Making ALL Kids Smarter

"The author provides a wide range of strategies that make this a must-read for every educator looking to increase the rigor of their learning expectations."—Kathy Tritz-Rhodes, Principal, Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Schools, IA"This is a pick-up-and-use-instantly, teacher-friendly book. I got so excited about the strategies that I immediately began to apply them."—Mary Beth Cary, Teacher of the Gifted, Worth County Primary School, Sylvester, GAA hands-on guide for challenging ALL kids to think, create, and aspire! John DeLandtsheer brings 40 years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and gifted education specialist to this motivating resource that clearly explains why and how teachers must raise the bar for all students. He provides specific strategies for differentiating instruction within the general classroom to challenge all learners with more rigorous content and creativity, showing teachers how to:Teach to the strengths of all children—including gifted studentsApply six components of a brain-friendly classroom Build critical thinking skills with the Icons of Depth and Complexity strategy, Socratic questioning and moral dilemmasConnect content through interdisciplinary themes Stimulate creativity with brainstorming activities Foster learning within and beyond the classroom by developing students′ research and study skillsThe book provides a broad selection of exercises, activities and lesson plans that work together to create more motivating and engaging learning experiences for all students.

John DeLandtsheer has served as the GATE Coordinator in the Redlands Unified School District for sixteen years. He has recently retired from his role as principal of Mariposa Elementary but continues to teach at UC Riverside and serve as the GATE Coordinator in Redlands Unified School District. He is a private consultant and trains GATE teachers and others throughout California and the west in differentiated curriculum through his company, JD Seminars. DeLandtsheer has a master′s degree in school administration and has devoted over thirty-five years of his educational career to gifted students at the district, county, and state levels. He has served on the board of directors for the California Association for the Gifted and he currently in their GATE Certificate Program. He is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences.