Thursday, June 7, 2012

Session 2 - Question 1

Was the author's lay out of these chapters helpful in your understanding of the emotional intensity of gifted students? Explain why and include page numbers.

43 comments:

  1. I like the way the book was laid out. Discussing the topic, identifying it from the perspective of the home, then doing a Teacher's note was very helpful. In chapter 5, page 55, the author talks about twice-exceptional children. She lays out the topic and then brings in each case and identfies how that child is affected. Her final note of "Notes to the Teacher" is a great way to wrap up the chapter and bring it back into the classroom. In chapter 6 and 7, I love that she has tip sheets or worksheets to use in the home, such as Checklist 1 on page 71, "Planning a Family Meeting", then shows how it can be emulated in the classroom with "Holding a Classroom Meeting" page 73. This is a book that I would definitely give a parent to read because it's the first book that I have seen where it tells a parent how to address their concerns and then on the next page, tells a teacher how to approach the parent, page 81-82.

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    1. In response to Ms. E's post of June 27, I agree that the section on Planning a Family Meeting and transforming that to Holding a Classroom Meeting is especially helpful. I think it's important for a teacher to create an evironment in her or his classroom that allows students to feel safe and feel like they have some say in what goes on. These meetings are also great tools for students to express their thoughts and concerns. Gifted children tend to have an increased sense of justice and what is right and wrong, and these meetings give them an outlet to express their perceptions about the classroom and more generally, the world around them.

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    2. In response to Ms. E & PKassir:
      The idea of a Family Meeting and Classroom Meeting is an excellent tool to express feelings and set standards for expectations.
      I agree with PKassir that gifted children tend to have an increased sense of justice. They want to know the rules, expectations, etc. and they expect everyone around them to do the same.

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  2. I found the author’s explanation of “twice blessed” students to be exceptionally well-detailed and thought-provoking. For example on pages 56-57, we get to know Meredith, and how although Meredith is gifted, she struggles in the area of math. The author explains what often happens when the educational establishment fails to take into account the special needs of the gifted child. In chapter 6, Fonseca develops the topic of the home as the foundation for positive behavioral and academic growth. I loved the section on page 71 that deals with having a family meeting. It is crucial for families to understand that providing a positive environment at home is a must if a child is to develop his or her talents fully. This chapter offers great tools for families to work with in developing such an environment. I am thinking of using some of these worksheets and providing them for my students’ parents to use at home. In Chapter 7, I especially liked the suggestions on page 93. Although this chapter is geared for dealing with emotional outburst at home, this section gives teachers tools to use in the classroom. So far, this book has been a very good read.

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    1. In response to PKassir's posting on June 27th, I think she has a great idea for us to share the parent worksheets for them to use at home. Parents are always asking what can they do at home to help my kid in blah blah, or what can I do to motivate her/him, or what can I do to stop that kind of blah blah negative behavior at home? Perhaps the laid out ideas would be helpful for the parents. We can try it out on an individual basis and need and I would not send the worksheets home as a whole class.

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    2. In response to T Healy and PKassir's postings on June 27, I agree that the worksheets can be a good resource for teachers to provide for parents when they request assistance in establishing and maintaining a nurturing and structured environment that will develop and support their children's talents.

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  3. This book has offered some excellent suggestions and formats to follow. I particularly liked the examples of children who are twice-exceptional in Chapter 5, pages 55-58. Sure, the kid may be labeled as gifted but let’s not assume that that’s all there is to it. The child may have exceptional gifts but also exceptional needs in cognitive or behavioral areas for example. For the gifted child, look at the whole picture and make no assumptions. The author demonstrates in chapters 6 and 7 how families can work together with their child to provide ideas/plans on how to establish a safe and positive environment that will benefit their child. In chapter 7, having a family meeting on page 71 provided a great instructional, step by step process to aid parents in meeting the needs of their child. This chapter does a great job dealing with emotional issues of the gifted child and what to do when encountering problems not just for the parents but also provides suggestions for the “classroom meeting” for the teacher. It further helps us as teachers when suggestions are made as to how we, as teachers, can communicate and work with the parents in order to provide the very best for the child.

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  4. I do like the way the chapters were laid out. The checklists and inventories are simple and easy to follow. I like that the chapters show how the checklists are used in the home and how they can bridge over into the classroom. This will be helpful for everyone involved to be on the same page. I liked the classroom inventory on page 80. I think sometimes we may give directions or have high expectations for our students, but they may not come across as clearly to the students. This inventory makes sure that expectations are clear, gives the students an opportunity to contribute to the classroom, and also holds the teacher accountable for their reactions. If we expect our students to be held accountable for their responses, then we should also be held accountable.

