In celebration and in honor of Teacher Appreciation week, I鈥檇 like to take this opportunity to send a very special thank you to each of our Spring Academy instructors.

Academy teachers bring passion and expertise in carrying out 优蜜视频鈥檚 mission of helping students build the skills, knowledge and confidence necessary to reach their full intellectual and personal potential. Each new Academy session presents a unique opportunity for instructors and their students to grow, but never in the history of 优蜜视频 has there been a session so remarkable as this spring, when, in the face of a global pandemic, teachers were challenged to adapt nearly every aspect of what they would normally do to inspire, engage and share their love for learning.

We can all think of a teacher who has made a positive impact on who we are and how we learn, work and play. Each of us can remember something a teacher said that inspired us, made us feel smart, successful, or that made us feel that we simply belonged. Or maybe they did something that helped us realize a goal or gave voice to an inner strength we didn鈥檛 know that we had and that the world needed.

American writer Alice Wellington Rollins said, 鈥渢he test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily, but how many questions he inspires them to ask which he finds it hard to answer.鈥�

Grayson and Anita, thank you for being the perfect example of this sentiment. With grace and mastery your lessons encourage critical thinking in such a way that dialogue and debate become collective discovery. You are always willing and prepared to respond to those yet unanswered questions with nothing less than the same curiosity and desire to understand that you expect from your students.

It鈥檚 been said that teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions. Rod, Stephanie, and Maria, thank you for sharing your content specialization with our students and encouraging them to experiment in ways that go beyond just imagining how to apply their knowledge to real-world solutions. Your experience in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, Pharmaceutical Bioengineering and Mathematics brought special relevance to courses like Biology of Me, Medical Pathology, and World of Science.

Chris, Joan, Rich, and Kathleen. Thank you for your boundless creativity, resourcefulness, die-hard preparation, and ability to pivot and leap to meet students where they are at, all the while planning three steps ahead to launch them further. There could be no better quote that encapsulates the professionalism and intention that you bring to each lesson than, 鈥淎 great teacher can teach Calculus with a paper clip and literature in an empty field. Technology is a tool, not a destination.鈥�

Lucy, Bradley and, Justin, thank you for offering a space where students can dive into their creative process without fear they鈥檒l find themselves lost in a sea of uncertainty. Your vision and instinct to guide students through their process of invention, whether in writing poems or expressing life through drawing, collage, or painting demonstrated so well that the best teachers are those who show you where to look but don鈥檛 tell you what to see.

Finally, I鈥檇 like to thank Amy, Richard, Toby and Summer with these words from Chinese philosopher Confucious, 鈥淓ducation breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.鈥�
You each have an exceptional ability to perceive and respond to those critical moments when a student needs you to pause, reframe and rewind, deconstruct and construct again, theorize and strategize, and empathize and laugh. These consistent and sincere moments of mentorship builds the trust our gifted students need to be confident that the future will always hold something budding and beautiful for them to discover.

Thank you, Academy Spring Teachers, from all of us at 优蜜视频!

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

invites you to join us this spring as we make each day our best in 2020. Come learn, grow and make an impact with us by trying something new every day! Whether you are a returning, new or prospective student, 优蜜视频 Academy offers something for everyone while creating a community that supports one another and our organization.听

Expand your interests by taking a that challenges you or pushes you out of your comfort zone. Are you a numbers wiz? Why not try your hand at modeling math in Hacker Calculus? Is art more up your alley? Find inspiration in creating a mammalian color wheel in our class, Cenozoic Life! Herpetologist at heart? Unexpected twists and turns await you in Secrets of the Snake! Whichever class you choose will challenge you and help you learn in-depth about a new subject.

Spark your curiosity, then chase your imagination! Academy courses are custom-built to put students in the driver鈥檚 seat of their education. With 36 courses and 17 new classes including The Creative Process: Research and Development and Harry Potter: Behind the Words, there are plenty of opportunities for students to create and visualize beyond their wildest dreams.

Go in-depth to find collaborative solutions. American psychologist Abraham Maslow once said, 鈥淚f your only tool is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail.鈥� Courses such as The Science of Plastics, The Penguin Predicament and Forensic Science offer ample opportunities for students to learn critical thinking skills and creatively solve problems. What questions will you ask that can lead to better tools for discovery?

