Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four-year-old child whose next-door neighbour was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry”
By personalizing instruction to match a child’s interests, strengths and learning styles, teachers find that students welcome more challenge and stretch their capacity to learn.
Prescriptive, remedial approaches to achievement are falling short.
Accountability for the truly educated mind in today’s knowledge-driven economy should first and foremost take account of high-end learning skills.
These are the learner-centered skills that grow young minds, promote genuine student engagement, and increase achievement.
Dr. Joseph Renzulli (Director, National Research Center for the Gifted and Talented. University of Connecticut . Co-founder of Renzulli Learning)