At a point in the past, in the middle of an unusually busy year of educational change as a high school teacher and administrator, I recall hearing (and being motivated by) this phrase: 鈥淲ithout teachers there are no other professions.鈥� Ah, I thought 鈥� that鈥檚 why I must keep doing what I鈥檓 doing. Teaching is, without a doubt, about improving life chances.

Now, as Program Manager at 优蜜视频, where听I help shape the Academy program, I think similarly and differently. Today, as we mark National Teacher Appreciation Day, we honor our faculty of teachers who improve the life-chances of our students, but who also:

• Inspire our students, by creating incredible classes; classes not found in a traditional school environment. Moreover, Academy classes emerge from each teacher鈥檚 interests, expertise and current research. Where else would you get: Paleozoology? Marine Biodiversity? Logic Detectives? Brain Science? Microbial Ecology? Debating on a Global Stage: International Relations & Justice? Literary Ladies of Americana: A Paean to the Female Pen? Microbiology for Kindergartners? The Study of Star Wars: A Hero鈥檚 Journey? Mindfulness for Gifted Tweens & Teens?
• Mentor by sharing their stories, their journeys, by listening and being a friend. Academy classes are not just about the content or the process but about where these interests might take you and why and how.
• Lead by example: our teachers are patient, curious and share the thrill of learning, just as they enable Academy students to imagine a future self. Our teachers also acknowledge their younger selves in our students. They lead by example and they have the magical ability to connect with our youngsters
• LOVE what they do 鈥搒o much so, they find time as researchers, students, teachers, parents, computer scientists, consultants, N4P workers, actors, artists, film-makers, volunteers, animal curators, professors, administrators 鈥� to come to Academy and work with us 鈥� and then, THEY thank us!

And, so, a roll call to all of our Academy faculty, who teach, who teach and then sub, who offer mini-lectures, who sub some more, who provide expertise for Genius Days, who source and bring in extra learning resources to ignite their curriculum, who travel long distances each week, who accept all children with all of their needs (and always with a smile on their face), who return time after time with new classes and new reflections on how to improve and who work with 优蜜视频, with the resources we have, to offer your families the best service we can.

As Mark Twain said, “It is noble to teach oneself, but still nobler to teach others.”

Today, we thank 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy teachers and friends for engaging in the most noble of professions and for helping shape future professions 鈥� whatever they might be.

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A British import, Louise Hindle graduated from the University of Manchester with a B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature and Language, completed her post-graduate teacher training at The University of Cambridge, and has recently completed her dissertation in Educational Leadership and Innovation with the University of Warwick. Louise has 20 years of experience in education as a high school literature teacher, lead teacher, administrator, adviser, and consultant. She is also the parent of three fun and active school-aged children. She loves working at 优蜜视频 because she is constantly learning and reflecting in order to meet the varied and complex needs of these children, who she finds to be confident and vulnerable in equal measure but always ready to learn and thirsty for more. In her free time, she likes to read with her children, hike, walk, and jog with her badly behaved dog.

Saturday, March 12^th bore witness to our 6^th Genius Day, a day of deep learning on the life and legacy of none other than Albert Einstein. In case you didn鈥檛 know, our Genius Days are days of investigation into the life and impact of someone who may be deemed a 鈥済enius.鈥� These days are always met with immense enthusiasm: our teachers clamor to share their expertise, sign-ups are rapid, and once over, our young learners leave desperate to know the date of the next Genius Day. This part of our programming is clearly sparking interest and excitement 鈥� so it鈥檚 worth pausing for a moment and considering why Genius Days are great for gifted kids.

In no particular order, here are my thoughts:

1. Gifted kids get the opportunity to come, from near and far, and be with others who share their interests

Saturday鈥檚 delegates came from as far away as Long Beach and as near as San Marino. Most importantly, they came so they could spend the day exploring Einstein鈥檚 legacy through science, math and, perhaps surprisingly, creative writing. They engaged in a fabulous gravity well experiment in order to investigate general relativity, they voyaged through time dilation and aspects of special relativity during a math challenge game, and they re-imagined Einstein’s perspectives on the world and education, by reading and responding to letters written to him or by him. All of this was achieved in a safe environment amongst others who share a common desire to learn and a unique enthusiasm for Einstein.

2. Gifted kids get the chance to learn with and from experts; asking questions which might otherwise go unanswered, or worse, not asked

Genius Day is not just an exercise in finding engaging teaching and learning activities, but an exercise in finding those with the cavernous expertise to truly meet the intellectual needs of our students. Last Saturday, we were honored to be led by our long-standing Astronomy teacher, Dr. Tony Travouillon, who is known for his work on the Thirty Meter Telescope (as well as his ability to bake macarons!). Co-teaching on that day was Dr. Jeff Rich, currently a post-doctoral research associate at the Carnegie Observatory in Pasadena. Tony and Jeff stand in a long line of friends, teachers, researchers, and experts who have given their time and minds to previous Genius Days 鈥� from Caltech to members of the Independent Shakespeare Company. Collectively, these teachers inspire our children and address ALL of their questions with patience, respect, and oftentimes, awe!

3. Gifted kids get to work in paradise!

All days have been hosted at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Marino: paradise indeed. The location is not just paradise because of the inspirational beauty of the setting, but because of its riches in manuscripts, collections, and exhibits 鈥� riches we are fortunate to enjoy access to. Curators graciously donate their time beforehand to meet with the teachers and enlighten us on what aspects of the collection might relate to our named 鈥済enius.鈥� 听For Einstein, we sourced some incredible digital images of Einstein鈥檚 visit to Mt. Wilson and then on the day itself enjoyed a visit to the award-winning Beautiful Science exhibit. Who wouldn鈥檛 be inspired to be engaged in paradise? Perhaps attendees imagined a future life as a scholar, feeding the mind through adulthood.

