need opinions on twice exceptional program (Colorado Springs: fit in, private school, colleges)

[pompom]

Hi, I'm new to the board. This is my first post on city-data. I currently live in MS (but originally from an Asian country, so please excuse my English). My husband and I plan to move to a better place that has higher quality of life and, more importantly, great education for our daughter.

Our daughter is now three and half. She has sensory integration dysfunction but seems to be gifted (read, count, identify shapes, colors before 2 years old). Now she reads books that are labeled "for second grade" by herself and does simple addition and substraction. We are proud parents but very worried that it's going to be hard for her to fit in a school around here. We are afraid that she won't even fit in a gifted program either because she has weak muscle tone and weak control of her arms and hands, not to mention phonological disorder (weak oral motor skill and articulation problem). So, she is currently going to a special ed school for speech, physical, occupatonal therapies.

We searched internet for twice exceptional program and ran into a website by district 11 in Colorado springs. We were so happy to see that there's such program and have set our mind on moving there. But we want to make sure whether the twice exceptional program is really good. I know I can call and ask them for more details but want to get opinions from parents there or someone who have heard about this program as well.

Also, we would like to know whether other districts have similar programs that tailor to children who are gifted but have learning disabilities.

Thanks in advance.

[froggin4colorado]

I was just listening to a presentation at UCCS a few weeks ago about a study on teachers' training and competency in the gifted area in the pikes peak area; so it is interesting that you post this question.
Using a Likert scale, the teachers were asked a series of questions and here a few of the results:
Over 90% of the teachers surveyed had 1 class/seminar or less that trained them in the gifted area. Almost 100% of the teachers (99.88...or something like that) surveyed didn't feel totally competent when it came to teaching in the gifted area. General or regular education teachers on average had 1-2 classes in their training in special education and again, almost all of them didn't feel competent when working with students with special needs. Most of them didn't know to that it was rude to say "sped kid, disabled person, autistic child, etc. You should put the person first- individual with mental retardation, child that has a learning disability, a kiddo with autism.
Now, with that being said, it doesn't mean we don't have gifted and talented programs nor does it mean that all the programs in the area aren't good. However, it does bring to light a need that colleges need to address and makes you say, "wow...".

When you call the district/school, please set up an appointment to talk with the teacher(s) and ask some questions, to include where did you go to college, what courses have you had in your training with the gifted and talented and in special education, and what experience(s) have you had with the two areas? A good teacher will be able to reflect on one or the other and rattle off his/her teaching philosophy, teaching methods, and will also hopefully be a member of the CEC (Council for Exceptional Children) or something similar. Remember, you are the customer, your child's advocate, and asking such questions are totally okay and within your rights.

In my own personal experience and in reference to this particular study:
I have been involved in numerous districts in the pikes peak area and programs vary by school depending on the teacher. This study is one of its kind and has never been reproduced, data was collected this past school year, and not every school was surveyed which means the survey sample was small. The majority of regular education teachers trained in the Colorado area have not had a lot of training in the gifted and talented area or in special education (except an introduction course). I would personally find a school that does specialize in the area, research it, make a few phone calls, and then use that information in comparison to here. My biggest worry for your child is that she be placed in a self-contained classroom where her learning will become stagnant because her physical disabilities will be more visually obvious than her intelligence. I would also question the school about where they are in the RTi or RTI process. I have come across one school in this area (I HAVE NOT researched every single one!) that is using the process most efficiently; kids who are gifted and talented are benefiting from the process the most because they are taken from where they are and are escalating in accordance to thier potential rather than becoming the teacher's helper and just attending a TAG class or after school program.
IMO- We have a good public education system in our area.
Good luck!!

[pompom]

When you call the district/school, please set up an appointment to talk with the teacher(s) and ask some questions, to include where did you go to college, what courses have you had in your training with the gifted and talented and in special education, and what experience(s) have you had with the two areas? A good teacher will be able to reflect on one or the other and rattle off his/her teaching philosophy, teaching methods, and will also hopefully be a member of the CEC (Council for Exceptional Children) or something similar. Remember, you are the customer, your child's advocate, and asking such questions are totally okay and within your rights.

Thank you very much for your comment. I will make sure that I will ask them these questions. This advise is great for me, as I am learning American school system. When people said "Go talk to them", I sometimes don't know which questions to ask since I don't know much about the system here.

Eventhough I can't be sure that the D11 twice exceptional program will meet our expectations, I still want to move there though. All things considered, it's a place that's closed to perfect for a family.

[otowi]

I am a teacher in D11 and have had a few twice-exceptional students. I think the key is to be prepared to be very involved in your child's education and be prepared that some people will not understand your child or know how to do right by her, but others will. So one of your jobs would be to pay attention and find out who those people are and make sure she is in their classes if at all possible. Regular classroom teachers do not get much training on how to serve twice exceptional students. The benefits provided the twice exceptional students are in the gifted and talented services and the special education services combined together.

[idonia]

I am a parent of a twice exceptional child here in Colorado Springs. A good place to start would be to contact Beth Busby in District 11. She is at district level with the twice exceptional program there. She is amazing. My son was in D-49 and we were getting nowhere there. She helped me a great deal in understanding my son and his needs and finding an appropriate placement for him. They do have some good programs but it varies from school to school. She may be able to point you in the right direction. My son is now at the Renaissance Academy which is a private gifted school and he is doing so much better. He actually looks forward to school for the first time in a long time. Good luck!

[froggin4colorado]

B. Busby

[pompom]

I just checked back on this message. Thanks for the information, Idonia. I'm not sure if we can afford that private school. But that'll definitely be one of our choices.

[Nikki Myers]

I'm a parent and a teacher, and found this thread with interest, because we're here in Colorado Springs, and definitely, Beth Busby is fantastic. Unfortunately, Renaissance Academy closed, BUT there's a group of people working to begin a new public charter school specializing in gifted, advanced, creative, and twice-exceptional learners here in town, to open in the 2010 school year if approved. You can check out [url=http://www.academyacl.org]Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning[/url] and contact [email]board@academyacl.org[/email] with questions.