Judy Weiner is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in the social-emotional needs of gifted and twice-exceptional (2e) individuals. She is affiliated with SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted), leads parent groups, and serves on the Oak Park Unified School District GATE Advisory Committee. 

Judy framed her presentation around the Columbus Group’s definition of giftedness: asynchronous development where advanced cognitive abilities and emotional intensity create inner experiences that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony often increases with intelligence and requires adjustments in parenting, teaching, and counseling to support optimal development. 

She encouraged parents to reflect on how their expectations align with their child’s unique profile, reminding them that success looks different for every gifted child. 

Factors Contributing to Underachievement: 

Judy discussed common contributors to underachievement in gifted youth, including: 

• Identity and peer issues 
• Multipotentiality (high ability in many areas) 
• Schoolwork that is too easy or too difficult 
• Poor study or organizational skills 
• Perfectionism and procrastination 
• Power struggles caused by over-involved parenting 

Instilling a growth mindset can help gifted students understand that intelligence is not static and can be developed. This can lead to a desire to learn and tendencies to embrace challenges, learn from criticism, and be inspired by others’ success.  

Understanding Motivation: 

Judy emphasized that behavior is a form of communication. She used the iceberg metaphor to show how surface-level behaviors may stem from deeper issues like anxiety, skill deficits, or unmet emotional needs. Open conversations can help uncover these hidden challenges. 

Supporting Passions and Interests: 

One way to build motivation is by supporting the areas and topics children care most about. Encouraging curiosity, facilitating access to experiences, and offering opportunities aligned with their passions can improve engagement and self-confidence. 

Creating the Right Learning Fit: 

Judy highlighted the importance of working with educators to ensure appropriate pacing and challenge. She defined differentiation as tailoring the curriculum to match a student’s learning level, style, and interests, and not simply giving more or harder work. Ideally, learning should fall within the child’s Zone of Proximal Development, where tasks are challenging enough to stimulate growth without being overwhelming. 

Judy’s Recommended Books: 

• Mistakes That Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones 
• Ish by Peter H. Reynolds 
• Letting Go of Perfect by Jill Adelson and Hope Wilson 
• How to Motivate Your Child for School and Beyond by Andrew Martin 
• Why Bright Kids Get Poor Grades by Sylvia Rimm 
• Moving Past Perfect by Thomas S. Greenspon 

Coming This Fall: 

We’re excited to keep the conversation going with two upcoming sessions you won’t want to miss:

• On Wednesday, September 10, join us for Secrets to Finding the Best-Fit High School, a practical and timely discussion for families navigating the next step in their child’s educational journey (in-person session).
• On Wednesday, October 8, we’ll take a deeper dive into perfectionism in Practical Interventions for the Practically Perfect. Gifted education expert Lisa Van Gemert will share strategies you can use right away to help gifted youth manage perfectionistic thinking and behaviors (virtual session).

Pasadena, Calif. – 8/9/2023 – The Institute for Educational Advancement(IEA), a national nonprofit dedicated to the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of our nation’s gifted and advanced learners, will transform their outdoor space in Pasadena, CA into an Outdoor Multi-Use Classroom and Activity Space. This project was funded in part by a grant from the Pasadena Community Foundation with additional funding from another local foundation. IEA also recently received a generous grant from the Joseph Drown Foundation for general operating expenses. The support from organizations dedicated to improving the lives of people in the greater Pasadena area during the IEA’s milestone 25^th anniversary is critical as the nonprofit looks to deepen its reach to more underserved communities within Los Angeles County and increase capacity for the next 25 years.

Outdoor spaces for learning opportunities and community gatherings have become increasingly important as IEA strives to support healthy learning experiences for its students and families. The pandemic reinforced the value of supporting high-quality teaching and learning in outdoor spaces. Access to outdoor learning experiences has been credited with helping to reduce stress and increase concentration as well as an overall sense of emotional well-being for children.

The new outdoor classroom will include a shade pergola, drought-tolerant landscaping, lighting, secure fencing and resurfaced asphalt for improved safety and accessibility for all students, teachers and staff. Students enrolled in IEA’s dynamic educational programming, which includes enrichment classes on a wide variety of subjects, will benefit from the additional classroom space as they conduct experiments and research, play games, improve creativity, and explore their passions in the fresh air. The outdoor classroom will also provide a venue to host community gatherings and special IEA events. The new Outdoor Multi-Use Classroom and Activity Space is expected to be completed in early 2024.

