Book Review: Learning in the 21st Century: How to Connect, Collaborate, and Create By Ben Curran and Neil Wetherbee

This book, the latest in the Perspectives In Gifted Homeschooling Series from GHF Press, may be intended for homeschoolers … but don’t let that stop you from buying it if you’re not a homeschooler! All the books in this series are excellent resources for parents of gifted children, and this latest one is no exception. It is easy to read, easy to understand and a book that will have tattered edges before long … unless you buy the ebook version. Then, you’ll just have a low-battery issue facing you.

As the title indicates, the book is divided into three sections: Connect, Collaborate and Create with the latter divided into Creation Tools and Ready-Made Projects. All are superb intros into the world of using technology in education.

Had I written this review a few weeks earlier, I would not have to take a short intermission to inform you that Google announced a few days ago that it was pulling the plug on Google Reader … one of the first tools reviewed in the book. It is no reflection on the authors … many in the online technology community are in a tizzy over this development as there are no viable alternatives available to aggregate news sites and blogs. An editorial in the New York times found places blame squarely on the shoulders of Google itself.

That’s okay though; the other tools ~ Google Drive, Blogger, Twitter, Diigo, Edmodo … to name a few ~ are all still intact. It’s like a one-stop shop for ‘how-to’ lessons on all things tech. Even after many years of utilizing tech tools, I found myself pouring over the instructions in this book and learning something new in every section. I really, really like this book. Ben and Neil know what they are talking about and have a way of explaining it all in layman’s terms.

When parents think about education, it seems only natural that we tend to think back to our own days in school. Big, big, big mistake. School isn't what it used to be. If you want your gifted kids to soar, you need to be prepared to assist in lift-off! Learning in the 21^st Century helps you to find and use the tools you need to help guide your children to new heights. It may just earn you a little respect as well in their eyes! Too many parents shrug off their responsibility when it comes to educating their children. It takes a village to raise a child, and in the case of gifted children; it takes a metropolis!

One of my most favorite parts of the book is the Ready-Made Projects section. You can read all the ‘how to’ books you like, but the authors make it easy by giving you several projects to get you started. Once you try out a few of these and tweak them for your own use … you’ll be hooked!

Here’s an added bonus … this book will help you out personally as you begin your foray into the world of online technology and social media. Along with guiding your child, you’ll pick up some great tips as well. You’ll learn how to connect and collaborate with other parents of gifted children in ways you never dreamed of. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a great community of folks who will become your support system. Feelings of being alone will be a distant memory as you find blogs to read and Twitter accounts to follow; all while helping your child to learn about the many different types of technology available online.21st cent

From the authors ~ “…when it comes to technology and education, be the type of learner you want your children to be—a learner that is dedicated, motivated, not afraid to try new things, and one who recognizes the immense value of learning from mistakes.” I couldn't agree more. To learn more, check out the book on . You’ll be glad you did!

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TAGT Annual Conference 2012: Building Connections

As many of you know, aside from writing this blog, I am also employed by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) as moderator for #gtchat on Twitter. As part of my job, this year I attended their Annual Professional Conference and Parents’ Conference in Dallas at the end of November.

What an experience! I have attended state conferences elsewhere, but nothing prepared me for being in the midst of 2,000 educators and parents who actually wanted to learn more about gifted education. Until this point in my life, I had only met a handful of teachers who even remotely cared about gifted kids.

During the 3 day conference, I presented 3 times with mixed results. Did I mention that I had never presented before in my life? Never. Nada. Not even a PowerPoint presentation. Many heartfelt thanks to Lisa Van Gemert of American Mensa for sharing her expertise with me about presenting which saved the day!

Lisa Van Gemert 

It was a memorable experience … there is an undeclared camaraderie ~ a shared experience … among parents of gifted children. There was a sense of relief in the faces of my audiences when they learned that others had experienced the same frustrations and fears they felt. There were {{hugs}} and tears as parents realized they were not alone and shared their stories with me after the presentations.

