How do we balance nurturing potential and pushing to hard?

As an educator who presents challenging material to keep gifted students engaged I often find myself in a balance with students who show potential for gifted achievement but are not quite there.  I am a firm believer in identifying potential early but what happens when students begin to have difficulties in the regular classroom as a result of being removed for regular instruction for nurturing.  I want to find a way to provide challenge in the regular classroom so that I reach more possible students.  Gifted students are not gifted for the short period of the day that I see them.  They need challenge all day, everyday.  All students benefit to exposure to higher level thinking.  It needs to be the standard in all classrooms.
I have a friend who teaches fifth grade in the general classroom.  She has the highest of expectations for all students.  Her students start out a little intimidated by her in the beginning of the year.  She can be tough.  She is also each child's biggest cheerleader and advocate.  Her student's test scores are phenomenal (not that I think that is the only and true measure) and student are engaged every moment in her room.  She always has higher level tasks that all students get to try out.  It amazes me how she takes some students with the greatest of challenges, students who have doubted their own self worth, and she builds them up into confident citizens who can take on any challenge.  She is a great generalist!  I feel that I have learned a lot from her.  Her classroom is the one I want for my own child!

Challenge Conclusion

Okay, so now the technology challenge activities are complete but the real challenge begins.  What do you do from here?  How do you take this knowledge and transform the way you teach?  I have found myself making changes throughout this process.  My students and I both love it.  I wish teachers realized how much easier this can be.  Students will work diligently for hours on their technology based projects.  They want to share, collaborate, research, and express themselves this way.  Thank you to Jerry and the whole technology team!

Challenge Five- Web 2.0 Wiki Edit

I had find this type of collaboration super helpful.  I would like to see more collaborative wikis going on in the district.  I see it as a great tool to support the Common Core State Standards.  I think we could work so much smarter rather than harder.  Teachers have to see that it is more benefical to our students and our profession as we share what we are doing, what we see successful and the challenges we are having.  We could make such greater gains.... but I guess who would get the money and/or credit???!!
http://dpsweb2pointoh.pbworks.com/w/page/27461145/3-5%20Mathematics

Challenge Four- Sharing Creative Commons

http://animoto.com/play/1vnQ3tW08FCbXwPBZ6H14A

Creative Commons will work with many of our projects in class.  Students need a good resource for pictures that  have a copyright.

Challenge Three- Web 2.0 Creation

I had a grand time playing on Xtranormal.  I made a movie to introduce the next bbok that we will be reading in my fifth grade literacy group.  I could so see the students getting involved in making their own movies on a variety of options.  I choose to use "the Suitz", a more business and professional looking set but the option are there to intice kids with a more youthful, urban look. 
I lost the video though because of trouble with my account.  I ended up creating an account again.  I made a slightly different video.  I wish it did not cost to use the site.  The account that you start with is granted 300 points.  It is enough to make 2 videos if you do not use the "more expensive" backgrounds and actors.  An education site costs $10 per a month.  Don't these sites realize that schools have no money for this kind of thing.
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/12661985/colorz-movie
I don't know if it is included on your list but I went to a workshop on digital storytelling yesterday, a great compliment to the technology challenge.  I made an animoto video.  It does not cost and it is super fun.

Enrichment

My Animoto video:  Enrichment

Challenge Two- Commenting

I commented on a blog of someone in the group and on a blog I am following out of my own interest.

http://hollyrocksworld.blogspot.com/2011/10/hello-im-holly.html?showComment=1320540980812#c5725976611779122503

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/unwrapping_the_gifted/2011/11/nagc_2011_day_1.html#comments