Dear Dr. Courtright, I’ll keep this short and sweet. This email comes to you from a small independent school. As a gifted educator of forty years, I have long admired and appreciated Duke’s work on behalf of gifted learners. At my school, we pride ourselves on a differentiated curriculum that strives to provide instruction that is both appropriate and respectful of our student population. This philosophy also applies to homework assignments. … [Read more...] about Ask the Experts — Homework: What’s Best?
homework
Guiding the Gifted to Honest Work
Students will tell you that plagiarism is everywhere and, perhaps, even irrelevant. To make their case, they point to recent examples of high-profile authors, politicians, musicians, and even clergy who have used the work of others without acknowledgment. Although the penalties have sometimes been severe, students assert that these cases prove that intellectual property and copyright are unworkable and outmoded. Today’s students define authorship quite differently from their parents and … [Read more...] about Guiding the Gifted to Honest Work
Negotiating Downtime with Your Child
When our 12-year-old daughter, Lauren, began to respond to our simplest requests with anger and resentment, my husband, Bill, and I pressed her to explain why she felt so offended. Her exasperated response, “I never get a moment’s peace,” confounded us. She spent huge amounts of time in seclusion. Because she was so accomplished in academic and extracurricular activities, we wondered how she could see anything healthy—much less productive—in playing video games, reading fantasy novels, or … [Read more...] about Negotiating Downtime with Your Child
Guiding without Taking Over: A Parent’s Role in Independent Study
“Hey, Mom, I have a report to do,” my son James informed me as he pulled out a crumpled assignment sheet from his teacher. “When is it due?” I asked, hoping that tomorrow wasn’t the answer. He responded, “Not until next month. I’ve got plenty of time.” I exhaled a sigh, but it was only momentary relief. James and I had worked together on a number of short-term school projects—dioramas, written reports, time lines—but this independent study was going to require more in-depth examination of a … [Read more...] about Guiding without Taking Over: A Parent’s Role in Independent Study
Making the Homework Connection
For some parents of gifted children, homework comes with many hassles, leaving Mom and Dad with more questions than answers: What is the purpose and value of homework? What is a reasonable amount of homework? When should I help, and when should I stand back? Following are some answers to these questions and practical strategies parents can use to avoid homework battles. … [Read more...] about Making the Homework Connection