Twitter Wall

On the last day of the conference, we held a live Twitter chat at the Social Connections Area of the Exhibit Hall. People from all over the world participated in the chat via Twitter. It was extraordinary to watch the two geographically separated groups join together virtually to discuss how they could work together to ‘Build Connections’ within the gifted community globally. Afterwards, we had a Tweet-Up for conference attendees.

I met, listened to and rubbed elbows with some of the most influential people in gifted education today. At one point, I looked out at one of my own presentations to see Carolyn Coil and Lisa Van Gemert sitting in the audience. Awesome! Check out the Conference Program  (.pdf).

Angie French, Stacia Taylor, Jen Martin

Friends that I had met via Twitter were there … Jen Martin, Stacia Taylor, Angie French, David Sebek, Stacy Ledbetter Hughes, Mika Gustavson … all seemed like I’d known them in real life for years! Ian Byrd and Brian Housand were as cool as they are online.

Dr. Lynette Breedlove and J.J. Colburn

And then there was the TAGT and . I have NEVER worked with a more committed and professional group of people in my life! This conference was such a success because they.get.gt! Kudos to Executive Director, J.J. Colburn; Assistant Executive Director, Tracy Weinberg; Executive Assistant/Meetings Coordinator, Lisa Varner; Business Development Manager, Keri Kelley;  Member Services Coordinator, Casey Martinez; Past-President of TAGT, Dr. Lynette Breedlove and TAGT President, Marilyn Swanson for all their long hours spent bringing together an incredible conference.

Next year’s will be held in Houston, Texas, December 4 – 6, 2013. It will include over 100 intensive training sessions in fifteen strands. Hope to see you there!

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Nurturing the Global Nature of Giftedness

This week, the global gifted community will have the opportunity to virtually join with participants of the 13^thInternational Conference of the European Council for High Ability (ECHA) in Münster, Germany.

On Thursday, September 13^th, a highly anticipated Symposium on Social Media and Gifted Education will add a new online component to the conference via Twitter. Five presentations will be followed by a Twitter chat from Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT).

Real-world presentations will begin at 8:15AM ET (U.S.) and continue through 9:33AM ET (U.S.). A discussion by #gtchat will follow at the conclusion of the speakers’ remarks using the hashtag #ECHA12. Both participants at the conference, conference speakers and global online participants will be able to interact virtually via Twitter.

Here are the links to the presentations:

Javier Touron’s presentation –   

Peter Csermely’s presentation –  

Roya Klingner’s presentation –

Tim Dracup’s presentation –

Albert Ziegler’s presentation –  

It will be valuable to review the presentations prior to the start of the Symposium as online participants will be depending on those in Münster to keep them up to date on what is happening at the convention. Using the Twitter application to attend an actual conference is nothing short of cutting-edge use of 21^st century technology. This Symposium represents a giant leap for all involved in adopting this technology. Special thanks to Mr. Tim Dracup for his tireless efforts to bring this about! Thanks also to the team at TAGT for their unwavering support to bring innovation and cooperation to the entire gifted community.

More information on the conference can be found . Detailed information on the Symposium can be found . Additional information about ECHA can be found . To find out what time the Symposium will take place in your time zone, check .

As a firm believer in the commonality of the gifted experience regardless of where you reside, it would seem that positive outcomes will result as more and more stakeholders in the community come together to learn from each other, collaborate, and support gifted children and their education. Social media provides us with a means to communicate and to work together. Join us on Twitter this Thursday for ground-breaking virtual participation in a major gifted conference as we celebrate Giftedness Across the Lifespan at the 13^th International Conference of ECHA! 

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The Quirky Child and the Soul of Giftedness

This post is part of the World Council of Gifted & Talented Children's International Week of the Gifted 2012 Blog Tour

Quirky: something that is strange/not normal, but cool; characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits. That’s about right. Gifted kids are quirky. They have quirky friends. They like quirky things. Strange, but cool! Add in emotional intensities combined with an intellect that all too quickly surpasses that of adults charged with their upbringing and well … you get the picture.