Celebrate community and give thanks. Inside and outside, new opportunities for learning and growth are made possible by the generosity of our community. We especially want to thank 优蜜视频 families for donating to the Learning Center Play Safe Garden! The New Year brought new foliage and even berries to our front yard. We also thank the Ahmanson Family and their generosity, which helped fund our wet lab space inside 优蜜视频’s Learning Center.

We hope you join us for Spring Academy and find knowledge, creativity and community in one of our many classes!

This past weekend, Bridges 2e Center for Research and Professional Development hosted the . I had the honor and privilege of attending its Super Sunday program, which offered a diverse range of presentations by leading experts in the field of Gifted and Twice-Exceptional research, advocacy, talent development and education. While not the full picture of the many wonderful conversations I had with new and familiar faces, here are a few highlights of the people, places and presentations that I learned from at this special event.

Susan G. Assouline, Ph.D. is a research, scholar and director of the at the University of Iowa, as well as 2019 2e Hall of Fame inductee. Her presentation, The Paradox of Twice Exceptionality: Unlocking the Door to Talent Development, introduced psychoeducational implications of clinically-based research with twice-exceptional individuals, as well as interdisciplinary research aims of neuroscientists, educators, computational geneticists and clinicians to help unlock and celebrate talent development.

Rick Olenchak currently serves as Head of the Educational Studies Department, Professor of Educational Psychology & Research Methodology, and Professor in the at Purdue University. His presentation, Twice-Exceptional Persons, the 21st Century, and Lifespan Development as Viewed through an Affective Lens, emphasized the importance of socio-emotional development on all other development, and as it relates to Affect Development areas of need on the Bull鈥檚 Eye Model, including Natural Affect, World Context, Meta-Affect and Personal Affect.

Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli established the University of Connecticut鈥檚 annual with Professor Sally Reis, with whom he is also a co-founder of the Joseph S. Renzulli Gifted and Talented Academy in Hartford, Connecticut. He received the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Award for Innovation in Education, considered by many to be 鈥渢he Nobel鈥� for educators and was a consultant to the White House Task Force on Education of the Gifted and Talented. His presentation, A Curriculum Enrichment Infusion Process for Jazzing Up The Standards Driven Curriculum, introduced guiding steps to incorporate higher-level thinking skills, creativity training activities and application of skills into curricular content.

Sally M. Reis, Ph.D. holds the Letitia Neag Morgan Chair in Educational Psychology at the and is past-president of NAGC, co-director of Confratute, and former Vice Provost of Academic Affairs at University of Connecticut. Honored as a 2019 2e Hall of Fame inductee, her presentation, From Deficits to Strengths: Past and Present Turning Points on 2E Students and the Education They Deserve emphasized the need for presenting each individual with challenging learning that is strength-based, that enhances interests and task development, and that results in a positive reaction to challenges

Ann Smith is Executive Director of and serves as Past-President for the California Association for the Gifted, on the advisory board for the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development, on the Editorial Board for the Gifted Education Communicator, on the Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee for the USC/US Department of Education Jacob Javits Grant, Project CHANGE, and on a Public Policy Committee for the Institute for Educational Advancement. is an interdisciplinary language arts curriculum created by Gifted Support Center that uses poetry and music to engage across disciplines for PreK through 8th-grade students. The Leave Your Sleep for Educational Project: How an interdisciplinary curriculum can help 2e learners be recognized for their gifts, introduced non-negotiable elements of an interdisciplinary language arts curriculum that is designed to provide opportunities for sustained engagement and talent development.

We look forward to incorporating many of the takeaways from these fantastic presentations into the programs at 优蜜视频. 

For more resources for 2e students,

courses encourage students to take the lead in their learning process. But what do young inquisitive minds find so compelling about the content? Read on for five hallmarks of what makes these, and other fall courses speak to the heart and mind of gifted students, then check out our page for info on the wonderful instructors who bring home the magic!

Academy classes are outside-the-box and taught by experts.

Hacker Calculus (Ages 12-14) with Joan Horvath and Rich Cameron

Students in this class will take an intuitive approach to calculus with minimal algebra and lots of 3D prints! Students will start off with models the instructors have developed and go beyond by learning to modify them and develop their own.

Siri, What鈥檚 Natural Language Processing (Ages 12-14) with Melissa Roemelle

This course will introduce students to the endeavor of using computers to analyze human language. Students will apply techniques in math, logic, and computing to intuitive exercises such as judging whether a word in an essay is misspelled or determining whether a social media post conveys positive or negative emotion.

courses feed students鈥� curiosity through interdisciplinary discovery.

