Gifted Child Today articles from January 2009

Gifted Child Today archives from January 2009

"Flow" and the schooling experience.(from the editor)
January 1, 2009... "Flow" is the "pure enjoyment of creating," began Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his presentation to a small group of us attending the Institute of the Humanities in Salado, TX ([2008, October]. The creative person and the creative context). He...

Optical illusions and visual phenomena: http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/index.html.(on the web)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Our brain uses depth cues to help us perceive and make sense of sensory stimuli. Artificial manipulations can cause us to think we are seeing something that is not there. Here is a Web site that is full of optical illusions and visual...

Visual puns, animal adjectives, grammar advice, and more! http://www.ripleywoodbury.com/News/VisPun.html.(on the web)(Website overview)
January 1, 2009... Do your students enjoy figuring out puns? Have them guess what phrase this is referring to: History History History. If they guessed "history repeats itself," that is correct! In addition to puns, the Web site offers a variety of other puzzles...

Virtual Keyboard: http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/ piano.(on the web)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... This virtual keyboard allows users to play one octave of notes. With the click of a mouse, one can select from piano, organ, saxophone, flute, pan pipes, strings, guitar, steel drums, and double bass settings. There is a chord feature that...

BookCrossing: http://www.bookcrossing.com.(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... BookCrossing has allowed more than 712,000 people in more than 130 countries to recycle books. A book registered on BookCrossing is ready for adventure--all you have to do is leave it on a park bench or a coffee shop for a new reader to find!...

The use of standardized tests in undergraduate admission.
January 1, 2009... With standardized admission tests becoming an increasingly important factor in undergraduate admission, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) authorized a commission to study the use of standardized tests in...

College Summit.(summer educational workshop)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... College Summit provides summer workshops for students from low-income backgrounds who show leadership potential and teaches them strategies for being admitted to college even if they do not have the highest GPAs in their home schools (Cech, S....

Facts About Gender Equity.(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... The American Association of University Women's latest report, Where the Girls Are: The Facts About Gender Equity in Education, describes how both boys and girls are performing (Corbett, C. [2008]. Where the girls (and boys) are--and where the...

FEMA for kids: http://www.fema.gov/kids.(Federal Emergency Management Agency website)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... This site has plenty of resources for kids on how to be prepared for disasters. Have your students read about the difference between a flood watch and a flood warning, and what the Richter scale is. The site details what kids should have in...

Factory tours: http://factorytoursusa.com.(on the web)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Have you ever wanted to tour the Blue Bell Creameries in Brenham, TX? The National Braille Press in Boston, MA? How about the United States Mint in Denver, CO? The John Deere Pavilion in Moline, IL? Traveling to Washington? Why not make time to...

Cultural influences on the study of science.(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Bill Gates noted that 60% of the students at the top American computer-science departments are foreign-born. Moreover, he noted that among their international peers, 4th graders in the United States rank among the top students in the world in...

Classroom discourse to advance teaching and learning.(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Great teachers encourage interactions not only between themselves and the class but also between students. (Allen, R. [2008]. Analyzing classroom discourse to advance teaching and learning. Education Update, 50[2], 1, 3, 7). To encourage deeper...

Joel McIntosh.(notable)
January 1, 2009... Joel McIntosh, publisher of Prufrock Press, received the President's Award at the National Association for Gifted Children's annual meeting in Tampa, FL.

Miraca U. M. Gross.(Order of Australia )(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Every year, the Queen honors a small number of people in Britain and in Commonwealth countries for service to their field or discipline. Miraca U. M. Gross received the Order of Australia for her contribution to gifted education.

Motivating students to go to college.(Department of Education website )(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... The U.S. Department of Education has launched a Web site, http:// www.college.gov, aimed at motivating students to go to college. The site features video testimonials from students, and includes links to statistics about how much more money...

Boosting Latino college enrollment, performance, and graduation.(notable)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Three programs at institutions of higher education were selected from among 70 nominated programs as the 2008 Examples of Excelencia in a national initiative to identify and honor programs and departments boosting Latino college enrollment,...

Variety of materials for teachers and parents.(notable)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Kids.gov provides links to a variety of materials for teachers and parents. Links include games and activities, careers, presidents, state Web sites, environment, animals, making laws, and U.S. history.

