Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT is a weekly chat on Twitter that takes place on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT and 5 p.m. PT in the U.S. For one hour, parents, educators, advocates and experts in the field of gifted and talented gather to share resources, links, authentic life experiences and insights about gifted issues.
A1) As a young mother, I was disheartened to hear a close relative say her kid could have been in the gifted program but they didn’t want to be an unpopular ‘geek’. #gtchat
A1 Gifted children can be very sensitive and easily affected by negativism from others who do not understand or are envious of them. It would be wonderful if everyone treated one another with respect and consideration. My SEL page https://t.co/wPkH4PY2TY#gtchat
It was very difficult to explain to anyone about how different my kids' needs were. The assumption was that I was making it up, or using them for something, or treating them like "special snowflakes.. #gtchat
A1) When family and friends don't get gifted they can patronise and talk down to children and may not understand their sensitivities and emotions #gtchat
A1) Lack of understanding re: areas of giftdness, issues related to “Gifted” vs “talent” all have a their own seat at the table and each has value #DifferentIsOkay#gtchat
A2) That wasn't a huge issue in my family. Both of my kids are so 2e, as am I, that it was pretty standard to have a range of abilities and lots of asynchrony. #2ekids#gtchat
A2) Family members, Sunday School Ts, and extended family need copies of behavior plans, crisis plans, and other pertinent info to help Gifted 2e kids w/ emotional exceptionalities etc. #gtchat
A2) The sensory issues and OEs were a huge issue, though. My kids were diametrically opposite in their needs and how they responded to sensory input. It made for a lot of frustration and struggles and fighting. #gtchat
A2) When talking about abilities, all family members should be considered … parents as well as siblings. It’s fairly common to have a range of abilities in a family. #gtchat
My nephew is struggling with this teacher response now. So unhelpful when you don't understand. I think sometimes teachers push gifted kids too hard. They're still kids just developing their brain skills. #gtchat
A2) I think many people would be surprised to hear that sibling rivalry can hit new highs between G/PG kids in same family. Also, issues can arise between G and 2E siblings. #gtchat
A2: Sibling rivalries can be a problem in a family and can make the family dynamic unbalanced. Sometimes children will be jealous of their siblings. #gtchat
Q2) I found it especially challenging when I was placed in an advanced chemistry class at the same time my older sister had the regular class. She hated me being "smarter" and I hated having to work twice as hard in the same subject. #gtchat
A3) Gift giving and exchanging, understanding fair isn’t equal in cost, size, quantity, etc. and lack of “sameness” doesn’t equate to disappointment, lack of love, or affirmation that one is “better” #gtchat
A2 P1 Varying abilities play a huge role in family dynamics. I am very mechanically inclined, as well as my father, and as such when I am home from school we do many projects around the house.#gtchat
A2 P2 Our house is completely remodeled, and if we wouldn't have been handy our home would not be nearly as nice as it is today. Our family dynamics would also be completely different. #gtchat
Going back to sibling rivalries, holidays can be an issue. One child can feel unappreciated because they didn't receive a toy as cool as their sibling's for example. #gtchat
A3) My parents may have struggled with this area my older brother and I received gifts at the same time birthdays, holidays, and misc. times which fostered competition and struggles to be “seen” #gtchat
A3) My parents may have struggled with this area my older brother and I received gifts at the same time birthdays, holidays, and misc. times which fostered competition and struggles to be “seen” #gtchat
A3) There were 8 of us kids, and some had other issues that took more attention than being gifted. Gifted came with the extra burden of a lot of responsibility. #gtchat
A3 I was nearly accepted into the gifted and talented program when I was in elementary, I missed the cut-off by 1 point. One of my sister's was in the program, and her being so was never a problem, she was humble about her intelligence, and so were my parents. #gtchat
A3 I was nearly accepted into the gifted and talented program when I was in elementary, I missed the cut-off by 1 point. One of my sister's was in the program, and her being so was never a problem, she was humble about her intelligence, and so were my parents. #gtchat
I think - and research agrees - that being labeled gifted, rather than being praised for working hard and figuring things out, makes gifted kids afraid to try things that might make them look dumb. #gtchat
A4) Insensitive comments can come from both friends and strangers. Hopefully, very young children do not hear them because they will probably understand their intent. #gtchat
That oversimplifies the research. It depends on a lot of nuance & definition. The gifted - or any other - label is just a tool. It can be used well or used poorly. #gtchat
A4) There really isn't any one thing you can say to your kids. You just have to know the child, know the situation, and keep reiterating the lesson over the years. #gtchat
Having the title as "gifted" can cause the child to be looked down upon. They might even be too scared to try new things or be successful in fear of being ridiculed. It's sad that this happens and might be difficult to explain to that child. #gtchat
That oversimplifies the research. It depends on a lot of nuance & definition. The gifted - or any other - label is just a tool. It can be used well or used poorly. #gtchat
A4 I have always preferred straight forwardness in people. If it were me I would explain to the child how what the person said was rude and uncalled for, and I would also attempt to help the child build resilience #gtchat
Yes, it's not the label itself, it's how it's used, but when you're used to everything coming easy and a subject is hard, some gifted kids don't actually have the skills to learn the things that don't come easy and are afraid to ask for help. #gtchat
A5) Parents can attempt to educate others about what giftedness is and isn’t. It can seem like second nature to you, but others may know know/understand if they haven't experienced it themselves. #gtchat
A5)First, grapple with self perceptions of Giftedness and navigate the possibility has even as a parent there may be negative space filled with bias #gtchat
It has to do with the label in that, if I have internalized that "giftedness", I don't want to reveal that I may not be as gifted as people think I am. My nephew is going through this - afraid he'll be put back with the "slower" kids if he asks a lot of questions. #gtchat
A5) It is important not to undermine your own child to make the envious parent feel better - much more useful to receognise the abilities of their child and find other common ground #gtchat
That's the education system version of giftedness. It's ot all that closely related to the neurological understanding of giftedness as different wiring. #gtchat
A5) In the end, it may be in everyone’s best interest to ignore comments that aren’t made in the presence of the child to avoid further confrontations. #gtchat
A5) Unfortunately I find that I filter my speech around adults due to this. I haven't found an appropriate way to deal with it at this point. I often just keep quiet about accomplishments, struggles, etc. #gtchat
A6) Initially, parents should look for support locally; either in the form of existing groups of gifted parents or by forming such a group. Your child will know who’s in the gifted program. #gtchat
A6) Well, I'm partial to GHF :-) But beyond that, having a community - IRL or virtual - who understands can help a lot. A therapist who *gets* the issues can be invaluable. #gtchat
A6) Most state and national gifted organizations have parent divisions. Perhaps the best known is @SENG_Gifted , Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted and Gifted Homeschoolers Forum @GiftedHF. #gtchat
A6) I believe parents should start with looking locally for support through other parents of gifted children so they know they aren't alone. Even a therapist who understands their situation can be of assistance. #gtchat
Thank you gtchat for allowing me as a future educator to partake in this discussion. I learned alot and took some interesting ideas from this discussion. #gtchat
It can be for sure. Definitely find places to get support. No need to reinvent the wheel, you know? There are big communities out there online. #gtchat
Our next chat will be on Thursday December 14th at 8E/7C/6M/5P US Friday 15th December at 2 PM NZDT/Noon AEDT/1 AM UK & our topic will be “The Inconvenient Student” with author Dr. Mike Postma @mpost97#gtchat