4. Gifted kids get what they need most 鈥� intellectual nourishment

A Genius Day is not just about showing up on the day and having the mind fed, but having expectations shaped BEFORE you even get there. All students are sent a reading pack to devour 鈥� intellectually speaking! 鈥� before the day itself. The pack outlines key terms and concepts and offers a biography. It also offers challenging readings by and about the genius from sources not always readily accessible! Pre-reading for Einstein included a newspaper article from a 1919 British newspaper, a copy of his report card revealing his achievements in Chemistry needed some attention (!), a copy of a telegram serving as a rallying cry to leading scientists in light of anxieties surrounding the atomic bomb, as well as current, breaking news on the man himself within the context of LIGO!

5. Gifted kids get to participate, not just receive

All children are involved throughout the day. Learning activities are designed, purposefully, for a range of learning styles. There is a deliberate design for student participation and an expectation that we don鈥檛 just interrogate the science and the math, but also the very notion of 鈥済enius鈥� 鈥� historically, socially and culturally. We strive for dialogue and we do our best to ensure all voices are heard, from the past through to those magical moments in the classroom.

And so, we say 鈥淗appy Birthday鈥� to Albert Einstein and bathe in the warm glow of holding a Genius Day about him just as news of a whole new astronomy breaks, courtesy of gravitational waves.听 We also say 鈥渢hank you鈥� to our community who attend and enjoy these unique days of deep learning.

We think our Genius Days are 鈥済enius.鈥� As one of our families said, for their child, attending Genius Day is 鈥渓ike being in another world with kids that he can really talk to about the things that really interest him. We cannot express enough our gratitude for what you have created in 优蜜视频; where our son lights up, like nowhere else. Another world indeed.鈥�

We sincerely hope to have you join our world and make it your child鈥檚 world, next time at Genius Day.

Interested in Genius Day? You may also enjoy 优蜜视频’s Academy, which offers after-school and weekend enrichment courses for gifted children grades K-8th. Applications are now available for the spring term!听Learn more and apply on the .

A British import, Louise Hindle graduated from the University of Manchester with a B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature and Language, completed her post-graduate teacher training at The University of Cambridge, and has recently completed her dissertation in Educational Leadership and Innovation with the University of Warwick. Louise has 20 years of experience in education as a high school literature teacher, lead teacher, administrator, adviser, and consultant. She is also the parent of three fun and active school-aged children. She loves working at 优蜜视频 because she is constantly learning and reflecting in order to meet the varied and complex needs of these children, who she finds to be confident and vulnerable in equal measure but always ready to learn and thirsty for more. In her free time, she likes to read with her children, hike, walk, and jog with her badly behaved dog.

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By Louise Hindle

Louise is 优蜜视频鈥檚听Program Manager. A British import, Louise has 20 years of experience in education as a high school literature teacher, lead teacher, administrator, adviser, and consultant. She is also the parent of three fun and active school-aged children. , mentioned in this post, provides gifted young students in the Pasadena, California area with challenging enrichment classes that focus on exploration and application of knowledge.

As we think about this question, buzz words and phrases spring to mind such as 鈥榚minence鈥�, 鈥榓ppreciation鈥�, 鈥榬evered place of learning鈥� or in general terms a place where 鈥榙istinguished scholars鈥� gather and 听interact. We might also reflect on the early articulations of 鈥榓n academy鈥� as established by Plato and now often cited as the first higher learning institution in the Western world. The evidence suggests Plato鈥檚 Academy was a place for informal, academic gatherings; a place which seems not to have had any particular doctrine to teach; rather, Plato, and others great minds, posed problems to be studied and solved through dialogue and reason. The Academy, in its genesis, seems to have been a space where the dialectic process was as respected as the academic content; where the chance to explore, probe and further society鈥檚 understandings was deemed an honorable human endeavor.

As we draw the curtain and peek at our 18^th century European counterparts, we can look to The Royal Academy of Arts in London. Founded by King George III to promote and elevate the status of the artist, its mission was achieved through the exhibition of first-rate works of art, exhibitions which set the standard for artistic appreciation and good taste. Again, as we glimpse back, we see leading philosophers, artists and academics gathering together for 鈥楧iscourses鈥�, blissful gatherings of lectures and conversations amongst and between people who care for and held these things precious.

The architecture of The Royal Academy of the Arts in London can still make the mind and soul soar with inspiration; but for me, an academy is more than its physical edifice. An academy should be a place where minds meet; where eager and open conversation is exchanged between peers who are curious, have a thirst for knowledge and are excited to explore ideas. An academy is a place of excellence then, but in the excellent and enthusiastic pursuit of new learning. Its elitism resides only, I suggest, in its celebration of knowledge, and who could ever possibly argue against the acquisition of new knowledge?

Yes, 21^st century school structures in the U.K and the U.S. have 鈥榬e-branded鈥� their public and private schools offerings as 鈥楢cademies鈥�. The 2010 British initiative was an act of privatization of public provision. Commencing in 2010, British Academies were launched as state-maintained but independently-run schools, with status and financial remuneration being awarded automatically to schools that ranked highest during government inspection. 听So yes, they are, in a sense, bastions of learning with some degree of bureaucratic freedom; but still accountable to nationally determined performance measures.

优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy strives to be a bastion of learning unfettered by the constraints of federal initiative. It upholds 优蜜视频鈥檚 mission as a safe place for the curious mind who thirsts for new knowledge, who seeks to examine what they know and to forge new understandings through interactions with peers and remarkable teachers.

