When we pay attention to academics, but not to our students' social emotional needs, we're missing half of the picture.
While gifted students look perfect on paper, their teachers know that in the classroom they are not all the academic angels and stellar scholars that people assume they are. Successful teachers of the gifted require a special understanding of their students' social and emotional needs.
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.
Why the distinction between “high-achiever” and “gifted” was important to me personally and professionally.
As a kid, I got all the way to the top of Cub Scouts, but I never became a Boy Scout. I quit before I made the jump. Here’s why.
I got to work with several groups of students (of many ages) and I tried out this task: building a tournament to decide who was the most resilient historical figure or fictional character? Kids came up with some amazing ideas.
This quick clip of Steve Kerr coaching Steph Curry gives us insights into how we can mentor our most advanced students.
Three images I’m using to do a better job explaining giftedness to parents of gifted kids.
As a parent, it’s easy to be concerned about a blah teacher. But you have more power and influence than any one teacher. Be aware of your praise. Be aware of your actions.
Before you implement an educational theory like Mindset, Grit, or Multiple Intelligences, make sure to read the original work, understand the limitations, and know the most common misunderstandings.
My friend Brian introduced me to Torrance’s Manifesto for Children – and I wish I had seen it decades ago!
For people who do not suffer from perfectionist tendencies, it can be hard to understand the crippling feeling a student feels when their work doesn’t match their expectations. Ira Glass, who you know from This American Life, has a fantastic quote that gets to the heart of this problem.
Any time we complain that a kid always or never does something, we should consider this same question: has anyone ever taught them how?