A Meaningful Mess

On today's episode, my special guest talks about creativity and the role that it plays in gifted education.  This episode is full of practical ideas and innovative solutions that you can implement in your classroom tomorrow.  Show notes can be found at andimcnair.com/episode69.  

In this episode, I talk about ChatGPT and how we might utilize it in the classroom.  I share what artificial intelligence can do, what it can't do, and why we shouldn't be afraid of what's coming next.

The home school connection is so important and is something that should be prioritized when implementing Genius Hour in the classroom.  In this episode, I share five practical ways to make that connection a reality. Show Notes can be found at andimcnair.com/episode 67 .

I often hear so many things about this type of learning that simply aren't true.  On today's episode, I share five myths around passion-based learning.  We will explore, not only the myth, but also the reality that needs to be considered before implementing Genius Hour into your classroom. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Genius Hour is so much more than free time How passion projects...

Giving your learners an opportunity to create authentic products can help them move from simply learning content to understanding content.  When students deeply understand what is being learned, they will be able to use what they know to create something new.  In this episode, we talk about why products are important, how they can be utilized, and how we can give feedback that matters. I...

Underachievement can be frustrating and difficult to understand.  Why would a learner capable of so much achieve so little?  In this episode, I share four specific causes of underachievement and specific ways that it can be addressed.  If you are a parent or learner of an underachiever, this episode is for you!  In this episode, you'll learn:  What is underachievement?&nbs...

Have you ever wished that your learners could make their class presentations more meaningful?  In this episode, 5th grade teacher, Tiffany Perry shares a framework that she created to make this happen in her own classroom.  Listen as she shares practical ideas and easy-to-use resources that will make presentations much more meaningful through intentionality.  In this episode, you'll...

In this episode, I share three intentional pivots that I had to make to shift from being a traditional teacher that did what was easy to being an innovative educator that did what was write.   In this episode, you'll learn: Why pivots are important What to do when you feel stuck How to become a connected education How to shift the way that you lesson plan How to ask the right question Resourc...

Everybody makes mistakes...on this episode, I share four mistakes that I made when serving my gifted learners in the general education classroom as well as what we must consider in order to avoid making these mistakes in the future.  In this episode, you will learn: Why we shouldn't tell gifted learners that they are smart Why perfection shouldn't be the expectation Why comparison is always a...

It’s no secret that Genius Hour had a huge impact on myself as an educator and on my learners. In this episode, I share 7 important attributes of passion projects that need to be considered when making this type of learning a priority in the classroom. In this episode, you will learn: What Genius Hour Is and Is Not 7 Key Attributes of Passion Project 4 Ideas for Actionable Projects The Difference...

"This is hard." " I can't do this." We hear this often in our classrooms when things don't come easily. In this episode, I share how you can help your learners embrace productive struggle and understand that valuable learning happens when things don't go as expected.   In this episode, you will learn: What productive struggle is Why productive struggle is important What is a pre-mortem strate...

How can we move beyond just knowing what our learners can do and into understanding who they are?  And, how can we be intentional about identifying giftedness that may not be evident in the classroom?  In this episode, I share three ways to make strengths-first mindset a priority as well as why I believe it is so important. In this episode, you will learn: What is a strengths-first minds...

Extensions for Gifted Learners (with Megan Minno) What does it look like when gifted specialists and general education teachers collaborate to co-plan and co-teach?  In this episode, Megan Minno and I share experiences and practical ideas that can be utilized to meet the needs of gifted learners in a manageable way. "When we know better, we do better."  ~ Maya Angelou *BTW, if you'd like...

Extensions for Gifted Learners (What They Should and Shouldn't Be) If you serve gifted learners in any way, shape, or form, it's important that you give this episode a listen.  Look, I get it.  Oftentimes, we are so focused on our struggling learners because we assume that they need us more than our gifted learners do.  However, nothing could be further from the truth.  The rea...

3 Things to Consider BEFORE Implementing Genius Hour If you are considering passion-based learning for your classroom, don't miss this episode!   It's August and that means it's time to go Back to School.  Many educators are considering how to implement passion-based learning in the classroom.  In this episode, I share three important questions that educators need to ask before maki...

In this episode, Andi shares practical ways to make purpose a priority while implementing Genius Hour in the classroom. Show Notes: https://www.routledge.com/Genius-Hour-Passion-Projects-That-Ignite-Innovation-and-Student-Inquiry/McNair/p/book/9781032164564

In this episode, Andi shares about the Passion-Based Teaching Academy and why she believes teachers need passion projects, too. Learn more at bit.ly/PBTAregistration . 

Listen to Andi and Brian share their thoughts around Gifted Kid Burnout and how it's affecting today's gifted learners and their school experience. 

What is gifted kid burnout and how can we, as educators, keep our gifted learners from experiencing it?  In this episode, Andi shares practical ideas that we should consider and utilize when working with gifted learners.

In this episode, Andi shares 4 simple questions that you can ask, as an educator, to be sure that what you've designed is meaningful and will give you a return on your investment.  

In this episode, Andi shares 5 mistakes she made when implementing Genius Hour and what she would do differently today.   SHOW NOTES: Feedback Questions: What's going well? What's not going well? On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate your project progress? What questions do you have? Documentation of Learning Slides: bit.ly/6pslides

How do we know if our learners are being compliant or if they are actually engaged in the learning?  In this episode, Andi shares what engagement looks like and three practical questions you can ask to make engagement a priority every single day.

Listen as Andi shares three questions we should ask to determine if technology is meaningful, as well as a framework that provides different lenses to consider as we explore and investigate technology to utilize in our classrooms. SHOW NOTES: TPACK.org Sustainable Change Blog Post

In this episode, Andi shares three things effective intervention is and three things effective intervention is not.   Show Notes:  Blog Post (What Effective Intervention Is) Blog Post (What Effective Intervention Is Not) Daniel Pink's TED Talk The Value of Self-Assessment

In this episode, Andi shares 4 ways that we as educators can look beyond the label to identify and address what every learner brings to the table.  SHOW NOTES: Blog Post: Click HERE Thrively - www.thrively.com Design for Depth