What Does “Smart” Even Mean?

What Does Smart Mean?

We praise kids for being “smart”, but what do we actually mean by it? What are we actually praising? It’s a surprisingly tricky word to figure out.

Top Puzzlements From September ’16

After a summer hiatus, Puzzlements has returned for Season 2! Here are the top five links from the past month of Puzzlement mailers (now being sent to over 4,000 people!). And if you’re not signed up, it’s free! A house built on a column that can rotate 380° Fill these trays up with soy sauce, […]

Reader Question: Morning Bell Work

I received a question from a reader regarding some unstructured time in the mornings. Sounds like the perfect chance for kids to pursue their curiosity – inspired by some delightful puzzlements, of course!

Lots of Recommended Books

Lots and lots of friends on Facebook and Twitter sent in their favorite books to use with gifted kids. Enjoy!

Abundance or Deficit Thinking?

It’s easy to be miserly and hold onto every resource, thinking it might be the last. But I’ve learned that what I have can grow – when I use it well. The same is true of our classroom resources.

Expectations and Scaffolds

When I see successful lessons, I’m almost always most impressed with how the teacher has set the stage for success. When I look back on my biggest failures, it was almost always a lack scaffolding that caused the problem. Expectations and scaffolds are vital to classroom success.