Ungifted: The Gifted Version

This year we asked English instructors to swap one of their free writes for a book review so that we could add new material to the blog and provide readers with ideas for great books to read. Below is the first of what we hope will be many such reviews.

Ungifted: The Gifted Version
by Malcolm Gaynor 

Donavan Curtis never expected to receive the gifted letter. He especially never expected it to happen because of one of his notorious pranks, a prank that seemed worthy of multiple detentions, or even a suspension. When the district administrator absent mindedly jots the trouble maker’s name on the list of new gifted kids, Donavan crash-lands in a place that he doesn’t belong: The Academy for Scholastic Distinction. He realizes that the only way to hide from his punishment is to go where nobody would ever look: the gifted program.

Donavan’s first impression with the students was that he clearly didn’t fit in. The students picked up on the fact that he wasn’t gifted, and that he didn’t belong there, but the teachers decided to give it some time. Donavan hardly passed (or didn’t pass) his classes, but made a bigger change to the school than all of the gifted kids combined. Donavan thought that he was only going to survive in the ASD (Academy for Scholastic Distinction) to avoid paying for his crime but makes more friends and fits in at the Academy better than he ever did at his old school.

               

Chloe Garfinkle, one of the gifted kids, solves all of her problems using the scientific method. Chloe yearns for a normal life, and instantly realizes that Donavan has what she wants. Donavan is normal. Chloe at first is almost jealous of the ease in which he goes about life, but soon realizes that he is smarter in many ways than all of the other gifted students combined. He may not excel in the classroom, but when confronted with a problem, he acts. The team at the gifted program wasn’t a team until Donavan joined. She learns that the whole is not always a sum of its parts. When Donavan wasn’t part of the school’s cherished robotics team, the robot was called just that: “The Robot.” When Donovan joined, he added nothing to the engineering except for images from Google and a name, but he changed the program drastically.

               

Ungifted by Gordon Korman reveals a unique perspective of an ungifted student working alongside students with the highest IQs of the state. It shows the change in characters after meeting Donavan and before meeting Donavan, showing that even if somebody doesn’t seem smart, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t good people. The Academy students grew more than anybody could have predicted in one year because of Donavan, the normal student, showing the gifted kids how to really live. Ungifted teaches kids that nobody is truly ungifted, no matter what their grades are, and that school isn’t everything in life. People still need to make time to have fun. When somebody that at first seems ungifted joins the gifted squad, he teaches the gifted kids more than they have ever learned in the classroom. While their IQs hadn’t gained any points, they learned how to solve real life problems and make friends, things that were not important to them in the past.

Ungifted: The Gifted Version

A Season of Giving   

It's great to receive gifts at the holiday season, no matter which holiday you're celebrating. But how can we give back? Because while we're all getting and appreciating what we've got, there are people around the country and around the world who aren't as fortunate. For some people the world just, well, sucks. To help them, you might want to check out the Project for Awesome. This fundraising drive on YouTube is the brainchild of John and Hank Green (The Fault in Our Stars author, Nerdfighters, Vlogbrothers creators), and is described on the website as follows:

The very first Project for Awesome was organized in 2007, and has been held every year since. [...] During Project for Awesome, thousands of people post videos about and advocating for charities that decrease the overall level of world suck. As a community, we promote these videos and raise money for the charities. In 2013, the community raised over $850,000, benefiting twenty charities. Legally speaking, the Project for Awesome is a project of the Foundation to Decrease World Suck, Inc. a Montana based 501(c)3 charitable organization (more info below).

We invite you to visit http://www.projectforawesome.com/ to see what it's all about, or see them at http://projectforawesome.tumblr.com/. So far this year they've raised over $1,225,000! You have until tonight at midnight to donate - but maybe more importantly, you have the chance to see what others around the world are doing to help those in need. What can you do? All of our ATYP students are impressively smart, and have so much to offer - use those smarts to make the world a better place. How can you give, not just in funds, but in your time and talent, to make the world suck less?  

Think about it...and have a great winter break! We'll see you in January!

