What Did We Do at School Today?

Often, parents want to know what their child did at school everyday.

This is completely, 100% understandable, and it is their right to know. It is their baby who they are graciously sending off to school every morning. They have a lot of hopes and dreams for their child. They have a lot of wonderings and questions about their child. Will my child make friends? Will my child be kind? Will my child learn new things?

It is so difficult, however, to answer the question, "What did my child do at school today?" because, if I answer you honestly, this is what it would look like.

It wouldn't look like a seamless, followed-to-the-exact-minute schedule.

It wouldn't look like your child sitting at a desk all day long, doing long calculations, reading a textbook, working in a workbook, or doing lots of worksheets.

It wouldn't look like a perfectly silent and quiet classroom, with all 19 children obeying and following and listening to every direction.

It looks like this...

Today, I greeted each of your children at the door as they entered and got ready for their day. I want them to know that I see them, that I know they are there, and that their presence at school today is celebrated.

Today, I led your children in exercises of independence and organization. I taught them how to unpack their backpacks everyday, put their take-home folders in the right basket, get their iPad ready for the day, and get started on their morning work. You see, we are working on doing things by ourselves, instead of having others do them for us. We also practiced how to gather all of our needed materials for math class by ourselves, which starts right after announcements are over.

But, after announcements were over, I led your children in understanding the "why" behind saying the US and Texas pledges, as well as why we observe a moment of silence. Lots of them were still trying to sit down or continue to work during these things, or talking or making noises during the moment of silence to be funny. We discussed the importance of respecting our state, country, and fallen soldiers who have fought to protect our freedoms. We discussed the freedom of getting to go to school, to learn, to worship the way we want, to dress the way we do, to marry the person we want. We practiced doing the pledge and moment of silence after these discussions, and your children showed ample respect.

Today, we had math class. During math, we talked about what good mathematicians do. We learned the value in double checking our work. We learned how to organize our thinking about numbers and place value. We learned how to take our time to do a good job. We learned how to download an app and how to use it the right way. We used the app to show the place value of numbers up to 120 and beyond, because I let your children pick their own number and show me all that they could do. Then, we worked on your child's individual math goal that they had set at the beginning of the year. I pulled each child one at a time to work with them individually on their specific goal. I taught one-on-one lessons about multiplication, division, and triple digit subtraction with borrowing-- because those were your children's goals, and I'm not going to stop them from going beyond the curriculum if they can. While they weren't with me, they were doing challenging problem solving questions or logic puzzles in groups. When math was over, I could barely break them away from their focus. They were so into their learning.

Today, we had snack time, because your children get hungry mid morning and I want to listen to that. Their basic needs must be met before learning can happen, so I let them have a snack.

Today, our class circled up and I told them good morning by name and that I was glad they were here today. We talked about how we are feeling today, because sometimes children can carry in hurt or pain or confusion or anger to the classroom, and this is a time to check in and help them overcome those things.

We talked about who we become when we enter this classroom, and who we want to be. Among the answers from your children were: thinkers, dreamers, learners, writers, authors, scientists, friends, artists, readers, loved, and important. I never want them to forget the possibilities within.

We talked about our favorite parts of the week, and reflected as a group on the wonderful things we had done together in class. We laughed together, practiced listening skills and how to make eye contact with others, how to wait our turn when someone else is talking, how to respond to someone's story or thought, and how to show respect in a group and value everyone's voice.

Today, we did a brief but fun calendar time. I asked your children questions like "what number month of the year is the month of June/September/December" or "what would the code date be 6 days from today?" because I know that your children already know the months of the year or how to write today's code date, so I added some depth to it.

Today, we talked about character, how to start a chain reaction of kindness, and read the book "Each Kindness" together, which is about a little girl who lost her chance to show kindness to another child, and it was too late. We talked about being brave and showing courage by being kind. We made text-to-self connections to our own life as we read, and commented on how parts of the book reminded us of things in our own lives. We deeply felt the sorrow at the end of the book. You could've heard a pin drop as I closed the book. I nearly cried after reading the last page. We shared that moment together and understood the depth and importance of being kind to others.

Today, we each made an artistic expression of the word "BRAVE" and decided how we would have courage and be kind this year. We wrote our response on our "BRAVE" posters and used our creativity and art skills to construct a masterpiece. We talked about being brave in making new friends, or standing up to others who are bullying or being unkind. We discussed intellectual courage and being brave with our ideas and our thinking, how to push our brains in new ways this year that we haven't pushed them before. This is so important for us to discuss, because this year will be hard. This year, your child won't coast by. They will have their thinking challenged by other classmates. They will have to grow in strength and reasoning in their intellect.

Today, I held 3 separate children while they cried.
Today, I rubbed a child's back while gently redirecting him to make a better choice.
Today, I put a bandaid on a child's scrape, wrote 3 nurse passes for ice packs or sore throats, and felt 2 foreheads for warmth.
Today, I walked around the playground and located every one of my children, and made sure that they had someone to play with. I helped connect them with other children if they didn't, and helped them practice social skills in joining in play or requesting to play, or inviting others to play.
Today, I gave countless hugs.
Today, I calmed a child down while they had a panic attack in the corner.
Today, I walked many children through the lunch line and made sure that they had a balanced meal and encouraged them to get fruits and vegetables, and not just sweets and snacks.
Today, I noticed lots of good choices made by your child, and had them mark down those good choices and reflect on them.
Today, I helped sprinkle a whole lot of glitter on your child's artwork, lovingly and carefully trying to stick to the design they wanted.
Today, I taught your children how to clean up after themselves and take care of their classroom.
Today, I lined your children up at the end of the day and told them how much I loved them, thanked them for a fabulous day of learning, and told them how much I would miss them over the weekend.
Today, I listened to your child groan because they wouldn't get to go to school for the next three days. I listened as your child told me they would miss me and school and their friends. I hugged and high-fived your child as they walked out the door.
Today, I made sure your child got home safely and got to where they needed to be.
Today, I hung up your child's Brave poster and marveled at their words. I thanked God for each one of them. I prayed for a year of growth and learning.

The past couple of weeks, we have explored the science lab and tools a scientist uses; we have built stamina in reading independently; we have read aloud many beloved books and creative chapter books, and shared rich moments diving into literature; we have focused on building our classroom community and seeing how we are all connected to one another; we have talked about the importance of rules and their purpose, and debated over whether rules should ever be broken; we have slowly started to set up our iPads, learned how to download our own apps, are still learning how to use an app independently, and are still trying to type in our own passwords correctly. We are learning how to brainstorm and think creatively and see things in more than one way. We are learning how to not get stuck as a writer, and discussing ideas of what to write about. We are sharing our passions and interests and starting to research the things we love most.

We have done so many things over the past two weeks since school began.

So, when you ask your child or me what we did at school today, it is a really loaded question. That is why sometimes your child gives you a brief and non-informative answer. That is why my weekly newsletter recapping the week and discussing what learning is to come next week leaves you with lingering questions. Because what we do, everyday, is so much more than a blurb about an objective; it is so much more than what a picture can capture.

And I can't wait to see what the many days to come will hold.

My 6 Hopes for Year Six

The past week I have been up to my classroom a handful of times: unpacking boxes, sorting math manipulatives in their little baskets, stapling borders, and making runs to the Dollar Tree and Teacher's Tools. And as I work away at setting up this room, there is something really important that I don't want to forget. This isn't MY classroom- it's theirs. It's ours. Together.

What are my hopes for year six? It is honestly crazy to type that out. I remember starting out on this journey of teaching, August 25th, 2010. It was the same day my parents became officially divorced. It was a month before I would even get my first paycheck, and my coworker next door was generously buying me staple groceries to help me get by. It was a month after ending a relationship that crushed me. And on August 25th, 2010, I met my first group of students. They were eager, excited, enthusiastic, and brilliant. We were like peas and carrots, those children and me. They brought healing and purpose to my life that I couldn't have imagined. They gave me a new identity of sorts- "teacher."

The past five years have not been about me, though. Sure, the teacher can really influence a room, but it's the kids that make it. The kids are the ones who create what you will have together for the next nine-ish months. They are the heartbeat and soul of any class, and I find it so funny that I used to think I was.

So as I decorate and place things and hang things and staple things and so forth...I have to continually ask myself, "Is this going to help the room feel like theirs? Is this going to enable us to learn and grow together?" Because if it won't, I don't need to put it up on a wall. And this goes for far more than just classroom decor, this goes for lessons and activities and experiments and PBLs and group work in the future-- is it going to help my students own their learning, and feel like its theirs?

So, as I am constantly reflecting on every little detail of our little learning zone, I also have been reflecting on what I hope for and desire this year. Here are my 6 hopes for year six.

