I really enjoyed reading chapter two's discussion of handling advanced students and struggling students. It opened my mind to the realization that advanced learners need more than just "extra work." Just because information may come easier to them does not mean that they are done learning. There is no limit to learning, and the idea of continually "raising the ceiling" is fascinating to me. It has become much clearer to me the difference between busy work and a real challenge that advanced learners would enjoy.
On the flip-side, I agreed so whole-heartedly about how to deal with struggling learners. It is super important to avoid sticking public labels on kids. Just because they don't grasp something at what society calls a "normal" pace doesn't mean that they are bad/slow at everything else, just as a gifted student may not be "good" at everthing. It is SO crucial to value and nurture the positive traits and talents that each student possesses. I always try to imagine how I would feel if I were that particular student in my classroom. Am I loved or humiliated? Encouraged or squashed? Challenged or disinterested?
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