“Our Learning Center, housed inside a historic building, has been an inviting and ‘home-like’ place for our students,” said Elizabeth Jones, president and co-founder, Institute for Educational Advancement. “The funding from local organizations like the Pasadena Community Foundation will help us provide private, safe, and secure outdoor spaces for our students that will open up exciting new learning opportunities to support gifted children, an underserved population in Los Angeles County and beyond.”

For 25 years, IEA has believed that every child deserves access to the most appropriate educational opportunities and individual support they need to thrive and pursue their full intellectual and personal potential. Recognized as one of the nation’s leading organizations supporting the needs of gifted youth, IEA is one of the only nonprofit organizations providing a robust array of services in Los Angeles County. Since its inception, IEA has supported over 11,000 students. The nonprofit is focused on transforming the lives of advanced learners by identifying and serving intellectually curious and creative thinkers of all backgrounds in a safe learning environment.

For more information about IEA’s programs and services, please visit www.educationaladvancement.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

About the Institute for Educational Advancement

The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) is dedicated to the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of our nation’s gifted and high-potential youth. Central to the mission of IEA is a commitment to the development of the whole child through engaging educational experiences that promote optimal challenge, mentorship, exploration of ideas, and recognition of personal potential. IEA seeks to connect like-minded individuals through dynamic and engaging year-round programming. Additionally, IEA supports a diverse community that creates a sense of belonging and affirmation. For more information, visit www.educationaladavancement.org.

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Hi! My name is Cassie Kaplan and I am from Indianapolis, Indiana. I am currently a sophomore in college at Southern Methodist University and I am majoring in Biology and Anthropology. I attended Yunasa as a camper for four years in addition to two years as a leadership camper. I have also been a counselor at Yunasa for the past two years. My first year at Yunasa was at age eleven. I was having trouble fitting in at school and on my sports teams because I had different interests and saw the world differently than my classmates or teammates. But once I got to Yunasa, I found people just like me. For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by people who saw the world like I did. 

As a counselor, I have been able to help provide the same space that brought me so much joy and community during my formative years. One of my favorite moments from Yunasa this summer was the variety show, which is an open setting that allows anyone who wants to share one of their passions to do so. Performances range from singing to stand-up comedy to magic tricks. The variety show was one of my favorite activities as a camper, and it continues to be one of my favorite activities as a counselor. 

If these events and the community-feel sound like something you are interested in, I encourage you to apply to Yunasa through the application link below. We are excited to meet you and have you join the Yunasa tribe!

Apply to Yunasa 2023

Being able to return to Yunasa is such a privilege, and it is only through the generous donations given to IEA that I, along with the other counselors, are able to do so. Without the help of donors, this wonderful camp would not be able to continue to provide the home that it has been for me, and many others like me.

Thank you,

Cassie

Like many other gifted individuals, my greatest challenge was figuring out what my professional direction was going to be. The next greatest challenge was to determine what kind of post graduate education I would pursue. Gifted individuals are likely to be multipotential, meaning they can be successful in numerous areas due to having multiple interests and strengths (Rinn & Bishop, 2015). I had a strong foundation in STEM, and I was attracted to English and even anthropology. In the end I elected to study law, which at the time seemed like a somewhat arbitrary choice, though it did have the potential to combine many disciplines. At least that was the theory, but I wondered how it would actually work out in practice.

A 2006 study conducted by Siekanska and Sekowski in Poland examined the job satisfaction of gifted versus non-gifted adults aged 26 to 35 (2006). They found that gifted adults were more likely to be satisfied with their job than their non-gifted peers though they are more likely to struggle when their work environment is intolerant of their needs (Nauta and Corten, 2002). The researchers noted that there were key factors that led to such satisfaction and, though they are similar to general career advice, there were some notable differences.

Factors, such as finding a job that connects with core interests, work that is a source of pleasure, and having a supportive team atmosphere, are crucial to anyone’s career choice. For gifted individuals, career satisfaction means extra consideration to finding a career where they can take advantage of their special skills and predispositions (Siekanska and Sekowski, 2006). Gifted individuals are more likely to have highly focused interests while completely ignoring other matters, they may exhibit black and white thinking, and may employ what appears to be circuitous reasoning even though they arrive at the same conclusions (Daniels & Piechowski, 2009). They thrive when given the space to utilize these modes of thinking, where they are able to utilize their creative thinking and be “independent in their thinking” (Siekanska and Sekowski, 2006).