Giving Thanks for Teachers

It's a little late, but we wanted to take a moment and give thanks for the instructors who teach for ATYP. The ten amazing people who work for us, who challenge and mentor and prod and encourage ATYP's students, are among the most dedicated and caring professionals you will find.

When people ask what the difference is between classes at a regular middle school and ATYP, think about the portfolio reviews conducted by our English teachers. Hours and hours of work goes into reading those papers, giving feedback, and then rechecking the work. Every time a student rewrites a paper it is reread by the instructor!

Not only do the teachers think about the actual material students cover, they also worry about their social and emotional needs, giving support when students struggle, frequently meeting with families to make sure that people get help when they need it. And all of our teachers make themselves available to students outside of class time should they have questions or need assistance.

So the next time you're able to use the skills you've learned at ATYP and transfer them to another situation - whether at your regular school or in your personal life - think about what these teachers do for you. And consider giving to ATYP in your teacher's honor, because it lasts longer than cookies and they don't have to burn off the extra calories.

Being an ATYP teacher is not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination, but our staff do it because they love the work and the students. And we know you love them - so be sure to say "Thank You!" to your teacher!

Parent-Teacher Conference Time

For many ATYP students it's the time of year when you have parent-teacher conferences at your regular school - and you're probably wondering why we're talking about that on the ATYP blog. First of all, this is a great time to double check and make sure that everything is going well at school, at least as it pertains to ATYP. Is the check-out/carpool process working okay? Does your student have a quiet place to work during their study hall? Are they focused on homework during that time? Talk to the school counselor/dean/principal to confirm that things are going smoothly.

Second, even though your student is being challenged in ATYP, he or she may still  have classes at school where they are not being challenged. The parent-teacher conference is the best opportunity you have to ask for what your child needs. More feedback on English papers? Projects that allow him/her to go deeper into material? Independent study opportunities if pre-tests show the curriculum is already mastered? Or at this point in the year is it becoming apparent that this year's material is already known? Do you need to think about accelerating a year in a particular subject? In other words, what can you do to make sure your student is learning something new every day?

Sometimes it is helpful to take your student with you. If the child can say "there's nothing that challenges me in this class," the teacher should take that statement seriously. Don't let your child use the dreaded "b" word...no teacher likes to hear that a child is bored in class! This suggests that it's the teacher's responsibility to entertain the student. But a child who says "I already know this, I'd like to be challenged, I'd like to learn more" should find a partner in his or her teacher. Remember, it's important that your student take on some self-advocacy. Learning to speak up for him or herself a valuable lesson, too!

Coop is forwarding this note from the 2015 Scholastic Awards: 

Happy fall, Region-at-Large Participants!

It's been a month since the launch of the 2015 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and submissions are slowly trickling in. Please be aware that this year's deadline is December 17!

Enter in five easy steps!   

1.  Create an account
2. Upload work
3. Print and sign submission form(s)
4. Obtain a check or money order to pay your submission fee(s), or obtain a fee waiver 
5. Mail in your submission form and payment Individual Category - $5.00, Portfolios $20.00, Fee waivers are available

Be prepared! Learn the criteria! Take a moment to visit our Category Descriptions and Copyright and Plagiarism pages. 

Find inspiration! Click HERE to see examples of works from past National Medalists. 

To learn more about the Awards or to log in to your account go to www.artandwriting.org.

The deadline for Region-at-Large is 

December 17, 2014 
at 11:59 p.m. EST. 

We encourage all of our ATYP students to submit their work! Good luck!

This weekend I had the great honor of being a presenter at the Michigan Association for Gifted Children (MAGC) Annual Conference. I was actually filling in for Dr. Kelly, who had a family emergency, but it was still an exciting and educational experience.

There are several reasons why ATYP staff are so active with MAGC. MAGC is the statewide voice for gifted education in Michigan. It advocates for services for gifted students with legislators and policy makers. Currently, we are working on legislation requiring schools to identify gifted students. This would be the first step towards future legislation that would mandate services - a lofty goal, but one which is long overdue.

MAGC also offers professional development opportunities for educators on how to provide appropriately challenging curriculum in the classroom, as well as informational sessions for parents and others who care about gifted kids. One-on-one help for parents who are struggling to find appropriate services is also available.