1) Build strong, beautiful relationships with each of my 19 awesome students. I stinkin' love children and what I love about them is that they are each a unique ray of light in our world. They bring sunshine wherever they go, and their childlike outlook on life is refreshing and sweet. I love getting to know them- about their families, their likes and dislikes, their passions and dreams, their goals and hopes, their fears and worries, their ideas and imaginations...I love how they are each wired so specifically, so distinctively, so intentionally. There will never be another child like any of the children I have the honor to teach, and there has never been, nor will there ever be another class like this one again. I want to relish in it and not compare it, not try to make it something it isn't, but to love what it is, and help it to flourish and thrive.

2) Give the classroom back to my students, and allow it to be theirs for the taking, the learning, the growing, the shaping. Allow it to be their space and learning laboratory, their space to grow in, their space to learn more about who they are and how to think and what they feel. I want it to be a space where they feel SAFE to be who they are and learn and ask questions and explore.

3) Fill each day with positivity. I read "The Energy Bus" this summer by Jon Gordon, and I want to be a CEO (Central Energy Officer) for our classroom by promoting strong positive energy, humor, laughter, silly moments, moments to breath and smile and take in the goodness of life. I also want my students to climb aboard our classroom "Energy Bus," and help energize and encourage one another throughout the day.

4) Promote community, kindness, trust, and strong bonds between the students. I want our class to know one another so deeply and well, and build such a tight-knit community that if one of them is absent, the absence is felt- whether the student's ideas or contributions to discussions or learning times aren't being heard, other students are sad about not getting to play and learn with him or her, and the student's overall presence is missed. I want our students to trust one another and me, and to feel safe, loved, and cared for in their classroom environment. I want students to leave our classroom having a better understanding of how to be a friend- how to play with others, how to see things from other perspectives, how a kind word is never wasted, how to be inclusive and accepting of differences, how to THINK before we speak, how to communicate well, how to work with others, how to serve one another, and how integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is looking.

5) Be more flexible with balancing state standard need-to-knows and independent/passion learning time. I want to not worry so much about "covering" every single state standard and by doing so cause stress and anxiety in our classroom (as well as super full days), but to focus on the most important ones and go deep with them with my students. I always try to make sure we hit every standard during the year, but it can sometimes get in the way of real student discovery and self-led learning. I want to make sure there is a balance, because I believe in both. It's important for students to leave our classroom having learned what they needed to learn, but also for them to leave our classroom with a deep understanding of their own personal passions and interests, and the capabilities to research, explore, and go farther with those on their own. In a nutshell, providing time for more student choice and voice, and not feeling guilty about it!

6) Self-reflect and embrace reality. I want to constantly ask myself the question, "Would I want to be a student in this classroom?" I want to be able to problem solve if the answer is no, to be able to think creatively and design solutions that will help students learn better and love learning more. I want to ask students, parents, and teachers for feedback, and be willing to receive it. I want to grow thicker skin and push towards my own goals and change for the better.

To my 19 students of year six- I am ready for you, and I am so excited to be your teacher.

What I Wish I'd Done with GT Kids in the Regular Classroom: #1 and #4

Good afternoon! Andrew and I just returned from a loooooong stretch of vacation. We were in Chicago (for both of us, it was our first time there) for 5 days and then Austin for 4 days. Both were restful, adventurous, and beautiful, but it feels good to be back home and back into a rhythm.

I mentioned on my previous post that I would go further in depth with each of the 9 things I listed that I wish I would've done in my regular classroom with my gifted students. I am going to further explain #1 and #4 first as a starting point, and I think they go nicely together, since inquiry and exploration in science and social studies includes a lot of student voice and choice in content, process, and product. The following post is a bit on the longer side, but I wanted to make sure to provide lots of examples and explanations.

Advocating for Student Voice and Choice in the Classroom

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Using Inquiry, Wonder Walls, Research, and Self-Led Experimentation

Classroom with Mike: very little student voice/choice, and science/social studies time was a lot of direct instruction with very few inquiry components, if any at all. Mike was not given the chance to share how he wanted to meet a standard or choose what kind of product he would make to show his learning. Mike was not given the chance to give me feedback as an educator or propose possible changes that could make learning for him better-- I didn't know at the time the importance of letting my students do so. Mike had very little space for asking above-and-beyond questions that he could actually find answers to on his own. I did not set up our science and social studies learning to be inquiry and discovery-based, which resulted in boredom and detachment during lessons. Oh, if only I knew then what I know now.

Student voice and choice is a hot topic right now in many educational circles. We are seeing it pop up everywhere. Our district had a passionate Twitter chat all about it in May that blew us all away. We are seeing how crucial it is that students are given a voice- the ability to speak up, be brave, ask questions, share ideas, give examples, communicate needs and desires, and provide feedback on how the learning is going. This feedback can include commenting on a teacher's teaching methods or practice, to how they would change something in the classroom, whether it be the set-up of the desks or the book project that was assigned. When students are allowed this freedom to speak up respectfully and share what is on their minds, teachers are allowed the opportunity to hear from the best critic of all- their own students. You see, our students are not just receivers of information or visitors to our classroom. They are to be the center, and they have a right to say when something could be made different for the betterment of the learning environment. That doesn't mean they bark rudely at you or tell you what you are doing is stupid, because that gets nobody anywhere. At the beginning of this past year, some students after hearing that they had this freedom to speak into what we were doing as a class used it as merely an opportunity to complain or comment without any back-up or alternative plan-- and when I would ask them how they could envision something better or to give specifics, they could not. We all quickly learned that feedback isn't feedback if it's just noise.

From day one, it is important to model and practice with students how to ask specific questions, how to provide and share new ideas or ways to do something differently, and how to give teachers constructive and helpful feedback. Opening up that line of communication builds a level of mutual trust and respect that is out of this world. It empowers students to be the owners of their learning experiences. It empowers them and produces boldness and leadership, to allow them to take on learning with their own two hands. The teacher is a facilitator, a guide, a mentor, a coach, a scaffolder, there every step of the way-- but now the students are in charge of their own learning and excited about it. They have a say! They have freedom! They can work in groups or by themselves if they want, they can go to the bathroom or sharpen a pencil when they desire, they can show their learning by making a movie or a model or a brochure, they can. Sure, there may be times where you as the educator know what is best for them and give them certain parameters-- you come to know when these times are; for example, the child who never works alone and always with others, or the child who wants to make a second 3D model that week and hasn't even finished their first-- you tend to pick up on these patterns and intervene when it is fitting. But when it comes to the learning process, there's not a lot of can't's that should be present anymore. With all children, especially gifted learners, they need this freedom. They need to be allowed a voice and choice in how they learn. Not just receivers of what we give them, but creators, doers, thinkers, makers, dreamers, full of ideas and possibilities. 

More on student voice and choice in content/process/product throughout the next several paragraphs, but I want to take a moment and talk about the importance of science and social studies. The first has to do with the way the world works around us, and all the things in it. The second has to do with the way communities and people work together, and how it has been done and how it has evolved and changed in our appropriate communities and the world over many years. When you boil it down, science and social studies teach us how to better understand our world- so they are super important! These are often subjects we skimp on (or skip completely) due to the nature of the fact that reading and math are so foundational and necessary, plus due to the fact that our students take standardized tests in these subjects sooner in their educational careers. So we spend little time on science and social studies or we try to integrate them into our ELAR block, but it just makes me sad that these subjects often get the shaft. To do science and social studies REALLY well, you can't just read a book about it. You can't just read a passage and answer comprehension questions about it. You have to incorporate inquiry- the process of starting with questioning, then walking through exploration, experimentation, and discovering answers to your questions along the way. You also have to incorporate *wonder* in science and social studies instruction. "I wonder how our life is different today because of historical figures and their contributions in the past? What would it be like without them?" "I wonder how objects in the sky move over a 24 hour period? How does the sky change?" It opens up so much opportunity for exploration and discovery.

Here is how to use inquiry, wonder walls, research, and self-led experimentation in science and social studies while incorporating student voice and choice.

1) Gain Prior Knowledge. I should've done this so much more often with Mike and the learners in my classroom. It seems so simple, but when we as teachers construct an amazing lesson plan and then think about the what-if, "What if my students already know all of this and my planning time was wasted?", we often can shy away from this very important step. This means that as a teacher, part of your job is to introduce the learning standard or target, and then gain what prior knowledge or ideas they already have coming into the unit. This is so important to do with gifted learners. They often come in already having the knowledge and having mastered the standard before anything else is said. When you ask what they already know, they can sometimes be an encyclopedia of information. My students often times know more than me, and I have learned to be okay with that! When I asked them what they knew about magnets, for example, I gave them about 3-4 minutes to write down their thoughts on sticky notes and post them to the board. They have a class number, so they would write their number in the corner so I would know whose was whose. After reading them all, I quickly realized which of my students already knew everything we needed to know about magnets- that they can push or pull objects, attract and pull objects made of iron, repelling/pushing happens when two similar poles are put together, and pulling/attracting happens when opposite poles are put together...and so on and so forth...and I laughed and realized that if I had made them sit there through a week's worth of magnet books and videos and lessons then they would've been bored and poor behaviors would have started to pop out and they would've been trying so hard to move on to something new. 

