What's Energy Got to Do With It?

Core of Brain (COB) Learners have a unique understanding of energy. Some have learned to identify and adapt to energy, but most are just confused with the "overwhelming sensory information." These individuals also tend to understand energy and physically feel the vibrational frequency of energy. They generally don’t understand the individual energy separately until they are an adult. It is as if this area of the brain is immature and comes together when they are grown. They sense the vibrational field of the lights, sounds coming through the walls, other people’s energy, as well as the difference in one person’s energy removed from a collective form of energy. They may be able to “see” energy fields or the static energy molecule differences between different objects. They spend a great deal of their time REACTING to the vibrational energy around them because they believe they ARE the energy. They can become physically ill or disorientated with the constant “swirl” of energy that surrounds them. They have a sense of how energy is all connected on a universal level. They take on “heavy” energy as a challenge to understand it. They do not see the energy as “negative” only that it is dense energy. They unknowingly take on the burdens of the universe in attempts to resolve suffering. These individuals will either fight back the energy by exploding, resulting in behavioral challenges, or implode and fall into depression. They need to learn to regulate their energy by filtering sensory input.

It is often useful to support the individual in learning how to modify their environment with sensory integration tools. They respond best to individuals who eliminate emotional energy from their communications as it takes less time deciphering the information being given to them. Most do well learning that other people’s energy is not their own energy. They are often responsive to brushing, soundproof headphones, body weighted blankets or jackets, and other Occupational Therapy sensory integration tools.

Quantum Physics has discovered a "difference" in energy between our thoughts and our physical ability to "do" things that we think of. We all have wonderful ideas and the brighter, more intelligent the individual, the more rapid the internal dialog is. Some may even say it's manic to have such high level of energy in the thinking process, or just insanity. What happens when the dense energy of our physical ability and our high level of internal dialog comes together? It is a combustion, a feeling of experiencing a "push back" of energy. This push back creates even more internal dialog that spins our reasoning for why we shouldn't do something even though it's a great idea or a lifelong goal or dream of ours. Every human being is an expert at talking themselves out of doing what great stuff they want to do. This internal dialog sounds like this: "I guess this wasn't meant to be after all," "I can't do it," "Screw them," "I'm so stupid," "There is something wrong with them/me," "No one believes me," and etc. This process happens to everyone. Some verbally express their thoughts and others just internalize it. But, for gifted individuals, this process is daunting due to the large amount of "ideas." Gifted individuals have the ability to cycle themselves into a negative thought process at a much faster rate than the average Joe. It becomes even more difficult when a gifted person has a disability of some sort, either intellectually, physically, or socially in which they will struggle to appear "normal" despite their overwhelming thought process. At some point, they will become quite aware of their brilliant ideas which will never amount to anything because of their differences, leading them to live a life of feeling "less than" and never really living up to their potential. Most will feel it is worthless to try to exhibit their brilliance.

Understanding that this process is only about the combustion of energy and that is truly has nothing to do with who they are, is vital to the success of the gifted individual. Breaking down steps to the goals and dreams when they enter this "spinning" in the thought process is the key. Gifted individuals are mostly "big picture" thinkers and have a difficult time being in the "here and now." They tend to jump ahead of themselves by focusing on the big picture and feeling paralyzed to do the action that needs to be done to get to the big picture. Ways to support this individual best: praise their big ideas and then ask, "What needs to be done today to begin making that possible?" Keep doing this and acknowledge the work they are doing as they work through the process of attaining their goals and dreams.

COB learners relate to this method well since, in some nature, they understand energy to a greater degree than most. Energy is pliable and easy to work with once you understand the nature of how it works. Teachers and parents who learn to tap into this way of learning will find less resistance in working with the child. Teaching these individuals tools and skills to working with energy increases the understanding of who they are and how they can become successful by modifying energy to the best of their ability. Those that enforce a "this is the way it is and you must do what I say" will find it difficult to reach the COB learner. It is extremely necessary to create guidelines for the COB learner to stay within when it comes to safety issues, and general guidelines. These individuals "live in their head" and will become driven to do what their thoughts provide for them. Teaching and parenting a COB learner to find stillness to quiet their mind, find, and listen to their intuition is also vital to supporting them in the ability to observe.

The key truly is to teach what energy is about and how to modify energy in their environment so they don't become overwhelmed with the rapid sensory overload of information. Sensory Integration diets or Modulation tools are also effective. Once the COB learners understands how to differentiate energy, they will be able to calm themselves when needed and feel more successful in their environment.

