student feedback


  • #smithingifted Teacher Lab: Where Teaching Ideas Get Tested

    #smithingifted Teacher Lab: Where Teaching Ideas Get Tested

    The #smithingifted Teacher Lab is a place where teaching ideas move from theory into real classrooms. I’ll share the successes, challenges, surprises, and adjustments that come from using gifted education, STEM, robotics, technology, and creative-thinking strategies with real students. But the Teacher Lab isn’t just about my classroom—teachers who use #smithingifted curriculum can share their…


  • Using Google My Maps in the Gifted Classroom: Mapping The Global Innovation Lab

    Using Google My Maps in the Gifted Classroom: Mapping The Global Innovation Lab

    The Global Innovation Lab is growing! 🌎🚀 In this post, I share how Google My Maps is helping us connect classrooms around the world so students can collaborate on real-world challenges like water conservation. If you want your students to think bigger, create meaningful solutions, and learn alongside students from other communities and countries, I…


  • Why I Grade Student Assignments in #smithingifted — Even When They Don’t Go on a Report Card

    Why I Grade Student Assignments in #smithingifted — Even When They Don’t Go on a Report Card

    In this #smithingifted blog post, I explain why I grade gifted student assignments even though they do not appear on a traditional report card. My simple 1–4 grading system helps students understand expectations, gives meaningful feedback, creates accountability, and provides clear documentation for progress reports. For gifted teachers, this system makes it easier to track…