If you are interested in learning more about MAGC, please visit their website at migiftedchild.org. You can also check out their local chapter, Partners in Learning for Unlimited Success (PLUS), at plusofswmi.org. Every person who learns more and speaks out about the needs of gifted students increases the opportunities available to kids both here in Southwest Michigan and across the state.

 A note from the ATYP office: Jessie Fales, ATYP alum and grader, will be joining our blog this year, posting about issues from all of her points of view - former student, grader, and current college student. We know that Jessie's input will be invaluable, and hope you look forward to hearing what she has to say as much as we do.

Hello ATYPical Nerds, 

This week was my first week of college, and also my first week grading your papers. It’s quite the amusing juxtaposition—on one hand I am a new student myself, but I am also supposed to share my wisdom with you. I’ve learned that ATYP is a lot like college, but I wrote two papers this week instead of four. Also, I have realized that you and I are struggling with the same things. We are asking the same questions: 

How the heck do I format this paper? What does this prompt even mean? Do my teachers like me? Do my teachers like my writing? Will I fall into this dark pit of doom and despair and be eaten by a pack of wolves? 

Seriously, we are fine. 

I, like you, am struggling to keep up with my reading. I’m feeling a bit sleep deprived. I am scared, but also excited, and I am giving it my all, because that’s what we do. Remember, we are not here to be perfect, but we are here to learn. I believe in each and every one of you. It wasn’t too long ago that I was sitting at your desks, listening to your teachers, and feeling just as unsure of myself as some of you do now. However, that is the beauty of ATYP. We come in with virtually no experience, and we come out as awesome writers. Nothing could have better prepared me for college. Take advantage of the short time you have in this program.

Stay cool, my friends, Fales

It's the end of the second week of ATYP - and we bet some of you are already feeling overwhelmed. Stop and take a deep breath! It's perfectly normal to struggle some with the challenges of actually having homework you have to think about, learning to organize your time so that you can get it all done, and wondering if you're actually up to the challenge of ATYP.

Here are some important things to remember when tackling your weekly assignments:

1) Look at your commitments for the following week, and be sure to put time to do your homework into your schedule. Don't just assume that the time will magically appear, otherwise it might be the night before class and you could find yourself with several sections of problems/numbers of pages to write. The idea is NOT to stay up until two in the morning finishing your homework.

2) Let go of the idea that your work has to be perfect - especially the first time. Sometimes the idea that everything has to be just right prevents us from getting started. If  you're not sure how to do a problem, come back to it. If you can't think of a good introduction, start with the body of your paper and work back. Remember you can always revisit a math section or edit your paper. That's actually a part of the learning process.

3) Ask for help! You can ask your parents for help with organization and time management. You can email your instructor if you have a question on the assignment. You can talk to the grader if there's a concept you don't understand. And don't forget the other students in your class - sometimes it's helpful to bounce ideas off another person who has read the material. Either of you might have an idea that the other person hadn't thought of.

Sometimes students will think "Wow, if this homework is this hard for me, maybe I'm not really that smart. Maybe I can't do this." Don't worry, it's not you - the homework is supposed to be hard. But we know that you can do it!

RIP, Robin Williams

People around the world are saddened today by the apparent suicide of Robin Williams. As newsworthy as this is, why would I be talking about this on the ATYP blog? For several reasons, and those don't even include the fact that I am a great admirer of both his talent and his humanity.

First, there is no doubt that Robin Williams was gifted - a true comic genius - and many studies show that the gifted show greater intensities and sensitivities. Just because you have a greater awareness and knowledge of the world around you does not necessarily mean that you are better equipped to deal with it. In fact, just the opposite can be true - many are overwhelmed by their own personal issues and the issues of the world. We all need to be more aware that there is sometimes a correlation between giftedness and intensity, and vigilant in the protection of our young people, who can be at risk.