Now don’t go taking offense ~ none was intended. I like gifted kids. I was 1. I raised 2. I’ve worked with many. When I was in the 7th grade, my mother gave me the book, How to be a Non-Conformist. Of course, she already knew that I didn’t need any advice on the subject; she just wanted me to know that I wasn’t alone. I was strange, but cool!

Enter the 21^st century ~ a brave new world where gifted children are being parented by those of us who grew up in the confines of the 20^th century ~ sans cellphones, mobile computing devices, the Internet. You suddenly find yourself longing for life off-the-grid! Then, you realize that you just need to harness these new tools to become a better parent

I love technology! I’m thankful that I have access to it. I realize that not all parents have this luxury. I appreciate the fact that my children are available to advise me on its use. Not all parents are this fortunate.

So what’s a parent to do? Hmm … when faced with a lack of face-to-face interaction with like-minded parents but with an Internet connection … let me introduce you to the ‘networked parent’. Take your old-fashioned address book or rolodex and introduce it to your Facebook Friends’ List. One group of friends does not need to supplant the other. Live a life connected!

This week we celebrate the . Next year has been designated as the International Year of Giftedness and Creativity 2013 by  in conjunction with their bi-annual conference, , to be held in New Zealand.

My goal is to bring my circle of friends into closer contact. Let them get to know each other; to inspire, enrich, and support. I've only just begun … meeting a local friend for coffee to discuss collaboration between my work on Twitter and an upcoming gifted convention in our area; posting a  from a local colleague on my Facebook Group page; talking to area teachers about the need for a more aggressive approach to gifted education in our local schools; connecting a local  with a Facebook friend who is a gifted education teacher in another state and who shares her passion for NASA.

2013 is shaping up to be a busy year of connecting and supporting giftedness and creativity. It will be the continuation of a journey which seeks to illuminate the soul of giftedness in our quirky kids. Some would say strange, but we know they are ‘way cool’!

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Who Should Teach Gifted Education?

Is it fair to ask regular education teachers to teach gifted education? The question is both simple and complicated at the same time. The variables are as great as the number of teachers teaching.

   

Let’s go with the simple answer first. No. No, it is not fair. It is not fair to the teacher and it is not fair to the gifted student.

   

In his recent , “Do We Know How to Teach Highly Able Learners”, Peter DeWitt states, “I often wonder if highly able learners are snubbed because teachers are unclear on how to challenge them. Given high stakes testing woes, increased responsibilities and higher class sizes, some teachers are burned out and cannot meet the needs of most gifted learners. So instead of finding something new, they give more of the same.”

I don’t wonder at all. If you’re going to teach students who have been identified as {{insert applicable word of choice for ‘gifted’}}, then you should at the very least be certified to teach gifted education. Now, before those of you who are teachers grab your mouse to send me a “who do you think you are questioning the teaching profession” email or parents poised to give me a round of applause … step away from your computers and sit down in your seats.

Here’s a reality check for everyone involved … education isn’t what it used to be. It has lost its way. It has been standardized in a world filled with children who are anything but standard. Who among you would say that your child is like everyone else’s; run of the mill? When did we forget the difference between equality and equity? Whose potential must be realized and whose potential is pushed to the side?

So … who should teach your child? If your school started hiring its teachers from the general populace … people with non-education degrees or no degree at all … there would be an uproar from the public! Why then are highly-abled children expected to be taught by someone without any background in gifted education? Why should we expect a teacher who has been trained in elementary education to be differentiating for someone who may need instruction in calculus?

It’s not easy being a teacher today. It’s especially difficult to teach in a school district with shrinking budgets, no professional development, and a lack of technology. How many parents would like to be judged and potentially punished for whether or not their children succeed or fail in life? Most teachers I know are dedicated professionals, but there are not enough hours in a day to adequately meet the needs of every single child … even with technology … in a classroom spanning 6 or more years of ability.

