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As robotics coaches and educators, we noticed how students who experienced academic struggles during the school day found confidence and belonging in an afterschool program. They were engaged in something they were personally interested in, which almost always began with encouragement from their parents or teachers to jump into something new.
STEM extracurriculars in your school or city may include code clubs, robotics, math competitions, Science Olympiad, and 4-H projects. Many of these clubs teach advanced STEM skills and content, encourage communication and collaboration, and emphasize creative problem solving, all of which are recommended practices for gifted children.1 Twice-exceptional (2e) children also benefit from these opportunities, particularly when STEM skills match their strength(s) or interest(s). Additionally, extracurriculars can be well-suited to practicing skills that a 2e child may struggle with in academic settings, such as peer collaboration or persisting through challenge, in a fun and supported setting.
Twice-exceptional individuals have emphasized the role of extracurriculars in their post-high school success, specifically the opportunities to learn and apply academic and social skills, work with a team, deal with conflict, and create a community based on shared interests.2 When 2e children find an activity where they excel in a supportive climate, it strengthens their self-concept and can create positive future academic and social outcomes.3 To create the best-case scenario for a 2e child's success, they and their parents should discuss characteristics of both the child and the STEM program to determine if it could be a good match. The child's interests and preferences, prior experience with similar activities, comfort with competition, and even developmental readiness may be considerations when searching for the right fit. The personal characteristics that are most important will be different for each child and family.
Combining your child's specific strengths and interests with a STEM program that is most conducive to their success can be tricky. Based on research and our experience, we suggest three areas for further exploration when choosing a program: STEM knowledge, skills, and environment. These are detailed in the next sections, in no particular order, as the most important factors will vary greatly among 2e children. A good fit is created by an interacting combination of the three (like gears, as seen in the figure below); include your child...