02 Jun What Is Twice-Exceptional?
Cornerstone Protection
836 Euclid Avenue Suite 16, Lexington
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Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
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One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
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I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
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Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
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I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
Kanu Patel -
We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
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Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
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My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
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I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
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Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
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Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
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Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us! -
As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them. -
We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience. -
We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem. -
Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter. -
Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!! -
The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them! -
I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended. -
We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives. -
The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul. -
We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.
WHAT IS TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL?
People do not always realize that gifted students can also have a disability. On the other hand, students with disabilities may also be very proficient. We know of children who are greatly talented in music or possess a high mastery of literature, math, or science. On the other hand, we also encounter students with different challenges, such as dyslexia, or ADHD. However, some children fall under both categories. Gifted and challenged children at the same time are what we call Twice-exceptional or 2e.
Twice-exceptional children have a unique struggle. On the one hand, some of these children may be able to compensate for their difficulties through their giftedness. They may exploit their talents intentionally or unintentionally to conceal their shortcomings in other areas. In other circumstances, their impairment may overshadow their giftedness and other qualities if it manifests early on.
Twice-Exceptional Characteristics
➡ Intellectual
- a highly curious, divergent thinker
- intellectually advanced
- creative problem solvers
- an insatiable need for learning and information
- learns systems to an unusual degree of competency
- can see deep or tricky connections not easily seen by others
- advanced creativity
- strong metacognitive (thinking about their thinking) skills
- a unique insight into complex issues
- has different, often unusual perspectives
- likes to explore wide-ranging, often esoteric, topics
- can rapidly accelerate learning to a great extent of expertise
- advanced, wicked, often bizarre sense of humor
- extraordinary perceptions and abilities in one or more subject
- autodidactic (self-learning ability)
- slower processing speed than typical children
- very flexible in academics
- may seem introverted and spends a lot of time thinking and daydreaming
- long attention span when working on topics they are interested in
- persistent
- demonstrated high-level spatial skills
- enjoys codes, puzzles, chess, strategy games
- good at devising compensatory strategies
- may have challenges with auditory learning and instructions
- advanced reader, can read and understand incredibly complex material.
- very high expectations and perfectionism
- likes to see the big picture first and then fill in details, dismissive of further information in a quest for the bigger picture
- asynchronous intellectual progression
- often have learning disabilities
- can overreact to timed exams and tests
- they might often overthink questions and take a long time to answer
➡ Physical
- They might have issues with food, multiple food aversions, and a need for eating rituals.
- Problems with digestion, gut health, food allergies
- Sensory processing issues
- Likes to handle items and may have an oral fixation.
- They can be sensitive to touch and often do not like touching; conversely, they may be hypersensitive to feeling and seeking rough physical interaction.
- Extremely sensitive to stimuli
- unusual sleeping cycles, difficulty sleeping, less need for sleep
- trouble controlling body movements, awkward, clumsy
- poor fine motor skills
- the trouble with modulating voice levels
- difficulty sitting still, standing in line for a long time, walking with a group of students
- difficulty with personal hygiene routines and managing personal care
- May not be aware of physical needs (might forget to eat, drink, sleep, go to the bathroom)
- may have weak muscle tone, poor motor skills
➡ Emotional
- can be empathetic
- deeply connect to those they love
- often mature for their age
- unusual early emotional development
- overwhelmed by other’s emotions and emotional intensity
- very sensitive, easily wounded emotionally
- may have existential sorrow/depression
- perfectionist
- compulsive, obsessive
- impulsive
- have issues with anxiety, phobias
- unrealistic expectations of themselves
- low self-esteem
- unusual emotional response
- struggle with gray areas, rigid rules, and fairness,
- inflexibility
- They may need time to prepare for changes to routine, and surprises may be challenging for them to take in.