Defining formative assessment.(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Formative assessments are not year-end, state-administered standardized No Child Left Behind Act-required exams, middle-of-the year assessments such as benchmark assessments, or those sold by textbook publishers and assessment companies (Cech,...

21st century skills.(academic skills)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... After surveying researchers, curriculum specialists, administrators, and teachers, the Harvard Education Letter identified these skills for the 21st century: critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, written and oral communication,...

"Empowering Parents School Box: A Tool to Equip Parents for the School Year.".(notable)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... The U.S. Department of Education has developed a publication, "Empowering Parents School Box: A Tool to Equip Parents for the School Year," that it is distributing free of charge. The school box contains three booklets entitled What Parents...

Key math and science courses they need in the ninth grade.(notable)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... A report from WestEd suggests that many high school students do not stay on the college prep track because they do not take key math and science courses they need in the ninth grade. The report also says that White and Asian students are more...

The Fourier Systems Computing Science Exploration Grant Program provides an opportunity for teachers to receive science-focused tools for their classrooms to increase student learning in math and science.(grants and awards)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... The Fourier Systems Computing Science Exploration Grant Program provides an opportunity for teachers to receive science-focused tools for their classrooms to increase student learning in math and science. Entries will consist of a completed...

The Fifth Annual Thomson Gale TEAMS Award recognizes and encourages collaboration between teachers and media specialists to promote learning and increase student achievement.(grants and awards)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... The Fifth Annual Thomson Gale TEAMS Award recognizes and encourages collaboration between teachers and media specialists to promote learning and increase student achievement. A panel comprised of education industry professionals and Gale staff...

2009 U.S. Chess Championship.(CONTESTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Founded in 1939, the United States Chess Federation (USCF) is a not-for-profit membership organization for chess players of all ages and levels. It now has more than 80,000 members and more than 2,000 affiliated chess clubs and organizations....

Medusa Mythology Exam.(CONTESTS)
January 1, 2009... The Medusa Mythology Exam Committee aims to increase students' exposure of and recognize talent in mythology. This year, the Medusa Mythology Exam Committee is sponsoring the 12th annual Medusa Mythology Examination. The Medusa Mythology Exam...

Boston University Tanglewood Institute Summer Music Program.(CONTESTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Boston University Tanglewood Institute Summer Music Program is an internationally recognized program for young artists. For 42 years, the Boston University College of Fine Arts has collaborated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra to run the...

The Evalee C. Schwarz Charitable Trust for Education.(CONTESTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... The Evalee C. Schwarz Charitable Trust for Education was created to provide interest-free loans to undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate exceptional academic performance and financial need. Evalee Schwarz personified leadership,...

Kids are authors.(CONTESTS)
January 1, 2009... This annual competition is open to students in grades K-8 and encourages students to use reading, writing, and artistic skills to create their own books. With the help of a project coordinator, children work in teams of three or more to write...

A New York-based nonprofit organization allows people to donate to schools directly.(Donorschoose. org )(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... A New York-based nonprofit organization allows people to donate to schools directly. Donorschoose. org has facilitated $12.9 million in donations to students nationwide, mainly in low-income communities. The site requires teachers to submit...

The Dr. Scholl Foundation supports private education, including elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities, and programs for children.(grants and awards)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... The Dr. Scholl Foundation supports private education, including elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities, and programs for children. Although more than $180 million has been contributed to organizations since 1980, no award...

Native people.(The Lannan Foundation )(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... The Lannan Foundation provides support for programs in the contemporary visual arts, literary arts, and projects in indigenous communities to support the resolve of Native people to renew their communities through their own institutions and...

Pre-K-12 STEM.(Discovery Research K-12 program )(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... The Discovery Research K-12 program seeks to enable significant advances in pre-K-12 student and teacher learning of the STEM disciplines through the development, implementation, and study of resources, models, and technologies for use by...

Meetings.(conferences and conventions for gifted children)(Calendar)
January 1, 2009... JANUARY 2009 29-31 Utah Association for Gifted Children (UAGC) Annual Conference, "Teaching for High Potential: Rescuing an Underserved Population," at the South Towne Conference Center, in Sandy, UT. For more information, please...

