We Learnt It from Our Gifted Students with Diverse Exceptional Needs Especially Autism Spectrum Disorders.
From Whom Do We Learn it?
Monthly Archives: April 2014
ICGT網頁更新：專業服務＞不一樣的案例
每個人的天賦、性格和困難都不盡相同。但相同的，卻是不論高矮肥瘦、過黑過白、健康或多病、成續過高或過低，總之每個人都渴望被尊重和接納。
惟有在愛和包容之下，人才有動力向前，無懼風雨。
想要瞭解個別特質？
歡迎CLICK入 專業服務＞不一樣的案例 查看，謝謝。
by www.gifted.hk
Manchester: Shout Louder for Your Identity
Reflection on David Moyes: A Manutd Fan with Asperger
Source: The Guardian
My AS* Student: I am sad that Manchester United fired (David) Moyes.
Counselor Jo: You told me before that United would take some time to recover from changes of management. You actually foresee that there has been something wrong with their strategies causing them to lose a series of games. I thought that you could see the doom of Moyes.
My AS* Student: People are too impatient to adjust for changes. In the era of Fergusson, people got used to having high expectations on the team. The successors, Moyes in this case, can’t be as successful as strong leaders like Fergusson. It takes time for the fans to adjust their expectations accordingly. People just don’t understand.
Counselor Jo: What don’t they understand?
My AS* Student: They don’t understand what it takes for United to grow. Over the past 136 years, the United Kingdom had gone through a lot of changes. United has become part of the history of England. It represents a major part of growing up amongst the working class. People who were born in Manchester ‘inherited’ the identity of United supporters. I had the privilege of living in Oxford as an overseas student. I have had a very personal experience of the football culture there and what it felt like to grow up in a family club that is devoted to the Manchester spirit from generation to generation. Manchester United is embedded in the history of England and the identity of Manchester people. People don’t see the importance of the time factor. Fergusson and his precedent Matt Busby managed to bring remarkable and victorious history of Manchester United for decades. They had enough time to find their way to success. I am sad about all these changes. Rapid changes of management will disrupt the continuity of culture and identity. I don’t want to see that United will follow the trend of frequent replacement of management as much as Chelsea. Over the past 10 years, 9 managers have been sacked. I may not be a United fan anymore. The spirit is not the same anymore. It has changed.
Counselor Jo: You feel sad about these changes, don’t you?
My AS* Student: Yes, it’s sad. United has become a business. There are many factors influencing Moyes such as the stock price and the finance costs of hiring famous football players. Some United players got million pounds for their weekly wages. Before, the football game represented the culture of working class, especially their hopes for training up talented youth to prepare for the growth of the club. Now, it has become a business in the commercial world, representing the diverse interests of investors and opportunities for making money from the football team. Football teams are commercialized and the football players have become objects of investment. It is dehumanizing.
Counselor Jo: You mean that sacking Moyes implies a loss at all fronts. I am very impressed by your perceptiveness, intensity and unusual depth. I envision exceptional richness in the recollective experience of your life journey. Would you write down your reflection on sacking Moyes to post on some forms of social media?
My AS* Student: No, I am too lazy to write anything. ADHD rules.
Counselor Jo: Your reflection is thought provoking, isn’t it?
My AS* Student: Majority of people won’t get it. I don’t want to see people attack my views.
Counselor Jo: Then I try to write it for you. I think that your reflection will lead people to rethink about the impact of rapid economic, social and cultural changes over the past two decades. Most importantly, these changes have silently stolen our identity and choices in the name of business. Let’s explore it more deeply in our next SKYPE meeting.
Scenario: It is one of the weekly SKYPE meetings with my student who studies in the UK.
AS* means Asperger Syndrome
Beautiful Sunday Dinner
Before and after.
In Weakness, We Find Strengths
Source: Ohchr.org
Last night, we, a team of 4, went to find migrant children because we wanted to understand their needs and explore if we could organize some activities to build up friendship circles.
We had a great talk with a group of people in the park at Sham Shui Po, a district about 3 miles away from the Central Business District of Hong Kong. The CBD signifies power, prestige, luxury and future whereas Shamshuipoo represents poverty, deprivation and no future.
Walking through a park where one could find people from diverse ethnic background gathering, we met some nice children. We talked and played with them. Their parents were from Naples, Indonesia, Vietnam. Time flies. We talked with these families for over an hour feeling so close to them. They allowed us to sit on their mat and chat like family. They hoped we could help them Chinese.
We will see them next Saturday at 1930. Please join us if you have time.