There are many ways to achieve an equitable education for your gifted child. Look for schools that require gifted education certification and provide a program specific to gifted children. When this is not available, research alternative education opportunities; many of which I have already written about in this blog. Should your child find themselves in a ‘full inclusion’ classroom, share information with their teacher about instructional strategies for gifted children. My blog post on the topic can be found .

Who should teach gifted education? Hopefully, this post has made you contemplate the options and inspired you to become pro-active in advocating for an appropriate and high quality education for your child.

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Technology for the Gifted Classroom

Yes, I know; this is a blog to provide support to parents. And I try to keep on topic; it is in the interest of parent-teacher relations and for homeschoolers that I decided to talk about tech tools for the gifted classroom. One can never have too many tools in the toolbox when it comes to teaching gifted kids.

There are, in fact, so many resources available to educators and parents that it would be impossible to cover them all here. The criteria that I considered when choosing tools were cost, ease of use, and availability.

All of these tools are available online and are free. Some have additional upgrades, but I don’t consider them necessary. School administrators are under extreme pressure to cut budgets and home budgets are already tight for many homeschoolers. So, free is nice!

Ease of use is an important consideration as well as professional development (PD). PD budgets are often the first thing to go when districts are looking to cut costs. Technology is great, but not if the teacher has no idea how to use it. Utilizing technology tools such as podcasts, webinars, and Skype can be a very cost-effective way to provide PD for teachers. They can also be utilized for personal development outside of school.

It is important to remember that technology is an enabler; not a replacement for authentic pedagogy. Instructional technologies empower educators to facilitate learning, increase student engagement, differentiate curriculum for each student’s learning style, and connect classrooms around the world. Students, in turn, can collaborate with gifted peers anywhere and at anytime while fostering problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and teamwork. They can communicate with master teachers, create new and innovative content, and learn at their own pace.

My first stop on the Technology Tool Tour (TTT) would have to be . Recently, Google made access to these tools seamless with their search engine. Once on the Google Search homepage, roll over the Google logo at the upper left-hand part of the page to reveal all they have to offer, Google Docs is a collaborative tool that allows multiple people to access and edit a document online from anywhere. As a bonus, it auto-saves every few seconds. Google Calendar can be accessed by anyone you grant permission to use. Teachers can place upcoming assignments and projects on the calendar and students can view from school, home or even on the bus ride home. Google Books, Search, Translate, and Scholar are great resources for research materials. Google Earth can make geography lessons come alive!

Other programs on the TTT, include:

            – design quizzes & tests; administer them; & grade

            – add to ‘favorites’ as well as search tags you set up

            – doc sharing site, accessed from multiple platforms 

            – share ideas, text alerts to students, conduct polls, & share files

            – accessed from any device; record student presentations

            – ‘ideas’ are searched & pinned to the user’s board. 

            Podcasts – For ‘flipped’ classrooms & to view a wealth of PD podcasts .

            - teachers can make tutorials for staff & faculty.

                                              

              –  free, video calls; connect classes, teachers, & students.

Finally, our TTT draws to a close with a look at social media tools; many of which you are undoubtedly already familiar with and will need little explanation. has a neat feature called Groups which can be open, closed, or secret. Taking privacy into consideration, closed groups would be the best choice for classroom. Here students can collaborate on projects, share research, and ask questions of the teacher. Google + has a similar feature called . Virtual Reality programs such as (older students with adult supervision) and (Ireland) provide virtual classrooms where students can engage in global projects, conferences, and lectures from world-class educators. And last, but not least … … perhaps the greatest source of PD, late breaking news and trends, and a great place to grow a personal learning network (PLN) with other professionals and educators.

Of course, there are literally thousands of other sites on the Internet that provide tools for teachers and the classroom. Hopefully, I have whetted your appetite to explore the ones I’ve mentioned and then look for other tools on your own!

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Help Wanted: Seeking Highly Qualified GT Teacher

Okay. I know what you’re thinking. What’s the point … who has the luxury of looking for the best possible teacher for gifted students? Most parents are thankful just having a gifted teacher; and for many, even that is a stretch.

