Standing on Tables: 30 Years Teaching Gifted & Talented Students

Standing on Tables introduces you to some amazing young people with bright minds, weird traits, wild ideas, and great senses of humor. You’ll meet Allison, a ridiculously bright 4th grader, who spent the majority of her day hiding books in her lap so she could read something of interest, while her fellow students struggled to learn basic math and language skills. You’ll get to know Vincent, a precocious first grader, who wrote code and scrutinized science journals while his fellow students wrestled with the sounding out of words. And Caleb, a charismatic middle school student with an uncanny ability to apply engineering and physics principles at home, yet who struggled at school to such a degree that his high abilities went all but unnoticed. School did not reflect the needs of these students, nor the needs of the many more you’ll meet in this memoir. However, when Allison and Vincent were identified as gifted & talented, and Caleb was encouraged to participate in an afterschool robotics program, school became a place that reflected their needs and abilities. It became a place where they belonged. You’ll also meet their teacher, Chris Newcomb, an educator, artist, actor, and storyteller, who created a space where these students felt safe. A space where asking questions, challenging assumptions, and being one’s true self was honored. Hopefully, you’ll find some of yourself here as well. Read more