You Mean There Is A World Outside of My Head?

I spent a couple of years studying the brain on my own, informally, in search of answers that would gain me better understanding of my son and myself. It was such a journey of discovery. I think every parent of a quirky child wants to understand how they are not only different but also how they can "fit in" better with the world in which we share with others. Parents of quirky children, I've found, tend to try everything to see if it works. They exhaust themselves on different books of parenting support, social skills support, behavioral management, appropriate developmental skills, and etc. These parents are far more knowledgeable in raising children, but just simply don't have children that act "normal." These parents often become very creative in their parenting especially when consistency doesn't always work.

The interesting thing about COB learners (Core of the Brain) is that, to them, the world really does exist just in their mind. They have the inability to project their mental picture outside of themselves. Why? I asked an internationally known Neuropyschologist my theory on learning styles and functions of the brain. My curiosity got the best of me, as we ate lunch together during her conference, so I began to ask her about why COB learners have the inability to project their mental pictures outside of their brain. There is an area of the brain in between your Occipital Lobe (pink area on the image above, responsible for visuospatial processing, color discrimination and motion perception) and your Temporal Lobe (green area on the image above, responsible for speech, language, and hearing) on the left side of the brain that is responsible for motion. Coincidentally, this is also near the Wernicke area which is responsible for language comprehension and understanding. This seems to be an undeveloped or injured area of the brain which doesn't allow for the mental picture to move outside of the brain. I also questioned if this may also be the reason for the difficulties in expressive language (output of language either in writing or speaking) for these kids. That link is yet unknown. It does explain why these learners have the inability to "put themselves in other's shoes" and understand things from other perspectives in a social situation.

How else this shows up in COB learners is that they seem to have an overactive Amygdala. Say what? The Amygdala in the brain is kind of like the "brain of the brain." Any time we have an area of the brain that does not function appropriately, the Amygdala will take over. It's a small area of the brain, about the size of an almond, that lies in the center of the brain. The Amygdala is responsible for your emotions. It is also the "survival mechanism" that reacts when there is a danger present and tells the body to either RUN or FIGHT! So, for many of these kids who have an underdeveloped area, they often have an overactive Amygdala. These kids often respond to simple, harmless things with over exaggerated emotional responses. They tend to implode (depression) or explode (act out) with simple punishments. Their responses seem "All or Nothing." Ironically, COB learner's mental picture also seems to be "located" in about the same area of the Amygdala.

The good thing about this is that for most of the COB learners, the underdeveloped areas of the brain will come together in their mid-twenties, except for those who have brain injuries. Mid-Twenties!!! We have to live with this until then?! Then what? Teach and communicate to their strengths, not their weaknesses, to address their weaknesses. Praise their strengths and tap into their artistic, engineering, or musical gifts (as most of these kids have). Most will also be successful in taking medication to quiet the Amygdala, in addition to learning more about their unique style. Most of the kids will benefit from learning about their learning style, about who they are, and what works for them so they can advocate for themselves. This will also allow for them to find coping mechanisms or compensation strategies that will allow them to problem solve ways for themselves on what works for them. Without being taught to their learning style, these kids will become flustered and remain in imploding or exploding behaviors and will often give up on themselves before their brain wiring matures.

How Learning Styles Clash

I went in with my son early to school this morning to talk to the special ed teacher. Since she wasn't in and we found the teacher who gave the assignment, we asked him for his support. My son has clashed with this teacher all year long (school year that is). This was the turning point for me in understanding the clash between these two.

The teacher began with a sigh, saying he worked with my son at length yesterday to help him understand the Language Art's assignment. He then began saying, "Remember we talked about this yesterday?" "We went over this part yesterday, let me explain again," and on and on and on. It's not that my son didn't remember, it's that this teacher was sensitive and was trying to prove his point to me about what a good teacher he was... that he's already explained this all and my son wasn't getting it. You see, it's not his fault.... it's my kid's... my son is not listening and grasping what he's saying. The teacher made comments like, "You see, he gets an idea in his head and he wants to focus on JUST that," and "He's an intelligent kid and has great ideas, but..." Then as he would describe what needed to be done, he'd stop for a little while and I could see the sparks flying in my son's mind as he saw the picture... then just then, the teacher would elaborate again in a completely different way, disrupting my son's thoughts and confusing him.