Math for Future Engineers (Ages 6-9) with Maria Melkumyan.

How do engineers design strong bridges, efficient transportation, and sturdy skyscrapers? Math! This class will explore the foundations of math that relate to engineering and will apply those topics to building projects.

Ka-Pow! Graphic Novels and The Hero’s Journey (Ages 9-12) with Alessandra Santucci.

This course will teach the tools necessary to balance art and language to construct narratives that bring the Hero鈥檚 Journey to life, from epic tales of adventure and allies to adversity and triumph! Students will learn and apply elements of creation unique to graphic novels including storyboarding, page layout, panel transitions, text distribution, and more to develop their own characters and stories.

They are collaborative and solution-oriented.

Govern and Sustain Your Own Country: Systems and Sovereignties (Ages 9-12) with Anita Russell.

Students in this class investigate what makes a country prosper and thrive, they will challenge themselves to build a system that will sustain a country of their own design. Through group discussion and creative projects, students will determine what laws their country will need, how will they make sure people follow them, and what will make their country flourish amidst inevitable challenges.

Final Appeal: To Kill a Mockingbird and the First Amendment (Ages 9-12).

This class will follow the award- NAGC curriculum by Dr. Shelagh Gallagher, which incorporates case study and problem-based learning specifically designed for gifted learners. Students will investigate a court case in which a teacher has been fired for using the novel To Kill a Mockingbird in her class and take on the role of members of the court of appeals who must decide the case by diving into the nuances of the First Amendment.

They are student-centered.

Executive Functioning: Training the CEO of Our Brain (Ages 10-14) with Amy Gilbertson.

In this course, students will gain empowering tools on how to approach their academic and personal lives with a sense of purpose, passion, and fulfillment. We will cover topics such as learning styles, motivation styles, time management, stress, effective leadership, communication, and how to break down goals into positive, sustainable action steps.

Active Algebra 2 (Ages 9-12) with Ellen Brown.

In this course, students will supplement mathematical exercises with brain breaks that support concentration, memory, and relaxation. Algebra concepts such as solving inequalities, factoring and building fluency with math symbols will be practiced with puzzles and independent exercises, while breathing techniques and movement exercises will be introduced at optimal intervals to bring body-mind awareness into the equation. Algebra 1 is not a prerequisite for Active Algebra 2, though please see the full description on our Course Description page for recommended background knowledge.

Academy courses encourage building, tinkering, art, experiments, role-playing, debate and in-depth discussion!

STEAM Building (Ages 6-9) with Cynthia Molt.

In this course, students will hone their creative engineering skills by building, testing, and improving upon their original designs for marble runs, bridges, catapults, and more. We will use the engineering design process, integrated with both artistic elements and advanced physics topics to create products that meet specific guidelines.

Secrets of the Snake (Ages 9-12) with Grayson Kent.

Take a lesson from Plato: Courage is knowing what not to fear! In this class, students will learn all about snakes, from their evolution and biodiversity to their locomotion and senses, to their colors and patterns and rightful place in the labyrinth of human history, religion and folklore. Students will have the opportunity to interact with live pet serpents, then build on their experience and knowledge to construct an original serpentarium.

If you and your child are curious to learn more about these or other , please don鈥檛 hesitate to call us at (626) 403-8900 or email academy@educationaladvancement.org.

The Fall Academy application deadline is August 26. to learn more and to submit your application today!

To celebrate National Inventors Month, Alexis Hopper put together a blog post highlighting 优蜜视频 Student Inventions through The Process of Inventing.

听鈥淎n invention has to make sense in the world it finishes in, not in the world it started.鈥� 鈥擳ime O鈥橰eilly

In 1998, the Academy of Applied Science, United Inventors Association of America, and Inventors鈥� Digest magazine came together to bring us National Inventors Month. 鈥淲e want to recognize those talented, brave individuals who dare to be blatantly creative, and therefore different, and whose accomplishments affect every facet of our lives,鈥� said the editor of Inventors鈥� Digest, Joanne Hayes-Rines.

Whether advancing the fields of science, technology, arts, or humanities, human ingenuity is fueled by the spark of genius, as well as these other key drivers. Check out examples of our own student inventors鈥� projects and how they each illustrate a different aspect of the inventing process.

