'Tis the Season for Overexcitabilities

It starts right after the back-to-school sales end; stores ramp up for the holidays.  It begins with Halloween candy tempting us at every turn, scary masks, and haunted houses.  Then it turns quickly to Thanksgiving where we over indulge in food, friends and family come from out of town and table manners should rival Emily Post.  Let's be real, Christmas decorations really start going up amidst the masks and turkeys in the stores.  How is a child supposed to keep it together?  Add giftedness to the equation and it is a recipe for disaster that rivals Aunt Emma's fruitcake!

We've all been there.  We take our bright little darlings in their finest Christmas sweater to meet Santa and all of a sudden the meltdown of all meltdowns occur in the middle of the mall. Before you think that your child will be permanently placed on Santa's naughty list, let's break down what is happening from their perspective. The sweaters are itchy and scratchy and likely, super hot.  Santa, while a jolly old elf, can be a bit intimidating.  I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas is blaring from the store speakers. The crowds are insane- pushing and shoving and tall.  And to top it all off, there are TOYS everywhere. Who is surprised that our precocious bundles of Christmas joy turn into melted piles of goo on top of the fake, fluffy snow?

The good news is that your child isn't being naughty at all.  Your child is experiencing emotional overexcitability.   Gifted children are especially prone to EO. Dr. Susan Daniels and Dr. Kazimierz Dobrowski describe EO as a heightened and sometimes uncontrollable ability and to respond to stimuli.  It can be in many forms:  psychomotor, emotional, sensual, intellectual and imaginational.  

It's not surprising that this time of year lends itself to EO meltdowns. So what can we do to keep our kids off the perceived naughty list?  

First, understand what is happening.  We, as parents, need to be one step ahead of EO.  Recognize that so much stimuli can cause even the most controlled child to lose it occasionally. We need to pay attention to the stimuli that can trigger their EO and try to minimalize it as much as possible. 

Here are some suggestions and intervention strategies:

1. Understand what is controllable and uncontrollable.  You may not be able to control the amount of toys on display at Target but you can control how many times they are exposed to them.  Solo shopping may be best.  It's hard to curb the bad case of the "I want's" if they are cruising the aisles. Children have heightened imaginations at this time and they can visualize quite intensely how a toy room stocked to the brim with action figures will look like.  If you can't avoid shopping, this might be a good time to balance this with some crafts.  Since their imaginations are on full tilt, what better time to engage them in some artistic outlet.  

2. With winter comes more indoor play and less exercise.  Children have pent up energy and need to be able to release it especially if they are expected to be on their best behavior at Aunt Edna's.  Plan ahead and schedule some outdoor time taking a walk, or if the weather isn't cooperating, at an indoor recreation space.  Running around and getting the wiggles out releases endorphins and will  help calm them.  

3. If you still have an emotional breakdown on your hands, don't panic.  Stay calm.  Acknowledge what your child is feeling.  This is a good time to mirror what they say so they know you are hearing them.  This is not a good time for an argument or fight.  Their brains aren't development enough for rational thoughts during a meltdown.  The best thing to do is remove them from the situation if possible, stay calm, and let it run its course.  Later, when things are calm, you can then address the behavior not only to let them know that it may not have been the best option but to understand from their perspective what caused the meltdown in the first place.  

And just remember, it's the most wonderful time of the year.....

Happy Holidays everyone!  

Emotional Intelligence- It does exist!

Understanding emotions may be similar to trying to find other life forms on Mars, but the reality is they exist! Before I dive into why emotional awareness is important, let me address what emotions are. This may seem like a simple phenomenon, but is it? Think about this for a moment; when a person asks you, “how are you doing today?” and your automatic response is fine, what does that mean? What is ‘fine’ in relation to how you are actually feeling. That answer comes automatically for various reasons, but it isn’t the truth. The Miriam-Webster dictionary defines emotion as “a conscious mental reaction (as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body” (An Encyclopædia Britannica Company). This definition is loaded with complex terms. If we break it down emotions are the reactions we have to a certain event. The movie “Inside Out” by Disney Pixar is a fairly accurate picture of emotions. The movie presents the concept of basic emotions which can be dated back to the first-century (Burton, 2016). Paul Ekman, Professor Emeritus in Psychology at UCSF and leader in psychology, identifies six-basic emotions; joy, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, and surprise. My graduate professor went as far as to eliminate surprise and disgust stating that those fell under fear and anger. These four or six emotions are the control center of our mental state and behaviors. 

            Now that we understand that there are four or six basic emotions, we can look at why it is importance to have emotional awareness. As a school counselor, I am teaching emotional understanding and awareness to my students. Emotional awareness is the first step in emotional regulation. A high school teenager has a lot of emotions they are dealing with due to their biology and psychology. Neuroscience studies show that the adolescent brain doesn’t look like that of an adult’s until early 20s. Teenagers are constantly reacting to their emotions instead of regulating them. There are many risk factors during this age, because they have not developed the ability to control impulses or plan ahead (National Institute of Mental Health, 2011). You add hormones to the mix and there’s bound to be a lot of emotions! I believe that our thinking (Rational) controls our emotions (Emotive) and our emotions control our (Behaviors). This is the reason I teach emotional awareness and regulation to my student. Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy is the theory that I use in educating students. Once a student can identify their emotion then they can identify the thought associated with that emotion. Then we can use a variety of techniques to help them regulate their emotions. Mindfulness is a great tool to use as well, because it forces the student to stop thinking about the future and focus on the moment. What does this look like in action? For example, when a student is worried about a test or assignment I have them go through the following steps:

Step 1. Identify the emotion

Emotion: worry = fear.

 Step 2. Identify the thought that is causing that emotion. 

Thought: “I won’t do well, I’m going to fail, and if I fail I won’t graduate…” these thoughts continue to make the student feel worse and distract them from focusing on studying. 

Step 3. Refocus, Mindfulness Technique

I have the student take a moment to refocus by breathing and “clear his head” by mentally wiping away his thoughts. That way we can start with new thoughts to negate the previous ones. 

Step 4. Making Irrational Thoughts Rational, Role Play

During the last step, I would have the student write down thoughts that would make his irrational thought, “I’m going to fail”, rational. The student could come up with a variety up thoughts that would lessen his/her anxiety. They don’t have to be positive, but they have to be neutral. For example, “I have studied and prepared for this test. I’m going to do my best! Even if I do not get the grade I want, I will not be a failure”. This would be an example of making an irrational thought rational. This isn’t a Band-Aid technique or approach. It takes time to teach the student to do this on their own. 

Our adolescents and pre-teens have a lot of anxiety in this high pressure filled society. They are expected to excel in every area of their life. As social beings, we naturally compare ourselves to one another and idolize people who have achieved greatness. The need to measure up, work harder, and be better puts a strain on our student’s mental health. They need to have the proper tools to be able to endure this mental stress. This article hasn’t taken into consideration student’s who have a mental illness. The mental health of our students is vital! That is why it’s importance to understand, have awareness, and advocate for Emotional Intelligence. 

-Heather Couch, School Counselor at Covington Latin School

Traveling to Learn- To Go or Not to Go?

Traveling abroad can be one of the most amazing and beneficial experiences a student can have. Where can I start with the importance of travel? As a young girl, my parents’ goal was to take our family on a vacation once a year. For them, going to the beach was the obvious getaway. Being the history-minded person that I am, I knew that I needed to see and experience more places. The opportunity arose at the end of my senior year of high school to go on a trip with other students to five countries.  I begged my parents to lend me the money because I might never have the opportunity to go abroad again (My parents had never been out of the country so I thought it was very abnormal to go overseas). When l I got to London in June of 1999,  I realized how many people from America really do travel. I fell in love with the city. It was similar to the US in that we spoke the same language but totally different than anywhere I've ever been.  I was in culture shock- cars driving on the other side of the road,  the accents, the palace,  the changing of the guards.  I couldn't believe that this actually happened in the world!  I thought these were things that only happened on TV! From there we went to Paris, to Switzerland, to Austria and Germany. I learned a lot from that trip- not only did I learn how to keep my passport safe,  but I learned to budget money, use an ATM, have an open mind, try new foods, and be flexible with my plans.  I learned how to behave not like a tourist. By that, I don't mean wearing a fanny pack and white gym shoes. I mean to be confident, polite, and walk into a restaurant or store like I knew what I was doing.  Being immersed in a different culture and language takes you out of your comfort zone and it builds confidence that you didn't know you had in you.  

