This week we are going to be talking about the G word, specifically how to help gifted kids become their own best self-advocates. To talk about this with us, my guest is Deb Douglas, the founder of GT Carpe Diem and the author of The Gifted Kids Guide to Self-Advocacy which was published by Free Spirit Publishing. Deb has been an expert in student voice for over 16 years, advocating for gifted children in the US Upper Midwest and beyond. She led the first GT Carpe Diem workshop in 2002. Her advocacy for gifted children grew out of her own life experiences as a student, mother, and teacher. Deb served as gifted education coordinator for the Manitowoc (WI) Public School District for over 20 years and also developed their International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. She was also on the board of the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted for nine years, including two years as President.
Deb has a powerful approach to helping kids learn how to advocate for themselves as learners, and she breaks it all down for us in this episode. I hope you enjoy it!
About Deb Douglas: Deb Douglas, M.S., consults and advocates for gifted children and teens, specializing in workshops that help students take charge of their education. She is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences, and her original research on empowering gifted students to self- advocate has been published in The Roeper Review and Parenting for High Potential.
Previously, she was the gifted education coordinator for the Manitowoc Public School District and president of the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Her book, The Power of Self-Advocacy for Gifted Learners is available from Free Spirit Publishing.
THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- Why it’s so important for gifted learners to know how to advocate for themselves
- The unique needs that gifted learner have and why they deserve them to be addressed
- How kids gifted children who aren’t supported or challenge are at risk of becoming underachievers
- What it means for gifted kids to have the “right and responsibility” to advocate for themselves
- The importance of students knowing how to recognize and reflect on their unique learning styles
- How parents (and students) can tap into available resources for meeting their intellectual interests and curiosities
- What parents can do to support their gifted kids in becoming their own best self-advocates
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- The Power of Self-Advocacy for Gifted Learners: Teaching the 4 Essential Steps for Success by Deb Douglas (NOTE: use code “POWER” for 25% discount and free shipping. Book includes GT Carpe Diem workshop facilitator guide and all materials needed to run a workshop. Free book study guide also available.)
- A Guide to Self-Advocacy (episode from Mind Matters Podcast)
- Empower Gifted Learners to Advocate for Themselves (Free Spirit Publishing blog)
- Programs and Services for Gifted Secondary Students: A Guide to Recommended Practices by Felicia Dixon
- Re-Forming Gifted Education: How Parents and Teachers Can Match the Program to the Child by Karen Rogers
Do you have an idea for an upcoming episode? We’d LOVE to hear from you. Please share your thoughts in our Suggestion Box!
And if you have any other feedback or thoughts you’d like to share, feel free to leave a comment below or send us a note directly through our Connect form.
If you liked this episode and know of others who would find value in the information, please use the social media share buttons below to help spread the word.
Lastly, if you are so willing, I encourage you to leave an honest review for the TiLT Parenting Podcast over on iTunes. Reviews are very important for helping podcasts find their audiences, and we would love your support in helping us find ours!
To subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode, you can do so on iTunes here and SoundCloud here.
