Are children born with an appreciation for music and the ability to demonstrate it? Or do they develop musical ability through early exposure and structured practice? The answer is both, according to Dianna Richardson, graduate of the Juilliard School and the Cleveland Institute of Music. … [Read more...] about Musical Talent: Innate or Learned?
creativity
Myths, Legends, and Creativity
The concept of creativity is fraught with myths and negative stereotypes that prevent people from being creative. Enhancing creativity often involves dispelling these beliefs. … [Read more...] about Myths, Legends, and Creativity
Developing Creativity
"The thing that makes a creative person is to be creative and that is all there is to it." —Edward Albee … [Read more...] about Developing Creativity
Shaking Those Midwinter Blues
Midwinter—that gray eclipse between New Year’s and spring break when we’re tempted to hibernate.With the winter holidays over, academic rigors and extracurricular activities reconvene full force. However, the afternoons are short and often dreary, and long winter nights can become tiresome without some respite from the routine. Although February is the shortest month of the year, it seems to become the longest. Enter the midwinter blues. … [Read more...] about Shaking Those Midwinter Blues
Geometric Building Sets
We have researched and tested three products: Zometool, Roger’s Con-nection, and Plato’s Glo-Mobile. With feedback from children and teachers, we have ranked the sets, taking into account the critical thinking skills challenged; the range of ages and abilities served; the directions and supporting materials available; children’s engagement with the products; product options; and cost and availability. The most comprehensive of the sets is Zometool. The 484-piece Explorer Kit consists of hard … [Read more...] about Geometric Building Sets
Hearing the Music
The Music Within It’s Tuesday morning, and instead of hearing classroom noise or school bells indicating it’s time to change classes, our 14-year-old daughter Niki is in her room playing electric guitar and singing one of her new songs. Music is not just a hobby for Niki; it is her life. She has had several songs copyrighted, she solos at coffeehouses, she’s made a few demo tapes, she performs with an adult contemporary band, she offers piano lessons, and she recently completed enough songs for … [Read more...] about Hearing the Music
It’s About Playtime
There are many ways to show love, but few are as effective as giving a preschool child the gift of time—time spent interacting, playing, or just being together. Although gifted children are great at amusing themselves like all children, they also need to connect with those who love and care about them. Parents play an important role by spending high-quality time with their children. … [Read more...] about It’s About Playtime