Division of Advanced Learnings AIG Booster Shot Series

Division of Advanced Learning’s AIG Booster Shot Series: Social and Emotional Needs of AIG Learners Session #2: Over-Excitability in AIG Learners

Social and Emotional Needs of AIG Learners:

3 -Minute Reflection • What are the 5 most distinguishing characteristics of gifted learners? • Which ones genuinely seem to set these students apart from others? Narrowing the list of characteristics of AIGs

How might different students respond to the events of this day? James: A Day in the Life of a Gifted Student • • • Day begins: “Bad hair day? ” Math: C on a test Lunch: Forgotten lunch Recess: No movement Science: Missing work

Over-Excitabilities in AIGs: • • • Psychomotor Sensual Intellectual Imaginational Emotional *People demonstrate these to varying degrees.

Psychomotor Over-Excitability Recognize: Respond: • • • Add movement to lessons • Allow discreet fidgeting • Provide space to move freely Constant motion Fidgeting Non-stop talking Nervous energy Identified as ADD

Sensual Over-Excitability Recognize: Respond: • Intense reactions to • Provide sights, sounds, headphones smells, tastes, • Consider alternate textures work spaces • Distracted by • Allow sharing with sensory stimuli others

Intellectual Over-Excitability Recognize: Respond: • Intense curiosity • Provide time to pursue interests • Constant questions • Independent pursuit • Teach problem solving of interests • Focus on peer • Criticism of peers interaction

6 -Minute Reflection • Which of your students exhibit signs of psychomotor, sensual, and/or intellectual over-excitability? • How does understanding their over-excitabilities impact your thinking about them? Considering your students’ overexcitabilities: psychomotor, sensual, intellectual

Imaginational Over-Excitability Recognize: Respond: • Daydreaming • Imaginary worlds, friends • Great creativity • Elaborate stories and/or drawings • Provide opportunities for creative thinking • Teach and model distinguishing fact and fiction

Emotional Over-Excitability Recognize: Respond: • Intense reactions to • Allow expression of events feelings • “Overdramatic” • Teach appropriate emotional • Empathetic and responses compassionate • Prepare them for emotional triggers

4 -Minute Reflection • Which of your students demonstrate imaginational and/or emotional overexcitability? • How do your students express these? • How might you support them? Considering your students’ overexcitabilities: imaginational, emotional

Revisiting James… What if James possesses all of the 5 overexcitabilities? How might a teacher support him as he moves through his day?

Responding to James… • “Bad hair day? ” • Math test • Little recess • Forgotten project • Meet him at the door and steer him to a restroom • Ask him to rework only a few problems • Allow him to move in class • Invite him to add to his presentation

While often seen as negative, over -excitabilities have positive results. Over-Excitabilities can lead to… • • Enthusiasm Deep thinking Interest in the world Questioning Answer seeking Close personal relationships Interesting solutions to problems

Some Final Thoughts… • Students need opportunities to explore their over-excitabilities. • We can help students use their overexcitabilities to their advantage. • Next session: Asynchronous Development, Impostor’s Syndrome, and Social Development in AIGs