All parents want their children to have quality teachers, but what should parents of gifted children look for in their child’s teacher? Consider this … the gifted education program at your child’s school is only as good as its teachers.

There are certain qualities and qualifications that distinguish the best teachers of gifted students. Here is my ‘top ten’ list of things to look for in your child’s gifted teacher:

10) Highly intelligent, patient, empathetic, out-of-the-box thinker, and gt certified

 9)  Understands the social-emotional aspects of ‘giftedness’

 8)  Lifelong learner who is passionate about what they do

 7)  Seeks out learning opportunities and advocates for their students

 6)  Embraces technology as a teaching tool and understands the value of social media

 5)  Inspires their students; engenders a love of learning through modeling

 4)  Engages their students in the learning process

 3)  Facilitates learning through a variety of strategies such as Socratic teaching

 2)  Collaborates with their students; willing to have ideas questioned by students

 1)  Sees parents as partners


So maybe this is more than ten qualities, but you get the idea. If the personnel responsible for gifted education in your district are not supportive and passionate about what they do, you will have a sense of the quality of program being offered.

Another area to look at is how the school system supports their teachers. Do they require certification in gifted education for their gt teachers? Do they provide professional development in gifted education for all teachers? Is there a gifted education program in place at both the elementary and secondary level so that teachers can see a continuum of support for their efforts? Is there a genuine teacher evaluation system in place that can give teachers beneficial feedback on performance issues beyond student testing?

It’s a lot to consider and certainly more than most parents think they have the time to do. However, it is called responsibility and it is an important aspect of parenting that can’t be handed off to someone else. Just do it!

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Returning Creativity and Innovation to America’s Classrooms

It’s been nearly 20 years since Americans started facing the fact that other countries’ students were out-performing their students in the classroom and on standardized tests. In subsequent years, the results have gotten worse … much worse. What has happened to creativity and innovation … once thought to be hallmarks of U.S. education? After years of pouring in billions of dollars and re-vamping the educational system numerous times, Americans and their politicians seem to be mystified as to why things aren’t getting better.

Well, I can think of a few reasons why. How about teaching students ‘how’ to take tests and score better does not make for better students. And when kids spend the majority of their time in school taking tests, there’s precious little time for actual teaching. Or, why didn’t anyone consider looking at the educational systems in those countries that were doing better to understand what they were doing to promote learning and analytical thinking. Who in authority truly understood the endgame? I’d say it was a perfect storm from my point of view.

Test scores can improve, for a while, if the student only has to memorize answers and then recall them for tests. But, what if the student could ‘figure out’ the answer without having seen the question before? What about those ‘aha’ moments as referenced by Jan and Bob Davidson in Genius Denied? Why do the answers to these questions seem to confound educational policy wonks? And how great of a role does politics play in the nation’s education policy? Answer those questions and you’ll soon realize why we’re in the mess we’re in!

So, what does this have to do with gifted education? It has a lot to do with it! Why do we ignore at best and obstruct at worst the educational needs of our best and brightest? This speaks volumes to why the U.S. educational system is in such disarray! Being smart or even aspiring to have the answers is demonized in our society. In countries that far out-score our students, intelligence is valued and nurtured; not categorized as elitism. Why do Americans rationalize giving athletes full scholarships to play games in college and hedge on providing the same benefits to their best performing academic scholars?

Creativity and innovation are never going to be found lurking in the corners of classrooms that are being pushed to make Annual Yearly Progress targets. Schools will continue to be places where students have to go to; not want to go to. Things will never change until those in a position to legislate the changes are persuaded to consider what is really at stake.

Globalization isn’t going away. Everyone must finally understand the risk involved in ignoring the unmet needs of gifted students. Highly-abled students are being forced to seek out educational platforms that meet their needs; wherever they exist. Technology will provide the conduit and intelligence the way. We face a crossroads. Which direction we take will decide the future standing of our nation on the world stage. It’s time for America to return creativity and innovation to our classrooms.

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