This presentation discusses social and emotional learning (SEL) and how its five core competencies - self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making - can be applied to gifted and talented education. SEL is promoted to help gifted learners develop emotional intelligence, cultivate growth mindsets, manage strong emotions and intensities, reduce stress and anxiety, and feel appreciated and confident. The framework offers viable strategies to create positive learning environments and support the unique cognitive and affective needs of gifted students.

1. Morgan P.Appel
Assistant Dean
Education and Community Outreach

2. This presentation and a host of related
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3.  Grit: courage and resolve; strength of
character
 Growth: the process of developing or
maturing physically, mentally, or spiritually
 GATE: Think you all have a good handle on it
(or at least a working knowledge, as I do)

4. When in the flow state,
the brain is actively
seeking out information
from multiple sources
to engage in problem
solving activities.
That is where motivation,
persistence and creativity
make their homes.
Flow may be thought of a
vanishing point
between skill and challenge
brought about by a bit of
cognitive alchemy.
It is where we want our students
(and ourselves) to be.

5. Attend to the affective (s0cio-emotional) first,
foremost and always and all will follow in its wake.
Provide clarity (ambiguity begats anxiety), peace of
mind and opportunities for success no matter how
small (competence begats confidence).
Neuroscience dictates that no amount of
instructional sorcery will provide forward
momentum if learners remain in survival mode.

6.  Being gifted is a gift—unless you are the one experiencing it first
hand (both blessing and burden): suit of emotional armor
 Gifted have a tendency to look outwardly for approval and inwardly
for blame and may experience unique pressures to ‘perform’ as if the
spotlight is always on—even when alone
 Solutions must be epiphany based to mitigate perceived threat
against the social personality and concomitant pushback
 The greatest risk is the social risk, and the greatest challenges for
educators and parents alike tend to be socioemotional
 Things come naturally—without having to work hard.
 Characteristics become magnified through the lifespan and
pronounced during adolescence

7.  Asynchrony (cognitive, physical and socioemotional)
 Distorted perceptions of expectations and associated
stressors and pressures (competitive)
 Brain on Fire: rational and emotional
 Perfectionism and Impostor Syndrome
 Ambiguity and risk aversion (stability, routine, etc.)
 Idealized senses of justice and fairness/rigidity
 Great starters and finishers: it is just the middle that is
problematic
 Different conceptions/expectations of relationships
 Neuroplasticity and ‘addiction’ to learning

8.  Positive feelings about a
learning experience produce
endorphins (euphoria) and
dopamine (stimulates the
prefrontal cortex)
 Negative feelings about a
learning experience produce
adrenaline and cortisol –which
put the brain in survival mode
and causes anxiety
 Positive and negative feedback
work the same way

9. Understanding
Social and Emotional
Learning (SEL)
Systemic SEL is promoted
across multiple contexts every
day. SEL is more than just a
program or lesson. It is about
how teaching and learning
happens, as well as what you
teach and where you learn.
This widely used framework
identifies five core
competencies that when
prioritized across settings –
districts, schools, classrooms,
families, and the wider
community – can educate
hearts, inspire minds, and
help students navigate the
world more effectively.

10. Source: CASEL.org, 2019

11. Exploring SEL in the
Context of Giftedness
andTalent
Armed with a more robust
understanding of Social
and Emotional Learning,
we can examine
competencies and
contextually in gifted and
talented education.
This is not to suggest that
the approaches will not
work with gifted learners.
Instead, we posit that they
can be finely honed both in
school and at home to
attend to their unique
cognitive and affective
needs.

12. Note the way in
which age and
experience
play important part
in responding to
change.
This underscores the
need to start early in
ways that focus
specifically address
those SEL issues that
most profoundly
impact gifted learners.

13.  Self -Awareness
 Self-Management
 Social Awareness
 Relationship Skills
 Responsible Decision-making
Source: CASEL.org, 2019

14. Emotional intelligence and grounded sense of
confidence, optimism and growth mindset.
 Identifying emotions
 Accurate self-perception
 Recognizing strengths
 Self-confidence
 Self-efficacy
Source: CASEL.org, 2019

15. Starting Points:
Mindsets
Research on growth and
fixed mindsets is the
brainchild of Carol Dweck,
Professor of Psychology at
Stanford University.
The impetus of her work was
the study of attitudes toward
failure and resilience
attributes of children.
Dweck’s research
incorporates advances in
neuroscience, including
studies on brain plasticity, as
well as data on teaching
practice.
More details available at
https://www.mindsetworks.c
om/science/.

16. FIXED MINDSET
“In a fixed mindset, people
believe that their basic qualities,
like their intelligence or talent,
are simply fixed traits. They
spend their time documenting
their intelligence or talent
instead of developing them.
They also believe that talent
alone creates success—without
effort.”
GROWTH MINDSET
“In a growth mindset, people
believe that their most basic
abilities can be developed
through dedication and hard
work—brains and talent are just
the starting point.The view
creates a love of learning and a
resilience that is essential for
great accomplishment.”
Source: Dweck, C. 2015, adopted from Los Angeles Unified School District, 2019

17. ATTITUDESTOWARD
 Challenges
 Obstacles
 Effort
 Criticism
 Success of Others
 The journey and the
process (getting there)
 Understanding the nature
of one’s own giftedness
 Universality of mindset
GIFTEDNESS
 Gifts and talents
 Intensities
 Rigidity
 Risk aversion
 Perfectionism and Imposter
Syndrome/ self belief
 Social anxieties
 Dual exceptionalities
 Metacognitive skills (things
come naturally)