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    1. Stacey L replying to Kimberly M- I agree that these chapters are laid out well. The checklist for home/school bridge is something that I will try and use in my classroom. Clear expectations in the inventory are really set to help the student contribute to the classroom.

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    2. In response to KimberlyM's post of June 27, I also think a checklist can certainly help make an expectation clearer for a student. I have found that one way to help my disorganized students is to put several checklists in their binders. One way I use a checklist is when students do a major research project, I break it down into several smaller tasks, and each task is checked off as it's completed. These smaller steps lead to the accomplishment of a larger task, and for the students who have trouble staying organized, this breaking down into smaller parts helps keep them on track and helps with organization.

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    3. I am such a fan of checklists and inventories. I agree with Kimberly M that we expect such great things from our kids but we need to make sure they have these things in writing. We should have expectations posted in our classroom or have specific checklists for our students to refer back to.

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    4. I agree with Kimberly M about the classroom inventory page. If our expectations are clearly stated, students will understand them. Both the teacher and the students can be held accountable.

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  5. I found the layout of these chapters very helpful. The information had the relevant "Tip Sheet" and "Worksheet" right next to it. (Example on page 90.) I so prefer that over the flip to the back and check it outused in many texts. I also liked the placement of the "Checklist" at the end of the chapters to summarize the steps in one convenient place. It was very helpful. (Example on page 84.)
    The case studies of Andrew, Meredith, and Emily (Example on pages 105-106)are what brought the strategies alive for me. As the author showed in each chapter how these strategies brought relief not only to the gifted student, but their home and classroom as well.

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    1. To Susan June 27
      The case studies of Andrew, Meredith, and Emily bring the strategies alive for me as well. Reading about these three children help me make connections to students I've had in my classroom before. In addition, I try to picture my own son in these situations. These techniques will not only help me be a better teacher, they will help me be a better mom.

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  6. I like the way the chapters are laid out in this book along with the childrens case studies. These chapters are lined out from many perspectives- parent and student. The worksheets on page 69, checklist on page 71, 75 and 76 are all great tools for teachers and parents. On page 72 where it has notes to the teacher- I think this is really a empowering chapter. It states the development of the a nurturing household make a positive development to the classroom. As educators we know that this has a huge impact on students success but to see it in print helps to bring it home. This book would also be a great tool for parents to read. On page 86 Avoiding the Explosion was a very good chapter. I like the way it talks about ways to manage expolosive behaviors before they begin. Being stuck in a negative emotion and not being able to get out is spinning and this chapter helps with that.

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    1. @StaceyL 6/27
      I liked that it provided checklists, but more importantly it provides the opportunity for consistency. As with all children, consistency is the key to stability and predictability. It would be interesting to have my GT kids' parents read this book and then have the first meeting.

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  7. I found the layout of the chapters to be very helpful. I like how each chapter has case studies, information for parents, and notes for the teacher. I found the Tip Sheet1 on ebook page 103 a great resource for setting up a classroom meeting which can help with the development of social skills of all the students. I also found Worksheet 4 on ebook pages 114-115 very helpful for evaluating your classroom environment and deciding what changes need to be made.

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    1. In response to NDeans, I like the case studies too. It helps to see the possiblity of types of students who could possibly come through my doorway each school year. I have not really experienced the extremes that I feel have been shown in some of these case studies, but when I do, I am glad to have this as a reference.

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  8. The layout of the chapters made sense, but I am not sure it helped me understand the emotional intensity. The chapters were just layed out in order of first diagnosing the idea that being gifted and also having mental struggles can occur in one child at the same time in chapter 5 p. 55-61. Then chapter 6, p. 65-84, suggests appropriate responses and suggested boundaries for the child at home and at school. It also tells about expectations, consequences, and boundaries that the parents can set at home.
    Lastly, in chapter 7, p. 85-102, it tells how to handle the different outbursts at home and at school that these children could give to their parents and teachers.

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  9. In response to StaceyL, I agree that this book would be a great resource for parents also. Many times the parents will come to us for advice and this would be a great resource to refer them to. It gives parents specific strategies that they can try.

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    1. In response to AmyL, this would be a big help to many of the parents. It would help with providing parents with consequences at home. This gives parents lots of very specific techniques to try...

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    2. In response to both Stacy L and Nadia D, On June 27. Many of my parents of emotionally charged students will be so pleased to find out about this book. I will definitely share this book with all GT parents.

