes to their own educational paths, seeking guidance and assistance from teachers and mentors when/as needed and strive to help them develop strategies and skills to alleviate the stresses, anxieties and expectations inherent in being teenagers in general and being at competitive academic environments in particular.

So going back to the first paragraph of this attempt to de-mystify CDB, Mallory and my day always encompasses reading and responding to MANY emails from our Scholars, their parents, admissions officers at the high schools we work with as well as introducing new schools to the CDB program and Scholars. We attend regular weekly meetings that are part of IEA as well as appointments outside the office or with visitors by people interested in learning more about CDB who are visiting SoCal and stop by our office in Pasadena, CA. We spend time daily checking in with each other as collaborators in working with an incredibly diverse population of students in how best to support and assist them in areas as varied as course selection to confidence building when it comes to trying new activities or accelerated classes outside familiar comfort zones. We are ever-present cheerleaders, confidence builders and at times deliverers of wakeup calls when needed to help motivate Scholars to get back on track should their grades slip. CDB is a merit-based scholarship program with contractual guidelines that are monitored and enforced. That said, our motivation as the officers of the CDB program is to always work with our Scholars to enable them to be the prime movers on their own academic journeys, accounting for ups and downs as they occur. With many of our students who always expect super-human results from every test and each class grade and teacher comment, we work to “humanize” sometimes unrealistic goals and perfectionistic tendencies that can trip up even the most accomplished, high achievers among our cohort.

It is a tremendous pleasure and privilege to get to know and work with the CDB Scholar community and watch these young people develop their full potentials from the “newbies” we meet as middle schoolers, through high school, college and beyond. With nine classes of CDB college graduates since the program’s inception in 2002, we now have CDB alums who are married, have their own future CDB Scholars and are well into their adult lives. It’s not many jobs or careers that afford its staff the incredible opportunity to change someone’s life for the better and to experience tremendous appreciation and gratitude for the largesse of all that the CDB Scholarship offers and the work we do in support of this program and these fabulous young people . I feel truly blessed to experience these rewards on an almost daily basis through my colleagues at IEA and the CDB community at large. Perhaps I don’t skip into work every day, but I am so grateful for the work I get to do and the people I do it with.

Click here to learn more or to apply for the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship!

It’s that time of the year for Parent-Teacher Conferences.  Usually many schools will schedule the conferences during the fall.

Here are some tips including additional resources on how to have a productive and successful Parent Teacher conference.

Preparation:  Before you attend the conference, make sure that you are prepared.  Have a copy of the report card or progress report prior to the meeting.  Many schools have online grading systems that parents can register and access.  These systems may also include homework assignments and tests results.

Types of Meetings:  Some schools refer to these meetings as Student Led Conferences, in which the student shares his/her work or portfolio with the parent, discusses what they have been learning in the classroom, including their progress and what they need to improve on.  Some are the traditional Parent Teacher Conferences, in which the parent signs up and wait their turn to talk to the teacher.

At the Meeting:  The Parent-Teacher Conference or Student Led Conference is an opportunity for parents to discuss and ask questions about the student’s work.  It is also a chance for the parent to hear their student and/or the teacher talk about the class work, how the student is progressing, and some of the challenges s/he may encounter. Consequently, these types of conferences are held in group settings, usually in the classroom, and time with the teacher may be extremely limited.  If the parent needs to have a more in-depth conversation with the teacher, a private meeting with the teacher should be scheduled.  Do not discuss matters that may be confidential or inappropriate, when several people are present in the room.

After the Meeting:  Schedule a follow up meeting with the teacher in order to assess whether or not the suggestions or action plans have been met.  A follow up meeting also allows for the parent and teacher to discuss matters that may be confidential or more acceptable in a private setting.   In addition, in scheduling a follow up meeting, the parent and the student may receive a progress report in a timely manner, giving the student enough time to meet the target or expectations.  Often times, I have been told by parents that they wished they knew that their student was not meeting expectations ahead of time; and by the time they were informed, it was almost always too late.

As a suggestion, do not wait for the Parent Teacher conferences in order to meet with your child’s teachers.  If necessary, schedule a meeting as soon as you realize that an intervention may be needed, or if you need a progress report sooner than later.

Here are additional resources on Parent Teacher Conferences:

• The Parent’s Role in Student Led Conferences

• This article provides a guide for parents on how they can support their students during Student Led Conferences.