So what happens if you gain prior knowledge and your gifted students plus others know the information, but some do not? You differentiate the discovery in content, process, and product. Here's how:

2) Create a Wonder Wall. Whether a child knows everything there is to know about Abraham Lincoln or types of energy, there is always more to know or wonder about. Allow your students to wonder and ask new questions! These questions can be ones they can research or find out as you go, or they can be ones that turn into self-led experiments that are performed over a longer period of time. 

Plants Example: Our first grade science standard is to identify and compare the parts of plants, a pretty simple one that could be done easily in one day with an associated worksheet that gifted students would find pointless and then quickly ask when they can go back to their coding app or finish the comic book they are working on about the ten tallest buildings in the world. #giftedinterests

So, we gained some prior knowledge- what do we already know about plants and their parts? After finding out what my students knew and didn't know, I then knew how to go from there. As we would continue in our plant unit, the ones who didn't know would simply be the ones who I watched more closely as we engaged in the exploring and discovery pieces-- were they picking up the information they needed, and were they discovering it on their own? When they researched, were they finding answers? If they weren't, then of course I could do some one-on-one instruction with them or small grouping. 

Then we all started to ask more questions-- this takes us into choice in content, what the students learn. Students often want to learn so much more, if we let them and get out of the way. If after generating prior knowledge you have students wanting to know more and go beyond the standard, you begin a wonder wall. ALL students can participate in a Wonder Wall, even the ones who don't have the basic content mastered yet. Wondering creates opportunities for learning, ones that we as teachers may not have even imagined. Creating a "Wonder Wall" is easy-- this can be at any space in the room. It can be a bulletin board; it can be a poster board you laminate and can put up or take down; or even a section of your white board. A Wonder Wall is most effective when it is always available, so that students can use post-it notes and jot down a wondering at any time during the day to stick up there and work with later. It is wonderful because whenever a child has a question they are wondering about and we may not have the time to go deep into it at that moment, we can all say, "Wonder Wall!" and the child can happily, excitedly go write it down and stick it up on the board to be explored at a later time. It is helpful because it doesn't dismiss the above-and-beyond questions, and it promises students that they can find out the things they want to know and will be given time to do so. They can explore their questions during an RtI Block or as a fast finisher activity, or during independent study-- you will find the time. However, you can be intentional with what the questions will be used for-- will they be a simple search one day on KidRex.org (a kid-friendly search engine), or will the questions be turned into experiments or independent study?

^ An experiment from this past year that was birthed out of a wonder wall question

3) Self-Led Experimentation. So with plants we asked- What do plants need to survive? What does a seed need to germinate/sprout? (These first two questions I generated for class-wide experimentation.) Then they came up with the rest: Can seeds grow without any oxygen? How much space do seeds need to grow? How much soil do seeds need to grow and survive? If you give a plant too much water, will it die? We made hypotheses and predicted what we thought would happen if we tested any of these questions. We then set up inquiry-based experiments that the students chose- this is the process of learning the content they want to explore, and they chose how they wanted to do it- and their experiments were all based on one of the questions they asked on the Wonder Wall. They got into teams, told me the materials they needed to perform their experiments, used proper science tools, set their experiments up and put them in an area of the room by a window, or perhaps in a closet, if they were testing the effects of no sunlight. Next to their experiment they wrote their Wonder Wall question on an index card and propped it up next to the experiment, so all would know what the experiment was testing. As we watched and observed these plant experiments, taking notes and recording what we noticed and new learning (my students couldn't believe that seeds only need water to germinate/sprout-- nothing more-- it was on many of their "top things I learned in first grade" lists), we dove into the plant parts and compared them to one another in each of the several experiments going on. After the two weeks of watching, observing, and recording what we noticed, we shared our findings to one another in our teams-- what we had discovered, if our question had been answered or if there was further exploration to do. My students loved this part because they were in charge of their question, their experiment, and their discovery-- they were the scientists, and I was the facilitator on the side. They owned it!

4) Research. I asked how else we could find out information about plant parts and their functions, so students decided to research in teams (more process decisions- how the students want to learn) by using various web sites and videos explaining the parts of plants and their functions. They asked if we could use a class shared Google Doc to type down notes about each plant part as they found information. Some asked if they could just take notes on post-its, and others in their science journals --> more choice in process. This is another area you can differentiate in- the process of how children learn something does not always look the same for all the students in your class. While some students may feel comfortable and ready to go and research on their own, some are not-- and this could be a time where when others are independently researching, you can pull individuals or small groups to research together or to do a mini-lesson or reteach. It is important to provide choice in this way, even for gifted students, because sometimes they aren't ready or willing to go learn on their own in various cases. Sometimes they want you to teach them something directly, and that's ok!

^ Snapshot of part of the notes on class shared Google Doc

5) Assessment/How Students Show Their Learning and Understanding: Along the way, students created different products- ways to show their learning of plants and their parts. There are so many ways students can show learning along the way of course, and you can do continual formative assessment as you work through the study. However, as a summative (in lieu of a paper/pencil test) you can often ask students how they want to show you that they've learned. Sometimes they can just orally tell you. Sometimes you can just pull them one-on-one and them show you they know. But sometimes, they want to come up with something created and original- hence, a product.

Students started their plant products at the beginning of the unit as opposed to at the end of the unit. They updated their creations and worked on them as they learned and gained new understandings. This allows the students time to actually create a sophisticated product, instead of cramming it in at the end of a study. (Note: If I were to do it again, maybe we could've made this into some sort of PBL with an audience, but I don't think it is necessarily needed here. When you incorporate inquiry and self-selected experimentation and research, it can be very real-life and real-world to younger children.) They chose their own products, from creating life-size plant models to posters to books to digital products, labeling parts and describing their functions. 

Allowing choice in product is so important for gifted learners. They often have ideas of how they could show their learning, but we can limit them by always providing the means. From the beginning of the year, I slowly teach one product at a time. I started out last year with PicCollage to make collages with text, then recorded products such as Doceri, ChatterpixKids, Shadow Puppet, or iMovie. After introducing these, students already have a good amount of choice in their products early in the year. No digital tools? No problem. Introduce other ones at first, like a poster, a foldable, or a book. You can add additional product choices to your students' tool belt as you introduce them, and by mid-year, they have a wide array of products: advertisements, poems, iMovies, collages, posters, Popplets (digital webs), brochures, dioramas, models, Important Books, comic strips, and more. You can even have a list of these with visual aides for children so that when the time arises for them to choose, they remember what they have to pick from. Product choice is also super helpful with any student. I have a twice-exceptional student who struggled with writing on paper, but when he was allowed to explore other ways to show his learning, he blossomed.

^ Examples of different products- these were from our independent study animal research projects: a triple diorama, an informational poster, and a 3D model with facts attached- student chosen, student created

I had one student create a plant model out of construction paper that was beyond any idea I had. He made a huge paper plant with a flower, leaves, a stem, and roots coming out of the bottom. The plant was in a round paper pot, where if you opened a side door on the pot, you could see the roots inside and read about them. He wrote about each of the other parts as well and attached it to the model. He was so proud of what he had done and was showing off his product to everyone in the class and talking about it with other teachers he would pass in the hallway. Boy, am I glad I didn't give him a worksheet to label...

If you are used to a 5E model when approaching inquiry- Engage, Explore, Explain, Evaluate, and Elaborate- you can find this flow in the above approach. Engage/explore often go together in generating prior knowledge and wonder wall questions and in the experimentation/hands-on activities. Explain/Evaluate occur as students are learning from their hands-on experiences and teachers are providing understanding as they go, as well as through research and study of the content along the way. Evaluation is occurring every step of the way because you started with what your kids knew or didn't know yet, monitored and gauged their learning through observation and seeing their notes and journals, and also through the products and ways they show their understanding throughout. Elaborate really goes well with the Wonder Wall questioning and experimentation-- because a lot of those questions and experiments/studies that come from them are going above and beyond the learning standard anyway.

So...who's ready to do some science right now? Because after typing all of this out, it's making those parts of my brain click wildly! I hope that this post has provided some clarity on #1 and #4 in my list. There are other examples or ways that we included the components of inquiry and of student voice and choice in the classroom, but this post is already packed full enough. Feel free to ask any questions or share ways you've done these things in the past. 

