DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET Introduction The Diversity of Learners Grab a handful of pebbles along a shore. Open your hand and look at the mix of shapes and textures you’ve gathered. Among the dozens of small stones spread across your palm you will probably find one that is a bit smoother than the rest, another that is quite rough. Perhaps one pebble is a bit flatter than the others, another very round. The natural diversity of our world can be found everywhere you look, whether in the palm of your hand or in the classroom where you teach. Among every group of children you meet there will probably be one with a giddy sense of humor, one who is quiet and gentle, one who loves to sing, and so on. And in every early childhood classroom there is at least one exceptionally bright child, perhaps one whose unusual talents are easy to spot, or another who may need your support and encouragement before she is ready to share her gifts with the world. The Exceptionally Bright Child The exceptionally bright child may be the one who delights us with unusual questions (If the world is spinning, why don’t we all get dizzy?) and surprises us COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL 1