As my first semester draws to a close I have never been more confident that I made the right career choice. The moment this awareness came together remains illusive, but things have unquestionably clicked. Sure, the weight of half-day exams rests heavily on my shoulders and switching from MLA to IRAC is challenging, but wherever I turn I find that I love what I am pursuing. The core characteristics of law, research, writing, creative argumentation, and facilitating the work of a team while being able to work solo, directly reflect my core predispositions.

None of this would have been possible if I hadn’t been allowed to explore the many options I encountered and encouraged to self-reflect on my strengths. The average person changes careers five to seven times in their life so it is never too late to reflect on your choices and redirect your life (US Department of Labor).

• Daniels, S., & Piechowski, M. M. (2009). Living with intensity: Emotional development of gifted children, adolescents, and adults. Great Potential Press.
• Nauta, N., & Corten, F. (2002). Gifted adults in work. (K. Jamdagni, Trans.). Tijdschrift voor Bedrijfs- en Verzekeringsgeneeskunde [Journal for Occupational and Insurance Physicians], 10, 332-335.
• Rinn, A. N., & Bishop, J. (2015). Gifted adults. Gifted Child Quarterly, 59(4), 213–235.
• Siekańska, M., & Sękowski, A. (2006). Job satisfaction and temperament structure of gifted people. High Ability Studies, 17, 75-85.

Pasadena, CA – 11/1/2022 – Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) has partnered with local nonprofit, the Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA), to deliver high-quality gifted and talented services for eligible students. IEA is dedicated to the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of the nation’s gifted and high-potential youth and offers classes, resources and support for those with exceptional intellectual skills. PUSD students identified or demonstrating potential towards identification for gifted and talented education (GATE) are invited to attend after-school Innovation Clubs, a student-centered learning experience where scholars work in teams to complete a variety of design challenges, and explore independent topics of study in the STEM fields. This year, over 130 students in grades 3-8 benefited from the IEA-lead curriculum. 

“It is such an asset to be able to tap into the expertise of an organization that dedicates itself to meeting the unique needs of gifted learners,“ said Karen Anderson, Pasadena Unified School Arts & Enrichment Coordinator and GATE Specialist. “The Institute for Educational Advancement understands how to connect with our students and their unique needs, challenging them while developing their critical and creative thinking skills, and nurturing their love of learning.”

IEA’s program for PUSD includes STEM challenges like catapults, science fiction writing, Innovation Exposition mentoring, online 3D printing workshops, and environmental design projects. In order to reengage students into the school environment coming out of the pandemic, the partnership was started in spring 2022 and continues through this fall at six schools who needed additional support to run this valuable educational program. 

“For almost 25 years, IEA has helped gifted students to work toward their potential through curated learning designed with a whole child approach,” said Elizabeth D. Jones, IEA President. “Partnering with the Pasadena Unified School District’s GATE team allowed us to work within our own community to provide gifted students with academic, social, and emotional support that will benefit the children beyond the classroom walls.”

For more information about the Institute for Educational Advancement, please visit https://educationaladvancement.org/. 

About the Pasadena Unified School District

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) serves pre-K to 12th-grade students in a 76-square mile area that includes the communities of Altadena, Pasadena, Sierra Madre, and unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County. The Pasadena Unified School District prepares students for the future by inspiring the joy of learning in every child, every day. With an innovative curriculum and a commitment to excellence, the schools of Pasadena Unified develop each student’s potential so that they’re ready to succeed in an ever-changing world. For more information about the Pasadena Unified School District, please visit www.pusd.us/enroll.

About the Institute for Educational Advancement

The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) is dedicated to the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of our nation’s gifted and high-potential youth. Central to the mission of IEA is a commitment to the development of the whole child through engaging educational experiences that promote optimal challenge, mentorship, exploration of ideas, and recognition of personal potential. IEA seeks to connect gifted individuals through dynamic and engaging year-round programming. Additionally, IEA supports a diverse community that creates a sense of belonging and affirmation. For more information, visit www.educationaladavancement.org.

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When you hear the word “gifted,” what ideas pop into your head? Emily would like to change your mind. Her TEDx Talk will encompass her personal and educational experiences growing up profoundly gifted; the stereotypes she faced, the challenges she overcame, and the educational path that lead to her becoming a college freshman at fifteen.

Emily was a senior at Lake Forest College when she made this TEDx Talk. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Writing from Lake Forest College and an MFA in Creative Writing from National University. She is a published, experienced author focusing on fiction, poetry and academic writing. She is a poet, educator and illustrator now based in Chicago. She is the author of “I Want Your Emergency. In March 2023, she will begin her education to become a funeral director at Worsham College of Mortuary.