友情：人類再生能源 作者李賀若瑩
Source: http://www.dreamstime.com
常有人說曲高和寡，知音難求。
西方有關高智力人士的硏究，亦注意朋輩交往的質素對情緒發展有關鍵性的影響。
由於智力特高的人天生有不同的腦部特徵，思考和情緒反應都較快和強烈，他們一旦遇上知音當然非常滿足。可惜人海裏智力特高的人很少，往往十中無一，天崖何處覓知音？他們比較多長期過著形單隻影的生活，又或常常在人群中有揮之不去孤單感覺，久而久之，情緒不免脆弱。
不被瞭解的生活不好過。但很奇怪，翻查資優心理的著作卻發覺有點矛盾。例如，研究員或其他前線工作者一方面強調智力越高的人在情緒健康上越需要社交生活的滋養；但另一方面，又坦言知音難求，換言之，天資情感越豐富，越不知情歸何處！似乎這個矛盾太少人肯認真處理。
過往我以為友誼的快樂在於找到一些對象與自己交流知識、抱負和生活體會，孤寂誠是命運。回想過去數十寒暑，亦遇過一些好機會，可惜都沒有把握好。工作上，十多年來我輔導過數百個資質特殊的人，包括在學的、在職的和退休的人。察覺到他們大多睿智飽學、在不同領域上較同儕更具真知卓見。若論及個人志趣，他們大多樂於分享，侃侃而談樂在其中，甚至滔滔不絕自得其樂。不知怎的，一談及友誼的體驗卻仿見某種失落？同樣是內心世界的一部份，對這天資不凡的一羣，何解思想和情感交流兩方面的積極程度有如斯大的差異呢？
由個人經歷到專業經驗，令我相信天資越高與孤單感越重，二者乃一體兩面。曾幾何時我以為這是一種命運。 但我始終不甘心！與其認定曲高自然和寡，從此顧影自憐，不如落實下點苦功。
何不來個突破！
後來，在一羣好朋友的支持下，不知不覺間我的內心世界開始有所轉化。他們的服務對象是一群國內赤貧家庭的孩子， 為他們提供助學及暑期活動的愛心人士。我被他們純真而無私的愛心所觸動，他們中有一種團體精神，不斷散發出友愛的正能量。在團體服務時，每一個成員都要揭盡所能按服務對象的需要作回應，由於來自赤貧家庭的孩子有很多不同的需要，因此靠個人的才幹不足以應付，唯有集體力量才實際，於是大家要配合，彼此依存互相欣賞才會事成。這種團體經歷慢慢變成一股能量，不單喚醒了我在孤軍作戰的人生路上回頭，更重要莫如啟發了我，讓我看見友誼那份威力，由裏而外更新了我的信心。
友誼給我再生動力，她是從心所願的鑰匙。我希望為大家揭開友誼神祕的面紗，讓我們一起尋獲友愛團結的福樂。
告別了，孤身上路的歲月。朋友支持下，我樂於突破。若你願意，不妨走出自我的框框參與對你有特別意義的義務工作，越關懷有需要的人越能遠離內心的「孤島」。試試看吧！
Dear Poverty: You Are My Teacher
Source: http://www.archive.indianexpress.com
Finally, we find a group of young people to start up our community services. Next weekend, we shall gather at Sham Shui Po, an area resided by lots of underprivileged people including new migrants, either legal and illegal, from diverse ethic background and then follow an experienced social worker to meet these poor people. We shall walk through the neighborhood of Sham Shui Po in order to meet people especially the youth and then talk with them. It would be great if such meeting on weekly basis will build up some mutual understanding and, more importantly, some friendship. There is the possibility that we find a place to gather these street children once a week and spend time with them. We shall help them learn Chinese Language or other schoolwork they find difficult. We shall discuss current social issues with them therefore they don’t feel themselves as strangers. We shall organize parties with them to celebrate for anything meaningful among us. We want them to feel at home in the city of Hong Kong where genuine friendship is awaiting them. They are welcome to our heart.
Most of our young volunteers come from middle class families. Meeting others from poor families will help volunteers learn. I believe that poverty is our teacher. For example, poor children can be happy as much as we do. What makes them happy is more than money or other materials. We shall discover things that we might have missed. For instance, we may judge the poor people and see them as lazy. Making friends with the poor will open up our hearts to recognize specific struggles hindering them. Maybe our understanding and encouragement will make a change in the lives of others. Empathy makes us strong!
I look forward to the visit of children in the street next Saturday. I know that poverty is our teacher to discover different aspects of living in a modern city like Hong Kong and above all, the meaning of life in the eyes of people from different background.
Bravo!!!! Let’s shape the future of our city by reaching out for dialogue and building friendship with people not familiar to us. As a life coach of the gifted, I wonder what the emotionally sensitive and visionary gifted youth, especially those with a big heart, will feel in this community service.
Last Supper: Washing Feet for One Another
People are used to relate Eggs with Easter. Relatively less attention is drawn to washing feet of Jesus in the Last Supper, night before He was betrayed by Judas, his disciple and handed to the Roman for crucification.
This evening, my friends are gathering and washing feet for one another. We are servants of love being attentive to the needs of others. I guess this is the mystery of love.
Happy Easter: The Spirit of Rebirth
2014 Easter Congress of St. Egidio Community (Hong Kong) at St Bonaventure College, Tze Wan Shan, Kowloon.
30 years of embracing giftedness. It’s what we do.
