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About Me

I'm a former school teacher and administrator who now works for Mensa developing programs and resources for gifted kids around the world. I also train teachers how to effectively teach the gifted. I have degrees in English (B.A.), and Education (M.Ed.), and I speak four languages besides English very badly. My English is great. I am married to an Aussie who loves TED talks as much as I do. We have three sons and live in Texas.

Location:
United States, Arlington, TX
Current organization:
American Mensa
Past organizations:
Mensa Foundation
Gender:
Female
Areas of expertise:
Gifted and Talented Children, Gifted and Talented Education, Teacher development
I am:
Brainstormer, Change Agent, Educator/Teacher, Parent, Writer/Editor
Associations:
National Association for Gifted Children, Texas Association for Gifted and Talented, Learning Forward/ NSDC
My website links:
giftedguru
Member Picture

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Gifted kids, fabulous teaching, strong thinking, and books.

An idea worth spreading

The gifted are gifted all day long and all their lives. There is no way to effectively teach the gifted until we accept that their ability to approach curriculum in school is just as challenging as it is for those at the other end of the ability spectrum. If we continue to let standardized testing dictate teaching, we will create standardized learners, and that is not what education, or TED is about. We can train teachers, even those who aren't gifted themselves, to recognize and nuture giftedness so that high ability learners will become life-long, internally motivated learners with a global view who see their intelligence as a gift they must keep giving, not a commodity to trade for a job.

Talk to me about

anything....everything interests me

Comments

  • TEDCred score: +0.20 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

  • A comment on Talk: Benjamin Zander: The transformative power of classical music

    Apr 20 2012: So many glorious lessons in this talk. I know I'm not the only one now searching through my music library to see if I have that Chopin piece recorded so I can hear it again. Powerful messages for teachers and parents.
  • +1

    A comment on Talk: David Gallo: Underwater astonishments

    Jul 7 2011: This is the TED talk I use to hook kids on TED. I've yet to meet anyone who can resist that octopus!
  • +1

    A comment on Talk: Arthur Benjamin does "Mathemagic"

    Jul 7 2011: I just met him in person at the Mensa Annual Gathering and was star struck because I'd seen him here. I love this talk for the ideas it contains that everyone can do math and your own brain has amazing power.

  • A comment on Talk: Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

    Jul 7 2011: This is still my most-watched TED talk. I've seen it perhaps 20 times, and I still love it. Everyone who likes it should read his books and watch the RSA animate they did of his ideas, as well.

Favorite talks

This member doesn't have any favorite talks yet.