I've looked for awhile for good blogs on gifted and twice-exceptional topics. While the search engines provide many links, most are one post blogs that haven't been posted to in years. However, I have found a few exceptions. The following blogs are worth noting:
Prufrock Press has a blog for gifted children and seemingly, twice-exceptional children, as some of their posts relate to Asperger Syndrome.
Gifted Exchange is written by the coauthor of Genius Denied: How to Stop Wasting Our Brightest Young Minds.
Twice Exceptional Kids discusses issues related to Twice Exceptional Students.
I don't necessarily agree with everything that is posted in these blogs. But that's what makes blogging great. One can see different perspectives, and even comment on them. I think it's an absolute must that students, especially gifted students, learn to look at different points of view. From these differing perspectives, students can critique those points of view or learn from them, incorporating new knowledge into already held beliefs, assumptions, and prior learning. Doing such can greatly enhance thinking skills.
I wish schools would provide such opportunities for developing thinking skills. This would be great for social studies or literature classes. Kids should be able to discuss current issues, and respectfully listen to other points of view. Kids should be able to watch presidential debates and critique the various points of view presented at the debates. Kids should be able to compare and contrast different points of view effectively. If they are not given these opportunities, the ability to compare and contrast will be lost, and the students will not be able to make informed decisions later in life, and in the end, will lose the capacity to think for one's self.
Til next time....
Bryan
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2 comments:
At work the other day we were talking about test-taking practices and open book tests. My boss had just spent the week with the author of this editorial Let 'em Cheat... They had talked about how providing a classroom of open inquiry, and teaching students how to find information was more important than teaching kids how to cram and memorize for tests.
I can understand and appreciate that, because it does help when students are out of the classroom, solve problems, find solutions, and become interested in other subject matters. But in my own personal case, when presented with these options, I still became only good at reciting what the book said, or what a plethora of authors have stated. This sort of 'research' based learning, never taught me the skills of interpretation, or how to really infuse my own opinion/beliefs(?) concerning the subject. Or how to use these particular authors to support my own opinion.
Is it possible to do both? What do you think of open book tests or as the author of the article I linked to suggests, 'let 'em cheat'?
This could lead to a very interesting discussion. Is it possible to learn to interpret and criticize while doing research? Is it OK to use this research in an open book manner.
The typical student's brain development probably wouldn't be able to interpret and criticize extremely well until high school, and in many cases, beyond high school. But, that doesn't mean we shouldn't start teaching the skills long before this period in one's life.
As far as open book tests, this is mixed. In my experience, few students really do study. Remember, I've worked at boarding schools, and have watched how students do homework on a nightly basis. They do the worksheets and such, but don't do much actual studying. If they did, teachers wouldn't have to give out these assignments. Thus, they aren't cramming and doing rote memorization. They just use what they got in class and try to regurgitate it. Now, this all falls apart in college, when studying becomes essential. Colleges have been complaining that students don't know how to study. (I looked for the report on this, but couldn't find it - it's on CNN somewhere.)
So what about these open book tests? I'm actually all for them, in moderation. But first, teachers must teach how to utilize the primary sources and other sources. When I teach how to use a textbook to my students, they look at me like I'm crazy. Why? They have never been taught how to use a textbook. For the most part, they haven't even learned how to use other resources proficiently, including online websites, encyclopedias, etc. Fortunately, by the end of the year, many of my students begin to use the books correctly. Once they learn how to utilize primary sources, they can then apply these skills to future learning, throughout an entire lifetime.
That being said, my students, on average, scored lower on open book tests than on closed-book tests.
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