Here is the common cycle of mixed learning styles. It's obvious by the language the teacher is using that he is an auditory learner. My son is a kinesthetic learner. I find that many teachers have an idea of the different learning styles, but they have yet to learn to use specific language and teach in the learning style of the student. The minute a teacher begins saying, "You're so intelligent, but why are you not getting it?" is a sure fire way to know there is a conflict in learning styles. In addition, this is an incredible put down to a kid who really is trying to do his best.

Bottom line, society, even given all the visual aides we have these days (video games, TV, etc.), we believe "good" means being able to hear something and respond. We use language like, "Do you hear what I'm saying?" and "I just gave you a direction, why aren't you doing what you were told?" We expect our children to do as they are told/hear. The "good, proper" children all do that, didn't you know? Especially in language and reading classes in school, a child must write what sounds good. It must flow with words. When writing a story, focus on the story line and how you're going to say what you want to say...

I sat there listening to the conversation between my son's teacher and him. Never did I hear the teacher say, "If your story were a picture what would it look like?" and "Describe what's happening in the picture now..." How can a kinesthetic learner understand what to write when he can't "see" or "feel" what he's writing about? Teachers think that a visual learner just needs 2D pictures to learn... you know, those visual aides. What these kids really need is to be able to see it in their mind. A 2D picture can be as unuseful as 2D words, especially if they are in black and white. Think of this, how can you mentally turn and spin a 2D object? These kids cannot "see" patterns in 2D. Objects must MOVE and have color. Btw... Color is an incredible organizational mechanism.

"He gets so focused on one story that he won't change it..." What this really means to a kinesthetic learner is this... "I can't get rid of my picture unless I literally wipe it out of my head, wash my hands, or something! I can't get rid of the feeling of the picture without some kind of cleansing process." Kinesthetic learners live in their pictures, it's like asking them to change a belief system before they can move on. The best way to "change the picture" to move on to something new is by one question at a time. "What's your picture look like? Oh, you see that piece there? We need to change that ONE piece to be something like this..." It may SEEM time consuming, especially since they can only handle one direction at a time anyway, but it's VERY effective afterwards since the pieces/details fall together rather fast thereafter. Asking a child to "wipe-out" his total picture will cause him to sit in bewilderment since he cannot "see" what needs to be done. Changing the full picture, piece-by-piece will get you the results you need and better understanding/rapport. You must do this while constantly engaging with the student and requesting their feedback.

So, let's look at what this might look like, from the beginning of an assignment.... here's what works:

Teacher gives a ONE or TWO descriptive, detailed sentence on what needs to be done.
Then he says, "Picture in your mind what your characters look like."
Student: Can he wear hats?
Teacher: Yes. Any color, style... Now, imagine for a minute, that this one character is a real life hero. What will your hero do?
(Teacher gives time for the student's thinking/designing process.)
Teacher: What are you seeing?
Student: (Describes picture.)
Teacher: Perfect! Now, pick another character that will cause a big exaggerated problem for the hero. Now remember, this exaggerated problem has to look pretty real. It can't be magical or something that's not real.
(Teacher gives time for the student's thinking/designing process.)
Teacher: What are you seeing?
Student: Oh, there are zombies destroying everything...
Teacher: Oops, erase the zombie, it's not real. What else can you come up with to put in your picture?

The idea is that the teacher needs to allow visualization to create a story, one step at a time. This allows for a designing of a story and picture. AFTER the story is "designed" in the student's mind, THEN he will be able to write, outline, identify the characters, and etc. after clearly seeing the big picture, and often with vivid description. Designing the picture with the student also allows for the student to accurately understand what the teacher needs for the story. It's specific yet, still allows for the student's creativity to shine through.

What doesn't work: Describe exaggeration on paper. Let's go through in specific steps on how to get to the big picture (outline, identify characters, story line, etc.). Let's start with the facts. Create an outline of a story you'll create later. Etc.

ALWAYS start with the picture. Without the picture, the student will be frustrated. Help the child create the picture... It might sound like you live in the mind of the child or that it's not "realistic" but the truth is, it's the most effective way to work with a kinesthetic learner. They NEED to know what it looks like and how it feels before they can put words to it.

