Should I Use Mix-Pair-Share? I get asked a lot: “Is Mix-Pair-Share just a cute classroom game, or is there real substance behind it?” Mix-Pair-Share is Think-Pair-Share’s upscale cousin, and I love it. Short answer: it is absolutely worth your time, and not just for the kids who always have something
After decades in gifted education, I’ve learned one thing: teachers don’t need more theory. You need practical strategies that work on Tuesday morning when you have 28 kids, three different readiness levels, and approximately 47 seconds to implement differentiation before someone needs a bandaid or the bathroom. This isn’t an
If you’ve been hanging out with me for any length of time, you know I’m obsessed with the Depth and Complexity framework. It’s like a Swiss Army knife for thinking. It’s versatile, it’s sharp, and it’s oh-so-useful. But what if we take this brainy tool out of the traditional classroom
Why Earth Day Matters Earth Day is sneaking up on us (April 22nd is right around the corner) and if you’re anything like me, you’re juggling a million things as testing season looms (sorry to remind you!). But here’s the thing: our students deserve a celebration of our planet that’s
In this installment of the Interview with a Gifted Kid series, I interview Vanessa Hill, a gifted coordinator from Tucson, Arizona. In the interview, we discuss everything from our own experiences as gifted students to acceleration to gifted pitfalls and policies. You’ll learn about an acceleration option called “telescoping” that is underused.
Teaching Greek philosophers to 5th and 6th graders can feel like a challenge. How do you take the abstract ideas of Socrates, Plato, or Hypatia and make them meaningful for students who might still struggle to remember what they had for lunch? If you’ve ever seen eyes glaze over at
Why are introductions so important? We all know that introducing something new in the classroom – whether it’s a routine, a concept, or a way of thinking – can make or break how well it works. It’s just like being invited to a party. The more attention someone paid to
Avoiding “Just Another Workshop-itis” After professional development on the Depth and Complexity Framework, it’s common for teachers to feel inspired and eager to apply their new learning. But as the weeks roll on and the daily pressures of school build, enthusiasm can wane, competing priorities arise, and the Depth and
Why Gifted Students Have Unique Needs Let’s start this discussion with why gifted kids often have a different social and emotional journey compared to their classmates. It’s not just about being smart – there’s a whole lot more going on! It’s not just better thinking – it’s different thinking, and
Introduction to Overcoming Perfectionism When I was learning to quilt, the only consistent about my stitching were the mistakes. A friend reassured me that the famous and fabulous Amish quilters always placed a deliberate mistake in their quilts in recognition that only God is perfect. After that, whenever I made a
If you teach littles and have wondered what Depth and Complexity looks like with Kindergarten, First, or Second Grades, I’ve got a list of question stems to get you started. Depth and Complexity is about what students are thinking, not what they’re doing, so focusing on questions is the best
Recently, a teacher emailed me if the nine Marzano instructional strategies integrate with the Depth and Complexity framework. As co-author of the book on Depth and Complexity, she assumed I would know. The short answer is yes, they do. Before I explain exactly how they connect and how teachers can