I then had the opportunity to travel abroad at the end of my senior year of college. Someone came to talk to our class about student teaching abroad and one of the places they mentioned was England- so of course, I had to bite at the chance. I was very nervous though since I would be the only student going abroad from the University. Again, it was very expensive, but I knew again that it would be worth it. I lived on a college campus and made a network of friends for life.

When I started teaching, I wanted my students to have the same opportunity that I had so I started planning our first trip. Teaching in an accelerated school full of bright students, I had a unique opportunity to expose my students to more than what they could ever learn in the classroom.  I knew from experience that exposure to other cultures and languages can give students sensitivity and globalization that cannot be gained by reading books alone. I knew these kids were ready and able to take their classroom learning to the next level. Our first trip was a success! We visited London, Paris, and Rome. It was amazing for me to see the students’ eyes light up before Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and the Coliseum. Even my breath was taken away by the Coliseum since I was teaching ancient history at the time and had never been to Rome. That trip added value to my classroom as a teacher. I learned a lot from that trip about deadlines, tipping guides, being on time, keeping people on time, but mainly about how unique it is to be able to see the world. From the people on that trip, I know that out of the 24 students that went with me, 20 studied abroad in college. Two even live abroad now. I hope they remember the respect for cultures that I taught (and also to tuck their passports---inside joke for anyone that has been on my trips).  Most of all, I hope they remember to take someone else abroad one day to give them that love of travel. Where would I be without my teacher taking me back in 1999? I have taken 5 trips abroad with students (and am starting to plan my 7^th for 2021). I don’t think I’ll ever stop the love of learning that comes with the love of travel. 

Stephanie Tewes is the Dean of Studies at Covington Latin School, an accelerated school in Northern Kentucky.  She is also a history and speech teacher.  

Podcasts: Listen to learn! All the cool kids are doing it!

Let's face it, most of our kids have some sort of electronic device or another.  Why not put them to good use?  We give you.... the podcast. It's probably one of the least used features on the smartphone. We love podcasts because they are especially useful for our auditory learners.  Auditory learners can remember an amazing 75% of what they hear so they can be a fantastic resource for them. ExploreMore! has listened to hours and hours trying to find the best ones for you. The podcasts that we feature vary in length from 15-35 minutes which is a perfect amount of time- not too long, not too short. All of these podcasts can be accessed through Apple, Android or through the website listed.  We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Here are ExploreMore!'s top picks:

Tumble Science Podcasts for Kids

Tumble is a science podcast for kids to be enjoyed by the entire family.  They tell stories about science discoveries with the help of scientists.  Join Lindsay and Marshall as they ask questions, share mysteries, and learn what science is all about.

www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/home

Shabam!

Shabam is a new type of science show that blends fictional stories with real science.  If you love science but hate those awkward scientist interviews that involve graphs and confusing metaphors, you're in luck.  First off, Shabam! is an audio program- so no graphs.  And second, through the magic of sound effects and music, you'll hear stories that reveal the awesomeness in the world around us- like cellphones and vaccinations.
www.shabamshow.com

The Book Club for Kids
This is a podcast where young readers meet to talk about a book.  The show includes a celebrity reading from the book.  Plus, the author joins us to answer your questions.
www.bookclubforkids.org/new-blog

Shakespeare Retold
Ten of William Shakespeare's most famous plays become the inspiration for a collection of stories by leading children's writers and read by some famous voices.  Writers include Frank Cotrell Boyce, Pamela Butchart and Jamila Gavin; readers include Simon Callow, Shirley Henderson and Julian Rhind-Tutt
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03dwshd

Stuff You Missed in History Class
This podcast is from the authors of HowStuffWorks.  The hosts of this show look at stories from history that you may not have heard about in class.  This podcast is geared for students in grades 6-12.
www.missedinhistory.com/podcasts

We hope you enjoyed our selections. What podcasts do you and your children listen to? We would love to hear from you!

