Awakening Genius in the Classroom

"Every student is a genius," declares author Thomas Armstrong, and an educator's most important job is to discover and nurture the "genius qualities" that all students were born with but that may no longer be obvious.

Urging readers to look beyond traditional understandings of what constitutes genius, Armstrong describes 12 such qualities: curiosity, playfulness, imagination, creativity, wonder, wisdom, inventiveness, vitality, sensitivity, flexibility, humor, and joy. He cites research in various fields that supports this broader understanding of genius and explains how influences in the home, the popular media, and the school itself "shut down" the genius in students.

Combining thoughtful insights and practical information, Armstrong offers guiding principles to help educators awaken genius in the classroom--beginning with awakening the genius in themselves. Readers will find dozens of suggested activities and helpful resources to provide "genius experiences" and create a "genial climate" in the classroom. In addition, suggestions for further study at the end of each section provide starting points for personal and professional reflection and growth.

As it celebrates the potential brainpower waiting to be unlocked in classrooms everywhere, Awakening Genius in the Classroom inspires educators to look at their students from a different perspective and to reinvigorate their teaching with a new sense of excitement and possibility. The result, Armstrong concludes, could extend far beyond the classroom and transform not only our schools, but the entire world.

<b>Thomas Armstrong</b> is the executive director of the American Institute for Learning and Human Development and the author of several other books published by ASCD, including <i>Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, 4th Edition</i> (2017); <i>The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students</i> (2016), <i>Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life</i> (2014), <i>The Best Schools: How Human Development Research Should Inform Educational Practice</i> (2006), <i>The Multiple Intelligences of Reading and Writing</i> (2003), and <i>ADD/ADHD Alternatives in the Classroom</i> (1999). He has also written several trade books, including <i>The Myth of the ADHD Child: 101 Ways to Improve Your Child’s Behavior and Attention Span Without Drugs, Labels, or Coercion</i> (Tarcher/Perigee, 2017), <i>The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Differently Wired Brain</i> (DeCapo, 2011), <i>The Human Odyssey: Navigating the Twelve Stages of Life</i> (Sterling, 2007), <i>In Their Own Way: Discovering and Encouraging Your Child’s Multiple Intelligences</i> (Tarcher, 2000), and <i>7 Kinds of Smart: Identifying and Developing Your Multiple Intelligences</i> (Plume, 1999). His books have been translated into 26 languages.