Entelechy and Specialization

As I have presented, I have noticed that I need more of it. I have a lot of improvement to make still to turn more of the focus into the topic rather than the stories focusing on me. It’s more important to understand that students and adults who are both gifted and learning disabled are often not being helped due to either a lack of being recognized or lack of understanding what help means. This needs to happen more, and I can be involved in a bigger way.

I watched an amazing video by Richard Lavoie where he spoke about the needs of a learning disabled student needing a real educator and not some retired grandmother who just read to him. I think far too often when we consider a person who is both gifted and LD, it’s the LD side we focus on.  What makes it more problematic is that one of the common ways schools teach special education is through repetition. The issue with a 2E person is that repetition isn’t a good solution. More likely, it’s a perception problem where a paradigm shift is more of what’s needed. But that’s still focusing on the LD side.

The Gallop Organization has published countless reports about how we should be working with our strengths rather than our weaknesses. It’s fascinating stuff and if you are not familiar with Don Clifton’s work, you should look it up. The premise is that our strengths are not only what we currently have going for us, but we have a much higher ceiling to elevate within.  Not only that, but when we look at how our civilization has developed recently, we have become more and more specialized. We don’t worry about how well our doctor can balance her checkbook as long as they know what they are doing when it comes to our health. Heck, we see very few general practitioners in medicine now. Doctors are more specialized and patients are referred to the specialist who can help. That’s getting pretty specialized. It’s not just within medicine either though. We see it in many areas and professions.

When I present I feel that it’s right.  It’s not me up in front that makes me feel centered; it’s the information being delivered that makes me feel better. There are others who have powerful stories and countless doctors with much more impressive letters behind their name, but I have something they must not have. I have entelechy on my side. We all need to find the thing that makes us happy and fulfilled.  Entelechy is that and more.

I used to work with summer camps and outdoor organizations a lot. One woman summed up why she did what she did because it felt right. She felt as if she fit into the world now. She even held her hands together, pulled them toward herself in downward sweeping motion and used the word, “ka-chunk” to express the fit.

Being an advocate and spokesperson for G/LD feels right to me. It could also fulfill my need to fight for a cause, educate, inspire and make a difference in the world. I do seem to have many needs, but for me, a quiet existence doesn’t seem to fit. I need to tread a little heavier, sing a little more often and make a serious impact in a positive way.