- maybe arrogant or may appear to be arrogant
- feel held back by traditional pacing, bored, frustrated, and learning systems
- not good under pressure
- they need some help understanding facial expressions and body language
➡ Social
- often feel lonely and don’t sync with others
- unusual social growth
- concern for social justice
- has a mature understanding of social injustice and world problems
- cares very much about the future of the world
- questions status quo comes up with creative alternatives
- often outwits older people
- sensitive to hypocritical behavior or patronizing, may confront or disagree with adults in authority on their behavior
- may not follow the rules for rule’s sake; may challenge underlying logic/illogic of regulations,
- maybe hard for them to express themselves verbally
- gullible, often bullied, socially awkward
- gets along with adults, also with much younger/older children
- behavioral issues usually resolve when creatively or intellectually satisfied
- love to challenge themselves and others
- often misunderstood, ostracized
- confused by social protocol
How Do You Identify Twice-Exceptional Students?
Identification for twice-exceptional students is often complicated and requires the unique ability to evaluate and identify the two areas of exceptionality. Sometimes the special needs may be hidden, complicating the evaluation process. Most school districts have no programs for identifying or meeting the academic needs of twice-exceptional students, leaving many 2e kids under-identified and underserved.
According to NAGC’s report on twice-exceptionality, we can identify 2e students in one of the three categories below.
Gifted students who do not have a diagnosed disability may:
- Go unnoticed for possible special education evaluation.
- Considered below average, often perceived as unmotivated or lazy.
Students with a disability but not identified as being gifted may:
- Be a part of projects and practices that focus only on their disability.
- Be inaccurately assessed for their intellectual capacities and abilities.
- Become uninterested in special programs that do not challenge them properly.
Students not formally identified as disabled or gifted may:
- Be assured to have the average ability.
- Struggle as the subjects become more challenging for them.
- Never be referred for special education programs and evaluations due to deflated achievement and standardized test results.
Due to the difficulty of diagnosing twice-exceptional kids and the lack of awareness in most school districts, 2e kids may go undiagnosed for being either gifted, disabled, or both. Not being able to diagnose twice-exceptional conditions can significantly affect twice-exceptional students, including a higher likelihood of dropping out of school.
Tips for Identifying Twice-Exceptional Students
Frequently, multiple classifications in giftedness and disability can complicate proper recognition and lead to a wrong diagnosis. To help with this process, we have listed some tips from experts and specialists in the 2e community, including the 2e Newsletter, SENG, and NAGC, on diagnosing twice-exceptional students:
- Take a multi-dimensional approach to identify twice-exceptional kids and students and consider using both written tests and behavioral assessments.
- Use both formal and informal assessments.
- Separate test scores on IQ tests; most twice-exceptional students are inconsistent performers with uneven skills and asynchronous development.
- Reduce qualifying cut-off scores to account for learning disabilities or differences.
- Consider oral questioning instead of written testing if the student experiences difficulty understanding details.
- Extend the time allotted for the student to show their knowledge without worrying about the time too much.
- Use assessment practices that accommodate language and cultural differences to avoid unfair identification.
How Do You Support Twice-Exceptional Students?
2e kids require a supportive learning environment that helps them reach their full potential—finding the right twice-exceptional school or program that addresses their giftedness and disability. We should still adequately challenge 2e students despite their learning difficulties. The best results are almost certainly through a customized identification and a tailored approach to learning and education.
Here are some techniques for supporting twice-exceptional kids and students:
- Implement and develop an individualized education system based on their talents and interests
- Accommodate both their academic strengths and weaknesses
- Utilize a strengths-based approach that considers the whole child
- Foster their emotional and social development
- Allow students to participate in enrichment experiences and programs.
- Collaborate with other experts in special, gifted education and counseling.
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Craig Selinger
Owner at Themba Tutors
Meet Craig Selinger, the passionate owner behind Themba Tutors, a renowned practice specializing in executive function coaching and tutoring. Together with his team of multidisciplinary professionals, they bring their extensive knowledge to numerous locations: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Bronx, Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut, as well as offering remote services. As a licensed speech-language pathologist in the state of NY, executive functioning coach, and educational specialist with an impressive track record spanning over two decades, Craig has professionally assisted thousands of families. Craig's proficiency encompasses a wide spectrum of areas, including language-related learning challenges such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. He is also well-versed in executive functioning, ADHD/ADD, and various learning disabilities. What truly distinguishes Craig and his team is their unwavering commitment to delivering comprehensive support. By actively collaborating with the most esteemed professionals within the NYC metropolitan region – from neuropsychologists to mental health therapists and allied health experts – they create a network of expertise.
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