• This tip sheet outlines what principals, teachers, and parents can do to better prepare for and make the most of parent-teacher conferences.

• This guide provides suggestions on what questions to ask to in order to have a productive and positive meeting. 

• This guide includes tips on what to do before the conference, during the conference and after.

As parents of gifted children, we’ve all had our share of “those moments.” Like when our child has a enormous melt-down in the store aisle, or when we are late for school or work, because our child can’t leave the house until the tags on their clothes are all cut off, or when we’ve reached our limit and yell, because, well we’re human too.

After experiencing one of those moments, what do you tell yourself? Do you quickly blame yourself or others, do you berate yourself for messing up, or replay the situation over and over reminding yourself of what a failure you are as a parent? Have you ever responded by telling yourself, ‘This is really hard. You’re really suffering now. You’re going to be ok, you’re doing the best you can.” Take a moment to reflect on a recent one of those moments. Now imagine if you were to hear the same narrative from one of your dearest friends. What would you say to them? Would you have a critical response, blaming or shaming them for a mistake, or would you offer them compassion and empathy? I’m assuming that if you’re like most people, you wouldn’t imagine telling them some of the same things that you so easily tell yourself.

Parenting is a slippery slope. It’s one of the most challenging endeavors we encounter as human beings, and yet, there are no absolute instructions. However, when we look around us, someone else always seems to be doing it better. It’s really easy to fall into the shame trap as parents: never feeling good enough, being keenly aware of our shortcomings and mistakes, or replaying the highlight reel of our latest blunders. However, learning to practice self-compassion is the antidote to all those shame poisons we commonly ingest after a challenging day. Self-compassion quells the voices of doubt, shame, criticism, and judgement.

So what exactly is self-compassion? It’s offering ourselves empathy and compassion, just as we would to a dear friend or to our child in a time of suffering or pain. When we learn to recognize our own voices of criticism, perfectionism, comparison, judgment, or shame, and turn them around into kindness and empathy, we are practicing self-compassion.

Researcher and author, Kristin Neff, Ph.D., (https://self-compassion.org) talks about self- compassion as 3 essential components.

• Self-Kindness vs.Self-Judgement: “First, it requires self-kindness, that we be gentle and understanding with ourselves rather than harshly critical and judgmental.”
• Common Humanity vs. Isolation: “Second, it requires recognition of our common humanity, feeling connected with others in the experience of life rather than feeling isolated and alienated by our ”
• Mindfulness vs. Overidentification: “Third, it requires mindfulness—that we hold our experience in balanced awareness, rather than ignoring our pain or exaggerating ”

I’ve noticed in my own life, along with other parents that I know, it’s easy to begin with good intentions to make positive changes, or develop a new practice, but then life seems to always get in the way. For me, I’ve become conscious of what I need to be stay aware and grounded, and in turn able to be compassionate to myself and others. There are four things that will always work against us, and sabotage our efforts of self-compassion.

• “The Shoulds”: Whenever I detect disappointment or resentment creeping up inside me, I know that I need to check my expectations. When we can be honest about the expectations we have for ourselves as a parent, or for our’s child’s behavior or achievements, then we can explore where they’ve come from and if they’re realistic or not.
• Shame: When we see ourselves as flawed, not good enough, or as a failure, our core worthiness is in jeopardy, and we will inevitably struggle with showing ourselves kindness and
• Shrinking Space: A packed life and schedule leaves no room or margin for error, reflection, or intentional practices. Practicing simplicity of schedule builds in space for the unexpected moments of life that will inevitable
• Swift Speed: When we are able to slow down, we are able to cultivate patience for ourselves and towards our children. Patience is an important piece of showing kindness and

Take a moment today, to play back something that happened recently between you and your child that didn’t go well. This time, adjust your lens to see yourself and the situation with empathy and self-compassion. Then offer yourself words and actions of comfort and compassion, just as you would to a good friend. Nurturing yourself is not selfish or indulgent, it’s essential for our own emotional well being, and goes a long way in modeling self-compassion to our children as well.

Michele is leading our September Gifted Support Group Meeting. 

