TPP 086a: Dr. Michael Postma of SENG on the Plight of Gifted and 2e Kids

This is a deep dive into the world of gifted and 2e children, with Dr. Mike Postma, a writer, consultant and presenter specializing in the education and well-being of twice exceptional and intellectually gifted students and their families. Mike is also the Executive Director of SENG, which stands for Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted, an organization whose mission it is to empower families and communities to guide gifted and talented individuals to reach their goals: intellectually, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually, as well as the author of the new book, The Inconvenient Student: Critical Issues in the Identification and Education of Twice-Exceptional Students.

Mike and I talked about the challenges facing gifted and 2e / twice-exceptional students, especially social and emotional challenges, and this is one of those episodes that just might leave you feeling pensive, concerned, and ignited all at the same time.

Dr. Michael Postma is an educator, author, speaker, coach and consultant dedicated to the holistic development of the gifted/twice-exceptional (2e) community. Over the last two decades, Dr. Postma has served as a gifted teacher in the classroom, as an administrator and leader of gifted schools – both public and charter schools in multiple states, and was the architect of the Minnetonka Navigator Program, a magnet school in Minnesota specifically designed for highly gifted and twice-exceptional students. He currently is the President and co-founder of Gifted and Thriving, LLC .

Things you’ll learn from this episode

• Mike Postma’s personal story of growing up a gifted and 2e kid with very little support
• What “holistic development” means in the context of 2e children
• Why Mike says social emotional development has to be one of the foundations for academic and intellectual potential
• Where society is with regards to understanding asynchronous development
• How schools can make small accommodations to make school more successful for gifted and 2e students
• Mike thoughts on how the educational system needs to be revamped
• Why Mike says 2e people are among the most vulnerable populations

Resources mentioned for Dr. Mike Postma & Gifted and 2e Kids

• Dr. Michael Postma’s website, Gifted Matters
• SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted)
• SENG Online Support Group Listings
• The Inconvenient Student: Critical Issues in the Identification and Education of Twice-Exceptional Studentsby Dr. Michael Postma
• Dr. Devon MacEachron on Supporting 2e Learners (podcast episode)
• The Search for Shangri-La: Finding the Appropriate Educational Enviro

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