Almost every teaching idea about New Year’s Day focuses on making resolutions. I wanted to create something different for teachers, and I wanted it to be something that had a variety of ideas. Of course it had be able to done virtually and it had to look good. Oh, and
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
