This article introduces the concept of effectivity, which is the power to be effective or to achieve a certain effect to accomplish one's goals, in this case, desired school or life achievement. Giftedness would be better defined and developed in terms of effectivity than in terms of various concepts of ability. The concept of effectivity hinges…

Imposter syndrome can lead to feelings of self-doubt, fear of failure, overpreparation, procrastination, and guilt about subsequent success. Because imposter syndrome is linked to structural inequities, women of color (WOC) may be particularly impacted by feelings of imposter syndrome due to encounters with racism, sexism, and gender…

Teaching music is an act of vulnerability. Our connections with music and with our students give our jobs--and perhaps our lives--value and purpose. However, these connections are also why it hurts so much when we feel undervalued or attacked. In this article, I describe research-supported strategies for nurturing courage, peace, and resilience…

The potential benefits of collaboration often become overwhelmed with complaints of "freeloaders"--students who do not do their share of the work in the group but get the same grade. However, a survey of gifted students shows that they are likely to take on the bulk of the group's work, a situation that may not encourage group members to get…

In this paper, we use the 2000-2008 waves of the German Socioeconomic Panel to examine overeducation transitions. The results are based on a first-order Markov model that allows us to account for both the initial conditions problem and potential endogeneity in attrition. We found that overeducation dynamics, especially the probability of entering…

Tutoring services, known in the federal No Child Left Behind Act as "supplemental services," arguably represent the federal government's largest free-market experiment in education. In the rush to capture market share, more than 1,000 tutoring providers have signed up for the program. But market uncertainty, combined with differences in…

This article discusses student pressure as a subject of debate. The latest debate about schoolwork is being fueled by three recent books: "The Homework Myth" by Alfie Kohn, "The Case Against Homework" by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish, and "The Overachievers", by Alexandra Robbins, which depicts overextended high…

Discusses the allocative and selective procedures of a multiracial British comprehensive school. Argues that future studies should consider which students attend which schools and take which courses. Addresses student placement based on English, mathematics, and social studies test results. Concludes that the term "underachiever" is a…

Highlights a National Assessment of Educational Progress study indicating that in the 1970s academic gains in reading by some low achievers was offset by declines in science and math skills of high achievers. Additional results related to reading, science, and mathematics are also highlighted and discussed. (JN)