A Yardstick Of Quality

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” Steve Jobs

Our gifted students can do grade-level work with little instruction, but how do we demand excellence?

• Demand sufficient evidence to back up answers (I always need three pieces of specific evidence).
• Return low-quality work (even if it’s correct) to be redone.
• Demand scholarly attitudes towards peers.
• Accept only high-quality, ability-appropriate resources.
• Offer examples of people (historically and currently) who have produced excellence.
• Demand increasingly specific responses (especially in writing).
• Ask students to analyze the habits of their peers who they think produce high-quality work.