Fall Academy has just concluded, and one of our newly appointed teachers remarked: 鈥業 had a fantastic time teaching Microbial Ecology. The students were all extremely bright, which allowed me to spend more time on content and less time on motivation. Students asked intuitive questions which took us deeper into the subject material than I expected to go with middle schoolers. As a graduate student, it was a fun weekly exercise for me to think about conveying complex material in a manner which could be accessible for young scientists. More than anything else, the infectious enthusiasm of the students made teaching with 优蜜视频 a joy 鈥� something I looked forward to each week.鈥�

Parents remarked that their child had developed 鈥榓 genuine passion for and love of science鈥� and that 鈥榯he classes at 优蜜视频 are content rich. This is important when you need to feed an intellectually hungry student who thrives on learning鈥�.

And our true experts, the students, commented with joy on the Quantum Physics class because 鈥業 had to interpret the weirdest real of physics in the universe鈥�, as well as in the chance to have 鈥榝un鈥� and 鈥榣earn about subjects we do not talk about in school.鈥�

An Academy does not need a grand auditorium and neither do we need to judge it as a place that excludes. Rather an Academy, 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy, is a welcome home for those gifted young people who need nourishing, who need to feel they belong and who can find acceptance as they begin to realize their potential, through multiple disciplines, with children from many walks of life.

优蜜视频鈥檚 Winter Academy commences on January 11, 2016. Why not sign your child up today to see how we can help serve their needs?

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优蜜视频鈥檚 pioneering unite highly able youngsters with experts in the social and emotional development of gifted children. Campers explore and grow the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, social, and physical aspects of their lives.

When I sat down to write a blog post on the wonder of Yunasa and Yunasa West, I was completely baffled as to how to begin. I sat, hands stagnant upon my keyboard as I searched for words that would adequately capture the essence of this magical summer. When I am thwarted by writer鈥檚 block, I often feel compelled to turn to the words of a beloved author or poet for inspiration. And so, I begin this blog with the words of Hafez, a Persian poet from the fourteenth century.

鈥淲ith That Moon Language鈥� by Hafez

Admit something: Everyone you see, you say to them, 鈥淟ove me.鈥�
Of course you do not do this out loud, otherwise
Someone would call the cops.
Still though, think about this, this great pull in us to connect.
Why not become the one who lives with a
Full moon in each eye that is always saying,
With that sweet moon language, what every other eye in
This world is dying to hear?

At Yunasa last year, I was deeply moved by the overall acceptance I witnessed as the uniqueness and individuality and quirkiness of each child was celebrated by the entire group. I never experienced anything like that amongst my peers as a child, and I felt grateful that a place exists where such unconditional acceptance envelopes each young person. This year, I was especially struck by the wisdom of the campers at both Yunasa and Yunasa West.

I watched, in awe, as campers 鈥� both new and seasoned 鈥� intentionally reached out to include some of the more shy and timid children; I listened, in awe, to conversations between campers that reflected profound insight and deep thought; and I shared conversations with quite a few campers whose empathy and self-understanding touched me deeply. This year, the Counselors in Training (CITs) at Yunasa in Michigan decided to orchestrate a 鈥渇riendship panel,鈥� or an open discussion with the entire population of campers about issues pertaining to relationships amongst friends. The younger campers had lots of questions, both general and specific, and the CITs demonstrated the type of wisdom one encounters within clusters of brilliant philosophers. They led an enlightening and interesting conversation that could easily have continued for hours.

Both camps were marked by traditional Yunasa Programming: Heart of the Matter 鈥� small group sessions with clinical psychologist and Senior Fellow Patty Gatto-Walden; Fellows鈥� Workshops, e.g., Emotional Life of the Brain with Michael Piechowski, Energy Healing with Stef Tolan, Archetypes: The Four-Fold Way with Shelagh Gallagher and Dan Tichenor, and Psychosynthesis Scenarios with Jim Delisle; Counselors鈥� Workshops, e.g., Duct Tape Crafts with Darcy, Russian Fairy Tales with Paul, Soccer with Lucy and Steph, History with Wade, and Music Improv with Ethan; traditional camp activities 鈥� zipline, giant swing, high ropes, kayaking, rock climbing, fishing, and hammockville; Psychosynthesis 鈥� daily guided meditation in small groups; and evening activities such as the Variety Show, Campfire, Social, and Movie Night (we watched Big Hero Six). Special guests of Yunasa West 鈥� Louise Hindle and Dr. Amy Gaesser 鈥� offered workshops on poetry and EFT, respectively. Dr. April DeGennarro, our special guest at Yunasa Michigan, offered two compelling workshops pertaining to the identity we display on social media.

At Yunasa West, each psychosynthesis group performed a skit to demonstrate one of Dabrowski鈥檚 overexcitabilities. The Fellows, counselors, and I laughed hysterically as our wise young campers harnessed their creativity and impressive theatric talent to portray individuals who exemplify the intellectual, sensual, imaginational, emotional, and psychomotor overexcitabilities. Although we all laughed 鈥� a lot 鈥� their dramatic depictions were not far from reality!

This year, we read Listen! by Stef Tolan to correspond with the Yunasa theme, which was also 鈥淟isten.鈥� We chose this theme because listening to our bodies, minds, spirits, emotions, and, of course, listening to one another is imperative as we seek balance. At Yunasa, we aim to pay attention 鈥� to listen closely 鈥� to the world around us, even as we sit silently amongst the trees, absorbing the sounds, colors, life, and history of our surroundings. Listening and mindfulness are closely related. As I listen, I grow attentive to the way my body feels and what that means; I am able to gauge my emotions with a deeper sensitivity; I am more equipped to empathize with others.

I have now participated in three Yunasa camps, and each time, I come home with a heightened sense of attentiveness. My interactions with the Fellows, campers, and counselors of Yunasa help me return to a vibrant place of attention. We miss so much when we dwell inside our heads, bend our heads over our phones, and stare blankly as we move through life. Thank you, people of Yunasa, for existing and for inspiring.

And with that, I shall end this blog post in the same way it began.