Second, in two of Williams' most iconic roles he portrayed men whose job was to guide young people in discovering their own talents and passions. In both Dead Poets Society (PG-13) and Good Will Hunting (R) (both highly recommended films, although parents should be aware of adult themes and language), he brilliantly showed what many of us already know - that no matter how gifted you are, it helps to have someone along the way who understands your questions and confusion and can help to put you on the path to uncovering your true self. We should all be lucky enough to have people in our lives - teachers, counselors, parents, ministers, mentors - who serve in this role. In many cases they switch on a light that keeps us from bumping around aimlessly in the dark.

Lastly, I don't think it's a coincidence that Williams' last television show was called "The Crazy Ones". I believe the title was taken from the following quote by Steve Jobs:

 “Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

This is what I think we should take away from the gift that was Robin Williams, and what I think we should all strive to do - be crazy enough to think that we can change the world. 

What are you reading this summer? Besides your ATYP homework, that is.

One of the best things about summer is the time to enjoy the books you really want to read. What's your favorite? Do you read Harry Potter over and over? Do you love the books of John Green? Do you like fantasy and dragons? Are you into biographies of athletes, historical figures, or world leaders? If you could take any book to the beach, what would it be?

Hopefully you've noticed the "Recommended Reads" tab at the top of this page. Here you'll find a list of titles suggested by other ATYP students and staff as being among the best of the best. If you're making your way to the library, bookstore, or Amazon this week, you might want to look here for ideas on what to read next. Or maybe you finished something fabulous just last night and you want to share it with the group - in which case you can write a comment or email us the name and a short description so we can add it to the list.

Personally, I love To Kill a Mockingbird, which just happens to be on the ATYP recommended reading list. It's also one of the great movie adaptations of a books - one they didn't totally screw up - in case you get a chance to watch it. Whichever books you're enjoying, we know there's nothing better on a quiet summer day than a fantastic story. So read on...there's only a month left!

It's graduation season, and many of our ATYP alumni are headed off to college. This is an emotional time of year for those of us who work with these wonderful students, who are so full of potential and promise, as we watch them venture out into the world. We know just what they're capable of, but not only do we want them to be successful students, we also want them to be happy adults. We want them to attain their academic goals, but we also want them to attain maturity, wisdom, compassion, and strength of character.

In 2008, J.K. Rowling said in her commencement address at Harvard University:

"The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned."

We know that our graduates will face setbacks, but hopefully the lessons they learned here at ATYP make them more prepared to overcome them. We hope that they learned to work hard, to have faith in themselves and their abilities, to see the value in learning something new every day, and to fight for what they need and deserve - not just in education, but in life. We wish them all great luck on this journey.

It's the end of the school year, and we are so sad to see you all go! You might not all believe it, but our office is way too quiet without you! We hope that you had a great year here at ATYP - that you learned a lot, and made new friends, and came to understand what you're truly capable of achieving if you're willing to do the hard work necessary to meet your goals.

We're curious about what you plan to do with your summer. Plan to see TFIOS a dozen times? Traveling somewhere? Taking a mission trip? Going to sports camp? Have a summer job? Laying around like a slug? Other than your summer reading/homework (I know, deep sigh), what do you hope to accomplish between now and Labor Day? We bet it's something great, so put up a comment and let us know what you're going to do with yourself.

If you're still looking for something to do, check out the ATYP Summer Camps. They're lots of fun, and don't worry about the age cut-offs - if you want to come it's no problem. Check out the brochure at http://www.wmich.edu/atyp/pdfs/2014SummerProgramBrochure.pdf.

We will continue to post on the blog this summer, letting you know what's going on here, talking about plans for the fall, and discussing the world of gifted education in general. Want to be a guest blogger? Send us material and we'll add it.

Thanks to all of you - students, instructors, and parents - for a fabulous, fantastic year! See you in September!

Many ATYP students testify to the fact that high-quality, engaged, and dedicated instructors are among the greatest advantages to the program. Our teachers have earned countless teaching awards, including many "Significant Educator" awards.

Our students show their appreciation in a variety of ways, including this gift of "Dandelion Wine" for English teacher Becky Cooper!

If your student has benefited from the gift of great teaching, please consider honoring that instructor at the end of this year with a monetary gift to ATYP - it's a great way to say thanks!

