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It’s Time To Get Rid Of Ability Grouping
“Every child deserves a champion … an adult who will never give up with them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” – Rita Pierson
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Intelligence Isn’t Everything
Intelligence Isn’t Everything I’m one of those moms who had their kids tested for intelligence at a very young age. I insisted they be placed in gifted programs as young as kindergarten. I made sure they had music lessons, Eric and I coached Arielle’s Odyssey of The Mind team, and I insisted on straight A’s for many years. Why? I knew my kids were capable of the work and I didn’t want them to be slackers in school like Eric and me. Eric is one of the most all-around intelligent people I know yet in school he did next to nothing and was once sent out of class because he was…
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Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
I was standing in the kitchen doing dishes. Arielle was on my laptop at the dining room table. Calmly she said “Mom, I got accepted to UCF.” I’ve heard many sentences from my children throughout eighteen years. “Mom, I’m hungry. Mom, can you wash this? Mom, can I go to the movies?” This sentence was unfamiliar. College. My daughter was accepted to a college. I congratulated her, kissed her and told her how proud I was of her. I went back to doing the dishes because I had five minutes before I had to pick up Kai at the dentist. He was getting braces. In the middle of our everyday…
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What’s Your Strongest Intelligence?
There is little that upsets me more than when I hear a child say they aren’t smart. Unfortunately, I hear it often as a substitute teacher and it always breaks my heart. Sitting in the back of the room, arms crossed, the high school sophomore blurted out “This is an ESE class. That means we’re stupid.” Not wanting to lecture, but wanting to help, I gave a brief lesson on multiple intelligences. According to Dr. Howard Gardner’s theory, there are eight intelligences. • Linguistic Intelligence • Musical Intelligence • Logical-Mathematical Intelligence • Spatial Intelligence • Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence • Interpersonal Intelligence • Intrapersonal Intelligence • Naturalist Intelligence I explained that our…