鈥淭en times a day something happens to me like this 鈥� some strengthening throb of amazement 鈥� some good sweet empathic ping and swell. This is the first, the wildest and the wisest thing I know: that the soul exists and is built entirely out of attentiveness.鈥�
鈥揗ary Oliver

It鈥檚 that time of year when we rack our minds to recall, imagine, or anticipate the 鈥榩erfect鈥� gift. Whether that perfect gift is for a holiday party, for Christmas, for Hanukkah 鈥� it just is, unrelentingly, 鈥榯hat鈥� time of year.

Trying to answer why we give is perhaps more complicated. We may give because there is an expectation, arguably enforced upon us by the commercial world in which we live and struggle to escape or hide from; we may give because we feel obliged to do so; but most of all, I鈥檇 like to think most of us give because we want to demonstrate our love and appreciation towards our family and our community.

Gift giving does not, of course, have to be a physical or monetary gesture. A gift can be an act of altruism and at 优蜜视频, there are many acts of altruism performed daily. My fabulous co-workers help each other with everything and anything daily; Academy teachers give their time and energy in so many ways beyond anything written in an 优蜜视频 Letter of Agreement; our volunteers turn in to the office regularly and assist us with all manner of tasks; and our parents act with enormous help and initiative during class and in between sessions by recommending us and keeping us growing. These manifold acts are both similar to and different from what we might understand as philanthropy but they are, nonetheless, real gifts upon which a small not-for-profit organization depends.

And recent evidence suggests that here in the U.S., despite the near recent global downturn, we are even more compelled to give than ever before; as exemplified by the significant growth in educational not-for-profit organizations. A 2012 report from the Urban Institute states that, ‘over the past 10 years, the number of non-profits registered with the IRS has grown 24%, with educational organizations standing second highest’ in growth, controlling 18% of the market (Blackwood et al 2012: 3). Education鈥檚 assets increased from $145.4 billion in 2000 to $300.8 billion by 2010. Add in the 35% in grant-making foundations since 2000, and these all signal significant demand (Blackwood et al 2012: 5).

American society wants to give, American families want educational choice, and mixed together, we are seeing a rapid expansion in what has become known by educational commentators as 鈥楴ew Philanthropy’ (Ball 2010) and a concurrent shift in the ways in which society now thinks about education. Within this emerging landscape of ‘giving’, Ball argues that what is now is a more ‘direct relation of “giving” to policy and a more “hands-on” approach to the use of donations.’ This ‘New Philanthropy’, assumes a more proactive role in policy, as well as an expectation to demonstrate, through evidence that ‘good’ work is effective in remedying educational problems. In sum, 鈥榞iving鈥� in this context is altruistic on a grand scale; it may be politically driven but it is still bound by the drive to improve life chances, because of and sustained by philanthropy鈥檚 historical relationship to ‘goodness’ and ‘benevolence鈥� (Srivastava and Oh, 2010).

With so many choices for whom we may give to 鈥� why give to the gifted? Aren鈥檛 they already advantaged by their intellectual predispositions? Well, as you may know, gifted children are severely lacking in any direct allocation of resources in our public schools. In the United States, gifted students comprise approximately 6-10% of the total student population, or about three to five million students (National Association of Gifted Children). Extrapolating from the most conservative of these estimates and the most recent census data, this means that there are more than 100,000 high-ability students ages 6 to 17 in Los Angeles County alone.

Like all young people, these children deserve and require nourishment through education, as well as through relationships with accepting peers. To flourish, gifted children often require extra support such as an advanced, intensified, accelerated education (Fosters & Matthews, 2005); access to mentors willing to help grow talents and depth of creativity (Gallagher, 1985); and a learning community comprised of other gifted individuals with whom they can connect (Delisle, 2014).

Gifted youth who do not have access to these forms of support are vulnerable to depression, anxiety, alienation, boredom, frustration, and social-emotional developmental problems (Davidson, 2004). As a result, gifted children are at risk for poor life outcomes. Research demonstrates, for example, that boredom is among the top reasons that young people drop out of school (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2006), while depression is a leading cause of failure in school and in life (Weinberg, Harper et al, Secondary Education and Beyond). Meanwhile, current educational policies focus resources for special needs almost exclusively on remediation for students who are falling behind 鈥� failing to support the needs of gifted students (Finn and Sousa, 2014). In the absence of a federal mandate to support highly able young people, it is left up to each state 鈥� and often each local school district 鈥� to set policy regarding funding for gifted education. However, California is one of 15 states that does not mandate gifted educational services (Davidson Institute). As a result, a growing number of high-ability students in our region and beyond lack access to the support they need to achieve their potential.

Clearly, gifted children need resources and so do their parents: Parents, it is argued, are increasingly appalled by the impact of policy and its by-products of ‘rote learning and teaching to the test’ (Baltodano 2012: 490). Cooper and Sureau (2007) see ‘dissatisfaction’. The latter鈥檚 formative study of the home-schooling movement analyzed why more than 1.35 million children in the U.S are now home-schooled, and they identified dissatisfaction with ‘the poor academic performance of students’ as a significant driving force for the significant growth in home-schooling of children (2007:113). But, to make choices and find an alternative as a parent, one depends on resources 鈥� human and financial. Parents who are able to provide assistance by themselves in the early years need more once their gifted child鈥檚 鈥榬age to master鈥� (Winner, 1996) sets in.

Resources are necessary to nurture the gifts of our children with high potential. Without help, these gifts will remain undeveloped. As Amanda Ripley pointed out in her book, The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got that Way, intellectual 鈥榖oredom is the specter that haunts children from kindergarten to graduation鈥ngaged kids don鈥檛 notice you; bored kids do.鈥� In addition, if you are a gifted, low-income child, the future landscape is even more bleak: Despite scholarships, the differential economic resources available to parents over time forge a divide between the assistance children of middle-upper parents receive as opposed to the less financially privileged.