Following a rigorous application process, twenty-seven 2027 Caroline D. Bradley (CDB) Scholars were selected from a nationwide pool of highly qualified, accomplished young people who will be entering high school in the fall of 2023. The new cohort of CDB Scholars are:

• Abigail Hurst from Riverside, California
• Ansel Effah from New York, New York
• Antonia Elliott from Naches, Washington
• Aubrey Ewing from Chicago, Illinois
• Bellen Anastas from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• David Hadi from Burbank, California
• Nikki Primiani from Santa Monica, California
• Dominic Gasper from Zionsville, Indiana
• Edward Zhang from Irvine, California
• Freya Bikel from Los Angeles, California
• Jack Gonzalez from St. Michaels, Maryland
• Justin Kearse from Bronx, New York
• Kai (Tiger) Wang from Princeton, New Jersey
• Kiye Corbitt from Washington, D.C.
• Lenah Faustin from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Linda Pistun from Gainesville, Virginia
• Margaret (Molly) Svrluga from Washington, D.C.
• Marin Lohner from Manhattan Beach, California
• Nia Guillemet from Los Angeles, California
• Santiago Soto from Montebello, California
• Shantanu Jha from Waycross, Georgia
• Shreyan Jain from Santa Clara, California
• Taryn Hwang from Los Altos, California
• Trillian Creath from Phoenix, Arizona
• Vikram Goudar from Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Warren Edwards II from Atlanta, Georgia
• Waverly Lansford from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Each of the new CDB Scholars represents the highest ideals of scholarship, character, leadership, community service and personal achievement in passions including athletics, research, debate, peer tutoring, robotics, engineering, website design, coding and visual and performing arts.
The class of 2027 CDB Scholars has the distinction of being the twentieth Scholar class selected since 2002’s inaugural class.

Myth: Gifted students can succeed without help.

Reality: One of the biggest myths about gifted children is that they are able to succeed on their own without any assistance.  This is not necessarily the case and many gifted children will not be “just fine” on their own.  Similar to many students with disabilities and other high-risk populations which have barriers and needs, gifted students face difficulties in school unless they have access to individualized services and support.  The right services can help a gifted child develop appropriately and reach for their full potential.  Research suggests that a gifted child’s emotional adjustment is directly related to the extent to which a child’s educational needs are addressed.

Myth: Gifted children do not know they are gifted or different from others.

Reality: Although gifted children may not be aware of the term gifted, they often recognize very early that they are different from other children. They may have atypical or more intense interests, or larger vocabularies that turn away other children.  Their unusual sense of humor can get them branded as “weird.” Many young gifted children feel like they are unusual because they feel very different from everyone else and that no one understands them.  Telling children they are gifted and assisting them with understanding their strengths and weaknesses can help a child better understand these differences and view them more positively.

Myth: Gifted children naturally want to be “loners.”

Reality: Most gifted children do feel different from their same-age peers and many like to spend some time alone.  Gifted children may seek to find peers who share their interests, but these friends will not necessarily be from their own age group.

Myth: Gifted children always get good grades

Reality: Gifted underachievers are real. Some gifted children are bored and disengaged from being unchallenged in the classroom, therefore they stop really trying to get good grades. Other children spend so much time on academic pursuits unrelated to school that required work goes uncompleted. These students benefit from the guidance of an adult to help break the cycle of underachievement.

Myth: Gifted students’ emotional stability is significantly atypical relative to other children.

Reality: Although the available research shows that gifted children are as well-adjusted as other groups of children, they often experience uncharacteristic social and emotional development.  The tendency toward perfectionism, the susceptibility to depression and the uneven or asynchronous development of the gifted child can create tension within the child both at home and in the classroom.  A disparity between a students’ needs and the educational services provided, or from inadequate support to deal with peer and societal pressures, also can result in adjustment difficulties in their lives.

Myth: Gifted children are more mature (or “should be” more mature) than other children their age.

Reality: Regardless of extraordinary talent or ability in academic and other areas, gifted children generally show the same level of emotional maturity as other children their same age.  Adults should not expect gifted children to demonstrate a degree of maturity beyond their years.

The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) is dedicated to the intellectual, creative and personal growth of our nation’s gifted and high potential youth. Most gifted-centered organizations focus strictly on talent development and academic achievement but neglect the personal development of gifted children who are often misunderstood and misdiagnosed.  The Institute for Educational Advancement is uniquely focused on the development of the whole child, providing programming and services that support a child’s intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual and physical needs.  IEA provides both challenging educational programming and a nurturing community that families can count on to meet the distinctive needs of their gifted children.