This week's guest blog is written by Ynika Yuag, a Year I English student:

As the final weeks of my first year at ATYP fly by, I’m left to reflect on my new experiences at this amazing program. One of my favorite things about being in ATYP is that it allows me to work my analytical mind to harder levels. As a more creative and artistic person, it still provides me an outlet to express myself in a way that does not hinder my creative capabilities, but rather sharpen them by teaching me about new structures and forms that I can still apply my own creative touch to. I can’t read a single paper, whether it’s for ATYP or in regular school, without mentally revising and analyzing it along the way. (I still don’t know if that’s a bad thing or a good thing. Oh well.) 

Another thing I love about this program is the instruction and class participation. My teacher, Mr. Brieger, does an excellent job at reinforcing interpersonal bonds between students while keeping them on task and maintaining a fun and safe classroom atmosphere. He keeps the intelligent conversation flowing and never completely rejects a student’s ideas – only helps them to improve and even build off of. And, thanks to the small class sizes, it’s easier to focus and learn, which is important because the work pace feels about ten times faster than regular school.

The work is, at times, extremely challenging. But the biggest thing I love about this program is that it pushes you to achieve things you never knew you were capable of. Before I joined the program, my friend (and ATYP alumni) Jessie told me, “In regular school, the teachers will slowly wade their students into the water and teach them how to swim. In ATYP, the teachers will throw you into the deep end and tell you to swim.” A year later, and I completely understand.

Sid Redlin is our guest artist in ATYP English classes this week - thanks, Sid, for helping us out!

On a different note, we know that many of our brightest students struggle with stress and anxiety. There are lots of theories regarding why gifted children seem to have more problems with anxiety than others, but high expectations, perfectionism, and difficulty in finding like-minded peers can all exacerbate these issues. A recent article on salon.com, "5 Reasons Why Anxiety is so Hard to Manage (and What You Can Do to Cope)" discusses some strategies parents and children can use to mange these problems. PLUS, a local advocacy group for gifted children and families, will also hold a presentation on this topic at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 19th, at the KRESA building on Milham Road in Portage. If a student is having a lot of trouble coping, please talk to the instructor or ATYP staff to discuss ways to help lessen the problem. We will do everything we can to be of assistance!

It's almost spring break! We hope that all of our ATYP students will be taking some time to relax and decompress after what has been a long tough winter.

We know that many of you are feeling the stress of having a lot to do and not feeling like you have enough time to do it in - which makes it difficult to appreciate what you learn from ATYP while you're in the middle of it. We recently received a letter from Spencer Lenfield, ATYP alum, Harvard grad, and current Rhodes Scholar. Spencer writes,


"Having a lot of untrained brainpower can be indescribably isolating. And isolation, unfortunately, can cool and warp the heat of even the brightest stars. The reason why programs like ATYP are so essential for smart middle- and high-school students is that the most nourishing thing for young intellect to have is a connection to what Matthew Arnold once called “the best which has been thought and said”—the sense that someone else out there, decades, centuries, or millennia ago, has thought, felt, and worried about the very same things that you yourself have known. And even in this age of Wikipedia, the best way to do that is to have a good teacher to show you to the novel, poem, theorem, or article with which your heart beats in time. We tend to think that the very bright will tend to themselves. But we forget that no fire burns for long without someone to add the right fuel."

So maybe take a moment this break to say thanks to your teachers for all they do - and then go back to your relaxing!

 ATYP would very much like to thank WMU librarian Pat VanderMeer for her fantastic work in helping the Honors English 11/12 students do research for their conspiracy theory projects. Mrs. VanderMeer has set up an entire special page to help students with their papers; you can see it at
http://libguides.wmich.edu/ATYP.

Vincent won the Wednesday contest!

While we're on the subject of conspiracy theories, it's Tinfoil Hat Week!

Dan Johnson and Wednesday's English 11/12 class.

Thanks to author Dan Johnson, guest speaker and Tinfoil Hat Contest judge!

Are you tired of the snow? This was the view from the ATYP office window before last week's rain. Yes - we're tired of the snow, too. We know that, for many of you, these weeks in March waiting for Spring Break are looonnnggg!