Long term trends do suggest that gift-giving, 鈥楴ew Philanthropy鈥�, is here to stay (Hentschke 2007: 298); but the act of giving to the gifted remains undernourished. 优蜜视频, like many other not-for-profit organizations, strives to equitably improve life chances of under-served populations. We know that being gifted is, and should be recognized as, a gift, but gifted children also need gifts to support their future and our country鈥檚 future. I鈥檒l be making my donation to 优蜜视频 as a gift to this future 鈥� and I hope you will join me.

Louise is 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy Coordinator. A British import, Louise graduated from the University of Manchester with a B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature and Language, completed her post-graduate teacher training at The University of Cambridge, and recently completed her dissertation in Educational Leadership and Innovation with the University of Warwick. Louise has 20 years of experience in education as a high school literature teacher, lead teacher, administrator, adviser, and consultant. She is also the parent of three fun and active school-aged children.

Somewhere in the middle of England, somewhere in the mid-nineties, my former self 鈥� three years into my teaching profession as an English Literature teacher, new in my role as second-in-faculty 鈥� landed the golden opportunity to teach the brightest 10th graders in the school, the ‘top-set’. This 10th grade top set, as we called it, comprised of thirty-two specially selected boys and girls all destined, according to their assessment data, to achieve the highest grades possible in English Literature state examinations. My former self assumed this would be the ‘dream ticket’, that I would be confronted with eager minds, self-motivated, confident young people with similar abilities. After all, if they’d been identified as the ‘top set’, teaching would be straightforward, without barriers, without learning challenges. These kids were high potential, they were gifted, therefore teaching them would be easy 鈥� right? How wrong I was, and how quickly I learned to address these misconceptions.

Teaching is challenging at any level. As a profession, I believe it is one of the most physically, emotionally and intellectually exhausting roles out there. There is an assumption, however, that teaching high potential or gifted children is ‘easier’. It is remarkable to me that even in 2014 educators, from classroom teachers through to leading administrators, adapt a totally different language when describing the needs, or lack of them as they view it, of the gifted student. The language used when discussing the gifted is remarkably indifferent at best and presumptuous at worst. Indeed, both the language used and, at times, the pedagogies adopted assume that the gifted have ‘innate’ abilities, ‘fixed’ abilities, in need of little direction or challenge. The gifted will mysteriously ‘find their own way’, will ‘learn independently’ and will remain ‘naturally’ curious, self-motivated and fulfill all of their potential, achieving to the highest standards despite us. Teachers and administrators will merely facilitate this growth and focus their efforts on other, more needy children.

Such a mindset forgets that gifted children are like any other child with needs 鈥� it’s just that their needs are different. Yet numerous 21st century school systems continue to assume that their needs are easier to address, easier to manage and easier to ignore. Teaching the gifted is not easy. I learned this through personal experience as a teacher, and I continue to learn this in my role at 优蜜视频. To begin to explain, let’s go back then to that mid-nineties self and consider what I learned, how I learned it and why it continues to impact my role today.

Thirty-two 15-year-olds were selected, all with higher abilities in English and English Literature than the other 230 students in their cohort, but that is where the similarity ends. Let’s consider some real young people, with fictionalized names, from that class who helped to challenge my misapprehensions about the homogenous mass of the gifted:

Gareth: brilliant orator, voracious reader, highly conceptualized response to all texts but initially unable to write more than a paragraph and express himself in writing. Why? Writing was physically difficult. His thoughts travelled faster than his motors skills, and his motor skills continued to lag behind.

Dana: extremely driven, reserved, anxious, challenged by spelling and her visual memory.

Timothy: he doesn’t care, and his family is not in a place to help him. Meanwhile he tries his best to get demoted, to misbehave his way out of the situation, and because he’s clever, he knows how to misbehave and does so in interesting and innovative ways daily. To Timothy, English is a girls subject 鈥� and since no one has encouraged or valued his opinions to date, why should he believe or care now?

With a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature, I could begin to quench the gifted child’s thirst for knowledge in this class, and I had the intellectual confidence to answer their questions, but the range of their needs, emotions, anxieties and abilities was far greater and much more challenging than I’d ever imagined it would be.

Today, as in the mid-nineties, I am most challenged by the most able. Of course preparing for the intellectual challenges, anticipating the questions, the trajectory of a classroom conversation and the depth of knowledge sought remains a delight. Gifted children need teachers with content knowledge, content they can immerse themselves in, connect with, have telescoped or have explained in a way which is honest and meaningful to each of them at that moment in time. But, teachers of the gifted need to be more than a walking encyclopaedia, they need to have a whole range of other tools in their trade…..

Teachers of the gifted need to:

• Be able to assess where each child’s abilities reside so that students can experience meaningful intellectual challenge through pedagogies appropriately matched to their learning style.
• Help children make connections with each other, to develop the confidence to share knowledge with each other and have the confidence to confront gaps in knowledge.
• Accept that gifted children may have other physical and emotional challenges to deal with and that this doesn’t make them less gifted, just gifted in a different way.
• Be mindful that whilst gifted children may have the vocabulary and intellect of a person beyond their years, they are still children who thrive on praise and encouragement, whilst still needing to know that there are boundaries, limits and expectations.
• Be prepared for strong emotions when gifted children face academic challenges and don’t know how to proceed.
• Connect content in deep, imaginative and real ways, being reflective, student-centered and clear about learning objectives.
• Be like any other excellent teacher 鈥� proud of their profession, dedicated to catering for the needs of each individual learner in their classroom with high expectation of their intellectual, social and moral conduct.

We have just celebrated World Teacher’s Day, and I know many teachers may have momentarily raised their heads from their marking and preparation and smiled wearily at this accolade. When asked, we will all be able to recall a teacher who made an impact on our lives, for better or worse. We should all be mindful that with teachers, there is no other profession and that the gifted, with all of their needs, deserve a great teacher, a gifted teacher, just like any other child.

