Educators | REEL 2e

EDUCATOR SERVICES

REEL supports Bay Area Peninsula educators by raising awareness and understanding of 2e students through workshops, resources, and training.

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BRING US TO YOUR SCHOOL!
REEL offers a number of workshops for educators. Workshops can be conducted in-person or over Zoom. Ideal running time is 90 minutes, but workshops can be adjusted to fit a 60 minute format if necessary.

We look forward to working with you and supporting your team, and will customize all workshops to meet the needs, interest, and knowledge of your audience. To get started, please email us at: hello@reel2e.org

REEL SIGNATURE WORKSHOPS
These workshops have been developed & are delivered exclusively by the REEL team.

Intro to 2e: Understanding Bright Students who Struggle

This workshop provides an overview to the twice-exceptional learner, their strengths and struggles, and top tips for working with and understanding these students. This workshop includes time to work on real-life vignettes of 2e student situations.

Learning Differences Simulation

There’s nothing like walking a mile in someone else’s shoes. In this workshop, the REEL team sets up simulation stations to give participants a taste of what it is like to be a student with learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, auditory processing challenges, sensory processing challenges, autism, and ADHD. Participants often experience those “a ha” moments that change their point of view on struggling students and their potential strengths.

The DEAR REEL Model: Classroom Strategies for 2e Student Success

Twice-exceptional students have complex learning profiles. Our “DEAR REEL” model combines best-practice research findings with first-hand parent experiences. It delineates four critical considerations for working with 2e children - Develop Connection; Embrace Flexibility; Attend to Strengths; and Reframe Behavior. Hear stories and receive ideas across k-12.

Vignettes of 2e Students

This workshop is an opportunity for teachers to explore real-life classroom scenarios featuring 2e students and perplexing behavior challenges. Why is Ben throwing his book in anger? Why does Jen never complete her work? Educators learn strategies to reframe the situation, reduce stress and unexpected behaviors, and help students with differences feel supported. They work interactively to create potential solutions to real-life classroom problems. They can also bring their own scenario to explore.

Strength-Based Strategies for the Neurodivergent Child

In this positivity-focused workshop, we will emphasize the many reasons neurodivergent students have to celebrate their diagnoses. We will identify strategies for building confidence, self-esteem, and self-efficacy by providing opportunities for individuals to show and grow their strengths, learning ways to tease apart the conceptual content goals from the challenges in expression, and integrating strength-based strategies into everyday life.

Neurodivergence through a Female Lens

Girls and students who are gender non-conforming are commonly overlooked, undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed when it comes to learning differences such as ADHD, autism, and dyslexia. Join us to learn what the research says about this phenomena, its impact on K12 education, and what career paths might work best to better address the needs of neurodivergent females and gender non-conforming youth. Appropriate for parents and educators.

Supporting Dyslexic Creativity: A Case Study

Being Black and dyslexic presented many obstacles for author Octavia E. Butler, the first sci-fi writer to earn a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. How might dyslexia have influenced Butler’s creative genius? Did her experiences as a neurodivergent woman of color help her to persist and to identify patterns that have led many to call her work prophetic? We explore how to support the development of unrecognized, overlooked, marginalized talent. We introduce a model to help the neurodivergent grow strengths, persist in their dreams, and fulfill their vision of greatness.

Gifted May Not Be What You Think It Is

Educators and parents often think that “gifted” means high achieving or “smart.” However, “gifted” can mean so much more. In this session, we will explore the various definitions of giftedness, methods for identifying gifts and talents beyond test scores, the asynchronous development of gifted learners, and the social-emotional implications of giftedness. In addition, we’ll consider the importance of looking for the strengths, interests, and talents of ALL learners.

Living and Learning 2e: What Teens Say

REEL’s “Living & Learning 2e” series is dedicated to giving 2e teens and young adults a place to share their voices. Past panelists include 2e students from 9th grade through sophomore year in college with a range of learning differences such as autism, ADHD, dysgraphia, and anxiety. This workshop highlights many common themes, and shines a light on ways parents and educators can better support 2e students. We encourage this talk to include a panel with 2e students from your organization, and will work with you to develop this part of the program.

DEEP DIVE WORKSHOPS
We are proud to be able to offer these additional workshops, some of which have been developed jointly between REEL and our colleagues and partners from other organizations.

Learner Variability

Anxiety and the 2e Learner

Strategies to Ignite the Reluctant Writer

Download a PDF with detailed descriptions of all of our workshops here!

EDUCATOR RESOURCES
Looking for resources and information on all things 2e?

Check out our 2e Topic tool!

FEATURED ARTICLES

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What is 2e? Fact Sheet & Checklist

Understand what 2e is and why supporting 2e students matters. Read about their internal experience and classroom behaviors. Learn top tips and solutions to common challenges. Learn about common characteristics and behaviors you may notice in your classroom.

Intro to 2e: Fact Sheet & Checklist

8 strength-based activities to uncover and tap into the strengths and interests of students

Research shows that focusing on student strengths, integrating their interests, and developing their talents will energize their motivation, help them to build self-confidence and self-determination, and create authentic ways to build skills even in areas of challenge.

8 Strength-Based Activities to Kick Off the School Year

How Public School Districts Can Support 2e Learners

Public schools that support 2e learners shine as beacons of hope for 2e families. They mobilize and encourage their teachers to be their best. They spark their students’ strengths and give them something to reach for. They live and breathe equity.

Supporting 2e Learners

FEATURED EXPERT RECORDINGS

Strategies to Ignite the Reluctant Writer with Dr. Susan Baum

Writing almost always tops the list of challenges for all types of 2e learners, who have both high ability and potential as well as complex challenges such as specific learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia), autism, ADHD, and anxiety. Renowned 2e expert Dr. Susan Baum joins REEL for a creative and pragmatic discussion on ways to support writing development for 2e learners.

Watch the Writing Strategies Recording

Strength-based Learning with Dr. Melanie Hayes

When kids are far from the bell curve in both directions, parents and educators tend to focus on shoring up weaknesses at the expense of bolstering strengths. However, strengths are where 2e kids build energy to face their challenges, boost their self-esteem, and their likely future careers will lie. Focusing on strengths should be a cornerstone of any 2e student’s educational plan.

Watch the Strength-Based Learning Recording

Slow Processing Speed and the 2e Child with Dr. Marcy Dann

Slow processing speed affects every part of a child's life; however, most people know little about it beyond perhaps a score on the WISC test. Join educational therapist Marcy Dann to learn where processing speed is used in daily life and how it affects routines, academics, socializing, and emotions for 2e learners. Come away with ideas on how to support your child by making supportive changes to their home and school environments. Balance our speed-valuing culture with a discussion of advantages that come with this difference.

Watch the Slow Processing Speed Recording