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  10. I agree with Kimberly M., June 27 that the book is a great resource for providing checklists that can be used in the home and as a bridge to the classroom. The checklist are an easy tool to use.

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  11. I found the layout of these chapters easy to follow, from how to set up a nuturing home/classroom to how to help the child prevent "explosions", to how to react when there are "explosions". I am going to implement the classroom meeting technique, found on page 73. I so agree with the suggestion that trying to hold a class meeting right after lunch is not a good idea. Being a middle school teacher, I can predict that would not be a good time, lest we want to delve into the drama that can often occur during that time. Doing the meeting later, when the kids have had time to cool off, or even in the morning would probably work well. I really like the "Tip Sheets" for both parents and teachers. I think the idea is the importance of consistency and communication between school and home.

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    1. To travelingbbug June 27
      I plan on implementing the classroom meeting technique, as well. I have done something similar in the past, but not as organized or consistent. Creating a nurturing environment is important and benefits all students, GT or not GT.

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  12. I find the layout of the chapters very helpful. I like how the author wrote for three different purposes…to give information, examples of that information in the form of case studies, and tip sheets/checklists summarizing the information. For example, on page 98-100, defines the purpose of the mirror technique, provides a worksheet for the mirror technique, and then shows how Andrew’s parents used it with him. I also like how she periodically provides notes to the teacher in order to show how these techniques would look in the classroom.

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    1. In response to Melanie's comment on 6/27, I agree that I like the separation of the notes...some are addressed to the parents, and some are addressed to the teachers. Since one chapter focuses on the location and how children react differently in different places (such as holding it together until they get home, then they explode), it's nice to acknowledge the different tactics that are taken between a teacher and the parents.

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  13. I did like the way the chapters were laid out. The introduction of what is to be covered and then having the case studies makes understanding the issues of being gifted more realistic. The notes to teacher and checklists also help me to organize my thoughts and see the different solutions I could use to improve the success of my gifted student.s Page 55 introduces us to a gifted child who has a learning disability. This is called, "twice blessed.". I had never thought about gifted children having learning disabilities. Page 56 states that if a child is diagnosed with a learning disability first, then they are put into a "box" as being learning disabled. By doing this we are overlooking the possibility that the could be brilliant. The opposite is even more interesting to me. If we identify the student as gifted first and they struggle academically we deem them either lazy or defiant. Pg. 57. Meridith's parents were trying to improve her math grade. They hired tutors to do rote math practice. This made her frustration continue to rise. Unfortunately I can see how a teacher would not address Meridith's "average" math ability. As long as she is doing ok the teacher does not see a need to intervene. Because Meredith does not catch on as quickly as she thinks she should she sees herself as a fraud.

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  14. I really like this book's layout. It is so helpful to read stories of students with each example. It's also nice to see the Notes to the Teacher.
    Page 33-34 tells about characteristics and emotions of these students and then it pulls in a story about Emily on page 34.

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  15. I thought the author's layout of the chapters was very logical. In the fist five chapters (pp. 15-64), Fonseca describes what it means to be gifted. In Part II of the book, it explains the implications. It gives strategies to be used in the home (pp. 65-78), then goes on to the classroom (pp. 78-79).
    the layout of the chapters didn't really help me understand the intensity of the gifted, but the case studies really helped me gain insight.

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    1. @Elizabeth 6/28
      The case studies really helped illuminate the situations, however, I would like more. I feel I understand those 3 kids but I don't have enough depth to aid kids with varying degrees of emotional intensity.

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  16. I really like the case studies from the student's perspective. These stories made me stop and really think about the students' feelings and emotions. It also made me really "feel" for what all is going on with them, even things we may not know about. I also liked all the checklists. The one i most like was the classroom meeting technique on page 73.I have never tried a classroom meeting but i think this is something i want to try this year. I think it will help me to hear my students talk about what is right VS what is not working in our classroom.

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  17. While the book is laid out in a format that makes it easy to read, I can't say that I noticed it helping me to understand the intensity of the gifted student.

    I would have preferred the case studies in the beginning. It would have lead to to think how I would react. Then reading ways to work would have allowed for better reflection and thinking. This format just gives info but I find myself really needing to work to synthesize it with previous information. It is informative but a bit like reading a reference book.

    Perhaps what is more challenging was the break-up of chapters by our group. Chapter 5 discussed many of the things I wanted to know more about it the first session. In this session I went ahead through 9 because I needed the whole picture on what to do.

