boy in a laboratory

How to Help a Gifted Child Succeed

If you’ve parented or taught a gifted child, you’ve probably Googled “How to help my gifted child succeed” at least once. Or maybe a million times. Everytime, you’re probably hoping someone has revealed the great secret. I’ve worked with gifted children for decades, and I’m sharing (for free) the best

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teachers & students image analysis

Depth and Complexity Image Analysis Activity

Have you ever noticed that sometimes we make things worse when trying to make them better? I’ve just recently come across this dynamic in my teaching practice. I share resources for teachers on my little Teachers pay Teachers store. The TpT company has become very concerned with racial justice. That’s

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digital kanban board

Digital Kanban Board for Students

If you’ve got students or a child struggling to keep track of assignments or feeling overwhelmed with the amount of work they need to accomplish, a Kanban board may be the answer. A Kanban board is simple to use, motivating, and has proven its usefulness over decades. It’s odd to

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gifted student as tutor

Why You Should Not Use Gifted Students as Tutors

Gifted students should not be used as tutors for other students as standard practice. This should not be a controversial statement, and yet somehow it is. Gifted children should not be used as short little mini-teachers for other students for a number of reasons, not the least of which is

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girl in-front of laptop

Encouraging Words about Virtual Learning

Teachers shifting to virtual learning from an in-person only environment can feel overwhelmed. It’s hard not to get caught up in logins and device issues and constantly shifting requirements and keep focused on the core issues. I’ve written about steps to take to prepare for online teaching, and I’d like

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interview with gifted kid James

Interview with a Gifted Kid: James

In this installment of the Interview with a Gifted Kid series, we’ll meet James, a thirteen-year-old boy from Texas. I wish the words could convey the wry sense of humor James had. He was hysterically funny, in a very understated way. In the technical sense, James would fall into the

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prepare for virtual learning

6 Steps to Prepare for Blended Virtual Learning

Are you facing a year’s worth of learning experiences designed for regular classroom instruction, not knowing where to begin to convert it to a whole new world of learning? (But not in a cool Aladdin/Jasmine kind of way with a song and a flying carpet.) You probably aren’t describing the

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interview with a gifted kid Kassidy

Interview with a Gifted Kid: Kassidy

In this installment of the Interview with a Gifted Kid series, we’ll meet Kassidy, a twelve-year-old from a suburb on the East Coast. I spoke with Kassidy on the phone, and I kept trying to think of things to ask her because she was so fun. She’s also one of

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interview with a gifted kid Rachel

Interview with a Gifted Kid: Rachel

In this installment of the Interview with a Gifted Kid series, we’ll meet Rachel, an 8th grader from a small midwestern town. I think you’ll find her insights as interesting and powerful as I did. The Interview with a Gifted Kid Series As part of my mission to make the

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depth & complexity mistake?

Are you Making This Depth and Complexity Mistake?

Using the icons of Depth and Complexity without a strong task statement is a mistake. The task statement needs a strong through-line to the element, as well. If you just have an icon and no task statement, or a task statement that has a tenuous connection to the element represented

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girl with online class

How to Make Distance Learning Engaging

We can make distance learning more engaging for learners. I know this is true because I’ve been engaging hundreds of students simultaneously in distance learning, and I’m going to tell you all of my secrets. The key to engaging students in distance learning is energy. You know how they say

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bear hunt signs

Teddy Bear Crossing Bear Hunt Signs

Have you see the cute Bear Hunt movement that’s sweeping the country as kiddos find themselves isolated from peers and normal social interaction? How it works is that neighbors put teddy bears in their windows, and children try to spot the bears. It’s adorable. Want to see some in action

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