Another example except in social skills learning: My son tries really hard to make friends, so much that he'll do a song and dance or be the class clown to get himself noticed. Then, he gets in trouble or others think he's wound tight and is uncomfortable to be around. He came home with tears one day, feeling like others don't "get" him. I told him to close his eyes and imagine himself on a beach somewhere. I asked him to feel how relaxed he was as he enjoyed just "being" there. I then asked him to imagine himself at school with his peers but asked him to stay relaxed like on the beach. I told him that is what his peers wanted... just for him to "be" with them. He said, "Oh, I get it... that is so sweet." I got a hug out of this too. :) Had I just "told" him what he was to do or how others probably feel being in his presence, I would have turned myself blue getting him to understand what he "needs" to do or made it sound like I like the other kids better than him too! This is especially useful with social situations when they tend over think the problem and keep working harder to do what they think is appropriate.

Visualization is the key for these "visual" kids (and adults). Remember to relate to others as they learn best, allows for teaching and learning (communication) to be effective QUICKER. It will decrease frustration and increase the energy in the relationship. We get so caught up in what the "norm" is that we forget to just "be" with others in the way that they are. Our communication process would be far smoother if we focused on how others would best understand what we say, rather than forcing others (especially children) to adapt to the way you communicate. The more flexible you are in your communication styles, the more effective of a communicator you are and the better others relate to you.

This is Your Brain on Learning

Ever wonder how our brains work? The brain is such an amazing thing that controls everything in our bodies. We all learn in the way our brains "think." We have three well known learning styles, Auditory, Visual-Spatial, and Kinesthetic.

Auditory: You learn by listening. You process information best by hearing and reading language.

Visual-Spatial: You learn by seeing. You process information best if you can "see" the information in a 3Dimensional way.

Kinesthetic: You learn by feeling. You process information best if you can "feel" the information, not just with the touch of your hands, but also with the emotional aspect.

So much is known about these learning styles and our educational facilities are learning to "differentiate" their teaching styles to support these learning styles. Truth is, we all experience these different learning styles, but one is typically our dominate learning style. What I'm discovering though is that there seems to be another learning style that has not been adapted to yet. I've been trying to define this new learning style and I'm finding some interesting things. From here on out I will term this learning style as "Core of the Brain" or "COB" learners.

I see you leaning closer to the monitor now and you're eager to figure out just what the heck I'm talking about. Let me just start by sharing a little of my own story:

Many, many years ago, my son and I began working with a Neuro-Linguist Programmer Practitioner or NLP Practitioner. In our individual sessions she asked us, "Point to where your mental picture is." Ironically, both my son and I shared the same location for our mental picture and it was in a place she'd not encountered yet... we probably fell into the 6% category. What she shared with me was the beginning of an interesting journey. She said that most of the population has their mental picture in front of them, somewhere between their forehead and about an arms length away. Through my own informal research I found that this was true, in addition, I began to connect together learning styles and the location of our mental picture.

Auditory Learners: Have their mental pictures in front of their forehead and their mental pictures are stationary or look like a photo/poster. The picture is 2D.

Visual-Spatial Learners: Have their mental pictures in front of their forehead and the mental picture is 3D. They have the ability to rotate their picture and see the depth of objects within the picture. They don't need to move their bodies to "see" what's on the other side of the object.

Kinesthetic Learners: Those that are kinesthetic would always respond by saying, "The picture is all the way around me." These individuals seem to be "in" their picture to experience it and feel it. These individuals also seem to have a hard time jumping from picture to picture as they need to let go of the FEELING they have with the picture.

You'd think that would be all you needed to know about learning styles, yes? There are some, perhaps the 6 percenters, that see and think differently. Their mental picture is in the Core of the Brain. They respond by saying, "My mental picture doesn't project out of my brain, it's way in there, in the middle of my brain." COB learners they are.

What kind of learning style does COB have? It's interesting. COB learners seem to be strong visionaries. Interestingly, language seems to hinder their learning. They have a combination of visual-spatial and kinesthetic styles, but they also have other strengths. We will explore the COB learning style in depth in another post.

The Big Day

On May 1st, we held our big meeting, the Educational Committee meeting. Five of the nine districts invited showed up. Three of the five were the biggest and most important districts in the Omaha area. In addition, the educational service unit showed up and two principals from a private school.