*Note #1: It is really helpful to find learning standards that go together so that you can reach all of them within one "unit." This is the approach PBL takes as well, to clump those together (cross-curricular as well!) so that you're not doing this entire process for one lone standard.

*Note #2: I also want to say that this was a year-long process for me of learning how to do these things well. At the beginning of the year I was afraid to let go of all my teacher-control, and I hadn't quite figured out how to best approach science from an inquiry standpoint. But by the end of the year, I felt that my students had helped me somewhat figure it out. Next year we will continue to work on these things and find our flow as a new class, but I am excited that we had this past year full of wondering!

9 Things I Wish I'd Done for GT Kids in the Regular Classroom

On April 22, 2015, I was still awake late into the night. I could not stop tossing and turning. The wheels in my mind were spinning madly as I couldn't help but think about and make a list, which I entitled, "What I would've done differently with *Mike." (*Mike's name has been changed for privacy reasons.)

You see, Mike was a child in my class last year, my 4th year of teaching in a general ed, regular first grade classroom. He was insanely off-the-charts gifted. He could do mathematical calculations on a fourth grade level using only mental math. He made the spelling bee and made it through several rounds against fourth and fifth graders. However, he was also the one you might have found hiding under the tables though or running away down the halls, pouting in a corner and refusing to get up. He was the one who was dying inside, looking for a creative or cognitive outlet, wanting to explore and go farther, deeper, higher-- and couldn't.

Truthfully, sadly, and honestly...the classroom environment that I had set up only met his needs in minimal ways. It was the best that I could do at the time. I really thought I was doing everything I could for the gifted learners in our classroom. I understood gifted children, so I tried to help them learn in the best ways possible. But when I also had children in our classroom who were at the complete opposite end of the bell curve, meeting educational needs as one human being gets very tough, tricky, and you have to make choices.

As an educator, I was always determined to not let my gifted students fall through the cracks. I never wanted to be someone that said, "Oh, they'll be fine-- they always pick up on things and I don't need to worry about them," or the person that made them be peer tutors or teach others the content all day long. Those students are not meant to be tutors or teachers when they are in the classroom. They are meant to be learners, and if the regular curriculum and content is too basic for them, we as educators are supposed to create learning experiences for them where actual growth and exploration and innovation is taking place. Not just giving them more work or sticking an upper-grade level math workbook in their face. Which, I sadly admit, was a last resort at a very low point for me last year.

When teachers are given a wide range of student abilities- cognitive, social/emotional, physical- and then expected to spin 22 plates all at the same time every day, it is near impossible to meet all the needs of your classroom. However, I made a list of 9 things that late evening on April 22nd of the things I would've done differently for Mike in the general education classroom. Things that would not have sucked me dry of time and resources. Things that would have been small fixes to big problems that needed solving. Things that would not have cost me lots of money. Things that could be made or implemented in a very little amount of time. Things I know now that I wish I would've known then. Things that could have made a big difference in his life, and allowed him to learn at the heights he was capable of.

9 Things I Wish I'd Done for GT Kids in the Regular Classroom

1) Allow student choice and voice in the classroom, specifically in giving children leadership opportunities to have ownership over the classroom and their learning- how they are to reach learning standards and goals in regards to content/process/product

2) Social/Emotional: Promoting a growth mindset + grit in our gifted students (think gifted perfectionists, gifted underachievers, gifted children who haven't been challenged before and when challenged give up quickly, and so on), as well as attending to the intellectual traits of a gifted learner (traits such as needed humility, perseverance in challenge, courage with ideas, confidence in reason, and independence in thinking)

3) Self-Assessment with a Cupcake Grading Scale to promote a gifted learner's best work at all times, not just "getting it done"

4) Using Prior Knowledge, Inquiry, Wonder Walls, Research, and Self-Led Experimentation in Science and Social Studies

5) Making Work and Learning Meaningful through Audience and PBL

6) Creativity in Content: Time to Build, Create, and Explore + Coding

7) Pre-testing + Creative Choice Menus added to the Math Curriculum

8) ELAR Fixes: Daily Five in a Must Do/Can Do format with Self Timers + Depth and Complexity added to our love of reading

9) Time for Passion Projects + Independent Study based on interest

I realized after starting to write about each of the 9 things that each of them basically needs its own post, because of how in depth they need to be explained! So, I leave you today with the short list, and I will explain each in depth over my next several posts. Also know that since I teach elementary school, my thoughts and ideas stem from that background. Some of the ideas can pertain to any grade level, but some of them are more specific to the primary grades.

Although there are so many strategies and options available for classroom teachers in regards to meeting their gifted learners' needs, a teacher is only one person in a classroom of many. There are many needs to meet, and my hope is to provide clarity and real-life, actually-tried-and-tested ways to meet the needs of your gifted learners in a regular classroom. It is hard, and differentiation is not easy, but it is worth it. They- your gifted students- are worth it. Your gifted students will thank you, and they will learn at new levels and in ways they haven't been able to before.

Asking for Feedback

So I just did something a little scary. I just sent out my first ever End of Year Parent Survey to all of my students' parents.

And I asked some hard questions. Ones that I might be afraid to read the answers to. Ones that I might have been hesitant to even include on the survey at all.

But, what I've been reading and learning is that when we are willing to ask the hard questions in order to receive quality, helpful feedback, AND when we are willing to read the responses to those questions- we are given an opportunity to grow. Learn. Change. All for the better!

I don't want to be someone who is so afraid to ask for feedback because of what might be said, that I end up not doing it at all.

Here is my End of Year Parent Survey that I just sent out. I adapted it from Pernille Ripp's parent survey that she kindly sent my way via Twitter. Feel free to use or adapt it if you would like.

The only way to grow is to make mistakes, to fail, and to learn from those mistakes and moments of failure. Perfectionism stops growth. Perfectionism says I have nothing to work on or get better at. If I am perfect, then I'm not growing. We must be willing as educators to ask for and listen to feedback, whether from parents, students, colleagues or administrators.

Next up, I will be creating a shorter Google form for my students to fill out about me. I look forward to their insight!

Where have all the school days gone?

When I lived in Russia for a summer, a friend I met there named Sasha recorded a few songs with me. He picked out the songs: Ain't No Sunshine and Where Have All the Flowers Gone? It is a sweet and fond memory of mine today. In that moment, a Russian voice and an American voice came together and made sweet harmony. That was one of many moments that made those weeks so beautiful that summer.

In light of the year winding down, Where Have All the Flowers Gone? came to mind...and made me ask, where have all the school days gone? I can't believe it is already May. Sitting in my empty classroom right now after a most exciting field day, the pit in my stomach is beginning- the pit that usually comes creeping in as the end of the school year draws close.

I always am in awe that I am given the opportunity to be a teacher. That I get to spend my days with the most precious gifts and learn with and from them. That I get to be a part of their lives. That I get to be a stepping stone on their path. That I get to know them deeply and that I get to love them. Any child I teach will forever have an impact on my life. It still is something that, when I get the quiet moments to reflect, can take my breath away. I get to be a part of lives. Lives that will one day change the world.

Where have all the school days gone
As time is passing
Where have all the school days gone
It pains me so
Where have all the school days gone
Gone to summer, every one
Hearts that I know and love
Hearts that have forever changed mine.

Short and Sweet Reflection

Days like today and weeks like this past week are ones I want to capture and remember always. This week we learned about four different types of energy- sound, heat, light, and electrical. And now...on this rainy Friday afternoon...I feel like I have been zapped of any energy that I have! :)

However, in reflection, I feel so thankful for a career where I get to laugh and grow with children who constantly make me smile. Examples from today:

This morning at our school pep rally, our principal commented on how there are only 9 weeks left of school (which, honestly, is crazy) and everyone in the gym starts cheering and hollering and I am watching my kids, thinking they will join suit. And I kid you not when I say this. Not one of them does. I watched as they sat there pretty motionless on the floor, save a few shoulder sags. And, get this- 3 or so of them actually turned around to catch my eye and gave me a sad face. What this tells me is that I have achieved one of my top goals as a teacher this year- for my children to love learning and love coming to school. For a teacher of gifted students, this is a huge undertaking, and from the reactions I witnessed today, I felt victory.

Later today I go to pick up my students from lunch and the cafeteria monitor stops me as I'm walking to pick them up. She's giggling a bit as she's talking to me, but I don't catch on until I turn around and finally see what her laughter is hinting about. Backstory: You see, my kids have started to really like to surprise me on random occasions. They are always looking for ways to catch me off guard or play harmless little surprise tricks on me. And we always just end up laughing, a lot, and I can't help but feel all warm inside of my soul because it's 1) so awesome that they feel comfortable enough with me and they care enough about the relationship we have to where they would want to have these little "inside-joke" moments together, and 2) because they clearly are thinking of ways to make me and one another laugh or smile throughout the day, which shows a lot about the growing selflessness of their hearts. We talk a lot about being selfless in here, and thinking of others- not only ourselves.

Anyway, I turn around from the monitor and see them all pretending to be asleep, every single one of them, in different positions laying their heads down and pretend-snoozing at the tables. I play along and say something to the affect of, "What's going on here?!" and they all respond "SURPRISE! We got you!" and they are all giggling and laughing and smiling and I can't help but do it, too. And we happily move along.

We love one another so much and have become such a little family in here. Our days aren't perfect, but that's what makes them good, because if you're perfect you can't GROW. And our days are packed full of growth and learning.

I am still in disbelief that I get to be their teacher.

Giftedness: A Deeper Look at the Controversial Label

Good afternoon, everyone! I am writing to you from my little duplex in Fort Worth, Texas on this cool, cloudy day in March. I am still waiting and longing for elongated periods of sunshine. The past few weeks with insane winter weather and rain have been so dark and gloomy. I'm ready for a change! There is something about sunshine and sunlight that speaks to my soul. It allows me to come alive, as if I've been in hibernation and now is the time to awaken. It also reminds me of the eternal light that I will one day experience.

There were a few comments posted on one of my previous blog posts that I haven't been able to shake since. I decided they were the perfect comments to spark another piece of writing about a topic that really gets the gears in my mind turning in regards to giftedness.

The comments argued and proposed that the label "gifted and talented" is detrimental to the labeled child and to other non-labeled children, is elitist and misinforming, and that such a label ought not to exist. The comments also suggested that giftedness is something that is merely the outcome of growing up in a privileged home where parents or caregivers had the opportunity to expose their children early to learning and thus gave them opportunities that other less-privileged children were not given.

So this urges the following questions: Is giftedness/gifted-and-talented-ness a label that is understood by others? What does "giftedness" or being "gifted and talented" suggest or mean? Is giftedness something developed due to the environment you are raised in, or is it something innate within a human being?

Before opening up all of these cans of worms, I would like to ask for us all to broaden and open our minds and view this conversation through multiple perspectives. I also would like to remind you that I am no expert, nor am I a person who has done deep, in-depth psychological studies at a doctorate degree level. I am simply a highly-gifted adult who is a teacher of the highly-gifted, who spends all of my days Monday-Friday from 7:30-3:30 with highly-gifted children, and thus my expertise solely derives from the fact that I daily have hands-on experience with this type of child, this type of learner, this type of thinker, this type of creator, this type of doer...and that I myself was and am what they are.

The label of "giftedness" or being "gifted and talented" is a tricky one that I'd like to unpack with you. When a child is labeled as such, it simply means that they show a general intellectual ability- a way of thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning, whether critically, analytically, creatively, intuitively- that is higher or more advanced than their same aged peers. What it does NOT mean is that they are the highest readers or mathematicians in the class. What is does NOT mean is that they are the students with the highest grades or the ones on stage as a valedictorian. (Can a gifted child be the highest reader or valedictorian?, yes, they can, but giftedness does not necessitate high achievement.) Thus, when a child shows a way of thinking and processing the world that is extraordinarily different than that of their same-aged peers, they are given the label of giftedness. Gifted = a different way of thinking and processing the world around you.

I think that the label "gifted and talented" is deeply misunderstood by others, whether they are educators, parents, siblings, or friends. Children labeled gifted and talented DOES NOT mean that they are the smart ones, the better ones, or the only ones with gifts and talents, and that someone who is not identified as "GT" has nothing to offer the world. Far, far from it. There are gifts and talents, passions and interests, things that motivate and move us all in different ways, and as humans not one of us is created the same way as someone else. We are all unique, and just because a child is not identified as "gifted and talented" does not mean they do not have gifts or talents or specific areas of strength.

I honestly was sitting here trying to think of a better label or term for giftedness, but in many of the ideas that popped up the definition could fall short. I agree that the term and the label can be misleading and suggest that someone without that label has no gifts or talents, so maybe there's just blame in the name, but for now, that's the term that our society uses, and I think we need to learn to call a spade a spade. The term exists to identify children with certain educational needs so that they will be given opportunities to have those needs met, and that needs to be communicated better. I also think that teachers and parents of the gifted need to truly acknowledge what the distinction means and teach their children what it means, so that all involved can talk about it and approach it in a humble, understanding way. When children who are GT are using it to put down or belittle others, or when students who are GT are told their whole lives that they aren't living up to their label, we have a real problem with what giftedness really is. We are seeing it as something it's not, and we are using it to cause division or wrongly motivate a person to achieve or do better. We also have a real problem in communicating what it is to others, and feelings or comments that exude elitism exist because of poor communication.

This is something that the program I work for aims to redirect as it works with gifted children and their families. We are trying to better define what giftedness is and means for all involved, and to teach the children in the program what it means to be gifted and how to cope with it as they grow up. We discuss things with them such as humility, confidence, empathy, viewing things through multiple perspectives, emotionality/sensitivity, and viewing mistakes as opportunities for growth and learning. We are trying to knock down the widespread belief that gifted children are high-achieving, extremely self-motivated, the ones who go above-and-beyond what is expected, the ones who never experience defeat or struggle, the ones who have the easy road, the ones who always get things the first time, the ones who don't have to try or work as hard...because all of those are myths. Spend a day in a class full of them, and you will quickly see that all of those are beliefs held by society that hold zero water.

My response to situations that I hear of children being put down or hurt because they are not "gifted" or "special" is that the school, students, teachers, and parents are misrepresenting what giftedness is, and what a pull-out program is for. It is not a program for the children who are better than everyone else, or smarter than everyone else. It is, or ought to be, a program that engages a gifted thinker and meets the educational needs that a gifted child has due to the way they think and process. Just like we have pull-out programs or integrated specialists that work with children with their speech, or dyslexia, or a learning disability, or programs that allow students to "telescope" by jumping ahead a grade or two in mathematics because they are ahead of their grade-level curriculum, all of those opportunities are designed to meet children where they are and give them the educational support to grow and improve and have their own specific learning needs met. There is no difference in a gifted and talented program- it is meant to achieve the same goal, to meet the needs of a gifted thinker and learner and help them grow and improve.

As to the question of whether giftedness is something developed through an upbringing of privilege or something innate, I would like to present the following argument. The first four years of my teaching career were spent teaching first grade at a low-income, Title 1 campus. The students I taught largely came from single-parent or blended families and backgrounds of poverty (not all, but the majority). These were children that had been in and out of foster homes, living with grandparents or distant aunts or their fourth father figure, taking care of themselves because no adult was ever around to cook them dinner or give them a bath. These were children who would come to school hungry, who hadn't eaten since lunch at school the day before. Some were children whose parents hadn't graduated high school, or whose parents were unable to teach early literacy due to language barriers. Like I said earlier, this was true not for all, but for many of the children that came through our doors. Children who were not born to privilege, did not get the opportunity of being taught early at home how to read or write, whose first time holding a pencil or a crayon was day 1 of kindergarten. And yet...there were gifted thinkers among them. Children who saw and processed the world in a unique, gifted way. Children who had extremely advanced vocabularies and high-level, curious, deep questions. Giftedness is not something reserved for the elite, for the wealthy, for those with plush or privileged upbringings. It is, in my humble opinion, something a person was created with, a mind that they were given, just as we all are given our unique minds and gifts and talents.

I could write also arguing against the talent development paradigm of giftedness, but alas, that may be another post for another time. :) As always, thank you for being part of this conversation, and in true conversational fashion, feel free to sound off in the comments your thoughts, questions, or ideas. I promise never to delete a comment that simply disagrees with what I've stated, but I reserve the right to remove ones that are downright hateful, derogatory, crude, or are in no way helpful towards the conversation.

In conclusion, I hope that the world of giftedness can continue to be explored and explained in ways that others can embrace and accept. Despite the controversial nature of the label, my goal is to help others have a redeemed, honest view and understanding of its meaning, and for the children labeled as such (as well as their parents, teachers, and peers) to understand what it means for themselves.

A Case for Self-Contained, Highly-Gifted Classrooms

Wow. I am tremendously humbled and thankful for all who took time to read my previous post 9 Things I Wish People Knew About Highly Gifted Children. As I was posting it a little over a week ago, I was sitting in my pajamas on my couch at home with a thermometer in my mouth, fighting a sinus infection, and mumbling to my husband, "This will probably be my least read post in a while." Ha!