Topic: Parenting, the Self-Compassion Way

As parents of gifted and exceptional children, we are often focused on the pursuit of finding the individuals, services, experiences, etc. that will adequately meet our children’s ever-changing needs. But what about us? What about our experiences and inner worlds? In this presentation, therapist and parent of gifted and 2e children, Michelle Bodwell, will discuss the importance of tuning into ourselves, recognizing our inner dialogue, and cultivating a practice of empathy and self- compassion for the parenting journey.

Click Here to RSVP!

Biography:

Michelle Bodwell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board-Certified Art Therapist with a private practice in South Pasadena. In her practice, she specializes working with women, of all ages, guiding them in finding creative solutions for life’s problems. Through the journey of parenting her own gifted and 2e children, she understands the struggles and challenges of raising exceptional individuals and lends her experiences in leading A Mother’s Retreat, a parenting support group for mothers of children with high emotional needs. For more information go to www.michellebodwellmft.com

Working as an intern for the Institute for Educational Advancement has been a wonderful experience, the highlight of my summer. You might think I’d be an old hand in IEA; after all, I attended the Yunasa summer camp for the past eight years before I aged out, the last two years as a member of the camp’s leadership program. Then I volunteered as a general assistant with Academy. But there was plenty to learn at IEA, and it was great to be able to give back to the program and people that gave so much to me.

Working in an office environment was something new to me as this was my first job, and my first paycheck. I was mainly working with the Academy team, but I also helped with the EXPLORE program and Gifted Resource Center (GRC), which is part of the IEA website. I edited entries, checked that information was correct and tried to sort through the tedious task of straightening out over 900 entries. In addition to working with GRC, I had many other tasks that involved similar skills and had similar requirements. I created templates and inputted surveys into online survey analysis programs. The challenge was to stay focused on tasks which could become tedious or monotonous but needed constant attention to detail. From this, I learned quite possibly the most important lesson of my internship.

That lesson was to develop the ability to find a purpose in everything I did. From getting a student water to the aforementioned important and detailed tasks, everything is part of a larger and important program. Getting student water could help them have a better learning experience. My seemingly tedious work on the Gifted Resource Center not only helps improve people’s experience when using it but took something off the plate of other staff, allowing them to work on other tasks.

This is not to say working at IEA is all tedious paperwork. The most enjoyable component of my work at IEA was the opportunity to work closely with students and teachers in the Academy classes. I learned many skills I am sure I will take not only to my next job but into my future career, while still having an enjoyable time. The kids were fun; the teachers were amazing. I accrued the nickname “tall Kate,” as there was a student named Kate in one of the classes where I assisted. When I think about the kids I met, I can’t help but smile. The experiences I have had over the course of the summer in my internship taught me a lot and will stay with me for years to come.

Click here to learn more about volunteer opportunities at IEA. Help us spread the word and share this blog post with others! 

The nation’s children are headed back into the classroom as the 2019-2020 school year gets underway! New beginnings can be a grab bag of emotions. Excitement, fear, anticipation – going back to school is not for the faint of heart. Here are some ideas to help ease the way into new beginnings.

Setting the Scene

An early visit to a new classroom can help relieve anxiety.  If your child’s school is hosting an Open House or back to school event, attending can create a sense of comfort and familiarity.  If this is not possible, discuss with your child what they can expect. Compare the new experience to something familiar: “Your classroom might be like the one we went to last year at your brother’s report card night.”

Building Confidence

Even if your child is excited about the beginning of school, they may also have concerns.  Speaking positively about the transition can go a long way to reducing fear.  Remind your child of a successful time they were in a new environment: “I remember how you made friends with Amy at the picnic when you did not know her.”

Establishing Routine

In the morning rush of everyone getting ready for school or work, small things may get overlooked. An established morning routine is helpful: backpack, lunch (don’t forget utensils), review of afternoon plans and most importantly, goodbyes. Goodbyes can serve as a punctuation to the morning routine and help transitions.

Transitions Take Time

New activities are stressful. At the beginning of the year, teachers work hard to establish a routine and provide students with guidelines and expectations.  The structure of predictable routines both at home and school reduce anxiety. Just a few minutes with your child at the end of the day to let them tell you how things went will go a long way in back-to-school adjustment. If your child reports “problems,” try to refrain from giving solutions, but let your child tell you what they think and what they would like to see happen before discussing actions. Sometimes, like adults, a child just wants to be heard.

Back to School shopping season is here! When you do your back to school shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/95-4695698, Amazon donates to Institute For Educational Advancement. Thank you for your support!