But you can do it! Remember to turn in your homework on time and keep up with your corrections. That way, when Spring Break does get here, you will not have to spend the whole time catching up.

The warmer weather will be here before you know it! Think spring!

Honors English 11/12 has begun working on its war unit - a tricky section of our curriculum. Many students grapple with some of the deeper questions surrounding violence, combat, and pacificism: Is war necessary? Is it moral? Why can't we solve our problems without resorting to violence? What is combat really like? The reality of war can be a tough thing for students to understand, and difficult for more sensitive students to accept. 

Sometimes being able to see these issues is helpful. If your student is struggling with some of these concepts, Ms. Cooper has found a really solid link to the top 50 best war films. Parents should be sure to read the reviews and assist in the viewing selection, as some of these are VERY gritty. We also suggest watching these films with your student, and being there to answer some tough questions. Some films, like "Gone With the Wind," will seem pretty tame by today's standards.

If you are concerned about possible raunchy language, sexual scenes, violence, and mayhem a particular film might yield, then go straight to "Grave of the Fireflies." As an animated feature, it scales that stuff way back, while still managing to be an outstanding film. And remember - anything you watch is optional, none of these films are mandatory in any way.

Total Film: 50 Best War Movies:

http://www.totalfilm.com/features/50-best-war-movies

Students may particularly like the following, mostly because they may know some of the actors.

(This is to say, there may be better films on the list, but if the object is to get them watching in the first place…)

Same caveat as above, though. Some of these are…rough viewing.

"Master and Commander"

"Kingdom of Heaven"

"Empire of the Sun"

"Born of the 4th of July"

"Henry V" (Shakespeare! But they list Olivier's version, here. Kids might prefer Brannagh's. Coop might get struck by lightning for writing that…)

"M*A*S*H"

"Black Hawk Down"

"The Hurt Locker"

"The Pianist"

"Braveheart"

"Hotel Rwanda"

"The Killing Fields" (Coop admires this film greatly. The story behind one of the main actors is sad--Haing S. Ngor, who actually survived all that horror, only to get mugged and killed in America…ugh.)

"Three Kings"

"Platoon"

"Grave of the Fireflies" (Animated film--so good, she bought it.)

"The Deer Hunter"

"Saving Private Ryan"

"Schindler's List"

Does ATYP make you want to sing?

It makes Nathan and Daniel want to dance!

Yes, it's a party every day in Dr. LaHaie's class!

ATYP welcomes Mr. Marty Trautman as a math instructor for our Battle Creek classes! Mr. Trautman is our guest blogger today, with a special message for his students and their families:

My name is Marty Trautman, and I'm incredibly excited to step in and help out this semester.  I graduated from Lakeview High School and then moved onto and graduated from Michigan State University in 1992.  I taught various high school math classes ranging from Pre-Algebra to Calculus and AP Statistics for 20 years at both Battle Creek Central High School and Albion High School.  Additionally, over the past 15 years, I have taught courses ranging from Developmental Math up through Calculus for Kellogg Community College as an adjunct instructor.  I was recently hired by Jackson College as well to teach math as an adjunct and just completed my first semester there this past December.  I have been married for 16 years to my wife Andrea and have a 13 year old
daughter, Gwen, and a 6 year old son, Ian.  In terms of hobbies, I enjoy reading (both novels and comic books), playing video games (Pokemon and Legend of Zelda games being my favorites), creating video games using a program called Scratch, and  watching football. I'll do my best to look out for and continue to challenge your students.

The ATYP staff are back in the office, enjoying the view of the snow out of our window. We know most of you did not have class this week, so we hope you're taking advantage of this extra free time to make sure you are completely caught up on your coursework. You should have received an email from your instructor with directions/assignments for turning in work and what you will be responsible for next week. Not having class this week is not an excuse for not having next week's work done! If  you're unsure of what to do, please contact your instructor ASAP.

If you get a chance and you're still awake, NPR says you may be able to see the northern lights. Check it out at: http://michiganradio.org/post/northern-lights-may-be-visible-michigan-tonight. A cool way to celebrate what should be the actual end of holiday break!