In this collection of articles, Geneva Gay invites readers to make educational equity and excellence for "all" students a reality, not just an ethic or an ideal. Through teaching narratives and pragmatic examples, Gay illustrates that a combination of ideology, ethics, personal commitment, and praxis on the part of educators is essential…

This staff working document is intended to accompany and support the Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation Pathways to School Success, which will repeal and replace the 2011 Council Recommendation on policies to reduce early school leaving. The staff working document sets out in more detail and depth the concepts put forward in the…

This brief provides an overview of five strategies used for persistently underperforming schools that demand significant changes to how schools are organized. It draws upon published research, as well as the experiences of cities pursuing different types of improvement strategies. None of the five strategies offer a surefire way to improve…

Gifted kids are so much more than test scores and grades. Still, it's sometimes difficult to see past the potential to the child who may be anxious, lonely, confused, or unsure of what the future might bring. This book, now fully revised with updated information and new survey quotes, offers practical suggestions for addressing the social and…

"Cure Student Underachievement" is the culmination of the authors' research, practice, and experience as principals, superintendents, graduate professors, and consultants in efforts to improve school performance and increase student achievement. Searching for the real causes of underperformance, the authors explored problem-solving strategies in…

A six-step approach for increasing a child's academic output is presented. (MT)

The paper presents basic information about gifted underachievers (UAGs). Terms such as "potential" and "underachievement" are defined and identification processes considered (parents' and teachers' roles are defined, and typical characteristics of UAGs noted). Causes of underachievement in gifted students are considered, including motivational…

Some Japanese cultural characteristics that foster creativity, giftedness, and achievement are examined: and based on these, eight specific suggestions are offered that might be useful in solving some of America's national problems of underachievement, particularly among gifted and talented children. (DLS)

This paper on underachievement in gifted students distinguishes between environmental, personal-neurological, and personal-psychological causes of underachievement. Characteristics of gifted underachievers are described, and strategies to change the pattern of the "personal-psychological" underachiever are discussed, with emphasis on coping…

Identifies, in a case study, a gifted student who, in consideration of previous academic achievement, should be performing exceptionally well, but has a four-year history of withdrawing from and failing courses, avoids studying, and occasionally rallies at the 11th hour for an average performance. Proposes a learner-centered intervention, in a…

The author's findings about the effects of learning disabilities on adolescents are detailed according to four major areas (sample subtopics in parentheses): academic achievement and ability (low achievement and underachievement); cognitive processing (relationship between motivation and strategy use); setting demands (independent functioning);…

A strong relationship between perfectionism and underachievement has been shown in the literature. Five characteristics of perfectionist students and teachers contribute to underachievement: procrastination, fear of failure, the all-or-nothing mindset, paralyzed perfectionism, and workaholism. (JDD)

This article describes games appropriate for teaching spelling skills to underachieving gifted students. One game involves players dribbling a ball to letters attached to sticks driven into the ground, in a particular order that spells a word. (DB)

The article is designed to help parents and teachers understand the nature and causes of underachievement and to show them how to work more effectively with underachieving gifted students. Guidelines focus on ways to share problem solving. (Author/CL)

Suggestions for motivating gifted underachieving secondary students include independent study projects for credit, science fair projects, curriculum compacting, the use of adult mentors, and other approaches which emphasize building on student interests. (DB)