Moving from analysis to evaluation sure makes things more fun. Why? Check out these examples. Which would you rather answer?
Year: 2010
What’s Test Prep Like In A Gifted Class?
Testing is a reality in any classroom, but what does it look like with your gifted learners? Drill and kill, test prep, reviewing material… these all go against the ideals of your gifted classroom. Yet it would be a disservice for your kids to head into a high-stakes test without the utmost preparation, right?
From Apathy To Flow
It’s our job to draw out the excited learner inside our gifted students. Finding the right connection of skill and challenge is one way to accomplish this. Students with a low skill level working with a low level of challenge are destined to be apathetic. Pump up the challenge without increasing skill and your students become worried and anxious.
An Apple Stock Math Project
Entice your gifted mathematicians with real world data and an authentic problem such as: “Let’s say that instead of buying the original iPod, you spent the same amount of money on Apple stock. How much would that stock be worth now?”
A Mess On Einstein’s Desk
Einstein’s desk hours after his death reveals a method of work that might disturb us as teachers. Yet can you imagine chastising this genius about his organization?
Towel Folding Robot
Tell me your students won’t be fascinating and inspired by this video of a robot capable of folding hand towels.
Do Your Assessments Reflect Your Teaching?
If we expect gifted students to learn information at a more rigorous level than the general population, then we must also assess them at higher levels as well. How can you embed higher level thinking skills into an assessment (and ditch those “multiple choice” and “fill in the blank” sections)?
Adding The Beatles to a Lesson on Cause and Effect
For my students, simply teaching a direct instruction lesson about cause and effect is a recipe for boredom and behavior problems. My solution involved bringing in a little help from The Beatles.
Today We’ll Analyze Video Game Systems!
How many ways can you think of to use a gallery of one hundred video game systems in your gifted classroom?
No Street Names In Japan?
Do your learners use the tool 👓 multiple perspectives to analyze stories, problems, and historical events? Here’s a TED Talk about real-life multiple perspectives that will make your students (and you!) reconsider basic assumptions.