Abstract
On the Web
Classics for Kids
https://www.classicsforkids.com/
This website features classical music’s great composers and brings them to life through music and stories. You can search for composers alphabetically, by country, by period, and more. There are games to help with learning musical terms, matching rhythm, or learning notes. You can use the musical dictionary, learn about the instruments of the orchestra, musical era, compose your own music, and even listen to music that made composers famous. There are lesson plans for parents and teachers to use.
Paradigm Online Writing Assignment
This handy website has learning tools to help you learn how to write better. There are links to topics such as pre-planning your writing, designing effective sentences, basic sentence concepts choosing a subject, and more. There are also tips on free writing. See if you need to work on any of these common problem areas in grammar: pronoun reference, shift in tense, shift in person, misrelated modifier, subject/verb agreement, or pronoun/antecedent agreement.
Algebra Homework
https://www.factoring-polynomials.com/
Do you need help with your algebra homework? Enter any expression, equation, or inequality, and you can use this site to simplify, factor, and expand them. You can ask for sample related problems and even see the solutions and a quiz. Other topics covered on this website include quadratic expressions, factoring polynomials, difference of 2 squares, factoring trinomials, finding the greatest common factor, and more.
Discover Engineering
Have you ever wondered what engineering is all about? What do engineers do and what jobs are available? Have you wondered how you can become an engineer? Visit this website for hands-on activities such as designing a flight test or building a sorting machine. Search games, videos, and lesson plans on different disciplines such as aerospace, bioengineering and biomedical engineering, chemical or civil engineering, and more. You can also search this website by topic, including electricity, space/transportation, technology, energy, or search by grade level.
Notable
The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) recognized the following leaders, scholars, advocates, and contributors at its 2019 annual convention in Albuquerque, NM:
Ann F. Isaacs Founder’s Memorial Award—Julia Roberts, Mahurin Professor of Gifted Education and Executive Director of The Center for Gifted Studies, Western Kentucky University
President’s Award—Jacquelin Medina, Retired Director of Gifted Education, Colorado Department of Education
Distinguished Scholar Award—Thomas Hébert, Professor of Gifted and Talented Education, College of Education, University of South Carolina; James L. Moore III, Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and EHE Distinguished Professor, Department of Educational Studies, Ohio State University
Distinguished Service Award—Laurie Jane Croft, Clinical Professor, University of Iowa
Gifted Coordinator Awards—Dennis D. Jutras, Coordinator of Gifted and Advanced Learning, Baltimore City Public Schools; Geoffrey Moon, Gifted Education Program Lead, Santa Fe Public Schools; Bonnie O’Regan, Advanced Learning Program Facilitator, Greenwich Public Schools
Early Leader Award—Keri M. Guilbault, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University
Early Scholar Award—Karen Rambo-Hernandez, Associate Professor, Texas A&M
Master’s and Specialist Award—Alissa Salazar Cress, Purdue University
David W. Belin Advocacy Award—Donna Campbell, Consultant, Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented
Underrepresentation in Gifted Education Programs
Education Week’s Research Center (2019) recently conducted a survey of 1,284 K-12 gifted and talented teachers and coordinators to learn more about how districts and schools define, identify, serve, and instruct students in gifted and talented programs. One major objective was to examine the underrepresentation of minority students, English language learners, those with disabilities, and those in poverty in gifted education programs. Respondents reported that these groups were underrepresented in their school districts: English language learners (63%), Blacks (61%), students who live in poverty (58%), Hispanics (57%), Native Americans (53%), and students with individualized education programs (43%). Respondents in large urban districts were more likely to report students living in poverty as underrepresented. Barriers to identification included limited personnel in gifted education, identification procedures, and lack of professional development related to the needs of gifted and talented students. Schools have begun to use a variety of practices to ensure the all gifted and talented students have access to services. These include adopting new or additional assessments to screen/identify students (30%); universal screening where all students are assessed, not just those who are referred by teachers (23%); using multiple criteria (23%); targeting disadvantaged populations for screening/identification (20%); training teachers and staff (17%); encouraging screening referrals from parents and teachers (12%); and offering enrichment programs and support for high-potential students not qualifying for gifted services (11%).
The researchers found that perceptions and approaches related to gifted education varied significantly depending on the demographics, size, location, and locale of the respondents’ district.
Effects of Early College High Schools
What are the effects of early college high schools? Do students who participate in these high schools attain more post-secondary degrees? What high school experiences tended to have the most impact on post-secondary success? The American Institute for Research sponsored a follow-up study that analyzed 4 more years of post-secondary outcome data from the StudentTracker Service at the National Student Clearinghouse to examine these questions (Song & Zeiser, 2019). The sample included 10 early college (EC) high schools and a total of 2,458 students—1,044 students who were in an EC high school by lottery and 1,414 who were not selected. The key findings of the researchers were as follows:
Within 6 years after expected high school graduation, 84.2% of EC students had enrolled in college, compared with 77.0% of control students.
By Year 10, 45.4% of EC students and 33.5% of control students had completed a certificate, associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree between the fourth year of high school and 6 years after expected high school graduation.
The EC impacts on college enrollment and degree completion outcomes did not differ significantly by gender, race/ethnicity, or eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch.
EC impacts on enrollment in 2-year colleges and completion of an associate’s degree or certificate within 6 years after expected high school graduation were stronger for students with higher levels of Grade 8 achievement.
Differences between EC and non-EC groups related to these high school experiences—instructional rigor, college-going culture, and student supports—explaining approximately 30% of the impact on enrollment in any type of institution within 6 years after expected high school graduation.
Completion of college credits during high school explained approximately 87% of the EC impact on bachelor’s degree completion within 6 years after expected high school graduation.
Song and Zeiser (2019) concluded that the accumulation of college credits during high school plays an important role in the academic trajectories of high school students, particularly when the integration of college coursework is intentional and coheres to specific degree-attainment pathways.
Differences in Talent Development Between High– and Low–Socioeconomic Status Students
Does talent always rise to the top? Carnevale et al. (2019) asked this question in examining a student’s journey through and beyond the educational system. Using a nationally representative survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, they found that talent is not a fixed, innate ability but can be nurtured over time or can remain underdeveloped. These were their key findings:
Children from affluent families have a 7 in 10 chance of reaching high socioeconomic status (SES) among their peers as a young adult than those from disadvantaged backgrounds (a 3 in 10 chance).
At the kindergarten level, only 26% of kindergarten children from the lowest SES quartile have top-half math scores compared with 74% of those from the highest SES quartile.
Becoming high achieving is less likely for students from low-SES backgrounds than for students from high-SES backgrounds who have similar math scores. For example, 49% of low-SES students’ scores fell and were in the bottom half by the eighth grade as compared with only 12% of high-SES students’ scores.
For low-SES students with top-half scores, staying at the top throughout their academic journey is difficult.
Achievement patterns are largely set by the time students enter high school. Tenth graders from all SES groups who score in the bottom math quartile remain there until 12th grade.
While high school achievement influences college attainment, family SES plays an even greater role. Forty-three percent of lowest SES 10th graders with top math scores immediately enroll in a college as compared with 85% of the highest SES 10th graders with top math scores. Even those with top math scores, only 30% of the lowest SES students complete a college degree within 10 years as compared with 70% of the highest SES students.
The researchers concluded that policies ensure equally talented children have equal access to development need to (a) expand academic interventions that start before kindergarten, (b) continue academic interventions throughout K-12, (c) expand high school counseling, and (d) integrate career exploration and preparation in the advising process.