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Since 2013, The Fissure is our outlet for real, inspired writing on education and the edvolution of learning in the 21st century.
An open forum, where we and our network of talented friends & colleagues contribute to the discourse on education in a way which provokes, but positively propels, the conversation forward.
Contact us to add your voice, perspective and story to The Fissure.
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Children of STEAM: Our Future
We started Camp Pursuit because we’re passionate about education and we believe that passion can lead to a great many things. Our vision...
NuMinds Admin
2 min read
Overthinking: Weakness or Strength?
Some children (and adults) seem prone to making quick, impulsive decisions. At the other extreme, some seem to be held hostage by...
Emily VR
6 min read
To Thine Own Self Be True, Except During Testing
A guest post by Rebecca Gray It’s spring and standardized testing is in full bloom. The poppies of the classroom, gifted students, are...
Rebecca Gray
2 min read
Recovering From a No-Good, Very Bad Year
Dear Parents: You aren’t alone. Among families with learning disabilities, gifted needs, or other special needs, it seems nearly everyone...
Emily VR
6 min read
3 “Messy” Tensions to Challenge Our Thinking on Learning and Productivity
There’s an unspoken truism most of us adults have internalized that goes something like this: “If only I were more organized with my...
Ben Koch
5 min read
How an Umbrella Helped Me Become a Better Teacher
Like many homeschooling parents of gifted kids, I was a reluctant, last-resort homeschooling mom. It was frightening to leave the...
Nikki C.
6 min read
Why Gifted Education Belongs in Public School
by Emily VR, from a guest post on WeAreGifted2 I am a believer in public school. Growing up, I attended public school from K – 12. ...
Emily VR
3 min read
![5 Lessons for Teachers and Parents from Adam Grant’s Originals [Infographic]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9f7267_e4096857a6914859916b478b5b982830~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_800,h_598,fp_0.50_0.50,q_35,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/9f7267_e4096857a6914859916b478b5b982830~mv2.png)
![5 Lessons for Teachers and Parents from Adam Grant’s Originals [Infographic]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9f7267_e4096857a6914859916b478b5b982830~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_800,h_598,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_avif,quality_auto/9f7267_e4096857a6914859916b478b5b982830~mv2.png)
5 Lessons for Teachers and Parents from Adam Grant’s Originals [Infographic]
Adam Grant’s book Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World is a fascinating exploration of the often counter-intuitive principles...
Ben Koch
1 min read
Your Rainforest Mind: A Parent’s Book Review
Book Review: Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Adults and Youth, by Paula Prober, M.Ed. and licensed counselor....
Emily VR
3 min read
The 8 Great Gripes of Gifted Parents
by Ben Koch and Emily VR In one of our courses for parents of gifted students, we spend a session on “the 8 great gripes of gifted kids”...
Emily VR
9 min read
Like-Mindedness and the Denial Gene
All men have a denial gene when it comes to aging and their ability to play sports. It’s a complex chromosome that activates somewhere...
Justin Vawter
4 min read
Existential Depression in Gifted Teens
Beth* came to see me for counseling when she was 16. Unlike many teens who might be reluctant to seek counseling, she asked her mother to...
Paula Prober, LPC
2 min read
Relational Aggression and Learning
Words can do lasting damage. As we know from tragedies involving social media, bullying isn’t limited to black eyes or stolen lunch...
Emily VR
6 min read
The Mysteries of SQ: Our Most Important Intelligence
A BOOK REFLECTION BY BEN KOCH, M.Ed. NOTE: While doing research in graduate school, I became frustrated with how limited views of...
Ben Koch
18 min read
An Open Letter to My Children
To my sons, Your middle school is inviting parents to write you a letter upon starting 6th grade. You get to read it when you complete...
Janet Schafer
3 min read
All Along the Watchtower: Jimi Hendrix and the Search for Diverse Gifted Learners
The recent death of Prince has prompted us here at The Fissure to think about giftedness in celebrities, particularly in the arts. In...
Ben Koch
9 min read
How Distance Running Prepared me for Parenting a Twice-Exceptional Child
Parent perspectives by Nikki C. There was a time in my life when I couldn’t imagine anything would compare to the experience of running...
Nikki C.
8 min read
fMRI Thinking Caps: Watch Your Child Learn
A Short Story by Justin Vawter, M.Ed. Intro The rise of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)—and its ability to see our brain’s...
Justin Vawter
4 min read
7 Reasons to Team Up: Special Education and Gifted Needs
by Emily VR Remember the saying, “there’s strength in numbers”? When it comes to supporting both parents and schools, the expression...
Emily VR
4 min read
Recognizing Giftedness in Diverse Populations
If you follow news about gifted education, you know that there is often a lack of diversity in GT programs, and that it is a dilemma...
Emily VR
8 min read
Solutions to Sticky Social Situations
Is everyone good at speaking except for me?! There is a theory in social psychology known as attribution theory—simply put, if I see you...
Justin Vawter
11 min read
Reigniting Math: Connections Over Corrections and the Embrace of Wonderment
Easily, the most successful course I’ve developed over the last few years is one called Mathacadabra: The Magic of Math*. In it, students...
Ben Koch
4 min read
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