Intense kid? Ours, too

Giftedness is not a matter of degree but of a different quality of experiencing: vivid, absorbing, penetrating, encompassing, complex, commanding – a way of being quiveringly alive.

Michael M. Piechowski

Is your child intense? Seabury specializes in intense kids!!

Recently, I had a conversation with one of our youngest students. It started with the student telling me why they weren’t allowed to use permanent markers at home – something about marks on the dining room table. But then there was a quick pivot, with the child quietly saying, “I wish my brother and I were permanent.” I asked what he meant. He said, through tears, “I don’t want us to DIE!” Whoa! How did we go from permanent markers on dining room tables to existential angst in 30 seconds?

All about science

You haven’t been to a science fair until you’ve been to a Seabury science fair! On science fair day, the entire school buzzes with excitement as every student, from pre-k to eighth great gets the chance to put their scientific explorations on display for the whole student body, teachers, staff, and families.

Students worked on their projects almost entirely at home so many drew heavily on readily available materials, such as kitchen items, food, and pets. As in most independent projects at Seabury, students are encouraged to use their interests as inspiration. There was a project on the reactions between chemical components, one on the DNA of fruit, another on a mouse’s favorite food, and more than one project on rainbows. Some students had a burning question they needed answered and used their experiments as methods to answer those questions. From pre-k to eighth grade, the students’ passions and personalities came shining through in their projects.

Middle schoolers debate

Seabury middle school students have spent a few weeks learning about the United States political system, specifically political parties. This involved a number of smaller projects which culminated in a debate on whether the United States should continue its two-party system, or change to a multi-party system. 

First, they were separated into three groups to look at political parties through different lenses – historical, economical, and global. Each team watched videos, read written research material, and took note. Once they were experts on their focus, they presented to the group so that everyone could look at political parties through these three lenses. This helped students to understand why and how we ended up with a two-party voting system, and some of the other options out there.

Myths about giftedness

Our society is quick to recognize and support athletic or artistic talent. But we have a troubled relationship with intellectual talent. Schools are based on a factory model – assuming all kids of a certain age are ready to learn the same things at the same pace and in the same way. Even in recent years when more attention is paid to inclusion and differentiation, programs are still largely built for those in the middle. The further a child is from the middle, the harder it is for typical programs meet their needs. 

Teacher training programs typically offer little or no training for teachers and administrators in recognizing and meeting the very real needs of gifted students.  And as a result, well-meaning educators can operate based on myths about giftedness that are not only untrue, but can also be damaging. 

Into the woods

Did you know that trees in the Puget Sound region can be used to make maple syrup? Last week Seabury students in grades 1-5 went on a field study to Mount Rainier Institute in Pack Forest where they learned how researchers tap big leaf maple trees to make syrup. Getting out of the classroom to trek into the forest was a new experience for most of the students, certainly as a large group. Students spent the day in teams that mixed 1st through 5th graders, with the 5th graders helping the other students consider the activities using icons of depth and complexity.
The Mount Rainier Institute at Pack Forest is a University of Washington run research center in Eatonville, where researchers are tapping maple trees to explore the viability of creating maple syrup from them. 

What age are you today?

Setting boundaries is one of the most important things we do for our kids. A wise mentor once told me that an adult’s job is to set boundaries and the child’s job is to test them. Testing boundaries is the way our kids learn how to be in a family, with friends, and in society. When we don’t give our kids boundaries to test, they will search for boundaries elsewhere, often pushing the limits until they find someone who will push back. 

As an educator of gifted children for more than 35 years, and as the parent of a grown gifted kid. I have found that setting age-appropriate boundaries can be one of the hardest things we have to do. Why? Because our kids don’t follow the script for any given age.

Real-life scientist talk

When children join the Seabury community, they step into an environment in which they are surrounded by a close-knit group of kids who really get them, as well as a whole team of adults who know and care for them. 

Recently, our head of school heard from a second grader, whose passion is science, that he doesn't need believe he needs to practice writing because he plans to be a scientist when he grows up. She knew that wasn't true – for any field – but she decided writing advice for this kid would be most powerful coming from a real scientist. So she called Dr. Christine Hartzell, astrophysics researcher and Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland — and former Seabury kid!

Business advice + cookies!

Seabury’s fifth grade Bridges program uses Tacoma’s many resources as a learning lab where students experience first-hand how our community works and what effective leadership looks like. It puts students face-to-face with local leaders from government and social services, as well as scientists, artists and entrepreneurs. The program serves as a bridge and preparation for the  freedoms and responsibilities of middle school.

During the students’ field study with Deborah Tuggle, owner and president of Bite Me! cookies, they learned about facing challenges, starting and running a business, working with partners, and more. Ms. Tuggle shared her fascinating story of starting and growing a business, overcoming obstacles, and running her now very successful small business. One student asked for examples