TAG Book Studies
Genius Denied: How to Stop Wasting Our Brightest Young Minds
Book by Bob Davidson, Jan Davidson, and Laura Vanderkam
With all the talk of failing schools these days, we forget that schools can fail their brightest students, too. We pledge to "leave no child behind," but in American schools today, thousands of gifted and talented students fall short of their potential. Click HERE to register at Tiger University.
With all the talk of failing schools these days, we often forget that schools can fail their brightest students too. Gifted children forced into a "one size fits all" approach to schooling find themselves bored or frustrated, which can lead to underachievement, behavioral problems, or depression. Without sufficient challenges and resources, say Jan and Bob Davidson, America's brightest young minds languish, never reaching their full potential. Society can't afford that loss.
In Genius Denied, the Davidsons -- founders of a nonprofit institute that provides assistance to gifted children -- offer hope and practical advice to parents and teachers alike. Through their own experiences and those of the families they've worked with, the Davidsons show parents how to find an appropriate education for their children, when to go outside the school system, and how to create a support network with school authorities and other parents. Genius Denied shows that with commitment and creativity, gifted students can get the education they deserve, one that nurtures their talents and minds.
Removing the Mask: Giftedness in Poverty
Book by Paul D. Slocumb, EdD and Ruby Payne, PhD
The book "Removing the Mask: Giftedness in Poverty" highlights the work of Ruby Payne, who is best known for her work on the "hidden rules of the economic class" and how they affect learning. My goal of this book study is help you gain a perspecitive in first, identifying gifted students from low socioeconomic environments who are in your classrooms. Secondly, that you are given time to reflect on chosen strategies that you may find useful as you design your instruction to be more equitable for your gifted students. Click HERE to register at Tiger University.
The challenge of identifying gifted students from poverty and providing the appropriate opportunities for service is ongoing. I have found this book to be informational and packed with invaluable tools for us to use in helping to identify gifted students no matter their age, race, culture, religion, language, subject area, or social class. In creating an equitable identification process, our first step is in looking at students' giftedness and talents in a context of opportunities afforded within the home environment. Their giftedness is shaped differently and, then therefore, we must learn to examine them differently. The gifted from poverty do not come to school with middle-class experiences and values; programs thus must be adjusted to accommodate the experiences and values that are fostered in the their own culture. In this book study we will address two major questions:
How do I identify gifted students from a low socioeconomic environments?
Once the student is identified, how do you as a teacher design and implement differentiated instruction the will meet their needs?
Teaching Gifted Kids in Today's Classroom
Book by Susan Winebrenner
This book study will leave you with a definitive "go to" guide to meeting the learning needs of gifted students in the mixed-abilities classroom. You will learn proven, practical, classroom-tested strategies and step-by-step instructions for how to use them as you ensure gifted students are getting the opportunities they need and deserve. Some of these strategies include using technology for accelerated learning, managing cluster grouping, increasing curriculum rigor, improving assessments, boosting critical and creative thinking skills, and addressing gifted kids with special needs. Watch for this Book Study in the FALL of 2023!!!