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GETTING REEL
Schooling and Other Unnatural Acts: What History Can Tell Us About the 2e Educational Experience
If Stanford educational psychologist Sam Wineburg is right that historical thinking is a “unnatural act”—a set of cognitive moves that seemingly run against the grain of how human minds actually work—then modern schooling might deserve the same description (1). We tend to imagine that school, like breathing, is just something humans do. But the institution we send our kids to every morning is a surprisingly recent invention, built for a very specific kind of learner. The Scho
3 days ago
Energy Regulation & Unexpected Behaviors: Normalizing Responses in Neurodivergent Students
Neurodivergent students often experience energy dysregulation and display unexpected behaviors that can be misunderstood. We invited Emily Kircher-Morris, a national leader in the field of neurodiversity, to bring her immense expertise on emotional and energy regulation to our Community of Practice.
May 8
Curiosity, Connection, and Confidence: A New Path to Motivation for 2e Kids
Why can a twice-exceptional learner spend hours deep in a passion project — yet struggle to begin a simple homework assignment? The answer isn't laziness or defiance. It's neuroscience.
In this talk from REEL's 2026 Parent Speaker Series, four experts come together to explain the real brain-based reasons motivation breaks down for 2e kids, and what parents can actually do about it.
You'll learn:
🧠 The dopamine science behind motivation vs. activation — and why these are n
May 5
Video: When Writing Feels Hard: Science-Based Strategies for Managing Emotions in 2e Students
Struggling with a "reluctant writer"? Join tutor and researcher Lucy Wallace for a science-based deep dive into the emotional hurdles of twice-exceptional (2e) learners. Discover a practical toolkit to move from "blank page" panic to productive transitions using four key strategies: Calm Your Body: Physiological resets for the nervous system. Change Your Thoughts: Reframing rigid thinking and anxiety. Lighten the Load: Reducing cognitive overload and "decluttering" the proces
Apr 27
Self-Advocacy Skills: 10 Tips for Schools to Support Parents in the Journey with Their Neurodivergent/2e Learners
REEL’s Neurodiversity/2e Collaborative hosted a panel focused on supporting families in the complex and emotionally-laden process of building their students’ self-advocacy skills. Tiffany Nielsen, Dean of Students at Helios School, and educational consultant Heather Johanson of The Actias School, shared the strategies they’ve used and what they have seen for schools working to help families develop students’ self-advocacy skills.
Apr 27
When Organizing Feels Hard: 10 Tools That Help
Small Tools Make a Big Difference If organizing has ever felt harder than it “should”… If your new planner only worked for three days… If the labeled bins looked beautiful but didn’t change anything… You’re not doing it wrong. Most organizing systems aren’t built for neurodivergent brains. They assume that structure automatically leads to follow-through. If you just buy the right container, print the right checklist, or commit harder, everything will click into place. But
Mar 19
After the Diagnosis: Guiding Children Toward a Positive Neurodivergent Identity
Dr. Stacy Greeter presented "After the Diagnosis: Guiding Children Toward a Positive Neurodivergent Identity" for REAL, a nonprofit supporting twice-exceptional students. Drawing on her own late autism diagnosis, she contrasted deficit-based models with neurodiversity-affirming care, emphasizing strength-based framing. The Q&A covered age-appropriate disclosure, emotional regulation, finding community, and parental support.
Mar 15
Mochi Dude, Body Dude & Hot Cocoa Dude: How Silly Characters Can Reframe Essay Writing
Writing coaches Shu-Hsien Ho and Royd Hatta of Beyond the Box Learning help youth ages 7–21 write with power, clarity, and ease. Since 1996, they’ve used playful, visual strategies to teach essays, stories, and more through homeschool classes, summer camps, and Bay Area young writers clubs.
Mar 11
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