Amazement

I have been slow to post in the second session of Lego robotics, partly because the power went out Monday and I am tending my elderly mom until hers goes back on. One thing that happened today stuck me with such force, however, that I felt the need to write. One of the students had spent 4 days putting together the "Shooter Bot" which shot small plastic balls out rapidly. We demonstrated it today and I told him I would try to keep it together until tomorrow.

Normally we have to share six brains with all three classes, which have six teams in them. The students were so impressed that they, of course, wanted to use the bot and not tear it apart. To make it more challenging, I asked them to aim it at the wall and see if they could bounce it into a plastic box on the floor.

The first shooter put the box against the wall and I wanted to say, "No, that's going to be too close." I have learned to shut up, however, and observe. The students will see if it doesn't work and make adjustments.

Imagine my surprise when all 8 balls bounced off the wall and landed directly into the box! That is the kind of thing that is hard for me, even after years of playing Jardinains. Some people instinctively learn by knowing, as did my middle child. There's no way to explain it, any more than you can explain the ability to spell or draw. I am just grateful I got to see it in action once more.

Diverse Interests

In today's Daily Herald, there is an article about a student who was a talented artist and also valedictorian. I believe the article was titled something like: good at art and everything else. This is not an unusual profile for a gifted student. Students who are good at everything find themselves pressured by teachers, coaches, parents and musical directors to dedicate themselves to only one thing. They see such talent and want to direct it into their chosen field. This creates somewhat of a dilemma for multiply gifted students. How do they decide what to do with their talents? What if they love to do something that is not one of their talents? I was blessed with a wonderful German teacher in high school who asked us to take some time to think about what we wanted to do with our lives and actually discuss it in class! Imagine how revolutionary that was in the 1960s, when most kids were following in the footsteps of their parents and the idea of having a job that you actually enjoyed was a far cry from reality. How do people decide what to do with their lives? I love the Parachute series. It really helped me when I had to make that decision as an adult. I had always been someone's kid, or someone's wife or someone's mother. Suddenly, I had to choose how I would spend the next twenty years. It was not easy. I was fortunate to be in a field that encouraged growth and my passion for technology in education was an asset. Now that I am retiring next June, I shall have to rethink this all over again. I believe there's a Parachute book for that, too.

Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder

It's just about time for my summer job to begin. I get excited about going to work at the Center for Gifted. The kids are happy to be there and want to learn what I am teaching. They take whatever I teach them and go to new heights with it. The staff treats me like royalty and I think they are amazing! This year I am going to try some obstacle course work to challenge the kids. I hope you will follow along in my blog as I update it. I haven't uploaded pictures in the past, but hope to get them online or on a CD this year. The kids love their machine inventions and take pictures just like proud parents. Here are some Lego web sites I have used.

nxtprograms.com
robotbooks.com
My Lego Logo page
YouTube Tutorial

Stress, Anxiety and Coping

I have been multitasking, and the Senginar on "Stress, Anxiety and Gifted: Coping with Everyday Life" has had some wonderful recommendations. First, one of the recommendations by Michele Kane was to have your child spend more time outside. A new network formed by Richard Louv is the Children and Nature Network. I once read a book called Why Children Need Wild Places, which I picked up in the Grand Canyon book store. Many of my students are not allowed outside because there is no responsible adult to watch them; the adults are all working two jobs. Even families that make sure the children play outside may not make trips to beautiful wilderness. If adults are not aware of what's out there, they don't necessarily know what they and their children are missing.

Another system of looking at the world is Martin Seligman's new work on well-being. Instead of Learned Optimism, his newest work is being called Flourish and he is revising happiness into a "Theory of Well-Being." He is starting a curriculum for teachers. Now I kinda wish I wasn't retiring so soon!