Customer Reviews
Outstanding book 
2006-07-31
I'm not going to summarize the contents because others have done so. I am just going to say that this book, in my opinion, is far superior to many other books I've read on giftedness. That's because in this book, there is a very strong stress on treating children as individuals, rather than lumping them into a category called "gifted" (or moderately, profoundly, etc. etc. gifted) and then making generalizations about them. It's clear that a lot of research and painstaking effort went into the writing of this book, and it shows.
There are just a couple of things I would have liked to see. Sensory dysfunction is discussed, and so is dysgraphia and other learning/motor problems, but the impact of prematurity is never mentioned. I was a preemie (born at 29 weeks) and I have no depth perception, am very clumsy, and have trouble with my handwriting. This is not due to the sensory integration disorder described here - I've never been diagnosed with that and my muscle tone is normal. I've been told it's due to the poor motor skills, strabismus, etc. that often show up in children who were born prematurely.
I would have also liked to see more information on the impact of anxiety - one of the writers repeatedly states that the 2E children she works with are often quite anxious. That can impair school performance and test results.
The one essayist I disagreed with was the mother whose daughter had severe emotional problems. The mother blamed it all on school, although she was a single parent and there were likely other stresses. I'm not saying she was a bad mother or that school was OK, only that her analysis seemed too simplistic. She also states that her daughter could have gotten help by being declared as having emotional disturbances; the mother did not pursue this because of the stigma around labels of mental illness. While I understand that perspective, her daughter was hitting herself and banging her head against the wall. I have been a patient in the mental health system for some time, so I have experienced these issues. I have unfortunately found out that it's not enough to get treatment, because much of the help doesn't help. If one's "case" is complicated, it may be necessary to go through 5 or even 10 professionals before finding the one who can really help. That has been my experience. The mother states this as well, but she has a very high amount of anger towards the professionals who didn't help, which suggests to me that she may still not really have gotten the help she needed.
I understand that anger though. Boy, do I. I started treatment in 1988. I began *effective* treatment in 2001. In those 13 years, I went through 5 therapists, 2 psychiatrists, 1 psychiatrist consultant, 1 psychologist who administered IQ and personality testing, 1 hospital program, many support groups, and 2 aptitude tests, and at least a couple other professionals I saw on a short-term or one time only basis.
And a partridge in a pear tree. Just kidding.
Some of these helped to some degree; none was sufficient. I finally had to go to a therapist who had published several books and was very well-known. I assumed she wouldn't give me the time of day, but I got a very good referral.
I am still angry about the help that didn't help, *especially* because these professionals did not know or care enough to do a good referral. But now I am receiving excellent treatment, so I'm a lot less angry than I used to be. Although I still wish it hadn't taken 13 years to get there.
The fields of psychology and education are maturing (in at least *some* places) to reflect better research, and I hope someday others won't go through all this.
I wish I had this book years ago!! 2006-04-30
This book teaches volumes in wonderfully written real-life stories from parents, teachers, and the children themselves.
It also has common-sense advice.
This book is like a breath of fresh air. It shows what "Gifted-LD" is REALLY like, with both compassion as well as respect. It gives permission to parents to address their child's NEEDS rather than go with what the "system" says.
I LOVE the unique perspectives presented, and I learned new USEFUL terminology that would have been so helpful in explaining to people why a highly gifted child, let alone one with an LD, might have unique educational needs.
I could not put this book down.
Insightful, informative, occasionally challenging reading. 2000-09-06
In Uniquely Gifted: Identifying And Meeting The Needs Of The Twice-Exceptional Student, Kiesa Kay has amassed a wealth of insightful, informative, and occasionally challenging contributions from some of the finest minds in this specialized area of modern education theory and practice. The contributed essays are divided into four major sections: Family Matters - Perspectives from Family Members; Teaching Strategies - Learning and Leadership; Research and Theory - Discovering Possibilities; Administrative Options - Working Together. A highly recommended addition to education studies reading lists, Uniquely Gifted is further enhanced for the reader with a bibliography, Sandra Berger's "Internet Resources for Expanding Options in the Classroom; George Betts and Jolene Kercher's "The Autonomous Learner Model"; a section of notes on the contributors, and a striking conclusion "If Not You, Who?".
A groundbreaking book 2000-08-29
Anyone who has a twice exceptional child simply must buy this book. They are such an perplexing combinations: unusual and confusing, brilliant and constrained, with an unfortunate dose of 'needing what there ain't'. Simply helping them navigate childhood in one healthy piece is a challenge of mammoth proportions; seeing them reach their real potential can seem a distant dream. However, this book has just given us both a path and the guide book.
I have finally found the closest thing to an instruction manual for raising my son, and I needed it more desperately than I could ever say. Ms. Kay has done something of real significance. Many people write books - some are more helpful than others. She, however, has done something more momentous for parents like me. There are many things in that one book - something to clutch in the dark times of self-doubt - something to give to others showing glimmers of willingness to understand - a reference library for calm moments of learning - a "been there done that, survived it too" hug for the times when we just can't go another step. So much more.
The book doesn't preach, or prescribe - it gives options that have worked for others, insights that only come from years of desperate struggle, and hope that springs cautiously from the knowledge that others have been here, and survived.
If you have (or work with) a 2E child, or a "he's so clever, if he would just... " child, or a "I just don't know what we're going to do to help her" child, then order it now.
Those Helping Twice Exceptional Children will LOVE this Book 2000-07-29
Kiesa Kay has drawn together heartfelt essays from parents, wisdom from school administrators, and research from many of the top experts in the field. It is an excellent resource woven together with intelligence and compassion. Parents, teachers, principals, counselors, and psychologists will all benefit from reading this book.
For Parents and Teachers of Twice Exceptional Kids 2000-07-18
Uniquely Gifted is a collection of over 40 articles by parents, teachers, and twice exceptional children themselves. There is something for everyone dealing with twice exceptional kids, from gifted / ADHD, to gifted / Aspergers syndrome, to gifted / dyslexic, and many, many more combinations of giftedness and ... after reading this book, I can't even call them disabilities. Different abilities, that's better.
These are good stories of success, in many different forms: accomodations in public school, private or special school, or home schooling. Sometimes, it's a combination of these different environments that serves a twice exceptional child best. So many different stories, each with a unique solution emphasizing the child's giftedness in addition to any other part of the child, so that these kids can grow up to be their best.
This is a book that should be read by guidance counselors, psychologists, and parents of twice exceptional children.
A great tool 2000-07-17
This is one of those books that every educator and child psychologist MUST have. I am impressed by how well Kiesa has collected and edited this selection of essays and writings by both parents and professionals. If you have a twice special child, you need this book - as does every school in the country.
