Gifted Child Today articles from June 2008

Gifted Child Today archives from June 2008

Developing talent in music.(from the editor)
June 22, 2008... At my university, faculty from outside a particular department must be a part of comprehensive and preliminary examinations of students who are graduating at the master's or doctoral level. At the master's level, I'm generally asked to serve on...

Virtual field trips: http://www.meetmeatthecorner.org.(on the web)(Website overview)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... This interactive site encourages individual expression and participation through video submissions from children from around the world. Students can see New York City from atop the Empire State Building, watch a video on bird watching, and...

The Big Mac index: http://www.economist.com/markets/Bigmac.(on the web)(Website overview)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... McDonald's restaurant can be found in about 120 countries. Their Big Mac is made of the same ingredients no matter which country you buy it in, right? Shouldn't the burger cost the same in America as in foreign countries? That's what the...

The San Francisco Symphony Web site: http://www.sfskids.org.(on the web)(Website overview)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Invite students to visit this Web page for an introduction to the string, woodwind, brass, and percussion families. An interactive orchestra seating chart allows visitors to learn about the specific instruments in each family. A music lab...

Origami: http://www.fishgoth.com.(on the web)(Website overview)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Have you ever wondered how origami originated? Find out more about the history and theory of paper folding and even information on tools of the trade, such as foil backing. This Web site features a photo gallery of sea life, mammal, dinosaur,...

New national teacher education standards in gifted education.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... An unprecedented, multiyear collaboration of the international Council for Exceptional Children's The Association for the Gifted (TAG) and the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) resulted in new standards for entry-level teachers of...

Closing the expectation gap.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... In 2005, Achieve's American Diploma Project sponsored the National Education Summit on High Schools in partnership with the National Governors Association. Leaders in 32 states committed to a four-part policy agenda to close the expectations...

The homework experience.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Homework is often the intersection between school and home and serves as a channel of communication between the teacher and the parent. In their annual survey, MetLife supported funding for a survey of teachers, parents, and students about...

Gifted Black students underperform.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... In a recent issue of Urban Education, researchers reported that peer pressure to "act Black" was significant among a group of gifted African American students in two Ohio districts (Ford, D. Y., Grantham, T. C., & Whiting, G. W. [2008]. Another...

Nate the Great: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/natethegreat.(on the web)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Are your students crazy about Nate the Great? Have students visit this Web page, where they will find synopses of every book in the series. This allows them to keep track of the ones that they've read and the ones that are next on their to-read...

Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/puzzles.(on the web)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Have you ever needed a mental break while on the computer but just feel burned out on solitaire? Here is a collection of one-person computer games that pop up in a small window for a quick 2- or 3-minute play. Some games include Black Box,...

Traveler IQ challenge: http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq.(on the web)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Do you know your countries, world cities, and famous places? This is a fast-paced interactive traveler IQ game. When the name of a city appears, your objective is to find this location by clicking on the world map. You can see how many...

"Policy and Legislative Issues: Their Effects on Gifted and Talented Students.".(notable)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The Association for the Gifted sponsored a symposium at the Council for Exceptional Children annual meeting in Boston, "Policy and Legislative Issues: Their Effects on Gifted and Talented Students." Presentations addressed policy (Dr. James...

Advocates Kimberly Hymes and Deb Ziegler from the Council for Exceptional Children and Jane Clarenbach from the National Association for Gifted Children worked valiantly to maintain the Javits program, which supports schools in the development of gifted education programs and increasing identification of underrepresented students.(notable)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Advocates Kimberly Hymes and Deb Ziegler from the Council for Exceptional Children and Jane Clarenbach from the National Association for Gifted Children worked valiantly to maintain the Javits program, which supports schools in the development...

Using the National Gifted Education Standards for PreK-12 Professional Development and Using the National Gifted Education Standards for University Teacher Preparation Programs have just been released by Corwin Press (http://www.corwinpress.com).(notable)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Using the National Gifted Education Standards for PreK-12 Professional Development and Using the National Gifted Education Standards for University Teacher Preparation Programs have just been released by Corwin Press (http://www....

