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

Today we are doing a deep dive into the world of gifted and 2e children, with Dr. Mike Postma. Mike is 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 had a honest and personal conversation about the many 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. If you are raising a gifted or 2e kid, I encourage you to check out all the resources and places for further information that Mike shares, especially those related to SENG.

 Dr. Michael Postma is an educator, author, speaker, coach and consultant dedicated to the holistic development of the gifted/twice-exceptional (2e) community. He currently is the President and co-founder of Gifted and Thriving, LLC and the Programming Director for the non-profit SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted) organization. 

Things you’ll learn from this episode

• Mike Postma’s personal story of growing up a gifted and 2e kid with very little support in a time when many neurodifferences weren’t recognized or understood
• What “holistic development” means in the context of children, especially twice-exceptional 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
• Why Mike wrote his book The Inconvenient Student and what he hopes it does in the world
• Mike thoughts on how the educational system needs to be revamped
• How SENG supports gifted and twice-exceptional students and their families
• Why Mike says 2e people are among the most vulnerable populations

Resources mentioned

• 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 Students by Dr. Michael Postma

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