NOTE: As of February 20, 2023, Amazon has permanently shut down the AmazonSmile customer donation program.

As a parent, you always want what is best for your child and strive to provide it for them.  Developmental specialists, health providers and other experts are always researching and recommending ways to raise a child in order to reach their full potential. One of the focuses for parents should be the mental health of a child and understanding and learning positive mental health practices.  (1)

But how do you know whether or not the emotions that your child is feeling are normal? Or if your child may need additional mental health intervention? Certain life stressors, changes or transitions may cause behavioral changes in a child, and these changes may be normal.  For example, it is normal for a child to start acting out after the arrival of a new baby.

However, if they seem extreme or go on long after the event, you may want to consult a professional such as a mental health counselor, school nurse, school counselor or another health care specialist if a child you know (2):

• Feels very sad, hopeless or irritable
• Feels overly anxious or worried
• Is scared and fearful; has frequent nightmares
• Is excessively angry
• Uses alcohol or drugs
• Avoids people; wants to be alone all of the time
• Hears voices or sees things that aren’t there
• Can’t concentrate, sit still, or focus attention
• Needs to wash, clean things, or perform certain rituals many times a day
• Talks about suicide or death
• Hurts other people or animals; or damages property
• Has major changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Loses interest in friends or things usually enjoyed
• Falls behind in school or earns lower grades.

Because children often can’t understand difficult situations on their own, you should pay particular attention if they experience (3):

• Loss of a loved one
• Divorce or separation of their parents
• Any major transition—new home, new school, etc.
• Traumatic life experiences, like living through a natural disaster
• Teasing or bullying
• Difficulties in school or with classmates

What Parents Can Do (2):

• Care for your children’s mental health just as you do for their physical health.

• Pay attention to warning signs, and if you’re concerned there might be a problem seek professional help.
• Let your children know that everyone experiences pain, fear, sadness, worry and anger and that these emotions are a normal part of life; encourage them to talk about their concerns and to express their emotions.
• Be a role model — talk about your own feelings, apologize, don’t express anger with violence, and use active problem-solving skills.
• Encourage your children’s talents and skills, while also accepting their limitations. Celebrate your children’s accomplishments.
• Give your children opportunities to learn and grow, including being involved in their school and community and with other caring adults and friends.
• Think of “discipline” as a form of teaching, rather than as physical punishment; set clear expectations and be consistent and fair with consequences for misbehavior; make sure to acknowledge both positive and negative behaviors.

• Lastly, just be a parent to your child, and let the professionals do their job, as that is what they are trained for.

Mental disorders in children are treatable. Early identification, diagnosis and treatment help children reach their full potential and improve the family dynamic. Children’s mental health matters! To learn more, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional.

Additional Resources:  Some of these organizations have local affiliates, provide support groups both within the community and online, and provide resources such as workshops and classes.  In addition, your local school district has mental health resources, or may partner with community organizations that provide mental health services.

• Suicide Prevention Webinar from VP for Health & Community Concerns and suicideispreventable.org
• The Importance of Prevention and Wellness
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• National Institute of Mental Health
• MentalHealth.Gov
• Child Mind Institute
• Learn more about Suicide Prevention
• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• American Psychiatric Association
• American Psychological Association
• Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health
• Kid’s Mental Health Information Portal

References:

(1)  http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/every-child-needs

(2)   https://capta.org/focus-areas/health-safety/mental-health/

(3)   https://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/parents-caregivers

The new school year has started and an exciting year of learning is in full swing! Whether you’ve just started at a brand new school or in a new class, here are some tips on greeting the new school year with confidence, meeting new people and keeping yourself grounded.

1. Let your clothes speak for you. Meeting new people is not easy for some students. (In fact, it can be difficult for adults, too!) If you want to engage your peers in conversation, but don’t quite know what to say, see if you can get them to speak up first. Do you have a favorite t-shirt? Maybe one that’s unique or one-of-a kind? You’d be surprised at how easily a t-shirt, hat or pin can start up a conversation. My favorite animal is the hedgehog and whenever I wear this shirt, people inevitably ask me about it:

You might have a t-shirt from your last vacation, a hat with your Harry Potter house on it, a pin or button from your favorite band or a jersey from a popular – or even little-known – sports team. Letting your classmates know what your interests are by expressing yourself through fashion will lead to some great conversations.

