The Hard Things Are Easy and the Easy Things Are Hard Many 2e children experience a mismatch between what the world expects them to be able to do and what actually comes easily. A child may struggle with “easy” tasks like tying shoes or organizing a backpack, while soaring in “hard” areas like mental math or storytelling. This reversal can lead to frustration, misunderstanding, and burnout—for kids and caregivers alike. Activity: Flipping Expectations Use the chart below to r

Do you have a question you’d like the column to answer? You can email asklucy@reel2e.org. My autistic 2e teenager is highly resistant to changing his ways of doing things. I've encouraged him to write down important events in his calendar, but he won't because he "doesn't need to" (even though he inevitably forgets). His inbox has nearly 4,000 messages because he refuses to delete or archive emails. Whenever I try to talk to him about this stuff, we end up in a tug-of-war. Is

As the school year winds down and summer begins, it’s natural to reflect on the past year—its challenges, milestones, and surprises. For families raising neurodivergent children, that reflection can often feel weighted toward what was hard. But here’s a powerful shift: What if we used this transition to focus on strengths instead? At REEL2e and Young Scholars Academy, we believe a strength-based, talent-focused approach isn’t just feel-good language—it’s a foundation for help

One evening, I was sitting at home, in a rare moment of quiet before bed, and realized I'd been spending almost all my time, energy, and...

Learn how to support executive functioning in twice-exceptional (2e) learners with expert Rachel Kapp. This online talk offers practical strategies, tailored tools, and school advocacy tips to help 2e students thrive by leveraging their strengths and understanding their unique learning profiles.

REEL is frequently asked by educators how to approach conversations with parents about academic, behavioral, or social-emotional concerns regarding a student. What is appropriate to say? How should they handle situations where parents are resistant or do not understand the concerns? To provide guidance, we spoke with several experts including an educator-turned-special education advocate with experience across multiple districts, a Santa Clara County Office of Education leade

Our DEAR REEL model is based on academic research and best practices from experienced educators about what works for these learners. The DEAR REEL model consists of four lenses: Develop Connection, Embrace Flexibility, Attend to Strengths and Reframe Behaviors. This video discusses the portion regarding developing connections.

Humans aren’t great at being objective. We underestimate the effects of the environment on people’s behavior, and we overestimate the...