It turns out that the topic of gifted and talented education is a hot one. And I would even venture to say that the topic of individualized, differentiated education for all is an even hotter one. I know that sounds so idealistic, and we live in such a realist society- often causing us to feel trapped by the system- and even though I have been a public school teacher for 5 years and have done all that I can to spin the system in a positive way and not put it down, I think that the system largely has failed the outliers. (Outliers further explained below in my bell curve examples)

However, instead of complaining about the pitfalls of the education system of our country, I want to share with you what my school district is doing. I work for Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District in Texas, and this is my first year in the district (5th year of teaching overall). They are doing incredible things because they are redefining education for our students. There is NO one-size-fits-all in education. Different students = different areas of passion and interest and ability = different opportunities for education available. The ASPIRE Academy for the Highly Gifted is only one of many programs in our district being built to better meet the needs and gifts of our students. You should've seen my jaw drop in disbelief several times when I went through our district new-hire orientation. I couldn't believe the opportunities that this district creates for its children! To check out more about what GCISD is doing, go here or here or here.

What I teach for is the district's ASPIRE Academy, which is a school within a school for the highly gifted. Our academy is in its second year of existence, and our first and fifth grade classes are in its first year of existence in the program. Students from all over the district can apply, and if they are accepted they are bused in from their home campuses to our home school where our academy is housed. They spend their instructional time in a classroom together, but our specials/enrichment classes and recesses are mixed with the other grade level classes at our school. Students can also apply from out-of-district and be accepted into our program, and all they have to do is pay tuition for being out-of-district (which, compared to other private schools in the area, is extremely low). A lot of people often worry that moving schools or being bused from a home school is too hard on a gifted child, but for my personal class, I have not experienced that yet. Our kids are so excited to be at school, and they create new friendships so quickly with their peers that it almost goes by unnoticed.

Instead of our highly gifted population getting pulled out by a gifted specialist for 2 hours a week (side-note: I am not advocating that these specialist positions do not need to exist, nor am I communicating that their job or role in a school is unnecessary)- our highly gifted population is housed within classrooms that compact curriculum, accelerate content, individualize learning goals, and teach with the gifted child in mind, incorporating gifted instructional strategies and activities that stimulate and challenge the brain while moving up the ladder of higher level thinking in Bloom's Taxonomy. We do it all- we teach the state standards while simultaneously approaching them through a gifted lens, pacing through them as needed. We use Thinking Hats, we use FFOE, we teach and discuss Intellectual Traits, we use choice menus and boards and incorporate independent study into our daily routine, we use Depth and Complexity Icons and learning strategies...we are doing the best we can to infuse the structures and strategies best used for teaching gifted children while at the same time making sure they leave us knowing what they need to do as decided by the state. Whew!

We don't typically keep our kids in lower-levels of thinking, reporting or telling information, but have them take the things they learn or discover to higher levels, by applying it, synthesizing it, evaluating or creating something new to show their learning and gifts and strengths. Self-led and student-driven, our students take ownership of their learning, and work at a pace that fits their needs. We move quickly, we go deeper, we stretch wider with more complexity, and we cut out all of the fluff stuff. We do things that matter, especially to them- things that intrigue them and play on their interests, things that progress them to the next level of thinking, things that they don't groan about or say "I already know this." If we ever get to something they have already mastered, we assess that and quickly move on- we don't expect them to stay there. The freedom we are given to do these things in our classroom keeps our students engaged, learning at new levels and learning new content, and I am excited to say that none of my students have ever told me that they are bored in our room.

GCISD has recognized the need for a specialized program and classroom like this, and they didn't stop at it just being an idea- they gave that idea life. And now, because of people who gave it life, we are serving about 90 highly gifted students in our academy whose needs are daily being met.

It's not about being elitist- sometimes people think that putting gifted children in their own category or in their own room can be, but think of it this way. A bell curve measuring general intellectual ability (GIA) has a mean/average score of 100, scores within the average range being that of 85-115. A child with a learning disability typically falls below the 70-85 range, two standard deviations below the mean or greater. These children are served in ways that aide them in learning alongside of their disability, with best fit practices and specialists and classrooms and curriculum designed for their needs.

On the other side of the bell curve, two standard deviations away from the mean, are gifted children. A gifted child typically has a GIA of 130 or higher, and a highly gifted child has a GIA of 140+. This highly gifted population is who our academy serves. These are the children that are already designing airports in foreign countries and researching issues about cancer and leukemia and playing the piano like a college student. These are the children who encompass that list of 9 attributes in my previous post so fiercely that it begs a separate classroom for them to thrive in. It begs a separate classroom for them to learn alongside their intellectual peers, challenge one another, and not be forgotten or underserved because of all the other needs in the classroom.

I would know- I taught regular first grade for four years. With all of the needs thrown into a single classroom, and with students in your room on every point of the bell curve explained above, the task of differentiation and individualization is one of near impossibility. You do the best you can, but at some point during the day, every day, there is at least 1 child whose needs aren't being met. There is at least 1 child who isn't being challenged enough, who isn't being helped or scaffolded enough, who isn't being motivated enough, and so on. It's just...the truth. You can work yourself blue in the face, stay until 10pm every night, but you will nearly kill yourself trying. (I have.) It's because of this sad reality that gifted children are often not getting their needs met. They usually are given the same work, assignments, tasks, readings, etc. as other children (and respond to these things in different ways- obediently or begrudgingly, yet the reality that they remain unchallenged still exists), sit through the same lessons as everyone else, and maybe they might have some small project on the side or a bumped up math workshop game, but the bulk of their instructional day is not on their intellectual level. I know this because I've been there. I'm not judging other teachers in the regular classroom and picking at them, writing about what they are and aren't doing well, because I know they do all that they can. I don't blame them- it would be like blaming a stay-at-home-mom for not seeing one child getting into all of the art supplies and drawing on the walls because she was in the other room changing another child's diaper. Sometimes you just can't be everything, and things happen. I just know this to be the case because I've been in that place, and it's just an impossible task to challenge a gifted child all day long, in content, process, and product- not just one of those, but in all three. Not to mention, some state laws of response to intervention (RtI) say that a teacher with struggling students must work with those students individually or in a small group 30 minutes per day at least 4 days per week (sometimes more) that is outside of the normal small group reading or math time- and state laws mostly adhere to spending additional time with those struggling with content, not excelling beyond it. There aren't laws in place for X amount of time spent per week challenging a gifted child. And, because our gifted children are seen as "okay" and the ones not struggling, they get less of our teacher time. Struggling students receive the most of a teacher's time in any given day, and it's not that they don't need it- but what about the rest? (Side note: Sometimes our gifted children are also struggling students in various content areas. Remember, giftedness does not equal high achieving. However, even a struggling gifted child has different ways their needs could be met, and it does not mean that they struggle in every academic area.)

Imagine how much farther, deeper, wider a gifted child could go if they received 30 minutes of individual or small group instruction on their academic/cognitive level per day- outside of normal small group reading or math time- just to focus on their individual needs as a gifted child. And that's just 30 minutes per day! Now imagine how much farther, deeper, and wider a gifted child could go if they received their entire instructional day on their academic and cognitive, intellectual level with peers on their similar level so that a teacher can move them all along at an accelerated, exciting pace. That's what my colleagues and I get to do everyday for our students. 

The reason I write this is because many of the comments pulled at my heartstrings and lit a fire within me- and I do feel like God has given me more of a platform to speak out due to the unusual and rare nature of what I am getting to do in this specialized classroom. Programs like ours just don't really exist in a widespread way. You can find a few here and there- in North Texas, we've located 3- and my hope is that hearing about our program lights a fire within you to make a change in your local district or school, or present it as an idea that also could be given life. I pray that more programs like ours can exist to better serve the needs of our gifted thinkers.

In the meantime...what do we do? I know of gifted specialists that work tirelessly to meet the needs of the gifted children at their campuses. I know that it isn't necessarily enough for these children, but it is a gift that they are there to serve students in whatever way they can. I also know that many enrichment programs and opportunities for learning outside of the regular school day exist in many districts. Yes, it's still not enough...it doesn't solve the problem...and I wish I had a better answer beyond that. I also know that there is a long way to go for all types of learners- there is no argument here on that point- but since I teach gifted children, I am focusing my writing on them. I bet that many out there teach in specialized settings or programs that better serve dyslexia or learning disabilities, or that have thoughts on how it could be better. I encourage you to write or speak out, too- start designing and dreaming and putting your ideas out there to others who alongside of you will breathe life into them.

