The items on this list reflect those articles that come to our attention during each month and may include a variety of points of view, none of which are necessarily endorsed or supported by Adams 12 or the A12GTPG.  The list is courtesy of Kelly Teran (Adams 12 GT staff).

updated April 2016

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APRIL 2016

• High-potential students thrive when school districts develop sustainable gifted services (Thomas B. Fordham Institute)

  The goal of gifted programs should reflect that of any other educational program: to engage students with appropriately challenging curricula and instruction on a daily basis and in all relevant content areas so that they can make continual academic growth.

   

• How Adults Can Encourage Kids to be Original Thinkers?  (NPR-Ed)

  When I first read Originals I couldn't help but take notes. What I jotted down was essentially a to-do list for how I could be more creative, how I could think up and then communicate new ideas.

   

• How Psychologically Well Adjusted are Gifted People?  (Psychology Today)

  The scientific evidence shows that, on average, gifted individuals from young until they are old tend to have psychological well-being that does not differ from their peers. They also tend to be quite high-achieving.

   

• Is 'Grit' Doomed to be the New Self-Esteem?  (NPR)

  In just a few short weeks, students in California will be taking high-stakes tests. But the tests won't just cover math, reading and science. Students will also be responding to survey statements like "I usually finish what I start," or "I can do anything if I try."

   

• A Nation at Risk: How Gifted, Low-Income Kids are Left Behind (Huffpost Education)

  This consistent lack of investment in gifted kids for decades has created a deep divide between the educational, occupational and leadership attainment of low-income and high-income students. As researchers of gifted education, we believe this has significant implications not only for the well-being of these disadvantaged students, but also for societal innovation and even America’s GDP.

   

• Nurturing Growth Mindsets: Six Tips from Carol Dweck (Education  Week)

  Stanford researcher Carol Dweck clearly tapped into a powerful and compelling idea when she linked the concept of growth mindsets to academic success.

   

• Six Myths of Gifted Education That Lead to Overlooking Talented Minority Students  (UVA Today)

  Inequality in American public education looms large in gifted education nationwide. While approximately 49 percent of public school students are minority students, they make up only about 40 percent of those in programs for gifted students.

  Tonya R. Moon, a professor in the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, and colleagues Marcia A.Invernizzi, professor, and Catherine M. Brighton, associate dean and associate professor, are working to increase the number of underrepresented students in gifted programs.

FEBRUARY 2016

• ADHD in kids: What many teachers and parents don't understand but need to know (Washington Post)

  There seems to be a never-ending stream of research reports about attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD — the most commonly diagnosed neurobehavioral disorder in U.S. children — and how it affects young people.  Breaking the artificial ceilings we place over gifted and talented children (Thomas Fordham Institute)

  The United States and other nations in our global community must place a priority in breaking the artificial ceilings we place over children with extraordinary gifts and talents in our schools from all populations, including economic, racial, language, and disability backgrounds. We know what works—strategies like early entrance into kindergarten, grade skipping, and curriculum compacting should be allowed and used as appropriate

  for the child.

• Got an A in Algebra? That's Worth $120 (The New York Times)

  As the first person in her family to apply to college, Ashley Ayala-Perez was completely new to the undergraduate admissions process. Even more daunting, she had to figure out how she was going to pay for college — and navigate the scholarship bureaucracy.

  Then, when she was a senior last year at Northeast High School in Philadelphia, her school’s lead counselor posted an announcement about a new program called Raise.me. Unlike other scholarships, it did not require student essays or teacher recommendations. Students simply had to enter details on the site about their high school achievements and they would immediately accrue incremental scholarship credits — contingent on admission — from certain colleges

• How to Raise a Creative Child.  Step 1: Back Off (The New York Times)

  Child prodigies rarely become adult geniuses who change the world. What holds them back is that they don’t learn to be original. They strive to earn the approval of their parents and the admiration of their teachers. But as they perform in Carnegie Hall and become chess champions, something unexpected happens: Practice makes perfect, but it doesn’t make new.

   

• Identifying gifted and talented students with equity proves difficult  (Education Dive)

  Nationwide, students of color are dramatically underrepresented within gifted and talented education programs. Part of the reason why, some experts say, is because kids or color are less likely to be identified as gifted.

   

• Jacob Javits is the Only Federal Program Focused on Gifted Education (NAGC)

  The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the nation’s leading advocate for high-achieving and high-potential students, commends the Obama Administration for including $12 million for the Jacob Javits Gifted Education program in its Fiscal Year 2017 budget, released earlier today.

