Andi McNair is an author, international speaker/ consultant, and educator that is passionate about helping educators design meaningful experiences for today’s gifted learners. As a mom of gifted learners and an educator that had the opportunity to work specifically with gifted learners in the classroom, she as a unique perspective that is clear throughout her message.
As a strong advocate for passion-based learning, Andi shares practical ways to engage and empower today's gifted learners through meaningful experiences, even when it's messy.
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How can we move beyond just knowing what our learners can do and into understanding who they are? And, how can we be intentional about identifying giftedness that may not be evident in the classroom? In this episode, I share three ways to make strengths-first mindset a priority as well as why I believe it is so important. In this episode, you will learn: What is a strengths-first mindset How can a strengths-first mindset help us identify gifted learners What are three ways to implement a strengt...
Extensions for Gifted Learners (with Megan Minno) What does it look like when gifted specialists and general education teachers collaborate to co-plan and co-teach? In this episode, Megan Minno and I share experiences and practical ideas that can be utilized to meet the needs of gifted learners in a manageable way. "When we know better, we do better." ~ Maya Angelou *BTW, if you'd like to see a video of our conversation, please visit my Facebook page . The entire conversation is there on video f...
Andi McNair discusses crucial considerations for designing extensions for gifted learners and early finishers. She outlines four key principles: extensions must be prioritized, meaningful, appropriate, and intentional. The episode provides practical strategies, including connecting learning to students' interests and strengths, and resources like Genius Hour and Thrively, to ensure these tasks are engaging and foster genuine depth of understanding rather than just busy work.
3 Things to Consider BEFORE Implementing Genius Hour If you are considering passion-based learning for your classroom, don't miss this episode! It's August and that means it's time to go Back to School. Many educators are considering how to implement passion-based learning in the classroom. In this episode, I share three important questions that educators need to ask before making this a reality. Intentionality can go a long way and asking these three questions can make implementing Genius Hour ...
In this episode, Andi shares practical ways to make purpose a priority while implementing Genius Hour in the classroom. Show Notes: https://www.routledge.com/Genius-Hour-Passion-Projects-That-Ignite-Innovation-and-Student-Inquiry/McNair/p/book/9781032164564
In this episode, Andi shares about the Passion-Based Teaching Academy and why she believes teachers need passion projects, too. Learn more at bit.ly/PBTAregistration .
What is gifted kid burnout and how can we, as educators, keep our gifted learners from experiencing it? In this episode, Andi shares practical ideas that we should consider and utilize when working with gifted learners.
In this episode, Andi shares 4 simple questions that you can ask, as an educator, to be sure that what you've designed is meaningful and will give you a return on your investment.
In this episode, Andi shares 5 mistakes she made when implementing Genius Hour and what she would do differently today. SHOW NOTES: Feedback Questions: What's going well? What's not going well? On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate your project progress? What questions do you have? Documentation of Learning Slides: bit.ly/6pslides...
How do we know if our learners are being compliant or if they are actually engaged in the learning? In this episode, Andi shares what engagement looks like and three practical questions you can ask to make engagement a priority every single day.
Listen as Andi shares three questions we should ask to determine if technology is meaningful, as well as a framework that provides different lenses to consider as we explore and investigate technology to utilize in our classrooms. SHOW NOTES: TPACK.org Sustainable Change Blog Post
In this episode, Andi McNair breaks down the core principles of effective intervention in education. She highlights three key characteristics: it must be intentional, interactive, and impactful, emphasizing personalized strategies, student feedback, and a focus on how learners genuinely acquire knowledge. Conversely, Andi explains what intervention should avoid, namely being immeasurable, irrelevant, or insulting to students, advocating for data-driven, relevant, and positive learning experiences.
In this episode, Andi shares 4 ways that we as educators can look beyond the label to identify and address what every learner brings to the table. SHOW NOTES: Blog Post: Click HERE Thrively - www.thrively.com Design for Depth
Learn how one simple sentence can be used at the end of an experience to help the learning stick and help our learners make connections. SHOW NOTES: Blog Post - Purpose Statements
This episode explores five pervasive myths surrounding gifted learners and education, aiming to reframe our understanding. It emphasizes that gifted students benefit from struggle and require intentional differentiation, challenging the assumption that they are always independent or inherently love all learning. Ultimately, it asserts that gifted education is a crucial service, not a privilege, deserving of thoughtful and equitable provision.