Best Tech for Back to School

Technology for technology sake isn't always a good thing.  In fact, I dare say there is some validity in not using them in every classroom setting. However, there is a time and place for technology. Throughout my life time as a student, teacher, homeschooling mom and tutor, I have seen technology evolve tremendously.

To give you an example of how things have changed, I give you Exhibit A:  the term paper.  The process we had to go through would startle those who grew up in a digital world. First, we had to use index cards.  Not one pack, mind you, but three or four.  We had to write one fact per card that we actually looked in BOOKS to find.  Gasp! No internet!  Do you even know how many facts go into a research paper?  SO MANY INDEX CARDS! Each of these index cards then would be spread across your bedroom in an attempt to organize them into some sort of coherent paper which we then had to type on a  TYPEWRITER!  And once you finished your paper, you had to do your works cited page. I swear I have PTTPD (Post Traumatic Term Paper Disorder).  This was an exercise in torture.  The minutia that went in to a properly cited page was unbelievably painstaking and then to have to do it on a typewriter. Yikes! I am twitching just thinking about it.

Then we hit the modern age.  Kids just don't know how lucky they have it!   I am a firm believer of work smarter not harder especially since I never want my children to suffer as I did.  So I give to you bibme or easybib.  Both are excellent for creating fast and easy work cited pages. In some cases, all you need is the ISBN number to complete the citation.  Cue the choirs of angels.

While I am on the subject of index cards, let's save some trees!  Quizlet and Studyblue are two flashcard websites and apps that allow your child to create flashcards and quizzes to help them study. While there is value in handwriting flashcards, these two apps make studying on the go a snap.  I love these for busy families.  I recommend these to the kids that I tutor so they can study in the car on the way to soccer practice and school.

Another website I recommend is Hoopla.  Hoopla is a free app that allows you to borrow all types of media through your local library.  I ran across this app when my daughter was struggling with reading comprehension. She was able to download audio books and read along and highlight passages in her book.  I have to admit that I am reintroducing myself to some of the classics via Hoopla.  And for those that question the legitimacy of listening to books on tape, I ran across this article that defends its use.

Next up is a collection of websites that engage those who want to learn more.  TedTalks, Great Courses and Khan Academy are excellent resources.  TedTalks is a free resource with over 2000 videos on a myriad of subjects that last less than 20 minutes.  Its purpose is to spread ideas and knowledge to whomever wants to learn it.  Khan Academy is similar to Ted in the sense that they have 1000's of lessons, but it is more academic in nature and is for all ages.  I love that if you are struggling in math, you can be taught by professionals.  Or if you are wanting to move ahead in a subject, you can find classes that can accelerate you in a particular area.  Finally, Great Courses is an unbelievable resource for those looking for advanced studies from science to philosophy.  The downside to Great Courses is that it is paid site but access can be gained for free for a month and they often run really good sales.  

I hope these apps and websites help your child this year.  What tech do you like?  We would love to hear from you.  We are always on the look out for cool new ideas.

This blog was submitted by one of our ExploreMore! parents.  She is a 7-12 teacher, homeschool parent and private tutor.  If you would like to contribute to our blog on educational or parenting topics, email amy.darpel@covingtonlatin.org.

Twice Exceptional Students- Ignite the Passion!

Back at it!