I plan on writing more posts in response to the many comments received on my last post, not to mention writing more about exciting things going on in my classroom and life- that is still very important to me, because really this blog started as a reflection tool for my teaching and personal life, and I don't want to stray too far away from that. But now that I have received many thoughtful questions and insight from others across the globe, one thing is for certain- I need to keep writing about gifted education. I invite you to continue to tune in, but to kindly remember that I do not claim to be an expert on any of this, nor do I claim to know how it all works. This is only my first year on this journey of being an exclusive teacher of the gifted (and it sure has been a new + exciting one!), but I do not claim to know all of the answers. So-- if you would like to travel alongside me on this path-- please accept that I am a broken, imperfect woman who is working on dying to myself everyday instead of striving to be perfect; who is trying to be faithful with what God has given me; who is trying to be a voice advocating for this misunderstood group of humankind.

If you teach for or know of a program like ours, reach out to me in the comments below. We are dying to collaborate and communicate with teachers teaching in exclusive gifted academies or schools. If you just would like to add to the conversation, continue to post. My students blog in our classroom and they love the thrill of receiving a comment- it means that their voice was heard, and someone took the time to read what they have to say and is sharing back. I shamelessly admit to the same thrill. It's not a self-defining thing, as if I define a post's worth on the amount of comments it receives, but it is an exhilarating thing to communicate globally about global ideas and learn from others around the world. I learned so much and was able to reflect greatly on giftedness thanks to the input of others!

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Now it is time for me to get ready for tomorrow's day of learning. We only have a half day due to student-led conferences in the afternoon, but I am super excited for what we have in store this week and next. I will tell you about one thing the students and I are pumped about and then I will go- we are spending the next two weeks on a Dr. Seuss Book Challonge Tournament (yes, "Challonge" is spelled correctly- that's the name of the web site; it's a strategy I heard about from Ian Byrd at the TAGT conference and tweaked to fit our study). We created a bracket of 8 Dr. Seuss books and are having them compete against one another until the students determine a final winner. Students have to respond to each match-up and write a statement of which book should win and why, using reasoning and text evidence. As books advance to the semi-finals, the statements written by the children will get longer as they defend their choices, and for the final match-up, their argument of why they chose their particular winner will be done in one of an array of writing choices, such as a dice poem or acrostic or couplets or important-book style (help with ideas from my campus gifted specialist). Also, whatever book wins in their individual bracket they will then go deeper with as they choose from a tic-tac-toe menu of Depth and Complexity higher-level activities I created. They will also construct a life-size painting of one of the book's characters to go in the hall for our first grade Dr. Seuss Parade at the school. Whew! We also are learning about public officials currently in social studies and researching their different roles and responsibilities, comparing and contrasting them and then picking one office to run for- the students are designing their own individual campaigns that will explain why you would vote for them, what they would do while in office, and how they would change their city/state/country for the better.

Okay- I know I just wrote about two things instead of one- but there are lots of fun things buzzing around here in ASPIRE! Once again, I am thankful for the days I get to spend with these children, I am thankful for the gift of children, I am thankful for education, and I am thankful for a district who thought "outside-the-box" for its students to redefine what education looks like.

9 Things I Wish People Knew About Highly-Gifted Children

This year I embarked on a new journey, a first of its kind in many ways- to teach a self-contained class of identified highly-gifted and talented first graders. They don't get pulled out by a gifted specialist 2 hours a week- they spend all of their school days, Monday-Friday, in a classroom together, homogeneously grouped and challenged with their highly-gifted peers. In this little class of 11 students, we learn, we challenge ourselves, and we grow. Here are a few things I have learned over the years of teaching pockets of gifted children, but things that I have more clearly defined opinions about since I started teaching this unique demographic this year.

1. They often feel misunderstood...and they often don't even understand themselves.

2. Their development is asynchronous- meaning that just because their cognitive and intellectual development is off the charts, that doesn't mean that other parts of their development (social, emotional) have caught up.

3. That being said, they are more emotional than most children their age- meaning, that they feel things, think things, and experience things much more deeply, differently, than a child their age should. They internalize everything, connect everything, and are quick to remember- slow to forget.

4. They have very specific areas of interest and passion, and love when others cultivate those things in them rather than try to drive or squish it out of them. And, if you can connect anything they do to their interests or passions, chances are, they will enjoy it more and be more willing to do it. (For example, my student doesn't want to write an Eric Carle pattern book? Well, what if it was about Minecraft? Sea animals? Argentina? Bingo- now they are writing, because you tapped into their interest.)

5. They don't need to be told, "You are so smart!" They need to be encouraged for the process they take to get somewhere, for their effort and perseverance through a task, for their ability to view mistakes as learning opportunities rather than extreme failure and loss. When they are told their whole lives how smart they are, the moment they struggle with something it is an identity crisis for them- they utterly break down and are so hard on themselves, because since they are smart, they should be able to do it, right? No...they struggle like anyone else, and they don't know everything- so the more we do to help them understand the value of effort, endurance, patience, and growth- the better.

6. When they say things kind of off-hand and bluntly, or interrupt you when you are telling them about something, or are honest to the point of brutal- they really aren't trying to be mean or disrespectful. They are just honest and extremely literal, can be quick-witted due to the constant connections they are making in their brains, and love sharing the world inside said brain with you. So the next time one catches you off-guard with a brunt of a comment or correction or observation, breathe, count to 3, and address them patiently. They really weren't trying to upset you or overstep your authority- they are just expressing their little creative, wheel-turning minds. This is something I've learned through experience this year with my students, that they aren't often trying to cross boundaries but rather are just wanting to share.

7. They have their own amazing ideas- and they would love the freedom to use, share, implement, and try them out. Sometimes these children can feel caged in by being told what they have to do to achieve a goal or show their learning, and often they have their own ideas of how they want to show you what they know! That's why student choice is so important. Sometimes I can barely let the learning standard or "I Can" statement leave my mouth before they have ideas flowing about how they want to work towards said standard. The thing is, highly-gifted children have their own ideas and innovative ways about how they want to explore and experience the world around them- and they need to be able to have the choice and voice to do so. Within boundaries of course, but these kids need the freedom to work towards a goal or a learning standard in a way that works best for them, or a path that they themselves pave.

For example: (first grade learning standards- origins of holidays and celebrations of Thanksgiving, reading fluency, listening/speaking skills)
Me: We are going to read a Reader's Theatre about the First Thanksgiving. I've already highlighted your parts for you to make it easier to see when it's your turn to read.
Students: *do a first read through of their parts*
Students: *glance around at one another quietly*
Student: "This...isn't a very long play. We don't have many lines."
Other students: "Yeah, we agree. Can we write two new scenes to the play and create props, costumes, and sets for it to perform for our parents?"
...and thus, a play was born. AND they were amazing.

Or, take this example:
Student: "Mrs. Rubinson, on Read-and-Roll I rolled a 6, and it says to write a review of the book or chapter after I'm done...can I create a catchy advertisement for the book on my iPad using PicCollage that reviews the book and tells others why they should read it?"

8. Just because they are highly-gifted doesn't necessarily mean they are high-achieving. It just means they think and see the world differently- mostly through making connections.

9. They still need their parents, teachers, coaches, friends...they may be capable of much, but they still need leaders in their life to facilitate, scaffold, love, and guide them. A more open-minded and creative approach ought to be used when dealing with highly-gifted children in order for their creativity and ideas and dreams to bloom and grow, and, like #1 up there says, they often feel misunderstood and don't often understand themselves- so they need the people in their lives to be their biggest fans.

I love that I get the opportunity to teach, love, shape, instruct, guide, mold, influence, and develop first grade highly-gifted children. I love what they have taught me so far about their little worlds and minds, and I love getting to share it with you.

What Worked and Didn't Work in 2014

On this windy but sunny Sunday, I am on my couch curled up with a cable-knit blanket, a cup of tea, and a thermometer as I anxiously check my temperature every half hour or so. Missing school tomorrow will be tough, since my room isn't totally ready for a substitute. That's what lesson planning on the weekends has come to- a feeling of unpreparedness and a bit of scrambling on Monday mornings. Without an ASPIRE team to plan first grade lessons with, these things take a lot more time than usual- but it is definitely something I want to aim for + change this year.

As I reflect on 2014, I think back on a year full of change, hardship, bottom-of-the-barrel-ness, and submission. I daily had to submit to the will of God to not take me out of the pit I was in, and see it as his love and goodness towards me. You see, God had a lot to teach me- and I had to be in the pit to learn it.

What Worked in 2014:

-Biblical counseling. I had never been to counseling before, and always felt that I wasn't weak or low enough to seek it out. Last year I battled those feelings as Andrew and I embarked on a journey towards healing and redemption with my anxiety and depression. I could not be more thankful for the time spent with our counselor as he pushed us towards Jesus, asked me hard questions, gave me amazing resources that spoke truth and volumes to me, and helped me move positively towards joy and believing that Christ is sufficient for my life. I realized how little I actually believed that, and it has been life-changing to know that Christ IS sufficient for my life- he is good, and I don't have to look elsewhere for satisfaction. And, the fact that he is good, means that he is also FOR my good- that anything that comes in my life is God's goodness towards me, even trial and tribulation, hardship and tears. God is good and he is for me, not against me, and clinging to this truth has been water to my soul.