AP for all?(advance placement)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The College Board initiative called EXCELerator aims to diversify the AP classroom by opening the classes to all students (Gewertz, C. [2008]. Opening AP to all. Education Week, 27[7], 23-25). Five urban districts have elected to be a part of...

Social and emotional learning.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Funded by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Weissberg, a professor of psychology and education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, reported that social and emotional learning influences students'...

Online course standards.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) released a set of national standards for online teaching that will give course providers a reference point for their own program's quality. The standards are based on the results of a...

Education of the future.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... By 2019, Christiansen and Horn (2008) predict that more than 50% of all high school courses will be online (see Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns). In their analysis of K-12 education, they suggest...

Racial inequality and diversity.(notable)(Everyday Antiracism: Getting Real About Race in School)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Pollock's new book, Everyday Antiracism: Getting Real About Race in School deals with racial inequality and diversity. Topics range from using racial incidents as teachable moments and responding to the "n-word," to valuing students' home...

Connecting Students to Advanced Courses Online highlights six providers of academic coursework by delivering advanced online courses to students through technology.(notable)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Connecting Students to Advanced Courses Online highlights six providers of academic coursework by delivering advanced online courses to students through technology. The primary audience is for district and schools decision-makers who are...

Response to intervention.(notable)(Thinking About Response to Intervention and Learning Disabilities: A Teacher's Guide)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Thinking About Response to Intervention and Learning Disabilities: A Teacher's Guide was recently released by the Division for Learning Disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children. This booklet provides a concise overview of this topic, the...

Teach social studies, history, political science, and other subjects that relate to Congress.(grants and awards)(Dirksen Congressional Center)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The Dirksen Congressional Center serves two primary audiences: scholars who conduct research about Congress and teachers who teach social studies, history, political science, and other subjects that relate to Congress. The Robert H. Michel...

Drive student achievement gains in public schools.(grants and awards)(Michael and Susan Dell Foundation)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation funds projects that directly serve or impact traditionally underserved children in large urban centers in five essential focus areas: education, health, safety, youth development, and early childhood care....

Portraits of learning 2008.(CONTESTS)(Adobe Digital Kids Club )(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The Adobe Digital Kids Club is sponsoring the sixth annual Technology and Learning's digital photography contest for K-12 students. The challenge is to capture and share one's unique vision of the world. Students can digitally enhance their...

Scripps National Spelling Bee.(CONTESTS)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation's largest and longest-running educational promotion. The purpose of this contest is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct...

Future City competition.(CONTESTS)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The National Engineers Week Future City[TM] competition is now in its second decade. This is a school-based competition for seventh- and eighth-grade students to help foster interests in math, science, and engineering. The goal of this program...

National Peace Essay Contest.(CONTESTS)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The United States Institute of Peace invites high school students to enter the National Peace Essay Contest. The goal of this program is to promote serious discussion among high school students, teachers, and national leaders about...

Young world-changers.(grants and awards)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Since 1996, the BR!CK Awards have honored the finest young world-changers. The awards are intended to support the ongoing work of young people changing the world. Applicants who are age 18 and under are eligible for a scholarship of $5,000 and...

Environmental issues.(grants and awards)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The Captain Planet Foundation funds grants that promote understanding of environmental issues, focus on hands-on involvement, involve children and young adults ages 6-18, promote interaction and cooperation within the group, help young people...

Monarch butterflies.(grants and awards)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The Live Monarch Foundation Educator Outreach Program provides funding for K-12 teachers and homeschooling parents throughout the United States to enroll into the National Campaign to bring Monarch butterflies into the classroom. This program...

Science and Math.(grants and awards)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The Mickelson Exxon Mobil 2009 Teachers Academy offers a 5-day program, with camps in New Jersey, Texas, and Louisiana, designed to provide third- through fifth-grade teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to motivate students to...

Public schools in rural areas.(grants and awards)(Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Technology Grants for Rural Schools program was created to help meet the growing need for innovative technology in the classroom. The grants are funded by a donation from Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative and strive to help public schools in...

Meetings.(Calendar)
June 22, 2008... JULY 7-18 The Confratute 2008 Summer Institute at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. For more information, please visit http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/ confratute. 8-9 The Queensland Association for Gifted and Talented...

