Two upcoming Gifted Support Group meetings

On Twice-Exceptional (2E) Youth IEA E-newsletter September 2022 [View in your browser]( [DONATE]( [VOLUNTEER]( [CONTACT US]( [April 2022]( We hope you're beating the heat this week! We have a pair of Gifted Support Group meetings to tell you about, including one coming up very soon on September 20, which you can attend right from the comfort of your own home. Both meetings are centered on twice-exceptional (2E) students. Keep reading for details, including how to attend and RSVP. Gifted Support Group - September 20 and October 6 . [Word cloud featuring words like students, twice-exceptional, interests, creative and classmates]( . GETTING TO THE ROOT OF 2E: BEYOND THE USUAL SUSPECTS with Austina De Bonte Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM PDT Online via Zoom (RSVP for the link) . Do you suspect a child is Twice Exceptional (2e), but aren’t sure what the exceptionality is, or what to do about it? Do you have a diagnosis, but it doesn’t “feel right,” or aren’t sure you’ve uncovered the whole story? Does your student have trouble handing in homework, resist writing, have trouble regulating their behavior, or struggle with anxiety? Misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses is rampant, you need to peel the onion to truly understand what’s going on. Learn about the most commonly overlooked challenges in gifted kids, what clues you might notice at home and in the classroom, how to seek an official diagnosis, and most importantly, how best to support your student’s needs. We’ll also discuss the difference between IEPs and 504 Plans, why early intervention is so important, the four root causes of writing troubles, and the many lookalikes of ADHD. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Austina De Bonte is a consultant at Smart is not Easy, LLC. Since 2012, Austina has also served as President and Past President of the Northwest Gifted Child Association, the Washington State support and advocacy non-profit for families with gifted children. She also serves as co-President of the Washington Coalition for Gifted Education. A dynamic and engaging presenter, Austina speaks regularly at conferences, as well as conducts parent education talks and professional development workshops for educators about the unique social and emotional development of highly capable (HiCap) or “gifted” children. She also works with school district teams to develop and fine-tune their HiCap program models, especially concerning equitable identification strategies. Austina’s signature style combines her experience as a parent and parent coach along with synthesized research, current district practices across Washington State, and cutting edge neuroscience. She specializes in helping families get to the root cause of their kids’ challenges. Austina has a Masters degree from MIT, and did her thesis work in the MIT Media Lab’s Epistemology and Learning Group, where Lego Mindstorms was invented. Austina is a certified SENG Model Parent Group facilitator. Austina is currently a doctoral student at Bridges Graduate School. [RSVP Now]( --------------------------------------------------------------- . TOOLS TO EXPLORE THE COMPLEX IDENTITIES OF GIFTED AND TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS with Cynthia Z., Hansen, Ed.D., ET/P Date: Thursday, October 6, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM PDT @ IEA Learning Center in Pasadena 540 S. Marengo Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101 . Helping gifted and twice-exceptional children involves more than packing their brains with knowledge! This interactive workshop presents games and tools that were created to explore brilliant and twice-exceptional students’ intersectionality of strengths and challenges; culture and values. Fostering self-awareness begins with an investigation of the language and implicitly biased lenses that are too often used to describe abilities, obstacles, and ways of being. This workshop explores ways to mentor learners to develop positive self-identities and embrace their learning and communication diversities to build self-advocacy, social success, and agency. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Cynthia Z. Hansen, Ed.D., ET/P, an Educational Therapist and Twice-Exceptional Consultant, facilitates the growth of gifted and creative individuals with ADHD, dyslexia, and complex learning profiles. A California credentialed teacher, Cindy is president of the Tri- County GATE Council in Southern California, a facilitator for SENG Parent groups and an advisory board member for The G Word documentary film. For over 30 years, Cindy has led professional development, parent, and conference workshops on issues facing cognitively and neuro-diverse learners. As a doctoral candidate at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education, Ms. Hansen focused on facilitating the positive identity development of 2e students through interactive games. [RSVP Now]( Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship 20th Anniversary . [Career Opportunities at IEA]( The Institute for Educational Advancement has been supporting gifted students in their educational journeys by awarding the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship for 20 years! Beginning with the first class of Scholars in 2002, CDB has helped change the lives of more than 350 middle school students, providing them with tuition support to an optimally matched high school or equivalent program, individualized guidance and mentorship, and a community of thought-leaders. As one of the only merit-based high school scholarships in the country, it's a truly unique and wonderful service that we have been honored to steward for decades. Our incredible community of Scholars and parents are gracious with their time and welcoming to every new class. We’re excited to celebrate this milestone with all of them this fall at the Annual Bradley Seminar. Look for our announcement of this year’s selection of CDB Scholars later this month! [Stay tuned for more CDB news by signing up for our e-mail updates.]( IEA is hiring! . [Career Opportunities at IEA]( Are you interested in working with gifted youth? You can directly make an impact on future generations by joining the IEA team. We're currently looking for a Data and Enrollment Manager, an Executive Assistant and Academy instructors to work in Pasadena, CA. Interested? Click the button below for job descriptions and other open positions. [Click here to view current opportunities at IEA.]( Monthly Highlights . Picture of the Month [A group of campers holding up a sign thanking the Howell Nature Center] Students gather around to view materials during summer academy Do you have photos of your children participating in IEA learning opportunities? Email them to [ieagifted@educationaladvancement.org](mailto:ieagifted@educationaladvancement.org?subject=Re%3A%20Call%20for%20Photos) and we may feature them in the newsletter. Blog Highlights - [Growing Up Asymmetric: Entering The “Real World”]( - In a new recurring column, IEA alum JohannaKate Connally writes about her experiences as an adult coming from the world of gifted programs. - [Embracing Fall]( - It may still feel like summer, but fall is right around the corner. Our own Mallory Aldrich reflects on the time of year. - [Myths and Realities of the Social And Emotional Development of Gifted Children]( - Six big myths about gifted education and gifted youth. Upcoming Events Monday, Sep. 12 Fall Academy Session Begins Tuesday, Sep. 20 Gifted Support Group "Getting to the Root of 2E" Thursday, Oct. 6 Gifted Support Group "Tools to Explore Complex Identities of Gifted and Twice Exceptional Learners" Tuesday, Nov. 1 Gifted Support Group "Emotional Regulation" [Institute for Educational Advancement logo] [Update Email Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( Institute for Educational Advancement 569 S. Marengo Ave. Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 403-8900 [www.educationaladvancement.org](