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Louise is 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy Coordinator. Academy offers K-8th grade students challenging enrichment classes that focus on exploration and application of knowledge.

This year, 优蜜视频 had the tremendous opportunity to host both 3-week Summer Academy sessions at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, that scholar鈥檚 paradise situated in the center of San Marino, known and loved by curious minds near and far, young and not so young! It was a boon to our community to enjoy this remarkable location, and more, to begin to appreciate how such partnering might enrich our classes further. As we conclude our inaugural Academy program at The Huntington, we look back at the summer sessions through the eyes of our most important critics: the Academy students themselves!

鈥業 LOVED EVERYTHING!!!鈥� screams the written evaluation from Simone O. on her post-program survey. Simone spent the summer in classes like Ancient Rome, Physics Lab, Planetary Astronomy and Scientists Like Me, devoting a fair amount of time in between with her nose in a book, a smile on her face and an eager commitment to staying for extra time on Thursdays to enjoy our mini-lecture series. She, along with the other friends she made, also described making new connections and 鈥榰nforgettable memories at The Huntington鈥�. As they hung out at lunch, shared stories and laughter, walked the gardens and dodged the sprinklers, they took time to tell us:

• We do unique, fun experiments and activities to further our understanding of demanding concepts, such as creating a diagram of the solar system made out of different food items to help demonstrate each planet鈥檚 qualities
• It was challenging intellectually – but in a good way!
• We鈥檝e understood art and art history through cool scavenger hunts in the gallery
• The teachers have been such a big part in our learning process. They have the ability to make learning fun and much more interactive than regular school
• We were inspired by scientists from the past by visiting the 鈥楤eautiful Science鈥� exhibit
• You get the chance to work at a pace that suits your own learning style and level of interest
• We understood the context of Bronte鈥檚 Jane Eyre through seeing and talking about key texts with a leading curator (even though the text was impossible to read!)

What鈥檚 more, the students told us that all classes were overall more in-depth and more specific than anything they鈥檝e had the chance to enjoy so far 鈥� as well as being interestingly inter-disciplinary! Feedback, so far then, suggests this time was, indeed, one of 鈥榩aradise鈥�.

Naturally, watching friendships develop and personalities emerge is, of course, a major part of the summer camp experience. For 优蜜视频 staff and Academy teachers, one of the most thrilling parts of the last 6 weeks has been watching our community of children grow intellectually, as well as socially, and grow to believe that their passions and interests are shared with others and could give them pathways to a unique future. Parents, too, have taken extra time to write and to let us know how glad they are to have 鈥榙iscovered鈥� us, that their child 鈥榟ad a blast鈥� and that their child 鈥榠s already asking about when she can take another class鈥�. In addition, as we evaluate, we love to hear your ideas for future classes, from Robotics to Botany, from Architecture to Art History; rest assured, we will continue to listen and respond.

The Oxford English Dictionary tells me that the lexical item 鈥楶aradise鈥� can be traced back to Middle English to the Old French word, 鈥榩aradis鈥�, via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek 鈥榩aradeisos鈥� or ‘royal (enclosed) park’. Having been on site at The Huntington did indeed elevate us and make us feel 鈥榬oyal鈥� and protected, but in a more modern sense of the word, as young scholars, our Academy students found their idyllic place and their idyllic state of mind in a safe and stimulating community.

Thanks to all who contributed their honest thoughts to this blog and to all who made this happen, and happen so successfully! It was paradise.

See more highlights from Summer 2014 Academy!

More information about Fall 2014 Academy coming soon! To stay updated on future offerings, join our email list.

is 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy Coordinator. A British import, Louise graduated from the University of Manchester with a B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature and Language, completed her post-graduate teacher training at The University of Cambridge, and has recently completed her dissertation in Educational Leadership and Innovation with the University of Warwick. Louise has 20 years of experience in education as a high school literature teacher, lead teacher, administrator, adviser, and consultant. 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy program, described here, provides elementary and middle school students with challenging enrichment classes that focus on exploration and application of knowledge.

鈥淣ow, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts….Plant nothing else, and root out everything else… nothing else will ever be of any service,鈥� declares Mr. Gradgrind in Charles Dickens’ novel Hard Times. Gradgrind is, of course, a grotesque parody of all that education shouldn鈥檛 be. Ingrained in his face, Gradgrind, like the educational system he advocates, is 鈥渋nflexible, dry and dictatorial,鈥� demanding only closed-answer responses with absolutely no space to think, let alone enquire. Inexorable in his approach, Gradgrind looks at his room of students and sees 鈥渆mpty vessels,鈥� vessels he must fill to the brim with the facts he determines most useful. The one thing needful in this context is a 19th century industrialized utilitarian view of education: keep it if it’s 鈥渦seful,鈥� lose it if it’s not, and let’s not think about who decides what’s useful. Furthermore, it’s an educational system where the distance between the teacher and the students is a steadfastly vast unexplored wasteland, devoid of personal interaction, engagement or 鈥� dare we say it 鈥� enthusiasm for teaching and learning.

In 1992, my younger self was being interviewed for the Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching Training in the UK. I was asked which 19th century novel I could imagine teaching to a class of restless teenagers. I identified Hard Times as the best text to help illuminate, as I argued then, to restless teenagers how much 鈥渂etter鈥� the education system was for them now. In 2013, my thoughts are different, and I wonder if we have made any progress as all around us nations battle out their place in international performance tables with what seems, at times, little thought given to what and how we should be teaching our 21st century youngsters. In the face of such performativity, I find myself thinking more about what is 鈥渘eedful.鈥� Coordinating the Academy program at 优蜜视频 prods me to contemplate this on a daily – and nightly – basis. We are fortunate that we are unencumbered by grade-level and state standards and that classes are not defined by a child’s chronological age. We are fortunate to be able to harness the talents of amazing teachers who take fascinating, intellectually challenging content and telescope it into teaching and learning experiences for these, our youngest, learners. Unencumbered we may be, but we are also determined to provide the best service possible. And so, as the fall session draws to a close, now is a good time to consider the one (or more) things needful for our gifted and high potential Academy students. What follows are observations, not solutions….