Ah, the smell of fresh school supplies! There is nothing like it!  School is back in full swing and we are getting back to our routines. We hope that some of our tips in the last newsletter were helpful in getting the year started off right. We mentioned that we will be publishing a newsletter each month with information that you might not have readily available to you. Having a bright and motivated child brings its own set of challenges.  ExploreMore! is here to help you navigate the tough and exciting waters ahead.  We would also love to hear from you.  What are your concerns or questions? Our staff are experts in gifted and twice exceptional education and are happy to help you. Feel free to email questions and we will address them in future newsletters.  Our partner, Covington Latin, has also developed a Pinterest page devoted to gifted education.  It is a curated collection of information that can help you find out more about your awesome child.  Pins are added constantly so we encourage you to follow them.

This month's topic is twice exceptionality.  For some, this might be a new term. Dr. Amend, a Clinical Psychologist and expert in gifted education defines twice exceptional (2e) as students who have exceptional ability and a disability, which results in a unique set of circumstances. Their exceptional ability may dominate, hiding their disability; their disability may dominate, hiding their exceptional ability; each may mask the other so that neither is recognized or addressed. Children who are twice exceptional can have amazing talents and simultaneously struggle in other areas. They can have college reading levels but lack social awareness; incredible artistic talent but lack verbal communication skills; incredible intellect but can't put ideas to paper.  Because of this asynchronous development, many students slip through the cracks and are not identified as gifted or LD and therefore, do not receive the support that they need.

So what do you do if you suspect that your child is twice exceptional?  The first thing is to speak to your child's school. Discuss with them what you are seeing. What are their strengths and weaknesses? Is there a large discrepancy between their abilities?   If there is a a discrepancy, testing may be necessary either through the school district or educational psychologist.  The commonly used Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC) includes a series of subtests can help identify 2e students. After testing, if your child shows evidence of a discrepancy between expected and actual achievement, evidence of an outstanding talent or ability, and evidence of a processing deficit, a plan should be put in place to help your child to succeed.  Your child's teacher will be instrumental in making sure their talents shine.

In the meantime, what can you do?  First off, you are already doing it!  Having your child participate in ExploreMore! or other enrichment activities, gives them the opportunity to ignite their passions. Encourage this exploration.  Find avenues for them to show off their strengths and talents.  New research is proving that strength based and flexible educational options are the keys to success for these kids whether that be through acceleration, social or academic remediation.  We, at ExploreMore!, are happy to help you. Please feel free to talk to us regarding your child.  Our staff are experts in the field and can point you in the right direction.

Back to School Tips for Gifted Kids

It's back to school time! It is hard to believe that in just a few short weeks, our kids will be back at it! Hopefully, everyone had a restful summer.  ExploreMore! has been working all summer to find resources and enrichment opportunities that will engage your students.  We hope that you enjoyed our summer camp and have found the articles posted on our facebook page enlightening. In preparation for the new school year, we would like to offer you some resources on how to start the year off on a good foot. TIME MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION We often hear, as teachers, that time management and organization are a hurdle for students.  Bright students, especially, have difficulty.  They can be absent-minded professors!  Some students benefit from color coding and checklists.  Here are some additional tips to help get your child organized for the upcoming school year. As for time management, studies have shown that a child's ability to organize their time is more an indicator of success than IQ.  Children have a lot on their plates.  Sports, dance, scouts, technology and other things all vie for their attention.  Giving them the skills early, can help them succeed later in their education careers. LEARNING STYLES Howard Gardner, a developmental psychologist, has created the theory of Multiple Intelligences. Knowing how your child learns and processes information is invaluable.  Some students learn kinesthetically, while others are visual.  There are seven types in all, and most kids are a combination. Once you have determined how your child learns, there is so much you can do to ensure that your child is successful.  If you don't know how your child learns best, try this quiz. You might find out that they really do learn better by listening to music! HEALTHY LUNCHES We have all been there.  At the beginning of the year, we launch into Pinterest to find the coolest lunches to pack our kids only to last the first week or maybe month.  And while breakfast is the most important meal of the day, kids need fuel to feed their brains.  Foods like nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables have proven to boost brainpower.  Here are some suggestions on lunches that will feed their stomachs AND their minds. Hopefully, this list will keep it going all through the year. It's that time again!  Here's to a great school year!