students should develop. 2e kids often lose self-esteem when they aren’t able to learn the way the classroom or assignments are organized. Students gain confidence with the success that comes with having their environment or assignments adjusted so they can access their learning abilities. Explore the prerequisites to self-advocacy, discover how to help students understand what their brain needs to succeed at school, learn specific developmentally-appropriate techniques to tr

Dr. Melanie Hayes of Big Minds School discusses strength-based learning for 2e students, emphasizing focusing on strengths rather than just weaknesses. Strengths energize 2e kids, boost self-esteem, and guide future careers. Her Big Minds Unschool methods show how to integrate this approach anywhere. Parents can support strengths at home and in class to increase motivation, address challenges, and heal school trauma. Strength-based learning is key to 2e education.

a roadmap of how to sort through the incredible array of available resources for neuro-assessments, OT, speech, academic support, gender diversity, and more. They walked through real life scenarios, including how to decide what to do first, what to do if you have time but no money or money but no time, and how to navigate private and public schools.

Twice exceptional, or 2e, students have both high ability and potential as well as complex challenges such as learning differences, autism, ADHD, and anxiety. Dr. Lisa White of Summit Center, Abby Kirigin of REEL, and Carmen O’Shea of Parent Resource Advisors, discussed the signs it's time to make a change, the process of finding a right-fit school for your 2e child, and the application process.

During the school year, you may find your 2e child saying, “I don’t like school.” You may ask them, “How was your day?” and they reply, “Bad!” but are unable to elaborate. Since parents and educators are better able to address challenges when we understand the specifics, we need a tool to help us get to the root of the problem. Enter the rating scale*—it has helped my family narrow down the scope of school challenges year after year, and enabled us to problem solve, address i

Finding and nurturing student strengths is a critical part of supporting twice-exceptional learners, who are both incredibly bright AND experience learning differences (e.g., autism, ADHD, dyslexia). Too often, the adults in their lives focus on shoring up their deficits, ignoring their immense talents and capabilities. Education professor M. Elizabeth Nielsen and educator L. Dennis Higgins observe “Many gifted students with disabilities view themselves as primarily disabled.

By Jenna Segall, 5th Grade Teacher, Palo Verde Elementary School, Palo Alto (Check out REEL's list of suggested books for all grades...

girls are commonly overlooked, undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed when it comes to learning differences such as ADHD, autism, and dyslexia? Join us to learn what the research says about this phenomena, its impact on K12 education, and what career paths might work best to better address the needs of neurodivergent females