What do they need?

1) They need feeding, intellectually speaking.

Without fail, our students arrive because they just want more. They are curious, sometimes for the parents, exhaustingly curious. They have questions no-one else seems able to answer. Their minds need feeding, not always at a rapid pace, but with a sense of challenge and high expectation. They take pleasure in applying their codes in Neuro-Energy II; they relish grappling with structures in Molecular Biology. At the same time, they need to be encouraged to take risks and find the resilience to face a challenge, to practice scansion and learn their lines for Shakespeare, to present their ideas in Astronomy II. They need feeding, but they also need encouraging.

2) They need teachers who are mentors.

Academy teachers could never be mistaken for Gradgrind. They are Rose, Ronnie, Cindy, Miss Megan, Andre, Josh and Warren. They are full to the brim with knowledge, but they are patient, respectful, reflexive, sensitive, caring and unrelenting in their enthusiasm. They see remarkable individuals, not vessels. They respond to questions, they listen and they give their students the space to learn comfortably. They are positive role models and mentors to each and every each child.

3) They need emotional reassurance and encouragement.

优蜜视频 prides itself on providing educational experiences which serve the whole child. We acknowledge the part emotions play in learning, especially intense for gifted and high potential youth. A caring, emotionally nurturing culture permeates throughout the organization. We understand this need and we do our best to offer a warm welcome and an ear. We love it when our parents encourage and support their son or daughter to venture into unknown lands, to take a writing or literature class, to attend a Genius Day and to make new friends. We know that our learners do and should still get excited by the small stuff – star stickers, leaves on the learning tree…knowing that the steps they take as learners are celebrated. We smile when we see them making friends, heads together, pouring over a book or a periodic table, not wanting to leave as they enjoy the reassurance, affirmation and encouragement they receive from one another.

And so as the fall session closes and I reflect on 鈥渢he one thing needful,鈥� I feel satisfied that we are personalizing our teaching for learning at 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy and identifying and serving some key needs. As the post-class surveys come in from the real experts – the children – their words speak for themselves. On the whole they struggle to criticize, instead they comment positively on their 鈥渇ascinating experiences.鈥� They say that 鈥渢he classes are so wonderful鈥� that they are 鈥渉ard in a good way.鈥� They ask, 鈥淲hy can鈥檛 this be my regular school?鈥�

It seems then that the one thing needful is a place to be who they are right now and to explore who they might be, intellectually, emotionally and personally. Gradgrind wouldn’t be happy, but maybe social critic Charles Dickens would. To that end, I am pleased.

Interested in 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy, which provides year-round enrichment classes for bright young minds in the Los Angeles area? Email Academy@educationaladvancement.org for more information about the upcoming Winter Session, which will take place January 11 鈥� March 6!

优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy program provides young gifted students with challenging enrichment classes that focus on exploration and the application of knowledge. This fall’s Academy session offers a variety of courses, including the new class Looking for Shakespeare, taught by Independent Shakespeare Company actor Andre Martin.

Ellie and Charlotte are 11-year-old Academy students who attended , an event held by 优蜜视频 in collaboration with the . This is a post Ellie and Charlotte wrote about their experience at this event.

A friend of ours involved with 优蜜视频 invited Charlotte and me, Academy veterans, to a taster for one of 优蜜视频鈥檚 new fall classes, Looking for Shakespeare. That friend was Louise Hindle, . The taster was an invite to attend the play As You Like It performed by the Independent Shakespeare Company (or ISC) at Griffith Park last Thursday evening. In addition, as students of Academy, we were able to take a private tour of the backstage area with ISC actor and teacher of the new class, Andre Martin. This was a special treat. After we took the tour, we did a few fun activities with Andre to give us an even better idea of what the class might be like. Andre was very enthusiastic about teaching us, and we all loved learning from him.

The backstage tour was one of the most enjoyable parts of the evening, especially since Charlotte and I share a love of performing Shakespearean scenes. Before the play began, Andre led us all onto the stage and then took us behind the scenes and downstairs to the backstage area, where we could see the actors getting ready, putting on make-up and preparing their costumes. Andre explained some of the plot and introduced the characters from the play. We were lucky enough to meet some of the actors, including the man who played both the evil and benevolent Duke in the production as well as the actor who played Orlando, one of the lovers.

Following Andre, we left the stage and gathered on the grass for Andre to lead us in an acting game. 鈥淚magine how a kind Duke would walk,鈥� Andre told us. Charlotte, the other students and I walked in circles around Andre, imagining ourselves as a charitable person in authority. 鈥淕ood,鈥� Andre said. 鈥淣ow how do you think a lover would walk?鈥� A few of us wandered aimlessly, donning a dreamlike expression, and he laughed. I was beginning to wish my schedule would permit me to take this class鈥�

Leading us back to our seats, Andre encouraged us to pay careful attention during the play and kindly offered to answer questions or confer with him during intermission. As Charlotte and I took our seats and waited for the play to begin, we started to chat about our activities with Andre. We both agreed that Andre鈥檚 class would be an amazing and informative class to take. We also conversed about some of the things we had already learned with Andre. He had explained to us the plot of the play and quizzed us on the characters. We also got to hear his insights and opinions on certain parts of the play, such as the famous 鈥淪even Ages of Man鈥� speech and the fascinating character, Touchstone. We both took pleasure in hearing and learning about all of these things. Andre was very fun and energetic while he taught and was excited when we expressed our love for and experience with Shakespeare.