1. CURIOSITY

Students in Cells: Under the Microscope practice how to use a compound microscope properly to identify structures that relate to functions of a cell.

2. INNOVATION

Shark Tank: Products and Pitches student Gabe shares his prototype for a customizable card game with a panel of 鈥淪harks鈥�.

3. PURPOSE

Students Dante and Mateo put the finishing touches on their robotic arm in Advanced Arduino Projects.

4. DESIGN

Student drawings from Math for Future Architects using Cartesian Plane and Plotting Coordinates.

5. CREATION

Students in Creative Writing: The Next Chapter work on their final draft and book cover designs.

6. EXPERIMENTATION

Kitchen Chemistry students Eli and George dig their hands into quasi-solid states of matter.

7. DOCUMENTATION

Rube Goldberg students Amalia and William document their findings on how to optimize a pulley system.

8. COLLABORATION

What鈥檚 Your Strategy: Board Game Design students share their final projects.

9. VISION

Zoo Design student, Kai, with his model for a habitable enclosure for the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach.

Ways to Celebrate National Inventors Month

1. Take a moment to learn more about the inventions that have improved your life. Do you wear glasses or contacts? Do you drink filtered water? Do ride a bicycle, skateboard or wear Heel Wheels? Find newfound appreciation for the inventions in your life by researching the who, what and when that made them a reality.
2. Advocate for inventors by joining the community. Check out these sites from the makers of National Inventors Month:

• Academy of Applied Science

3. Listen to your inner inventor! Don鈥檛 brush aside ideas that strike you at the moment. It鈥檚 inspiration calling.

优蜜视频 Summer Academy is still open for applicants. to learn more about our summer sessions.

This past July, 12-year-old educator and founder (and now !), Luke Gialanella, presented ‘s fourth student-lead workshop. Votes and Voices: The Electoral College invited students ages 9-14 to participate in an informative and fun introduction to the U.S. presidential election process, including a hands-on electoral simulation and vocabulary challenge, culminating in a baseball cap raffle prize.

Previously, published young author and veteran Academy student lead three poetry workshops, including Shakespeare鈥檚 Tragedies and Sonnets. Her mission, to help young reluctant writers learn to love writing through poetry, inspired her to offer similar poetry workshops at the Pasadena Public Library and to create her website, .

Luke and Cassidy’s success is a testament not only to their passion and talent, but also to their dedication and hard work. And it goes without saying that it takes plenty of planning and prep! Students who are compelled to volunteer their time and energy to offer a workshop must prepare in much the same way as Academy instructors do. Determining content, researching materials, developing age-appropriate activities, and reworking curriculum in collaboration with the Program Coordinator are expectations of all prospective workshop leaders. In addition to budgeting time for collaboration and planning, students are responsible for composing their own workshop description and bio for approval by the marketing team. Sound like fun? It is!

As Academy looks forward to our next student-run workshop this November 2, Votes and Voices: Mid-Term Elections and Why They Matter, we reflect on the ways that this opportunity, created for and by students, resonates with 优蜜视频’s mission of serving the intellectual, creative and personal growth of our nation’s gifted and high-potential youth. Whether leading their own workshop or engaging as an active participant, students at Academy are creating a unique space for themselves where they can:

• Engage in educational experiences that promote optimal challenge, mentorship, exploration of ideas and recognition of personal potential;
• Connect with like-minded peers to support a diverse community that creates a sense of belonging and affirmation;
• Foster intellectual curiosity, the acquisition of knowledge, confidence, creativity, responsibility, and moral decisiveness.

Interested in attending future student-led Academy workshops? to receive details and registration information as soon as it鈥檚 released!

The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers & cities; but to know someone who thinks and feels with us, & who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.
鈥�

An inhabited garden–that is what our kids at Academy are making! Read on to learn about the ways our community of learners is sharing their spirit, talent and creative interests with those around them.

Mateo, 10yrs

“My podcast,听The Book Meese, is about middle grade books. Every week or so, me and one of my friends pick a book. We both read it and then discuss it. I can’t say for sure what gave me the idea to have a podcast about books (although my mom gave me the idea for a podcast), but it was probably because almost every thing I would want to talk about was already taken MULTIPLE TIMES!!!! But I had never heard a particularly good podcast about books, and so I decided to podcast about that.

