From the Classroom

“I have always felt, however, that those authors who are in the classroom on a daily basis have a special set of experiences to share.”

Authors whose work appears in Gifted Child Today (GCT) represent a spectrum of contributors—researchers, parents, professors, practitioners—with each bringing a unique perspective to gifted education. I have always felt, however, that those authors who are in the classroom on a daily basis have a special set of experiences to share. If you are one of these teachers, if you are doing some amazing things with your students, consider publishing what you and your students have accomplished. It is a great way to reflect on your own teaching. Moreover, it is rewarding to know that teachers in another part of the country or (for that matter) the world have read about and possibly emulated something that you have accomplished. When you publish, you touch students whom you will never meet.

During my many years in gifted education, I have met some incredible classroom practitioners. These are teachers who understand the complex and sometimes delicate ways that gifted children think and feel, teachers who can use this understanding to develop curriculum that inspires, engages, and nurtures their students. GCT is the ideal forum for these teachers to share their success with each other.

Some years back, when I completed my PhD in cognitive psychology, I had the opportunity to leave the classroom and teach at a university. For me, however, staying in the classroom, staying with students every day, was the right choice. It did not mean that I could not pursue scholarly questions. Quite the opposite! It meant that I could pursue answers to my big questions empirically, by trying out new ideas in my classroom. In GCT, I have had the opportunity to share some of these experiences. Similarly, if you have a particular unit or experience that has benefited your students, please consider sharing it so that others may learn from what you have accomplished. It is not as hard as you might think. Here is some advice on how to get started.

First, be proud of what you have accomplished. Gifted children are fascinatingly complicated. If you work with these children, then you may have insights and successes to share with others who can learn from your triumphs. Chances are other teachers and students will benefit from reading about your experiences.

Second, form a personal mission statement. Most school districts have one; as a writer for other teachers, you should, too. This should be short, but it forms the foundation upon which your writing is based. Try writing a sentence or two that explains why you believe other teachers should try your project. Mine is, “When developing curriculum for my gifted students, I first study the way gifted adults and experts think, then I develop curriculum that fosters this kind of thinking in my students.” (Smith, 2014; Smith & Zazove, 2015). This is the unifying theme of all my writing.

Third, share your passion. Find the areas that you are passionate about and that give you a unique perspective. My passion is curriculum; it may be yours, too. But you also might address some other need of gifted and talented children such as social and emotional areas, gender, or developmental needs. Your enthusiasm may inspire others to probe deeper into your chosen area.

Fourth, connect this passion to a research base. Your article should be more than “Hey, this worked great for me, so try it.” It should move the profession forward, even if just a tiny bit. Here is where your being in the classroom gives you a special insight that no one can match. Think of your classroom as your own lab school in which you can apply some research or address some current question in the literature. Try to offer some explanation about why this lesson worked well. I have always felt that my lessons were like an iceberg. Students experience the part exposed above the water, but the research base that guides my curriculum design is the 90% below. Your review of the literature does not have to be long, but it adds to the research in the field and is important.

Finally, bring a fresh perspective to some area of gifted education. I was once a reviewer for The Reading Teacher. The saddest thing I had to do was recommend not to publish a well-written manuscript because it presented an idea that was already commonplace. Have something new to say to teachers or a fresh way to approach something familiar. Make this your focus.

Here is a checklist for you to use in developing and submitting your manuscript.

Before your first draft:

After writing your draft:

Your being in the classroom gives you a unique perspective. Sharing your successes with other teachers may help them provide just the right curriculum for their students. So please consider making that kind of difference; consider submitting a manuscript.