REEL

We seek resilience and engagement for 2e learners. We will affect change by working hand-in-hand with our education leaders and other community organizations.

We are a community group that seeks greater understanding of and attention to the needs of students who yearn for more intellectual, deeper engagement and whose cognitive and intellectual curiosities outpace typical patterns of development.

• For families: We offer an honest, open and empathetic network of support, guidance, and programs.
• For educators: We aim to support initiatives that help e

ducators learn how to identify, understand and better meet the needs of these frequently misunderstood students.
• For students: We spearhead initiatives that will build resilience through more appropriate intellectual challenge and the opportunity to stretch and grow.

09/04/2026

What is "2e"? It means a child has extraordinary strengths in some areas and a learning difference like ADHD, dyslexia, or autism in others. Not one or the other. Both, at the same time.

A child who can debate you point for point but struggles to write a paragraph. Strengths and challenges showing up together like this can mean one hides the other, and the child ends up misunderstood.

That's where REEL comes in. We help families see the whole child, strengths and struggles both, so they can thrive as who they are.

Comment "CHECKLIST" if you'd like us to share link to our free 2e fact sheet and checklist!

09/02/2026

📅 September is a busy one for us!

Lots on the calendar this month. Here's where to find us:
2e Parent Support Group
Thu, Sep 10
Our bi-monthly support group for parents of twice-exceptional children. Come with your questions, come with your wins, come as you are.

Supporting Executive Function in Twice-Exceptional Learners
Tue, Sep 15
Three experienced EF coaches share practical, strengths-based strategies to help your child build organization, independence, emotional regulation, and confidence.

Stanford Neurodiversity Summit 2026
Sat, Sep 19
Building Strengths through Neurodiversity Innovation.

2e Private School & Educational Options Panel
Thu, Sep 24
A panel of parents and an expert share their real experiences weighing school options for their children.

Raising an Organized Child: 5 Steps to Strengthen Executive Function
Thu, Sep 24, 5:30–6:30 PM PDT, on Zoom
Dr. Damon Korb () shares five steps for building executive function skills in children, from infancy through adolescence. Free, with Spanish interpretation available.

Mark your calendars and we hope to see you at one (or a few!) of these. 💛

09/01/2026

When a child is struggling in one area, it can be tempting to make more room for support by cutting back on the thing they already love.

But for many 2e and neurodivergent children, that deep interest isn’t “extra.” It may be where they feel most capable, regulated, curious, and connected.

Instead of taking it away, what if we leaned into it?

Protect the interest. Make room for it. Help them find others who love it, too. Because that passion may be more than something they enjoy. It may be a pathway to learning, confidence, and connection.

What’s your child’s “coyote”—the interest they could happily explore for hours? Tell us below.

08/31/2026

Executive function can make the transition to high school feel like a lot, for 2e teens and their families. The good news? A few small, supportive shifts can make everyday routines feel much more manageable. 💛

🗓️ Start small. Laying out clothes the night before or keeping a checklist by the door can go a long way when it becomes a familiar habit.

📓 Pair a simple planner with their Canvas. Canvas shows what’s due; a planner can help teens practice planning how and when they’ll get it done.

📆 Try a shared calendar. Start together, then gradually hand over more ownership as your teen is ready.

⏸️ Make room for a reset. That time between school and homework isn’t wasted—it can be an important chance to decompress and recharge.

We’re sharing 5 more practical strategies to help 2e teens navigate the transition to high school on the REEL blog. Link in bio. 💛

What’s helping your teen manage the transition this year?

08/22/2026

To everyone showing up for a 2e child this school year:

We asked our REEL community what's helped along the way, and their answers were full of wisdom:

✅ Connect early on, learn what the child needs to feel supported
✅ Ask the child what would help (they often know best)
✅ Pursue an IEP or 504 so there's something to point to and build on
✅ Advocates are brought in when things feel too hard to navigate alone

At the heart of it all is a simple hope for the year ahead: that our children feel safe and understood, build meaningful friendships, and have the freedom to be exactly who they are.

We are all in this together.

