Category: Communication

Communication
Arlene DeVries

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Guidance for parent–teacher conferences that emphasizes whole-child development. Parents should prepare questions about academic, social, and emotional growth, communicate constructively with teachers, celebrate classroom successes, support learning needs, and explore appropriate enrichment. Includes sample questions to better understand a child’s behavior and abilities.

Read More »
Communication
Jane Hesslein

What Your Kids Want You To Know

Fifth graders shared eight key messages for parents of highly able children: allow transition time after school, let them work independently, respect their ideas, help them manage feelings, provide movement, acknowledge overexcitabilities, create bedtime routines, and open communication channels at home.

Read More »
Communication
Joseph Hughes & Holly Hughes.

Through His Eyes and Through His Mother’s Eyes

A two-part account by Joseph and Holly Hughes describing Joseph’s giftedness being misread as disorder, the family’s struggle with schools and diagnosis, discovery of SENG and supportive community, Joe’s resilience leading to a GED and his novel Armorica, and advice to trust and accept gifted children’s differences.

Read More »
Communication
seng_derek

Ask SENG: Parenting Gifted Teens

This article answers a parent’s question about struggles with a gifted teenager, describing parenting styles from overprotective ‘hothouse’ to laissez-faire ‘thrown to the wolves.’ It advises seeking help, building support networks, consulting therapists, and recommends books like Children: The Challenge and The Optimistic Child.

Read More »
Communication
Sharon Lind

Tips For Parents: Introverts

Practical guidance for parents and educators on supporting introverted children. Describes common introvert traits—need for privacy, thorough thinking, and sensitivity—and offers strategies for home and classroom: honoring personal space, allowing processing time, private feedback, alternatives to oral presentations, and ways to recharge.

Read More »
Communication
Beverly Shaklee

Supporting Self-Esteem

Using George Mason’s Final Four experience, the post reflects on helping gifted children cope with competition and loss. It emphasizes balancing achievement with fun, fostering supportive environments, countering perfectionism, and teaching resilience so young people value effort and recover from failure with pride and perspective.

Read More »
Communication
J'anne Ellsworth

Adolescence and Gifted: Addressing Existential Dread

Discusses how existential dread affects gifted adolescents and how adults can help. Advocates team approaches—parents, teachers, and peers—to provide social nourishment, emotional acceptance, and philosophical guidance, recognize developmental ambivalence, teach social skills, and offer mentorship to reduce isolation, depression, and suicidal ideation.

Read More »
Communication
Jean Strop and David Goldman

The Affective Side: Emotional Issues of Twice Exceptional Students

Twice-exceptional students face emotional challenges—anger, fear of failure, control, low self-esteem, and fear of success—that can impede achievement. Early identification, accommodations, and strong support systems help them use strengths, learn compensatory skills, and develop competence, resilience, and academic success.

Read More »
Communication
Thomas Hebert and Richard Kent

Nurturing Social And Emotional Development In Gifted Teenagers Through Young Adult Literature

This article argues that young adult literature can serve as a therapeutic tool for gifted teenagers, enabling emotional growth through bibliotherapy. Teachers can use age-appropriate novels and guided discussions to address sensitivity, build supportive classroom environments, and foster friendships that help students navigate adolescent challenges.

Read More »
Communication
Thomas Hebert and Richard Kent

Fostering The Social And Emotional Development Of Gifted Children Through Guided Viewing Of Film

This article recommends guided viewing of films to support social and emotional development in gifted elementary students. It explains bibliotherapeutic stages, offers facilitation guidelines and discussion prompts, describes follow-up activities, and lists age-appropriate films addressing friendship, grief, gender roles, and talent.

Read More »