"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!"

This month we are reading a poetry book as part of our year-long genre studies. We started by listening to one of my all-time favorite poems, which I knew the Spirits would enjoy:

Jabberwocky

BY LEWIS CARROLL

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves 

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: 

All mimsy were the borogoves, 

      And the mome raths outgrabe. 

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! 

      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! 

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun 

      The frumious Bandersnatch!” 

He took his vorpal sword in hand; 

      Long time the manxome foe he sought— 

So rested he by the Tumtum tree 

      And stood awhile in thought. 

And, as in uffish thought he stood, 

      The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, 

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, 

      And burbled as it came! 

One, two! One, two! And through and through 

      The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! 

He left it dead, and with its head 

      He went galumphing back. 

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? 

      Come to my arms, my beamish boy! 

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” 

      He chortled in his joy. 

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves 

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: 

All mimsy were the borogoves, 

      And the mome raths outgrabe.

Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)

We then had a lively class discussion about what some of these nonsense words might mean, with some very interesting ideas about the imagery (for example, what a "vorpal sword" might be -- a shiny sword, a super sharp sword, a special sword of coral formed under the ocean), what the overall poem is about (a quest, a boy fighting a monster, a dream or nightmare) and what the Jabberwocky might be (a dragon, a yeti, a monster, a wild bear). Here are our interpretations of what the burbling, fire-eyed Jabberwocky might look like:

I can't wait to read more poetry with the Spirits, to find what poems they love best, and to read and hear the poems they will write!

Building homes, Native American style

Last week, the Spirits and Navigators faced another engineering challenge: design and build an accurate model of one of several different types of Native American homes: Wigwam, Tipi, Plank House, Longhouse, Hogan or Pueblo. Here are some photos of what the process looked like, along with some of the final results. What we learned? It was helpful to be able to use a few things that the Native Americans did not have available -- glue and hot glue, for example. Several students noted that the Native Americans in the different regions were very resourceful and made good use of the natural resources they had available in their area. Other things we learned? "That its harder than it looks," and that "the people who made these houses were very skilled."

Thanks for the help!

Our auction project this year centered around books. We made a lovely owl sculpture out of books, which sold for a nice and tidy sum at the auction last night, and we created individual book safes from some lovely old hard-cover books, which families purchased at the auction. A great big THANK YOU to the parents who provided the books, helped us create this lovely art piece, let us get busy with some power tools, AND showed us just one more wonderful aspect of the beauty of books! Thank you as well to all of you who purchased our wonderful creations to raise money for Seabury!

Gifted Education Resources

I have spent Spring Break chipping away at the work I need to complete to compile evidence for my portfolio in order to obtain a special endorsement in gifted education through Whitworth University (still ... not ... quite ... done!) 

As I've been compiling all of the evidence, I suddenly realized there are SO many excellent resources I have learned about through this program and I want to share at least some with you. 

First, a list of fabulous web resources related to gifted education - great info to be found for both teachers and parents:

The National Association for Gifted Children, http://www.nagc.org, which has many resources for educators and parents.Their quarterly magazine Teaching For High Potential is full of useful information.
The Washington Association of Educators of the Talented and Gifted http://www.waetag.net, 
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted http://sengifted.org, GREAT for parents.
Northwest Gifted Child association http://www.nwgca.org, also GREAT for parents. (See presentation below)
MENSA https://www.mensa.org, - their Mensa for kids site has great educational games.
The Robinson Center for Young Scholars at the University of Washington https://robinsoncenter.uw.edu, 
The Davison Institute for Talent Development http://www.davidsongifted.org, 
Hoagie's Gifted Education page http://www.hoagiesgifted.org, TONS of good stuff here!
The William & Mary Center for Gifted Education http://education.wm.edu/centers/cfge/, 
and gifted teacher Ian Byrd's blog, Byrdseed, http://www.byrdseed.com/about/ - my favorite "gifted" blog. 

I also want to mention the website ChallengeSucess.org which does not specifically relate to gifted students, but addresses many educational issues relevant to gifted students. I particularly like their Homework White Paper, which (Spirit Parents already know) has shaped my own class homework policy: http://www.challengesuccess.org/Portals/0/Docs/ChallengeSuccess-Homework-WhitePaper.pdf

The big take-away here : 

• A review of research on homework showed almost no correlation between homework and
  achievement for elementary school students.
  Source: Cooper, H., Robinson, J. C., & Patall, E. A. (2006). Does homework improve academic achievement? A synthesis of research 1987-2003. Review of Educational Research, 76(1), 1-62
  

Second, The BEST information on the social/emotional development of gifted children I have ever come across (and what makes me realize a Seabury education is absolutely PRICELESS):

 "What Parents Need To Know About Smart Kids" found under Connections Conference/2014 Presentations on the NWGCA website 
http://www.nwgca.org/2014-presentations.html

I saw a version of this presentation by Austin De Bonte, President of the NW Gifted Child Association at the 2013 WAETAG Conference and was literally in tears as De Bonte talked about how gifted children's perception of "otherness" colors their social experience because of their social maturity mismatch. I finally understood what my child was going through, and what I learned in this presentation still helps me understand so much more about the students in my classroom. This presentation is full of insightful information and positive steps parents can take. 

And finally, a video that addresses "The Top 10 Myths of Giftedness," which I wish I could show to the entire world! These gifted students say it better than I ever could.