📎 Share this with a 2e parent or educator today. Full article: https://www.reel2e.org/post/effecting-change-at-your-school-for-your-2e-student-this-year

08/21/2026

We're excited to announce our Fall Signature Series line up: parent personal experiences to expert panels, we've got a lineup of events made for parents or educators looking to understand more about their 2e child or student.
So much on the calendar this fall! Here are a few highlights:

🗓️ Sep 15 — Supporting Executive Function in Twice-Exceptional Learners with Precious Listana , Mason Tudor & Max Greenberg
🗓️ Sep 24 — 2e Private School & Educational Options Panel with Lauren Meltzer
🗓️ Oct 15 — When Capable Readers Struggle: Stealth Dyslexia with Dr. Lisa White (Summit Center ) & Teresa Nair
🗓️ Oct 19 — Understanding Twice-Exceptional Learners with Reel's Abby Kirigin
🗓️ Nov 10 — Beyond Social Skills: Authentic Friendships with Amanda Morin, Author and Consultant , Heather Erba & Sam Young (Young Scholars Academy )

Scan the QR Codes or visit the link below to register now! https://www.reel2e.org/reelevents

08/19/2026

Dysgraphia is more than messy handwriting. It's a neurological difference that affects the brains ability to turn ideas into words on the page, which means even simple writing tasks can be exhausting for a child who has plenty to say.

Signs look different at every age, so we put together a quick reference guide with our friends over at Therapeeps OT Services. Save it for later.

Bright, verbal children can still struggle significantly with writing, and understanding why is the first step toward receiving the right support.

📎 Full article for what helps: https://www.reel2e.org/post/dysgraphia-when-the-brain-knows-what-to-say-but-the-hands-can-t-keep-up

08/19/2026

Everyday tasks can carry a hidden workload, requiring more energy, planning, and regulation than we might realize.

Many 2e learners have incredible minds and still struggle with executive functioning day-to-day. Here are some strategies you can try at home: break tasks into small steps, make time more predictable, and teach self-advocacy skills that will serve your child well beyond this school year.

📎 Read the full article here: https://www.reel2e.org/post/executive-function-made-easier-practical-strategies-for-your-2e-child

08/13/2026

Every child enters the school year with strengths, interests, and unique ways of expressing what they know. Education leaders, teachers, and parents all play a role in helping children recognize, and build upon, what makes them shine.

Here are eight activities to try at school or at home:

1. Personal cards: Invite children to create cards featuring their names, hobbies, interests, and favorite things.
2. Expression Style Inventory: Help children discover how they prefer to share what they know—through writing, art, music, movement, discussion, or another format.
3. Vision boards: Create collages of their hopes, goals, and curiosities for the year ahead.
4. The 3 E’s: Explore what they Excel at, feel Excited about, and Enjoy—then look for where those answers overlap.
5. Body tracings: Fill an outline of each child with words and images that represent their strengths and identity.
6. Strengths journals: Create a place to notice moments when children feel confident, engaged, or in flow.
7. Treasure chests: Collect mementos and reminders of accomplishments, interests, and moments of pride.
8. Mood boosters: Make a list of songs, books, activities, and comforts that help each child reset and feel supported.

Whether you lead a school, teach a classroom, or support a child at home, choose one activity to help you see the whole learner—and help children see their own strengths, too.

Visit the blog for the full breakdown of each activity. https://www.reel2e.org/post/8-strength-based-activities-to-kick-off-the-school-year

08/10/2026

Our children have so much to offer. This year, let's help them walk into the school year feeling ready to show it. A few small things that can make a big difference:

Build a routine: Shift bedtime and wake time gradually, a little each day.
Sensory prep: Swinging, heavy work, quiet time, whatever helps their body feel calm.
Executive function support: Visual schedules and checklists they can actually hold onto.
Emotional readiness: A visit to the school, a chat with the teacher, a look at photos of the classroom.

Small things. But they matter.

What's one thing you're doing to help your child feel confident this year? Tell us below, we'd love to celebrate it with you.

Address

Palo Alto, CA
94303

Website

http://www.reel2e.org/

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