The Difference One Word
Can Make for 2e Kids by Linda Kreger Silverman
Many years ago I was asked to conduct a daylong workshop with the coordinators of all gifted programs in a state. They were reviewing their identification plans to determine how to improve equity. In preparation, I read all of the district G/T identification plans in the state, and concluded that they all shared the same fatal flaw.
I started the workshop by announcing that I was delivering a message from On High: Change “And” to “Or”! No, I didn’t encounter a Burning Bush, so that was a bit of a stretch. However, I did encounter a pervasive problem that needed correction. One conjunction can mean the difference between a twice exceptional, low income or bilingual child obtaining placement in a gifted program or being shut out.
All of the plans required demonstration of ability “and” achievement. That “and” narrowed the program to children with greater opportunity, more books in the home, English as the native language, excellent reading, writing and mathematics performance and high motivation. No underachievers allowed. Asynchrony is not welcome here.
When the goal of the selection process for gifted programs is to increase accessibility to children from diverse backgrounds and to those who also have learning disabilities, then “Or” is an essential conjunction. “Or” recognizes that gifted children are not all well-rounded; they come in different shapes and sizes. Some gifted children can demonstrate their advancement on some parts of an ability test, while others have a better chance of showing their need for advanced work by their performance on one or more sections of an achievement test. And those who are test aversive may show their capability in class rather than on a test. It takes subjective judgment to make a gifted program equitable.
And now to a reverse situation—where it is necessary to change “or” to “and.” We have had way too many debates in gifted education as to whether a list of characteristic indicates giftedness or some type of disorder. I do not feel that these lists are helpful. They may actually dissuade parents from seeking interventions at critical points in their child’s development.
In nearly all cases in which parents have come to us hoping that their child’s behavior is explainable by giftedness or overexcitabilities or visual-spatial learning style, they have discovered that their child is both gifted and disabled—twice exceptional (2e). It is our 2e population who are most at risk when the question is posed, “Is it giftedness or …?”
Comprehensive assessment can spot giftedness, even when hidden by other issues. Visual-spatial learners (VSLs) and the strength of different overexcitabilities (OEs) are also revealed. So are central auditory processing, visual processing, sensory processing, attentional, social and behavioral issues. Renaming the issues as giftedness, VSL or OEs does not make them go away.
Early intervention is essential to optimal development. And symptoms frequently overlap. When children’s eyes do not team well, they may have difficulty with the timing of the two ears, or with eye-hand coordination and handwriting. We frequently suggest multiple evaluations with
specialists in different disciplines—diagnosticians who have experience with gifted children—to rule out co-existing disorders.
Sensory processing disorder can be dramatically improved during the primary years by sensory integration therapy from a qualified occupational therapist. (See http://www.spdnetwork.org). An ear filter can synthesize the timing of the two ears. (See http://www.ablekidsfoundation.org). Vision therapy can improve tracking, eye teaming and how the brain processes visual information. (See http://www.covd.org). We have seen remarkable improvements in reading comprehension in 6 months of vision exercises practiced daily for 20 minutes. We recommend dietary interventions, such as protein snacks every two hours, to stabilize glucose absorption and improve focus. Aerobic exercises also help.
Once a disability is identified, it is also possible to get accommodations in the classroom and on standardized tests, such as College Board exams. Accommodations can make the difference between dropping out of school and getting into a college of choice.
So let’s stop trying to figure out if it is this or that, and focus on how to diagnose and support giftedness and symptoms that are likely to respond to interventions and accommodations.
To Test or Not to Test
If you or your child has been tested at the GDC, you understand the importance of our one-of-a-kind comprehensive assessment. However, maybe you have questions about testing for giftedness.
Please join Dr. Linda Silverman and Bobbie Gilman, Director and Associate Director of the GDC, as they discuss “The Necessity of Assessment” on the Coffee Klatch on BlogtalkRadio.
It will air live on April 16, at 9 PM Eastern (7 PM Mountain). Afterwards, it will be available to download as a free podcast on blogtalkradio and iTunes.
To listen live, just go to the following link!
Support Our Mission
The GDC is grateful for your donations to help us continue our work, research, and mission: supporting giftedness throughout the life cycle.
New Edition of Advanced Development COMING SOON!
Volume 14 of Advanced Development: A Journal on Adult Giftedness will be available in May. This landmark issue focuses on Kazimierz Dabrowski—the man and his theory. Included are four articles presented at the Dabrowski Congress in Denver, CO in 2012 and an essay by Michael Piechowski on the historical influences that shaped Dabrowski’s theoretical perspective. Kathee Jones provides examples of how mythic narratives frequently parallel personal development in Dabrowski’s theory, and Taylor Imburgia investigates the overexcitability scores of STEM-talented students. Linda Silverman and Nancy Miller describe the people and events that led to the birth of Advanced Development and categorize the types of articles that have appeared in previous issues. In Vol. 14, international scholar Hanna David presents a case study of the undeveloped potential of a gifted female in Israel. Poetry, book reviews, and important announcements are also included. Become a reader of Advanced Development today and see what you’ve been missing!
Contact Information: http://www.gifteddevelopment.com
Office number: call 303-837-8378
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