2. Remember to breathe. After a summer of camp, vacation, barbecues and adventures with friends and family, getting back into the school year routine can seem daunting. It may seem counterintuitive to add another “routine” to your day, but consider meditation. Taking 10-20 minutes to yourself each day to quietly reflect and focus on breathing can help center you and restore a sense of calm. You can do it in silence or with music, or use any of several apps to guide you. You’ll be surprised how something so seemingly simple can have such a large, positive effect on your well-being and outlook.

3. Digital detox: Though a lot of schools now have a one-to-one tablet or laptop program, and more and more schoolwork has a technology focus, make sure you find time – throughout the week, if not every day – to unplug, especially at night. Swap your e-reader for a good, old-fashioned book; play a board game instead of a video game; draw, paint or sketch; pick up an instrument instead of an iPod. Being in nature is also a great way to recalibrate, whether it’s taking a walk, playing Frisbee, riding your bike or having a picnic. Swap screen time for green time for fresh air and a fresh perspective.

4. Write it down!: Let’s face it: our lives are hectic. After school hours are spent shuttling from piano to soccer to art class to scouts. Sometimes, it’s nice to take a minute and reflect on all the things we’re grateful for – including the people and opportunities we’re afforded. Keeping a gratitude journal is a great, intentional act that can quickly turn even the most hectic mind calm. A gratitude journal can be blank and freeform or include prompts with different ways of experiencing thanks, such as “What are three sounds or songs you heard today that made you think of something you’re grateful for?” or “What is something someone else did today that made you grateful to have that person in your life?”

5. Replace “Yes, but…” with “Yes, and…” One of the most basic rules of improv comedy is that you don’t counter what someone says to you; you run with it. If your scene partner hands you a “phone” and says an alien is on the line, you can’t say, “Yes, but that’s ridiculous.” Rather, you must then begin speaking with that alien: “Yes, and he just told me that he wants to play baseball this afternoon.” And so the scene continues. This is a great strategy to employ in everyday life – especially when trying new or challenging things. If someone asks if you had a good day at school, instead of responding with, “Yes, but math was really hard and I don’t think I’m going to like it,” try “Yes, and I’m looking forward to understanding these new math concepts that were introduced today.” A negative reaction can be an easy way out if something is frustrating you, but intentionally reacting positively will ultimately pay off much more.

6. Vary your activities: A good rule of thumb is to be involved in one activity you enjoy because you’re good at it, one social activity and one activity that is new or challenging, but also enjoyable. Maybe you’re not a confident public speaker, but you’re involved with a community theater group that requires you to cultivate that confidence in front of large groups. If you can make 100 free-throws in a row, you’ve developed a skill. By stepping back to the three-point line and working to master that skill, you’re not only developing muscles, but also valuable muscle memory. Greeting challenges with confidence and an open mind will have lasting benefits both in and outside the classroom.

What are some of your favorite back-to-school tips and strategies for success?

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May… the dreaded month for parents, teachers and students alike. Days and nights are filled with end- of-the-year recitals, projects, AP testing, finals, celebrations and white sheet cake. It can be overwhelming for everyone, but especially students.

Being a high school teacher for nine years, I saw this first-hand. As we inched closer to the last day of school, students became more stressed and overwhelmed. Sometimes, it felt as if that last day of school would never come. The stress accumulated this month of May has the potential to turn into a major problem. If stress isn’t dealt with it can lead to mental health problems such as depression or anxiety.

Though stress in unavoidable, here are some healthy ways to cope with the pressure.