Did you know ...(surveys on education)(Statistical data)
January 1, 2009... ... 37% believe that the best way to finance public schools is by means of taxes from the federal government in Washington? ... 50% oppose vouchers--choosing a private school at public expense? ... 51% approve charter schools? ... ...

InnerSpark: a creative summer school and artistic community for the teenagers with visual arts talent.
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] InnerSpark Background InnerSpark is a residential summer arts training program for high school students established by the California State Legislature (California Education Code sections 8950-8957) in order to...

Black students and advanced placement classes: summary, concerns, and recommendations.(multicultural issues)(Report)
January 1, 2009... Without exception, in every study, report, and literature review on gifted education demographics, African American students have been underrepresented (Ford, 1998; Ford, Grantham, & Whiting, 2008). Several scholars have addressed ways to...

Besides Google: guiding gifted elementary students onto the entrance ramp of the information superhighway.
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For gifted students, the power of the Internet is its vastness. Students can access extensive resources that far exceed the collections in their classrooms or school library. Especially with the rapid growth of the...

The case of Callie.(accelerated education for gifted children)
January 1, 2009... "What are we going to do with Callie? We just don't know where to go next!" This is the question raised by a case in which I was recently involved. (Obviously, names and other details have been change to protect identities.) Mr. and Mrs....

Questioning the quest for excellence.(A Class Apart )(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Class Apart (ISBN-13: 978-0-7432-9945-9) offers an inside look into one of America's most competitive and prestigious high schools for the gifted and talented, New York City's Stuyvesant High School. Author Alec...

Nurturing gifts and talents.(Being Smart About Gifted Children)(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Developed for parents and educators working with gifted children, Being Smart About Gifted Children (ISBN 0-910707-66-9) is a practical guide to identifying, developing, and encouraging the natural abilities in...

Facilitating the study of Romeo and Juliet in the AP Classroom.(Advanced Placement Classroom: Romeo and Juliet )(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As part of a new series for upper level classroom instruction, Advanced Placement Classroom: Romeo and Juliet (ISBN: 978-1-59363-322-6) is a teaching guide for presenting Shakespeare's classic play in an engaging,...

Differentiating language arts Instruction through visual tools.(Visual Tools for Differentiating Reading and Writing Instruction )(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Visual Tools for Differentiating Reading and Writing Instruction (ISBN: 0-439-89908-7) is an easy-to-apply handbook for educators looking for new ways to introduce and develop narrative writing for struggling readers...

Bringing the Medieval period to life.(Bring the Middle Ages to life with Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself )(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bring the Middle Ages to life with Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself (ISBN: 978-0-9792268-0-9), a child-friendly, informational text about day-to-day life in Medieval Europe! Designed for ages 9 and up,...

Using Assessment to guide instructional decisions.(Bridging: Assessment for Teaching and Learning in Early Childhood )(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bridging: Assessment for Teaching and Learning in Early Childhood (ISBN: 978-1-4129-5010-7), is a wonderful tool for both preservice and in-service educators seeking to enhance their classroom instruction through...

The Picasso in your classroom: how to meet the needs of talented artists in elementary school.
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cassidy, a talented artist in my third-grade classroom, struggled with classroom assignments. It's not that she wasn't capable of high-level work, but tasks such as spelling tests, arithmetic practice, and test...

Jumpstarting Jill: strategies to nurture talented girls in your science classroom.
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As a teacher, you've probably had that one moment when everything that you were doing--your lesson plans, your approach with students, your ideas about teaching--crystallized and you realized it was all... wrong....

An Interview with Laurence J. Coleman.(special education)(Interview)
January 1, 2009... Dr. Laurence J. Coleman is the Daso Herb Professor of Gifted Education in the Department of Early Childhood, Physical and Special Education at The University of Toledo where he teaches courses in qualitative inquiry and gifted education. He is...

Enrichment 2.0: gifted and talented education for the 21st century.
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] History of Enrichment Clusters Enrichment clusters, a component of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, are multigrade investigative groups based on constructivist learning methodology (Renzulli, 1994; Renzulli &...

Dear Mr. President.(United States education policy and a plea to Barack Obama)(Essay)
January 1, 2009... Dear Mr. President: I'm trying to remember the last time a U.S. president cared enough about education to champion its cause beyond a campaign promise. Some might say that George W. played that role with the bipartisan enactment of No...