Source: The Amend Group

Giftedness does not just go away when you turn 18, but most resources for gifted individuals do. This was a painful realization as I entered my adult life after graduating from college. Everyone has the “after college you’ll enter the real world” talk at some point in their lives, but I did not realize how true that statement is, especially being a neurodivergent individual. All the intensities and overexcitabilities are still with me. I have been fortunate to grow up with my giftedness supported, from being homeschooled, where I could learn at my own pace, to starting college at 15 through a program built for neurodivergents. Even without such an obvious sign that I am “different” from my peers, I am sure I’d have experienced similar feelings of “otherness” had I not taken an accelerated path. After graduation last year I intended to take a gap year to allow time to acclimate to the “real world” before entering law school, and thank goodness I did. This past year has eased the transition from being in an environment tailored to cultivate a gifted mind to one full of neurotypicals. Though I have not had trouble fitting into the culture of my workplace or forming a routine without the structure of school, there was a noticeable learning curve when entering the “real world”.

It is at this point in life when clear rules transition into the broader social contract we all participate in. Being neurodivergent, it is inherently difficult to make this transition. Many have made this transition without ever knowing it, a feeling of “otherness” hanging over them. I however am doing so with a painful sense of understanding. Other students will be at least two years older than I and will have had more time to learn the ground rules of the real world. Is bringing a gift for the host of a small social gathering acceptable in your early 20s or is that more early 30s social etiquette? I certainly can’t purchase a bottle of wine. The structural systems in place, such as higher education or the workplace, don’t exactly have “gifted” or “honors” sections. How am I supposed to find others like me if we are no longer branded? What will it be like living on my own? How do I navigate having an asymmetric personality in a society that has minimal idea what that means in practice?

I have no answers as to how to facilitate this transition; I’m just now at the beginning of the journey. My goal is to share my experience so that those who are starting this transition have some inkling of what’s coming and that those who have already gone through their transition know they are not alone. Throughout my life I have met many adults, professors, even my own family, who are no doubt gifted, but had to experience life without knowing why they felt this “otherness.” They forged their own path through society with minimal support, attempting to conform while still living with this unidentified “otherness.”

My motivation to start this series of articles is not just due to my current experience, but by that of two mentors in my life, both of whom found their giftedness by relating to my neurodivergent teenage woes. Two brilliant people who might have forever felt they were alone in their experience. Giftedness is something that will be with me, with us, until the day we die. Don’t let the lack of obvious resources equate to a lack of deserving support, love, and acceptance.

As back to school season kicks off this month depending on where you are located, planning for the school year can be a daunting time for both parents/guardians and gifted students. Parents want their child to thrive in their learning environment and it can be helpful to create a plan to set an intentional tone for the school year.

Below are some tips on ways to create meaningful engagement.

Support

Returning to school whether it’s hybrid, homeschool, public, or an alternative school setting can be anxiety inducing for gifted students and families. Creating opportunities for children to talk about how they are feeling whether it’s after school, during dinner, or before bed will encourage them to communicate and get a sense of how they feel in their school setting. 

If the school curriculum is not challenging enough or stimulating, gifted youth can feel bored and unmotivated to participate.^[1] Creating an environment where the listener is understanding, encouraging, and empathetic allows for gifted children who are experiencing these emotions to feel safe and be able to approach others with their needs.

Creating a Plan

It takes a community to pave the path of a gifted child’s learning journey. It’s important to identify the issue at hand and determine if there can be adjustments made. Collaborating with the child, their teacher, or counselor on possible solutions to re-engage them is the second step to addressing a situation if a gifted child is feeling highly unmotivated in their school setting.^[2] This solution will help the student feel more empowered in creating their own decisions and determining the options that work best for them.

Seeking Resources

Although each gifted child may need different and individualized support, research studies show that high levels of disengagement can lead to underachievement as gifted students need to be stimulated with learning opportunities that will encourage behavioral, affective, social, and cognitive engagement. ^[3] Looking into resources with gifted programs, connecting with other families, or speaking to the child’s counselor are options to find the right tools in supporting a gifted child who is feeling unmotivated.

^[1] https://www.sengifted.org/post/bore-out-a-challenge-for-unchallenged-gifted-young-adults#:~:text=The%20basis%20for%20boredom%20in,%E2%80%94intensity%2C%20complexity%20and%20drive

^[2] https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/paving-the-path-to-meaningful-engagement-for-high-potential-children/

^[3] https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1272799.pdf