• Ask for help. This is the hardest and best lesson we can learn: don’t think you need to figure everything out on your own. When I was in the classroom, I saw how my students struggled with this. But I worked with them to show the benefits of asking for help. For students this may come in the form of emailing a teacher, forming a study group or asking a friend or parent for help. This seems scary, but I always said to my students, “You aren’t admitting failure by asking for help.  You’re saying, ‘At this time I am not as strong in this area as I would like to be.’”
• Eat a well-balanced diet and drink water. In a time of year filled with late night studying and rushing from event to event, this may be challenging. But it is one of the most important things we can do. Eating a well-balanced meal keeps your body fueled longer, stabilizes your mood and reduces blood pressure. I have found that planning out healthy meals in advance not only keeps me organized for the week, it also guarantees I will eat healthy and resist temptations to just pick up to go food. We hear the advice to drink water all the time, but when we get busy we often forget. Staying hydrated keeps our muscles energized and keeps us from getting fatigued. Keep a water bottle with you at all times. Fill it up when you find a water fountain. Your body will thank you!
• Exercise. Your schedule is jam-packed and you have a million things to do, so how on earth are you going to find time to exercise? The good news is that it doesn’t have to be a multi-hour gym session to get the benefits. The US Department of Health and Human Services outlines recommended activity amounts for children and adults. I find scheduling your workout into your day and finding a friend or family member to go with you helps keep you on track. So find an activity you love, put it in your calendar and start moving!
• Take a break. This is easier said than done. But so important. Taking a break doesn’t mean giving up on the idea of completing everything that needs to be done, but rather taking a small break to clear your mind to get back into the grind. Take a break, rest your mind, and go outside.

Even taking one of these steps can have great benefits for getting through times of stress.

May is National Mental Health Awareness month. With the number of students experiencing a mental illness on the rise, it is our duty to help our students, children and friends get the help they need and to end the stigma that goes with it. The National Alliance of Mental Illness is a great resource for parents, teachers, and students to use.

How do you deal with stress? Share your tips in the comments below!

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As a program coordinator at IEA, there are many parallels between running a successful program and leading an affective Parent Teacher Association (PTA) organization. Parents are stewards of advocacy, just like a program coordinator to his/her perspective program. I want to share a few tips and lessons learned from other established PTA groups. Hopefully this can be helpful to your advocacy journey.

1.Relationships with teachers and schools

Positive relationships with teachers and schools are keys to advancing needs of gifted students. A strong partnership is built when parents and teachers are on the same team fighting for the same cause. PTA groups who work alongside teachers often clearly communicate expectations and outcomes of their planned program, they solicit teachers’ input during any event/program planning process, get teacher participation during implementation, and invite teachers’ feedback for future improvement.

2. Continuity

To make a sustained impact in a school district and the community, continuity in the PTA’s leadership is very important. The core group that’s leading the PTA needs to have a working knowledge of the group’s past success and failures, know the ever-changing needs of students and classrooms and always plan ahead to mitigate any possible conflict that may arise. To do so requires awareness for the political landscape of the District and relationships with the administrators and teachers, as well as a deep familiarity with the logistical needs of any PTA-led programs and events.

3. Parent leadership within the group

It goes without saying that a PTA group needs to be led by parents. There are PTA groups that have parents as members, but the group is actually led by a classroom teacher or a school administrator. If the leaders are not parents, how can they fundamentally understand the needs of parents and advocate for them? There are other groups with parent leaders who also happen to be a teacher or administrator, and that is a great asset. PTA leaders should always authentically represent the makeup of their group.

4. Open forum time within meetings

Everyone’s voice counts. During PTA meetings, any members can share the successes and challenges of their parenting journey. That way, every member feels that they are a part of movement that is making a positive impact on everyone in the group. The more engaged parents are, the stronger the group is.

5. Lunch hour monthly meetings in the District office building

In Blue Valley, Kansas the Parent Advocates for Gifted Education (PAGE) group holds monthly lunch meetings in the District office building. Over the years, the meetings have become very popular and well-attended by District staff because they are during lunch hours and staff don’t have to travel far to attend these meetings. Some of the meetings are advocacy-based, while others are training based. These meetings have helped district staff to better understand the needs of their students and are more prepared to work with the gifted population.

6. Money raised through summer camps donated back to each gifted classroom in the District

Another lesson learned from Blue Valley PAGE is giving back to the gifted classroom. Blue Valley PAGE runs a summer robotics camp, each year, as their student participation number has grown, so goes the proceeds of the program. The PAGE group then equally divides the proceeds and awards every gifted classroom and their teacher a grant to run any special projects in the classroom. Teachers love the extra help to support their students, PAGE runs a successful summer camp, and the students now have more opportunities to learn. It’s a win-win situation for everyone!

Successful parent advocacy requires friendship, broad coalition, and steadfast persistence. Also, don’t forget to have fun! Working with people who believe in the same mission often produces the best results!