Did you know ...(MEETINGS)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... ... 83% of teachers believe that doing homework is important or very important. ... 81% of parents believe that doing homework is important or very important. ... 91% of teachers agree that doing homework helps students learn more in...

"I wish to work miracles ...".(au contraire)('How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day' by M.J. Gelb)
June 22, 2008... It no longer surprises me that the best lessons I continue to learn as an educator come from children. Most of these kids are students I teach regularly--Ian, Alec, Charlyce--but others are students I've never met, including a Canadian girl...

Reading instruction with gifted and talented readers: a series of unfortunate events or a sequence of auspicious results?(Report)
June 22, 2008... To borrow from Lemony Snicket, mysterious author of the book collection titled A Series of Unfortunate Events, if you are interested in articles with happy endings, you would be better off reading a different one... or maybe not. Read on. ...

Considerations for conducting culturally responsive research in gifted education.(multicultural issues)(Report)
June 22, 2008... A decade ago, Ford (1998) reported that less than 2% of publications in the field of gifted education focused on culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Although more work has been published since that time, this area remains...

Support gifted learners in the educational setting.(NEW products)(Expert Approaches to Support Gifted Learners)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Raising and teaching gifted children can present unique challenges to parents and educators. Not only do gifted children need support in the academic areas, but their social and emotional needs must be addressed as...

Engage in fantastic adventures with forensic science.(NEW products)(Crime Scene Detective: Theft )(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Let your students experience science in a whole new way! Through the study of forensic science, students can learn skills for critical thinking, observation, analyzing facts, and drawing conclusions. Crime Scene...

Advocate to promote achievement.(NEW products)(The Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book: What You Can Do Now to Advocate for Your Exceptional Child's Education)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In today's ever-changing world of education, it often is difficult for parents and educators to know how to effectively advocate for the needs of their exceptional children. What are the newest laws concerning...

Search significant topics through science mysteries.(NEW products)(Everyday Science Mysteries)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Everyday Science Mysteries (ISBN: 978-1-93353-121-2) integrates scientific concepts into stories and situations with which children can identify. Each of the 15 stories included in the text is designed similar to a...

Perpetuate problem solving through puzzles and patterns.(NEW products)(More Math Puzzles and Patterns for Kids )(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Challenge students to think critically, enhance skills in mathematics, and become problem solvers with More Math Puzzles and Patterns for Kids (ISBN-13: 978-1-59363-314-1). Designed for students in grades 2-4, this...

Turn the classroom into a courtroom.(NEW products)(Blind Justice: Courtroom Simulations for the Classroom )(Brief article)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Is justice really blind? Students will have the opportunity to think critically about this question as they participate in the exciting mock trials contained in Blind Justice: Courtroom Simulations for the Classroom...

Talents are unlimited: it's time to teach thinking skills again!(Report)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] All students must learn to think! According to Tough Choices or Tough Times (2006), a report developed by the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), the commission reports that America's position in the...

Meeting social and emotional needs in the days of high-stakes testing.(from the classroom)
June 22, 2008... In today's climate of high-stakes testing and continual "drill and kill," of scripted instruction, and of limited opportunities for enrichment and extension for most teachers, I often hear a chorus of complaints from teachers that focuses on...

Academic competitions as tools for differentiation in middle school: curriculum differentiation has been a central strategy in gifted education, allowing gifted students to explore and pursue different and higher level activities beyond regular classroom instruction (Renzulli & Reis, 1997; Rimm, 1997).(Report)
June 22, 2008... Differentiating the curriculum has been a challenging task for classroom teachers, but it has become even more challenging after the No Child Left Behind Act (2001), because the emphasis in programming and funding in schools has shifted from...

South Carolina State Department: an update.(spotlight on the states)
June 22, 2008... A year ago in this column, E. Wayne Lord wrote about changes in South Carolina gifted education policy over the past few years, the use of performance-based assessment in identification, and advances in teacher development. I take a different...

The use of independent study as a viable differentiation technique for gifted learners in the regular classroom.(Report)
June 22, 2008... All students are entitled to a respectful and meaningful education in this decade of No Child Left Behind (2001), and yet attention to the gifted wanes with the emphasis on standards-based education and testing. Educators of the gifted have...