We have recorded nine episodes of The Book Meese. Here are there topics in order:

#1 The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

#2 The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

#3 Wings of Fire Book One: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland

#4 The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

#5听Pegasus: The Flame of Olympus by Kate O’Heran

#6 Rangers Apprentice book One: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

#7 Out of my Mind by Sharon M. Draper

#8 Land听 of Stories book one: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

#9 Spy School by Stuart Gibbs, due to come out in about two or three days!

On October 29th, I had my first author interview with Stuart Gibbs, writer of Spy School and the Funjungle series! We arranged to meet at his book signing at Once Upon a Time bookstore in Montrose, CA. One of the questions I asked was about Zoe, a character in the book that loves to give people nicknames. I asked him if he were at Spy School and Zoe were to give him a nickname, what would he want it to be. His answer was that he would want it to be something like “Brainiac” or “Wiseguy.”

All episodes of The Book Meese can be downloaded on or in the Apple Podcasts app. If you are a first-time listener, I would recommend checking out episode #5, Pegasus: The Flame of Olympus. And if you would like to co-host an episode of The Book Meese听with me, please email me at bookmeese@gmail.com!”

Mateo interviewing the author Stuart Gibbs at Once Upon a Time bookstore.

Cadence, 8yrs

“I have been playing piano since I was almost 6 years old. Preparing for performance is a challenge that I like. My reading and speed learning abilities are stretched. And it is rewarding to see that my piano teacher is amazed at how fast I can learn things, and to hear the audience comment on my playing, which is usually positive!

Currently, I am preparing for two performances: my piano teacher鈥檚 Christmas recital in December and 优蜜视频鈥檚 Awards Dinner & Celebration on November 17^th!

If you enjoy listening to music, I would recommend that you check out these three composers whose works I will be performing:

1. Paul de Senneville is a French melody composer (melodist) and a music producer. I will be playing his piece Poetic Sonatina with my dad.
2. Valerie Roth Roubos is as a performer, adjudicator, lecturer, and accompanist who composes works for The FJH Music Company Inc. I will be playing a solo piece by her called Water Lilies.
3. Aaron Copland was a famous composer and conductor also known as 鈥渢he Dean of American Composers鈥�. I will be playing his famous tune Simple Gifts arranged for four-hands with my brother.”

Cadence at the piano.

Gabriel, 11yrs

“My science fair project is to see the relationship between color and reflex speed using an online application I developed with a programming language called scratch. I am measuring reflex time in relationships with the spectrum color set.

The project evolved from my yearning to build a computer program and my current studies of human physiology.

Over 39 people have participated, which is amazing considering that the program is prone to technical difficulties because it requires high speed wifi which makes it difficult to remotely operate. We are now sending out emails to increase the test group. The initial data will be collected the week of November 12, however the experiment will continue as I will be submitting it to more science fairs.

If you would like to participate in my study, just click this link and follow the prompts. This study has since closed.

Garbiel enjoying a break outside.

What projects have you been working on lately?

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In celebration of National Teacher Day, we would like to extend a thank you to all the educators who shape the lives of students across the country.

Thank You, Mattie Whyte Woodridge

Pioneer of Teacher Appreciation Day

Teacher Appreciation Day was not always marked on our calendars. Then came Mattie Whyte Woodridge, a teacher and woman of conviction and artful persuasive writing who took it upon herself to pen a letter to every governor in the United States advocating for the recognition of our nation鈥檚 lifeline to a better future, teachers. And if ever there was a doubt, writing letters to your representative can make change.

In 1944, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt received Ms. Woodridge鈥檚 letter and took action, persuading 81st U.S. Congress to consider adding a national day of recognition. In 1953, The National Education Association (NEA) and state affiliates followed suit by lobbying Congress to pass a joint resolution designating one day a year as National Teachers Day.

In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Day and Ms. Woodridge鈥檚 contribution as a teacher who affected positive change, I鈥檇 like to share this quote by writer William Arthur Ward:

Teaching is more than imparting knowledge, it is inspiring change. Learning is more than absorbing facts, it is acquiring understanding.

Thank You, 优蜜视频 Teachers

Thank you to all our teachers, mentors and counselors! You inspire not only gifted students, but all of us at 优蜜视频. Your dedication and passion help shape, guide and teach the hundreds of kids who pass through 优蜜视频 every year. We couldn’t do what we do without you!

Happy National Teacher Day!

