What's a highly sensitive person (HSP)?High Sensitivity is a personality trait, not a disorder. It is estimated that 15-20% of the population is born with Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) which means that their nervous system processes information more thoroughly than that of others. This thorough processing can lead to overstimulation.It is very likely that you have one or more Highly Sensitive Children (HSC) in your classroom. All HSC’s are different, but can often be identified by having several of the following traits:
· Deep thinking · Unusual reflective skills · Very observational towards the people around them and are able to pick up signs of discomfort in others that most people won’t notice · Deep emotional connection to music · Have a rich, philosophical inner life unusual for their age · Great empathy towards others · Strong sense of justice The downside for some students is that they are also sensitive towards noise, take longer to obtain certain social skills, react poorly to any injustice, and react negatively to change (transitions) and when put under pressure (time). If you can understand them, they will help you see the world in ways that can enrich your life. |
Here are some great resources to help you learn more about this large group of often misunderstood students. The book images are links to Amazon.
Here are some websites to get you started: