Week+6+strategy

I recently attended a presentation by Michele Juratowitch, director of Clearing Skies and it focussed on the social and emotional needs of Gifted children and what we can do to help them to thrive and flourish. She touched on a variety of issues but her support strategies for different dimensions of gifted behaviour were very interesting

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Intellectual support strategies:
 * Show how to find the answers to questions. Respect and encourage a child to analyse, synthesise and seek understanding.
 * Provide or suggest ways for those interested in moral and ethical issues to act upon their concerns. This enables them to feel that they can help to solve community or worldwide issues.
 * Help children to see how their intent may be perceived as cruel or disrespectful if they seem too critical or outspoken.

Psychomotor support strategies:


 * Allow time for physical or verbal activity before, during and after school
 * Be sure the activities are acceptable and not distracting to others
 * Provide time for spontaneity

Emotional Support stategies
 * Accept all feelings regardless of intensity and validate them as important
 * Help children to relax and work through their fears
 * Help them to build resilience especially through language

Imaginational support strategies


 * Help individuals to differentiate between their imagination and the real world by having them place a stop sign in their mental videotape or write down factual account before embellishing it.
 * Help children use their imagination to function in the real world and promote learning and productivity. eg Instead of conventional organisational systems, encourage students to plan their own

Sensual support strategies


 * Create an environment that limits offensive stimuli
 * Create a soothing, comfortable environment
 * Create appropriate opportunities for being in the limelight - concerts, galleries etc
 * Provide time to dwell in the delight of the sensual( helps to break down fear and overwhelming feelings)