We began with me talking about the foundation and then moving on to a couple of parents sharing their struggles raising twice exceptional/bright out-of-sync learners. After that, Brandon spoke. Brandon is a 20 year old young man who struggled throughout his entire academic years. He spoke with such composure even though he was nervous. I think it was his underlying emotions that made him speak so clearly. He laid it on the line for the district administrators... what went wrong. He talked about being on a "specialized plan" for school and how teachers didn't follow it because they didn't believe he needed the support. He talked about his mom advocating for him but they wouldn't listen to her either. His words were truth. Even for a man who has an IQ well above the norm AND having Non-Verbal Learning Disorder. It was clear he was an articulate man who could clearly see what lead himself into a depression, his struggles in school.

The psychologist from CO then did an hour presentation. She talked about how to identify these kids and why they are often missed in the diagnosis process. She shared with them why these kids need different educational services. These kids are at a great risk for anxiety, depression, suicide, and acting out. They are at risk, period. They need something that allows them to be the way their brains are and still be held accountable not only for their behaviors, but also their potential. These kids need to understand themselves better and feel like they belong in society. They need to understand that their brains explode with information, ideas, dreams, good intentions, and the ability to see connections in ways many can't. They also need to understand what holds them back from getting this information out without being frustrated. So many of these kids have head injuries, high levels of heavy metals in their bodies/brains, seizures that go unrecognized, and for some their brain is just wired differently for reasons we don't understand, yet. They need to understand that they aren't "weird," they just process and learn from the world around them differently. These kids are on the verge of teaching the world about an entirely different learning and communicating style.

After the psychologist spoke, I talked about how Omaha needs to be the hub for twice exceptional in the Midwest. As private and public schools begin to provide educational programs for these kids, we need to find it here in our area to grow like the rest of the nation. I shared that the purpose of the committee is to design an initiative for a twice exceptional/bright out-of-sync educational program.

The meeting ended with a great response from the educators. Many said, "This is good stuff," on their way out as they grabbed more materials for others they know. Some wrote names of others on the roster to be included on the committee for future meetings.

I'm a life coach. I've been trained to support others by teaching skills and tools so they can begin to live their dreams in life. Dreams are an amazing thing. When dreams happen, there is a certain meaningful purpose that springs forth within us and it exhibits pure joy. This dream for me, has been sweeter than desire, and brings a resonating energy of the very reason I'm on this planet. There is a deep, comfortable sweet spot being rubbed and soothed. It's my life's purpose. Not only do I understand dreams, being a life coach, but I also understand the depth of dreams coming true! This dream is now on the beginning of a good ride after 3 1/2 years of persistence and many failed attempts, which were successful actions all along.

The Challenge

Three and a half years ago I began a journey after the birth/creation of an organization. I am the founder and president of the Omaha Gifted Foundation. We specialize and serve the Twice Exceptional population. Twice Exceptional is those who are exceptional because they are gifted (intellectually gifted) AND exceptional because they have learning differences.

During the last several years we have worked with a school psychologist from Colorado who founded an educational model specifically for children who are twice exceptional. We attempted to franchise her model to the Omaha area since it was not feasible to move there and put my son in her private school. In addition, I developed a board of passionate individuals and began doing speaking presentations. I also started parent nights for parents to get together and "feel normal."

This week we will be starting an Educational Committee. We are bringing together a couple of people from 10 districts locally. The psychologist is coming out from CO to help kick start the committee. I am simply thrilled and honored to have people gather to explore what needs to be done for twice exceptional children in our schools. I'm also nervous. As a leader, I feel a lot of pressure to "make things happen" and to keep everyone moving forward in achieving the sometimes seemingly impossible. I have to keep remembering "baby steps."

For someone who is a visionary person, I must say, I can't see details. The most frustrating thing between a visionary and those who see details is that the frustrating cycle lacks action. There is an entirely different thought process between the two. Visionaries can "see" how things are possible and know that as long as everyone keeps moving Forward, things happen. Being a leader has been the most challenging thing I've ever done. You know, I actually thought it was easy, way back when. Heh. Being a leader challenges who you are. It fights the thought process that says "you can't do it... no one will believe you... no one cares about what you have to say... no one will actually do anything about your vision... no one believes in you." The biggest challenge is for a leader to believe in herself!

6 percenter

I've been following a blog of someone I know and I've been inspired to create a blog of my own. I'll most likely start blogging more as I get the hang of this, but for now, this is the first of the 6 percenter to come.

I call myself a 6 percenter since it seems that is what sums up my life, 6 percent. There was a 6 % chance that at the age of 26 I'd be diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer, which I found myself diagnosed with. There was a 6% chance that my son would be allergic to inhalers, which he is. And that was just the beginning...