   

• The Science of Getting Kids Organized (nprEd)

  If you've ever gotten a glimpse inside a high schooler's backpack or locker, you know organization doesn't always come naturally to teens. Being scatterbrained in school can make make it tough to stay focused and do well.

   

• Six Myths of Gifted Education that lead to Overlooking Talented Minorities (UVA Today)

  Inequality in American public education looms large in gifted education nationwide. While approximately 49 percent of public school students are minority students, they make up only about 40 percent of those in programs for gifted students.

   

• Why Elite College Admissions needs an Overhaul (The Atlantic)

  March madness is almost here. No, I’m not referring to the college-basketball playoffs; I’m alluding to the anxious waiting of young people and their families of word about their fate from the highly selective colleges of America. And I’m talking as well about those who are about to venture forth on the ritualistic campus tours to determine where they will apply next fall. What few of these families realize is how broken the admission system is at these selective colleges.

• Why I'm Tired of ‘Grit’ (Education Week)

  The concept of "grit" has given both pop psychologists and those who discount the importance of genetics yet one more mantra on which to hang their pseudo-theoretical hats. Three reasons why I’m tired of ‘Grit’. 

DECEMBER 2015

• 8 Ways to Reduce Your Child's Anxiety during the Holidays  (Psychology Today)
  Sometimes the way the holidays take us away from our normal, predictable routines and throw us into a temporarily busy and chaotic schedule may be enough to throw a child off balance. The most wonderful time of the year can also be the most stressful time of the year for some.

• Free SAT Practice from Khan Academy
  ​Starting with the 2015-16 school year, students who take the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, or PSAT 8/9 have access to personalized SAT study resources. Khan Academy's world-class practice tools are free for all students and include:
  ·         Thousands of practice questions, reviewed and approved by the College Board
  ·         Four official SAT Practice Tests written by the College Board
  ·         Personalized recommendations for instruction and practice to help students fill their knowledge gaps

• Gifted Ed. Students Are More Than Really Just Smart Kids (Education Week)
  Just this week, a teacher came to me to get advice about how to help a gifted student who is failing her class. Another teacher wanted suggestions about a behavioral plan for an out-of-control student who is gifted. "What do I do about a gifted student who won't write?" asked a coworker.

  GT Resources- I get by with a Little Help from my Gifted Friends  (GT Ignite)
  Need answers for perplexing behavior from your gifted students? Want some fresh ideas to spice up your upcoming lesson plans?  Then look no further!  Here’s a breakdown of six of our favorite G/T resources that will get you fired up and ready to go.

   

• How Moxie Can Help Students Succeed (Edutopia)
  Every student possesses his or her own unique brain physiology, learning needs, goals, and dreams. This mosaic of individualized intricacies creates a singular person that will respond to the world in a singular way. That includes their learning. As much as schools can impact what, why, and how students learn, they cannot control how a student will interact with the learning and pedagogical climate. So what will help students become successful in and out of school?

   

• Positive Mindset May Prime Students' Brains for Math (Education Week)
  Having a positive mindset in math may do more than just help students feel more confident about their skills and more willing to keep trying when they fail; it may prime their brains to think better.

   

• The Twice Exceptional Adult (Psychology Today)
  Although the word “gifted” has been used to describe people of higher levels of intelligence for decades, the term twice-exceptional, often abbreviated as 2e, has only recently entered the lexicon of educators, mental health professionals and the like referring to intellectually gifted children who have some form of disability. These children are considered exceptional both because of their intellectual gifts and because of their special needs. These so-called disabilities include diagnoses on the autism spectrum such as ADD, ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome. While we have been seeing more and more parents seek help for their children in this realm, there is also an increased trend of many adults seeking similar guidance, as the term “2e” is relatively new within everyday society.

   

• Underachievers under-the-radar: How seemingly successful gifted students fall short of their potential (Gifted Challenges)
  There are other underachieving gifted students, though, who remain hidden; their struggles detected by only the most astute observers. On the surface, these kids seem to be model students, with good grades and stellar test scores creating an appearance of hard work, motivation and drive. Their failure to reach their potential, though, remains unnoticed, well beneath the school's radar.

   

• Using 'Madden' Football Video Game to Teach Math and Science  (Education Week)
  For years, football fans have eagerly awaited the release of the latest in the "Madden" video game series. This December, in conjunction with Discovery Education and the NFL Players Association, EA Sports will release a special version of "Madden" that aims to teach math and science to 5th through 9th graders.