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    1. In response to SkippyJJ, that is an interesting thought...reading the case studies first and seeing what my reactions are to each situation, then reading and learning about the different parts that make up each child might make for an even better synthesis. (I read on as well, I couldn't stop in the middle of a "part"!)

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  18. Overall, I think the chapter layouts are make a complex topic comprehensible. However, pages 79-84 flip flop between teacher and parent so seamlessly that I had to reread the section. The confusion may have been caused by my own subconscious bias (reading from the p.o.v. of the teacher). Nonetheless, the layouts of the chapters and the book have been effective in increasing my awareness and understanding of emotional intensities in GT students.

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  19. Overall, I think the chapter layouts are make a complex topic comprehensible. However, pages 79-84 flip flop between teacher and parent so seamlessly that I had to reread the section. The confusion may have been caused by my own subconscious bias (reading from the p.o.v. of the teacher). Nonetheless, the layouts of the chapters and the book have been effective in increasing my awareness and understanding of emotional intensities in GT students.

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  20. The author’s chapter design greatly facilitates the understanding of the concepts introduced in each chapter. The reader has expectations of learning about: the ideas relating to emotional intensity in gifted students, three student case studies, suggestions for parents, and teacher application in a classroom setting. The fact that the author follows the same three students and develops their case studies by illustrating the application of each of the chapter concepts to their individual cases gives the reader continuity and meaningful analysis. For instance, in Chapter 5 (pp. 55-61) the reader is introduced to the concept of gifted students sometimes being “twice blessed” with giftedness and a learning/mental/behavioral disability. The case studies of Meredith (pp. 56-57), Emily (pp. 58-59), and Andrew (p. 60) are presented yet again with instances of learning/mental/behavioral disabilities described. Chapters 6 and 7 revisit these students with suggestions to parents and teachers for helping and coping with these twice blessed students.

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  21. I like the way the book is laid out. What I really like and find helpful is the case studies that are provided. They follow the same students throughout the book and they give a good range of different situations/responses a parent/teacher may encounter. I like the inventories the author gave on pages 75 and 76. I think they could be tweeked a bit and used in the classroom.

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  22. I appreciate the Notes to the Teacher at the end of the chapters. So far, the examples given seem to apply to young children. I'm hoping that later in the book the author will discuss the emotional violativity of teenagers and young adults.

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  23. I can't decide if I truly like the layout. I see the point of having the three case studies, and then the topic is peeled like the layers of an onion...bit by bit. I think that is what is bothering me. (No, it doesn't make me nauseated, and it isn't making my skin crawl, BUT--- hee hee hee). At the beginning of the book the author would give a tease of information, then state that this would be addressed later in the book. While I am enjoying this book, I can't help but wonder how I might process it if all of the information were presented first, THEN look at each child individually step-by-step at all of the different pieces. I find that I have to keep flipping back to figure out what all Emily has done verses what Meredith has done because it is so broken up by the information.
    Okay, that being said, I appreciate the term "twice blessed" when referring to children that are G/T and have an additional special need. On page 59 the author writes a clear warning about some diagnosis can have mistaken identities, and then on page 61 she cautions against letting the disability shadow the giftedness.
    Throughout the chapter about dealing with explosions, I kept thinking that I need to make some copies of some of these sheets to keep on hand during parent conferences. The author talks about teaching the whole class some of the relaxation techniques on page 94 so that you aren’t drawing attention to any particular student, some of these parenting sheets can help all parents!

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  24. So far, I like the layout of the book for the most part. In many books like this, you have to go through the entire book before it gives you vague ideas of solutions. This book goes through each issue and how it affects each student differently. Now, going through the chapters for this week, the worksheets and checklists, are extremely helpful. I particularly liked the checklist on p. 84 "Setting the foundation" Without an effective set up for expectations both at hone and in the classroom, the students in the case study are going to continue to struggle. However, if both the teacher and parents work on consistency of expectations and skills to manage the intensity, the student will succeed

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  25. They layout helped me to understand it, but being a teacher, I found myself looking forward to the note to me at the end of each chapter. However, it did get me thinking about something that I have experienced in the past: when we are dealing with gifted, emotionally intense students, oftentimes their parents have similar personalities or traits and can be just as difficult to get along with. I was thinking about some of the students and/or parents I've dealt with in the past and how one or more of the "nuturing home" aspects was missing. When I would see how reactionary a parent could be, then see that same behavior in the student, it would sometimes have an impact on how I would proceed with the student and/or parent.

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  26. I loved the layout. I like how she not only includes a check list for possible solutions, but she has the Notes for Teachers section. Again, as a parent this is all new to me, so any suggestions that she makes we will try in our house.

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