Gifted Potentials Press - link
Inspiring Middle School Minds: Gifted, Creative, & Challenging
By Judy Willis, M.D., M.Ed.
Teaching adolescents can be quite challenging. In Inspiring Middle School Minds, Dr. Judy Willis, a neurologist and teacher, explains the inner workings of the adolescent brain. She uses the findings of brain research in her classroom to explain how parents and teachers can trigger untapped motivation in students. Middle school education has often been a "black hole" for gifted students. By understanding how the brain works, however, we can make learning for all youngsters exciting and stimulating.
The information and advice in this book will help parents and teachers design positive and rewarding learning experiences that will then be stored in long-term memory rather than “deleted” or “filtered out.”
"...it is must reading for middle school educators and the parents of middle schoolers everywhere."
-Joyce VanTassel-Baska, Ed.D., Exec. Director, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary, Past President, National Association for Gifted Children
Joining the fields of neurology and education may seem daunting; however, Judy Willis, M.D., M.Ed., makes the connections readily. Willis is a board-certified neurologist who has also been a middle school teacher for 15 years. The direct links to research are one of the greatest strengths of this text, as there is a heavy reliance on research and it is cited well. Chapters 3 and 4 are particularly useful for those unfamiliar with brain anatomy and the process of learning from a neurological standpoint. The author is very clear in her discussion of complex processes. In addition, the author shares personal experiences and strategies from her teaching, which add authenticity to the text and are very helpful. This book is an excellent resource for pre-service teachers, beginning teachers, and parents. Furthermore, faculty might find this text helpful in a professional learning community. Anyone could implement some or all of these strategies with little trouble to enrich gifted children’s learning experiences. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.
--Choice Magazine