Listen as Andi shares how adventure mindset has the potential to help shift our perspective as educators. Learn six ways that we can plan for and experience adventure as we explore this new educational landscape that lies before us all.
In Episode 41, Andi shares how a shift in mindset can help us organize our teacher plates in a way that is manageable for us and meaningful for our learners. SHOW NOTES: Creating the Perfect Bite Blog Post CASEL
In this episode, Andi shares a conversation that she recently had with an educator that makes PBL a priority every day. Learn how project-based learning can be done in a manageable way as well as the amazing outcomes that happen as a result of putting your learners in the driver's seat. SHOW NOTES:
In this episode, Andi shares why it's important to let your learners D.R.I.V.E. their own learning and how as educators, we can still play a major role from the passenger seat. SHOW NOTES: Letting Them Drive Blog Post
In order to move forward, we want to be intentional about reflecting on what just happened. In this first episode of Season 3, Andi shares 3 ways that 2020 helped us grow as an education community. SHOW NOTES: 3 Ways 2020 Helped Us Grow - Blog Post
In this episode, Andi shares 6 SUPER practical ideas for formatively assessing while having your students document their learning. SHOW NOTES: Documentation of Learning Blog Post Flipgrid Reflection Self-Assessment Form Scratch BookCreator...
Learn 9 baby steps that you can begin to take RIGHT NOW to cultivate a PBL (Project-Based Learning) mindset into your classroom culture. In this episode, Andi will walk you through each one with practical tips for application and new ideas to apply as you begin to move toward a PBL approach with your learners. SHOW NOTES: Reflection Flipgrid PBL Baby Steps Blog Post (includes image)...
Learn 4 questions that you can ask your students each day to encourage self-assessment and self-awareness. SHOW NOTES: CASEL - SEL Resource The Value of Self Assessment Blog Post Self Assessment Form...
What if we could not only survive this unprecedented school year but thrive, in spite of our circumstances. Listen as Andi shares three practical ways to focus on growing and developing during this difficult time.
In this episode, Andi shares two questions that every administrator and educator should be asking before putting anything into place. Learn how to plan for sustainable change in a way that makes sense for everyone involved. SHOW NOTES: Blog Post and Image for Sustainable Change DMLE Framework Templates and Planner...
Digital equity will require so much more than additional devices and better access to WiFi. Instead, it will require a fundamental shift in how we see learning. In this podcast, Andi shares practical suggestions and ideas for moving toward a more equitable approach as we consider the reality that remote learning might continue into the Fall. SHOW NOTES: Digital Equity Blog Post (Check it out...there is an additional suggestion included in the blog post that was not mentioned in the podcast.) Sli...
In this episode, Andi shares three questions you should ask yourself before planning your professional learning. Being intentional about what you learn and how you will use it is important and makes the learning meaningful. If professional learning is something that you dread or absolutely regret attending, give this podcast a listen. It might just change your perspective enough to help you look forward to and enjoy your next PD experience.
In this episode, Andi shares why Project-Based Learning might be one of the best options that we can consider for next year as well as practical ideas that can be implemented immediately in order to plan and prepare for what lies ahead. SHOW NOTES: Mentioned Resources: PBLWorks Gold Standard Project Design Gold Standard Teaching Practices Texas Performance Standards Project 6 Ps of Genius Hour in Thrively - Use code 6PSANDI for free access!...
Andi shares things to consider as you think about what Genius Hour might look like from home. It includes three things to consider as well as two powerful ready-made resources that you can use right now to help your students get started on their very own projects. Check it out and please find the show notes below to access and use all of the resources that were mentioned and shared. SHOW NOTES: Genius Hour at Home Blog Post: http://www.andimcnair.com/andis-blog/genius-hour-at-home Genius Hour at...
