This essay focuses on the soil of my career in education. finding its way to my first position teaching English in Baltimore County Public Schools

the soil of my career in education

The tap root for this book runs very deep in the soil of my career in education, finding its way to my first position teaching English in Baltimore County Public Schools, where I later became a gifted program coordinator. There are too many talented and dedicated colleagues there to acknowledge you each by name; I hope if you are reading this, please know that I mean you! However, I must acknowledge my colleague Hedy Droski, the great heart and mind behind the Primary Talent Development program. Hedy introduced me to the concept of creating targeted goals to develop “gifted behaviors” in all young children by engaging them in creative and enriching lessons,

observing their responses, and documenting

their growth using developmental rubrics. Resource teachers Melanie Carter and Deborah Myers have trained hundreds of teachers in this process; imagine the lives they touched! Thank you to Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Phyllis Bailey for supporting us in this work. I founded Educating Innovators LLC with the mission to see “every child challenged, every day” because I sensed the urgency for schools to teach to develop talent. For over a decade as gifted education specialist at the Maryland State Department of Education, I fielded earnest (sometimes desperate-sounding) calls from parents, grandparents, teachers, and some

school leaders who were concerned

about children who definitely were not being “challenged every day.” Their stories were heart-wrenching to me, and I must add that these calls from “every zip code” advocated for diverse children in urban, rural, and suburban schools. There are systemic causes for a lack of appropriate challenge, some of which I have referenced in this book. However, I believe that schools are willing to develop “tomorrow’s innovators” if they have practical, effective, affordable tools.. Also, thank you to Sara Long and Apryl Lannigan for piloting the curriculum. Everyone who has written a book knows what I do now: This is a hero’s journey! Some of the friends “along

the way” have included

the following. BFF and “sis” Kimberley McMenamin and her husband Jim McMenamin (on his own writer’s journey); and Kathleen Mooney, Stephanie Zenker, and Roni Jolley (the MSDE mod squad). As for the foes, trials, and near-death ordeals: I acknowledge you as all part of the plan! A heartfelt thank you to Corwin editor Jessica Allan. This who championed my cause and believes as I do that we must cultivate. This  a talent development mindset in and for all children. Thank you to the Corwin content development team led by editor

Lucas Schleicher, who made a

masterpiece of my manuscript. Finally, I have dedicated this book to teachers, and so many. This is  of you have contributed to it by sharing your time and talents with me as students in the graduate education programs at McDaniel College, the Johns Hopkins International Teaching and Global Leadership (ITGL) program, Goucher College, and Towson University. This book marks one journey’s end, and by God’s grace, I am “back home”. It is  in the place of safety, forever changed, and awaiting the next call to adventure.

Details;

Firstly, be keen

secondly, integrity

thirdly, call

Further, be creative

Further, be innovative