18.  Intensities and inability to come to grips with
emotions (feeling out of control)
 Exaggerated/distorted self-perception, acuity
around perceptions and expectations of others
(seek outward approval, inwardly for blame)
 Perfectionism and imposter syndrome
 Improbable series of flukes (pulling the wool
over eyes)
 Need for better self care

19. Managing stress, controlling impulses, and
motivating oneself.The ability to set and work
toward personal and academic goals.
 Impulse control
 Stress management
 Self-discipline
 Self-motivation
 Goal-setting
 Organizational skills
Source: CASEL.org, 2019

20. One Word Says it All:
INTENSITY
Giftedness has both
intellectual and emotional
elements that are complex,
multifaceted and layered.
Intensity impacts every
aspect of the lives of gifted
and talented individuals.
They tend to ‘go all out’ in
just about everything.
It is not that they feel more
than the non-gifted, but
experience these feelings
rather vividly and deeply.
This is an experience that
can prove alarming and
warrants our attentions.
Source (in part): SENG, 2015

21. Getting Gone:
Stress and its
Implications
As we are well aware, a little
bit of stress can be a good
thing as it pushes us forward
to achieve. Neuroscience
offers that the stress
response is associated with
the survival mechanism and
the neurochemistry of focus.
Beyond impacts to the
problem at hand, long-term
experience withToxic Stress
can have lasting
physiological effects and
serve as catalysts for
underachievement and
avoidance behaviors.
Be vigilant, as the gifted suit
of armor may mask
symptoms of this condition.

22.  Issues related to executive function (lengthening the
fuse)
 ‘Brain on Fire’ and non-stop processing
 Exaggerated/distorted self-perception, acuity around
perceptions and expectations of others (look
outwardly for approval, inwardly for blame)
 Maintaining engagement (great starters and at
showcasing product)
 Metacognitive skills/organizational skills

23. The ability to take the perspective of and
empathize with others, including those from
diverse backgrounds and cultures.
 Perspective-taking
 Empathy
 Appreciating diversity
 Respect for others
Source: CASEL.org, 2019

24.  Moving beyond absolutes and idealized
senses of justice and fairness
 Cultivating emotional intelligence and an
enhanced ability to ‘read the room’
 Realistic perspectives and actions related to
empathy (and possibly as an empath)
 Effective communication and collaboration
 Cultivating social skills (friendships)

25. The ability to establish and maintain healthy and
rewarding relationships with diverse individuals
and groups. The ability to communicate
clearly, listen well, cooperate with others,
resist inappropriate social pressure, negotiate
conflict constructively, and seek and offer
help when needed.
Source: CASEL.org, 2019

26.  Communication
 Social engagement
 Relationship-building
 Teamwork
Source: CASEL.org, 2019

27.  Developing patience and appreciation of ideas of
others
 Obsessive attachments and perceptions of
relationships
 Working in groups—playing a variety of roles
 Understanding inherent benefits of synergy
 Overcoming shyness—taking social risks
 Confidence and determination
 Self care and care of others
 Get off line and off screen

28. The ability to make constructive choices about
personal behavior and social interactions
based on ethical standards, safety concerns, and
social norms.The realistic evaluation of
consequences of various actions, and a
consideration of the well-being of oneself and
others.
Source: CASEL.org, 2019

29.  Identifying problems
 Analyzing situations
 Solving problems
 Evaluating
 Reflecting
 Ethical responsibility
Source: CASEL.org, 2019

30.  Reflecting and evaluating realistically (‘seeing
the light’)
 Solving problems using processes, tools and
strategies
 Building resilience – if at first you don’t
succeed, stick around
 Moving beyond absolutes: seeing shades of
grey and ethical impacts of decisions

31.  SEL as a cooperative, cohesive, dynamic and fluid effort
(working with teachers and others)
 Managing strong emotions and intensities
 Anxiety and stress abatement
 Allowing children to fail (avoid impulse to rescue) –
cultivate resilience
 Encourage balance, downtime, mental and physical
wellbeing
 Open channel for communication and advice seeking
 Assist with identification and expression of emotion (EI)

32.  Focus on strengths and build from there (use realistic and
appropriate praise)
 Create positive learning environments at home (but those
that incorporate balance and are true to the purpose of
learning)
 Help (to the extent possible) your children with homework
 Understand that children learn about emotions from you
and other adults (semper vigilans)
 Become an ‘emotion coach’
 Attend school- and district-based SEL events (authentic to
children and young adults)
Source: adapted from Montgomery Public Schools, 2019

33. AllYou Need
is Love
When it comes right down to
it, we have an innate
sensibility that helps us to
understand and express
emotion.
Gifted and talented
individuals, just like any of
us, want to feel appreciated,
confident and experience a
general sense of solace as
they move through school,
career and life.
Social and Emotional
Learning offers a viable
framework to help us along
our collective journeys in an
uncertain and often chaotic
world.
But in the end, it is
unconditional love that all
we need to make it through.

35. Morgan Appel
Assistant Dean
Education and Community Outreach
UC San Diego Extension
9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0170-N
La Jolla, California 92093-0170
mappel@ucsd.edu
858-534-9273
extension.ucsd.edu/education