What Parents & Educators Need to Know About Smart Kids

Brightwater Center, Woodinville
March 28, 2020
1pm - 5pm

WA State CLOCK HOURS are available for educators

Many people are surprised to learn that their bright child’s unique “quirks” are actually well-studied social & emotional behavior patterns in high IQ kids. Whether it’s refusing to wear shirts with buttons or tags, overreacting to the slightest criticism, gravitating towards adults and older children, forgetting to turn in their homework, trouble with handwriting, anxiety about trying something new, or preferring a book to a party, these and many other perplexing behaviors are common in the HiCap population. 

Learn the latest neuroscience and research about what’s normal, what to expect as they grow, and why genuine challenge is vitally important for kids’ social and emotional development, as well as developing their academic talents, from the preschool and elementary years through high school and beyond.

Come hear the talk that has been presented to dozens of parent and educator communities across WA state. It is a whirlwind of gifted 101, covering:

- Definitions, bell curve, asynchrony
- WA laws overview
- Twice exceptional, including spotlights on stealth dyslexia, vision processing, and CAPD
- Executive function and latest neuroscience about high IQ brain
- Emotional characteristics (sensitivity, intensity, perfectionism, neuroscience basis, etc)
- Social development asynchrony
- School fit, grit & growth mindset
- Considerations for equitable identification and access

The workshop format provides time to dig into deeper content as well as engage in guided discussion. The goal of this workshop is to give you research-based perspectives and new tools for your toolbox, whether you are a parent or an educator.

Presented by Austina De Bonte
Austina De Bonte is a consultant at Smart is not Easy, LLC (www.smartisnoteasy.com). Since 2012, Austina has also served as the President of the Northwest Gifted Child Association (www.nwgca.org), the Washington State support and advocacy non-profit for families with gifted children. A dynamic and engaging presenter, Austina speaks regularly at conferences, as well as conducts parent education talks and professional development workshops for educators about the unique social and emotional development of highly capable (HiCap) or "gifted" children. She also works with school district teams to develop and fine-tune their HiCap program models, especially concerning equitable identification strategies. Austina's signature style combines her experience as a parent and parent coach along with synthesized research, current district practices across Washington State and cutting-edge neuroscience. She has a Masters degree from MIT and did her graduate thesis in the MIT Media Lab's Epistemology and Learning Group, where Lego Mindstorms was invented. Austina is a certified SENG Model Parent Group facilitator.