-Reflective conversations with coworkers. Whether it was my old team at Foster Village, endless afternoons of bouncing ideas and thoughts off of my friend Jessica, or problem solving in my liaison Jeanette's office, reflective conversations held a lot of weight in my growth, mindset, mind shift, and learning last year. I was able to get out of my own head and let my thoughts and reflections fly, and had amazing friends to receive them and help me sort through them.

-Moving schools/changing jobs. It was a difficult transition at first, one that made me question everything I had done- had I made the right choice? Was this really for me? I had left Foster Village in a pretty fragile state, and the school year I was leaving behind had been my most difficult one yet. I loved my students at FVE, but this past year left me wondering if the teaching profession was truly for me. The passion and zeal I had once had was zapped after last year, and I spent the summer and time in counseling picking up the pieces. Needless to say, when I had moved I realized how much I missed all the students and relationships I had built at Foster Village despite the hardships, and I felt quite lonely as I began my journey as a Glenhope Gator. The position I have is in its first year of existence, and nothing like it exists nearby- which creates isolation + a feeling of being on my own island. I also had nothing to springboard off of, as no teacher had blazed this trail before me. I wasn't sure that this was the dream job I had signed up for, and I spent from August-November in this back-and-forth pendulum state of being as I dug into every resource + book + blog that I could to stay afloat. However, as the months passed and I came to absolutely love and treasure my students, it was in December that I called Jessica and told her, "It is back! My passion for teaching is back! I love being a teacher!" I think the first few months at Glenhope were reminiscent of my first year as a teacher in general- just laying groundwork and creating everything from scratch, but as I have grown this year I have learned where to look, what to prioritize, how to meet my kids' needs, and how to just plain enjoy my days with children in the classroom again. Moving schools was the change I needed to "begin again" (T Swift reference- one of many to come in this blog) and stretch my wings to see what I was truly capable of as a teacher. This job requires a lot of independence and critical thinking, creativity + problem solving + innovation to try to meet the educational and social/emotional needs of highly gifted students, but I have come to see that I am exactly where I am supposed to be, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else at this time. It's fascinating to be around these children who think and respond to things like I do, to see the world through a gifted lens and always want to explore + go deeper with things. I feel like I get to be the teacher I've always wanted to be when I am with them. So, despite the workload and the late nights, moving schools worked for me (and Andrew) in 2014. It helped my passion for teaching to return and it also helped our marriage in that I wasn't so distraught and distracted by the daily ongoings of school that I couldn't function or be present when I was at home.

-Un-Fancy. My friend Caroline Joy Rector is the author + creator of this amazing minimalist fashion blog and I have so much to thank her for. Not only has she helped me better budget + plan for my wardrobe, but her philosophies have spilled over into many areas of my life. For one, she has helped me to find and feel confident about my personal style, while being minimalist and not breaking the bank for clothing. As I followed her step-by-step process in building a capsule wardrobe, emptied my closet full of things that I never wore or felt-guilty-for getting-rid-of-but-I-would-really-never-wear-it-again type pieces, and discovered what clothing made me feel like ME- I now get up in the mornings to get ready for school or my day and have a choice of clothing that I absolutely love and feel best in, all with the purpose of having less but feeling like you've always got something to wear. Secondly, it has really helped Andrew and me as we look at our finances: I allow myself to shop for one season at a time, sticking to a budget, and then not shop for another 3 months until the next season rolls around. Win-win for both of us- I find a few new pieces for my wardrobe and he is happy that we stuck to a friendly amount. Lastly, un-fancy has also helped me battle comparisons and those self-imposed standards and fears that I put on myself and think that others are judging me for. I had a friend message me today as she was shopping for diaper bags for her soon-to-be little one, and she said: "I know it's striped...and I have so many things with stripes. But I am taking the advice from your fashion blogger and embracing that I love stripes, stripes are me, and it's ok to have lots of things with stripes!" Visit Caroline's blog (link above) if you are interested to know more.

-The eldership process. Andrew spent the last full year going through our church's candidacy for pastor eldership, and I was able to join him for many of the steps along the way. Whether it was at a training or equipping meeting, a night of fellowship and getting to know other pastor-elders at the church, or sitting beside him as he struggled through and grew through his assignments, I loved being able to support my husband in his calling. Andrew has felt the call to pastor a church since he became a believer at the age of 18, and 10 years later things are beginning to come to fruition. This process also strengthened our marriage as we were asked many tough questions and had to reflect on our relationship constantly. The pastor-elders of The City Church have been so gracious to us, and now Andrew is officially installed as a pastor-elder as of last week. We are both thankful for the growth we are both experiencing as he steps into this role.

-YOGA! In 2014 I took a yoga class over the summer and fell in love with yoga forever. I take classes at Karmany Yoga on Hulen, and the classes can be the best parts of my week. Sometimes accompanied by my friend Erin and sometimes alone, yoga was the exercise method I had been craving and looking for. I had tried gym memberships that never got used, and honestly, getting on a machine or lifting weights was one of the least appealing things I could think of doing. I knew I needed to stay in shape and keep my heart healthy and build muscle, but how was I going to do that in a way that didn't make me cringe? The power yoga classes I go to do just that. I get to build + lengthen + strengthen muscles, stretch + build flexibility, and slow down after a long day or long week. I am a proud yogi, and I love it.

What Didn't Work in 2014

-Time management. This stretches over many, many pockets of our life. My inability to manage time well in general makes this one particularly hard for me. We did not manage our time well in balancing time spent with family vs. friends (both of our immediate families are local, as well as our church family- and that's a lot to balance). We did not manage our time well in balancing time with others vs. ourselves (our calendar filled up so quickly each week, and we were often left without even one night alone to spend together). We did not manage our time well in balancing alone time- I am more of an introvert who, after spending all of my days with children and others, needs time to write, play music, read, go to yoga, sit at a coffee shop, and just decompress...where as Andrew is more of an extrovert, always wanting to be together or with others, and doesn't need as much alone time since he works at a desk all day and is often alone. We did not manage our time well in balancing work vs. play- there would be many-a-time when assignments for church or lesson plans or things we needed to get done were overpowered by time for play and recreation, but then on the flip-side, there would be many-a-time where assignments + work + lesson plans were over-prioritized and we went for a full week without any rest or time for fun. Overall, time management is a big goal for us in 2015.

-My over-worked summer. When school is out, a teacher really just needs to rest up for the next school year. I know that people often judge teachers for having a full 2 months off in the summertime, but it is so. necessary. I love everything summer: pools, water, sun, towels, sunscreen, being outside, parks, just everything summer. I feel like Olaf in that I could probably write a song myself about how much I love summer! And this past summer, I did not get to fully enjoy the season I love the most because I honestly worked for most of it. Truthfully, I love my friends, and I love their kids, and I love serving and helping them out- but I was exhausted last summer. I had originally set aside 2 weeks in June for teaching swimming lessons, and I don't want to seem ungrateful for what did happen because it was more than I expected and I was honored to do it- but what was supposed to be 2 weeks grew to 5 weeks, and what was only 2 weeks of swimming lessons turned to 5 weeks of swimming lessons + nannying my friend's kids across town 2-3 days per week. And then July rolled around and I had 5 weeks straight of training for my new job, and then school started. So, I did not get to really rest or recreate last summer, and I was beat when school began. As much as I love teaching swim to my friends' precious kiddos, it was a good/hard lesson in learning my capacity and when to say no.

-Chasing perfectionism and control. See that word up there? It's one of my words for 2015. I want to CHASE after my Jesus. I want to CHASE after the things that bring me life, not death. Most of the anxiety and depression I dealt with last year come down to these two things. Chasing them does not bring life. Chasing them does not bring joy. Chasing them is going against what God says is true: that Christ is made perfect in my weakness, and when I am weak then HE is strong; that God is sovereign over all things, and through him and to him and for him are all things, who could be his counselor?, who knows the mind of the Lord?; that I am to not boast in anything but the death and resurrection of Jesus; that I am an imperfect sinner who has been called and made righteous through Christ, and that Christ lives in me and I in him. None of those life-giving truths cater to chasing perfectionism and control. Not one. All that chasing those things did for me was drive me into a deeper pit and create more disbelief. Things I am still learning and fighting today.

My reflective Sunday is now coming to a close, and I need to rest up and watch a lot of Lost this afternoon to kick the low-grade fever I'm experiencing. I challenge and ask you these things: What worked or didn't work for you in 2014?