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Being gifted is not always easy. It is a far-too common misconception that gifted children are luckier or better off than non-gifted children and don’t struggle in any aspects of their lives. The natural assumption is that gifted children are academically advanced and therefore can sail through school and their childhood. What is not obvious to many is that some things that come quite easily to some may, in fact, be a source of confusion and anxiety for gifted children. One concept that can be difficult to grasp, understand and embrace is gratitude, which can be an all-too abstract idea for gifted and twice-exceptional children. The definition alone requires one to understand the concepts of thankful and appreciation – which, not unlike gratitude, require the ability to make emotional connections:

Gratitude: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

Thankfully, the science of gratitude and its effects on happiness and overall wellbeing have been studied intensely over the past decade and new strategies for helping Gifted and 2e children understand, embrace, and reciprocate gratitude have been developed. What was once thought to be a self-explanatory concept has now been broken down into manageable strategies that turn the abstract into tangible exercises.

1. Break it down mathematically. For those gifted students that think concretely, linearly, or literally, breaking the concept of gratitude into measurable terms can help make it more understandable. Not unlike a mathematical equation, the following example questions can get students to think of kind and helpful acts as realistic by placing a value on them:

• How much did your sister help you on purpose? (This aims to measure intent.)
• How much did your sister give up to help you? (This aims to measure cost.)
• How much did your sister help you? (This aims to measure outcome.)

Instead of asking open-ended questions such as “Why should you feel grateful for what your sister did?” break the act up into more manageable pieces – the sum of which will then become clearer.

2. Break it down scientifically. In recent years, the science of happiness has been a hot topic and countless books have been written about it. Gifted students with a passion for STEM disciplines can understand, scientifically, how gratitude leads to increased happiness and what effect that has on the brain and the rest of the body. Infographics and articles are tremendously helpful in this respect, such as the following:

For example, the fact that happiness releases serotonin in the hippocampus is something STEM-minded students can understand in a tangible way.

3. Break it down visually: The YouTube channel The Science of Happiness has wonderful videos that capture the power of gratitude and the effects it has on ourselves and those around us in relatable ways. In one video, An Experiment in Gratitude, viewers see the immediate and long-term effects of being on both the receiving and the giving ends of gratitude.
4. Use Your Talents! Saying “thank you” or presenting someone with a tangible token of one’s appreciation are not the only ways to express gratitude. For example, through the STEM Empathy project, a student-led initiative part of the Design for Change movement, students experience a service learning project that brings STEM education to children’s hospitals. Their talents in leadership, project design, and the STEM fields serve children who are unable to participate in traditional schooling, increasing participants’ gratitude, appreciation, and empathy through their efforts.
5. Write it Down! Gifted students may feel shy or embarrassed about verbalizing what they’re grateful for, which is where gratitude journals come in handy. This can be integrated into the school day by teachers or into a daily or weekly routine by parents. Gratitude journals can be blank journals in which students practice free writing, or journals with templates or prompts that give students ideas for how to get started. The idea is simple: Your writing won’t be judged or reviewed; it is for you and you alone. You can be as concrete or descriptive as you’d like – the main thing is, put pen to paper and chronicle the people, events, and experiences that you’re thankful for. For some great gratitude journal ideas, click here.
6. Think Outside the Box: Too often, students are encouraged to show gratitude only for the great things they have, for example their friends, their family, their successes, and their accomplishments. But gifted students are creative thinkers and adept at seeing things from other perspectives. Therefore, they should be challenged to think about – and be grateful for – difficulties they’ve encountered. You might ask, “What is a shortcoming you’ve experienced that you are grateful for? What has this shown and given you, and why are you a better person because of it?” By viewing failure as a learning experience, students can focus on embracing challenge and risk as part of the learning process – and something to be grateful for.
7. Random Acts of Kindness: In school, club, and camp settings, Random Acts of Kindness is a great tool for giving shout-outs to students for doing everyday kind acts. When someone witnesses another person doing something kind, such as staying late to help clean up, holding the door for someone, or carrying a heavy object for a peer, they write down that person’s name and the kind act on a slip of paper, then put it in a box. During a designated time each day, one slip of paper is drawn and that student is recognized publicly, such as at mealtime or during a break in activities. This initiative works well for those students who find it difficult to show gratitude face-to-face – and the anonymity and suspense factors of this initiative create a sense of mystery and community!

What strategies and exercise have you employed to get your Gifted students or children to understand and show gratitude?

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