Gifted

I taught for 10 years in various elementary classroom settings, but for six of those years, I taught in self-contained classrooms for students who were identified as academically gifted. As a gifted person myself, I was naturally drawn to these sometimes quirky children. And, from my own experiences, I knew the importance of having teachers who understand the special needs that are inherent gifted learners. I was lucky enough to have several teachers in my own educational career who were wise, caring, kind, and adept at understanding how to challenge me, keep me engaged, and push me forward in my own learning. As an adult, I felt pulled towards becoming one of those teachers--someone who helped children reach their full potential. I wanted to be a teacher who recognized the tedium of sitting through hours of "learning" material that they had mastered days, weeks, or years, ago. I wanted to help those students recognize their strengths and use them to build up their weaknesses. I wanted (and still do!) to help a grossly underserved population of students get what
they need in the classroom.

I'm not in the classroom this year, but I feel like I can still have an impact. I can still help these children by advocating for their needs, educating their parents and teachers, and by creating materials for them to use in real ways. I hope to dedicate a series of posts to this mission, perhaps sprinkling in some resources I found helpful while I was in the classroom.

Check back for more in the coming weeks!