Once the play started, we were immediately pulled into its plot. The skilled actors captured our attention with their life-like portrayal of emotions and character traits. Soon, we noticed the different styles of the costumes used to represent the differing groups in the play. The courtiers dressed in elegant, fancy dresses and suits, while the forest exiles were dressed in more practical clothing for their setting. Also, the characters traveling into the forest wore clothes they thought would be suitable but were not and so they had to change identity.

Both Charlotte and I appreciated the depth of the production. When it was over, we thanked Louise and Andre for inviting us to the inspiring performance. Any kid taking Andre鈥檚 class in the Fall will surely enjoy it, we thought. As for this special taster event: now that night was one we would never forget.

Interested in Academy classes for gifted Kindergarten 鈥� 8th graders? The fall session starts September 21. Sign up today!

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Louise Hindle

A British import, Louise graduated from the University of Manchester with a B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature and Language, completed her post-graduate teacher training at The University of Cambridge, and has recently completed her dissertation in Educational Leadership and Innovation with the University of Warwick. Louise has 20 years of experience in education as a high school literature teacher, lead teacher, administrator, adviser, and consultant. She is also the parent of three fun and active school-aged children. Louise has worked as a consultant with 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy program and taught the 鈥淪mall, Cerebral, and Stunning鈥� Academy class over the summer. She now joins the 优蜜视频 staff as Academy Coordinator.

What are you looking forward to in working with gifted students as the Academy Coordinator?

When it comes to working with the gifted community, I am most passionate about being able to provide an exciting and intellectually challenging diet of courses for our curious young minds to choose from. The Academy program is still young and has a great foundation in STEM courses. Building it further so that we can also meet the needs of those children who love the arts and literature along with those who are interested in engineering and technology are aspects of the role I鈥檓 keen to shape further.

This only draws attention to the children, though. One thing I have learned this summer in particular is how amazing the parents of our children are 鈥� as advocates of their children, as immensely patient and interested and interesting human beings, and as a source of knowledge for us as an organization. I look forward to getting to know them a bit more and learning from them further.

What was your favorite memory from Academy this summer?

This summer I had a fabulous time teaching my class on the development of the sonnet form. I called it 鈥楽mall, Cerebral, and Stunning,鈥� which in turn became a very fitting description of the young people who took my class. Not only were their questions demanding and insightful, but their ability to connect with sonnets written hundreds of years ago was unbelievable. Every time I read Milton鈥檚 sonnets in the future, I will think of them huddled around, engaged in deep conversations about meanings and historical contexts.

What is your educational philosophy in a nutshell?

As an educator I am committed to Personalized Learning, that is in providing optimally for our students here, both through the accessing of deep content knowledge and through the best pedagogy to suit their individual needs. I believe that teaching is a craft, a craft that can be taught and learned, but one which depends on reflective practice and having a set of clear learning goals for each individual. I believe that we become better as educators by harnessing student voice, by listening to what our students want and need intellectually and emotionally, and then by shaping an education that is rigorous and attuned to this.

What is your favorite snack food?

Green and Black鈥檚 Organic Dark Chocolate any day of the week.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy hiking, surfing, and travelling with my family; going to watch classical theatre; going to concerts; and reading, of course. Since moving here, I鈥檝e become a baseball fan and love going to watch The Dodgers, especially if it involves Friday night fireworks! At the weekend, I love to catch up on Skype with familiar faces from the UK.

Min-Ling Li

Min-Ling joins 优蜜视频 after teaching high school mathematics in Los Angeles for the past two years. She earned her Bachelor鈥檚 degree from the University of California, Riverside and is currently working on a Master鈥檚 degree in Mathematics at California State University, Los Angeles. She is excited to cultivate relationships amongst exceptional students and with Mentors prominent in their fields. Her dedication to supporting high-potential students is rooted in her own experiences as a student who struggled to find outlets that nurtured her intellectual and social dispositions. Min-Ling will work primarily with the . She served as a Resident Advisor for Apprenticeship this summer before joining the 优蜜视频 team full-time as a Program Coordinator.

What interests you about working with gifted children?

My passion for working with the gifted community is rooted in my experiences as an immigrant child who was tested and designated as a gifted and talented student in the third grade. Although I struggled with communication because English was my second language, my teachers saw that there was something special with the way I learned and understood concepts. As a gifted student, I had many opportunities within my elementary and middle school to explore various interests in math, science, and music. As I progressed into secondary school, the opportunities began to dwindle, and being from an immigrant family, it was difficult to find other outlets for me to explore. I have decided to go outside of the classroom to help support students who are seeking outlets to fulfill their potential.

What have you learned about gifted students through working with the Apprenticeship Program this summer?

During the summer, I learned that many gifted students need a lot of support in order to maintain and/or increase their drive to perform above and beyond the norm. Through Apprenticeship, I believe we can help students realize and focus their potential while helping them to develop socially and professionally.

What are you looking forward to as a Program Coordinator for Apprenticeship?

I am looking forward to maintaining relationships with past Apprentices and building upon an incredible Apprenticeship Program. I would like to continue to expand our reach amongst students and mentors to encompass many disciplines and various work environments. I think students should explore every walk of life and develop their own understanding of where they might fit into making the world better.

What was your favorite memory from Apprenticeship this summer?

My favorite memories from Apprenticeship are the nights we spent with the Apprentices playing family games such as Pictionary and having movie nights. It gave me the opportunity to learn about the Apprentices in a way beyond what they had achieved academically.

What is your educational philosophy in a nutshell?

My educational philosophy is that every student deserves the opportunity to explore their potential.

What is your favorite snack food?

My favorite snack food is dark chocolate covered almonds. YUM!

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love running and run 5 to 6 days a week. It clears my mind and keeps me calm. I also like being a couch potato to unwind and rest.