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Of all the meanings and usage of the word 鈥渂ridge,” my favorite has to be 鈥渁 time, place, or means of connection or transition鈥� (Merriam-Webster鈥檚 dictionary).

Academy鈥檚 teacher workshop, held this past Saturday at our learning space in San Marino, was just that鈥攁 means of connecting as we transition into the new winter session. More than an opportunity to introduce our new teachers, to share best teaching practices, and to discuss ways to improve ourselves as mentors and life-long learners, this workshop gave us space and time to celebrate the gift of working with such amazing kids鈥攁s a team.

At the end of the day, our teachers were divided into two teams, each with the task of building half a bridge. As each group worked in separate rooms, several creative challenges were presented, and only one opportunity for the two teams to communicate on the design and construction was allowed. When all was said and done, the two groups came together to connect each half of the bridge. What resulted was an engineering triumph and creative masterpiece as the first bridge ever to be buttressed by a balloon and tea box!

All kidding aside, our Academy team would like to extend our deepest thanks to all of our instructors for sharing their brilliance, passion for teaching, love for learning, and spirit of discovery and play. The bridges you build to support our children today are the same that lead them to tomorrow.

Back row from left to right: Elaine Martinez, Summer Ebs, Alessandra Santucci, Grayson Kent, Neel Tiruviluamala, Kunal Gogna;
Front row from left to right: Ellen Brown, Christina Seto, Toby Jacobrown, Alexis Hopper

听鈥淭he art and science behind questions is the source of all knowledge鈥� –Thomas Berger, novelist

On occasion, I remember to ask my husband questions like, “If you had to write a book, would you write a science fiction novel or historical drama?” Such a question invariably leads to a series of other questions, which then leads to a rabbit hole of sorts in which I discover answers to questions that I had no idea I wanted to ask.

And so begins a blog about questions.

We know from experience that questions can make us squirm, laugh, cry and dance. Questions can make us ask, “What’s the difference?” or “Why are you asking?”. We know that questions rarely result in a complete lack of new information, as even a silent reply is telling. But what is the difference between questions that truly engage and questions that shut things down?

For young inquisitive minds, the right question can ignite imagination, inspire surprising solutions, and validate multi-faceted perspectives that strengthen their purpose and place in the world. No matter where they are or who they are in conversation with, the right question can be the sorcerer for a special kind of magic.

For the gifted learner who is exploring truly challenging curriculum, posing what are known as closed questions can be likened to offering a friend who is thirsty a tall 32 ounce glass of salt. Although these closed (or “skinny”) questions can be utilized for a number of valid purposes, they can’t provide a direct pathway to reflection and discovery. Furthermore, a听 key difference between closed and open questions is that, short of providing what would be considered an incorrect answer, closed questions offer little to no opportunity for a variety of responses. Therefore, regardless of sophistication of topic or theme, closed questions leave no room for the wellspring of one鈥檚 being: expression of self.

As an early career teacher, I thought that anything I asked introduced by a what, how, or why qualified as an open question. If I didn’t get a Yes/No answer, I thought I was doing alright. However, I came to find out (think about that expression for a second) that both open and closed questions can have similar interrogative constructions. It is only by considering a question鈥檚 versatility as a tool for empowered learning that a student can explore possibilities beyond what is expected and known. Therein lies the art and science of questioning.

Below are examples of open-ended questions taken from an article that I like called , by Glenda Pearce. In it she delves into the why and what-for of investigative strategies, and explores six categories of Socratic questioning as conceived of by fellow author Dr. Richard Paul:

Questions of clarification

What do you mean by that?

Can you give me an example?

Questions that probe assumptions

What is being assumed?

Why would somebody say that?

Questions that probe reason and evidence

What are your reasons for saying that?

What criteria do you base that argument on?

Questions that probe implications and consequences

What might be the consequences of behaving like that?

Do you think you might be jumping to conclusions?

Questions about viewpoints or perspectives

What would be another way of saying that?

How do Maria’s ideas differ from Peter’s?

Questions about the question

How is that question going to help us?

Can you think of any other questions that might be useful?

If you found these questions to be compelling, you can find additional illuminated strategies .

In closing, I would like to offer a final question for possible exploration in future posts: Why is it, when we ask questions inviting deep thought, can they seemingly fail to give us the answers we had hoped for?

Until then, I take comfort in knowing that when a question is asked, an answer exists, even if down in a rabbit hole.

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