What do I do now

1
What do I do now?

• Answers to questions teachers with gifted
  students ask most often.

2
Essential Questions

• What is a gifted student?
• How are gifted children different from high
  achievers?
• How do I make a good referral?
• What is the purpose of gifted education?
• What does the EASD K-8 program look like?
• How can I be more supportive of the gifted
  students in my class?
• What resources are out there to help me?

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What is a Gifted Student?
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Myths about gifted children

• Gifted kids rise to the top of a classroom
• Not necessarily. Gifted children can have
  hidden learning disabilities that go undiscovered
  because they can easily compensate for them in
  the early years.
• (www.ri.net/gifted_talented/character.html)

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Myths about gifted children cont

• Gifted children are so smart they do fine with or
  without special programs
• They may appear to do fine on their own, but
  without proper challenge, they can become bored
  and unruly. As the years go by they may find it
  harder and harder as work does become more
  challenging, since they never faced a challenge
  before.
• (www.ri.net/gifted_talented/character.html)

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Myths about gifted children cont

• If Children are off task, inattentive or
  hyperactive they can only be ADHD.
• There is no rule that states that if a child is
  exhibiting behaviors consistent with
  hyperactivity and/or inattentiveness they have to
  be ADHD. A gifted child may simply be bored and
  amusing themselves. Further, they may appear ADHD
  because their minds are fast moving.
• (Josie Moore-EASD)

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Myths about gifted children cont

• Gifted and bright mean the same thing
• There is no rule that states that a child who
  is capable of scoring in the high ninety
  percentiles on group achievement testing and
  getting all As must be considered gifted.
  Remember, group achievement testing is grade
  level testing. Such high scores are certainly
  high achievers but not necessarily gifted.
  Further, there is no rule that states a child
  identified as gifted should be achieving to high
  standards in the classroom.
• (www.ri.net/gifted_talented/character.html)

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What is a Gifted Student?

• A child with outstanding intellectual and
  creative ability that requires specially designed
  programs and/or support services not ordinarily
  provided in the regular education program (22 Pa.
  Code16.1)
• Mentally and physically involved instead of just
  attentive
• Constructs abstractions instead of just
  understanding ideas
• Answers in detail instead of just answering
  question
• Plays around yet tests well instead of working
  hard.

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What is a Gifted Student?

• A child with outstanding intellectual and
  creative ability that requires specially designed
  programs and/or support services not ordinarily
  provided in the regular education program (22 Pa.
  Code16.1)
• A child with an IQ of 130 or higher when multiple
  criteria as set forth in department guidelines
  indicates gifted ability (22 Pa. Code16.21d).

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Multiple Criteria?Criteria, other than IQ
score, must be used to indicate gifted
abilitySuch As.

• Academic performance significantly above grade
  level or the normal age group in one or more
  subjects as measured by nationally normed and
  validated achievement tests.
• (22 Pa. Code16.1)

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Multiple Criteria?Criteria, other than IQ
score, must be used to indicate gifted
abilitySuch As.

• Rate of Acquisition/Retention
• Demonstrated Achievement, performance or
  expertise in one or more academic areas.
• Early and measured use of high level thinking
  skills, academic creativity, leadership skills,
  intense academic interest areas, communication
  skills, foreign language aptitude or technology
  expertise.
• (22 Pa. Code16.1)

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Multiple Criteria continued..

• Intervening factors masking giftedness such as
  ESL, SLD, physical impairment, emotional
  disability, gender, race bias, or socio/cultural
  deprivation.
• (22 Pa. Code16.1)

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EASD Matrix(Criteria Used to determine need)

• Standardized Achievement in Math, Reading,
  Language 90 or better.
• A score of 80 or higher on the Teacher and Parent
  Questionnaire forms
• A score of 1-3 repetitions on the Teacher/Parent
  Questionnaire forms.
• GPA
• Special factors (e.g. ESL, SLD etc)

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Gifted stats

• A gifted student falls within the end of a
  standard bell curve.
• The gifted population across the nation
  constitutes the top 2.
• Image from www..librarythinkquest.org

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How are Gifted Children different From High
Achievers
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High Achiever or Gifted?
Gifted
High Achiever

• Knows the answers
• Interested
• Attentive
• Has good ideas
• Works hard
• Answers the questions
• Top Group
• Listens with interest
• Learns with ease
• Understands ideas
• (Szabos, J, 1989)

• Asks the questions
• Highly curious
• Mentally Physically involved
• Has wild silly ideas
• Plays around yet tests well
• Discusses in Detail
• Beyond top group
• Strong feelings and opinions
• Already knows
• Constructs abstractions
• (Szabos, J, 1989)

,
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How do I make a good referral?
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How do I make a good referral?

• Review grades and standardized achievement
  testing throughout his/her school year. Are they
  in the 98th percentile or higher? Are they at a
  3.5 or higher?
• Review characteristic of gifted students. Does
  the student fit those traits?
• Talk to other teachers or the counselor who have
  gifted students to learn about what makes them
  gifted instead of high achievers.
• Review the Teacher form. Does the student score a
  5 or 4 on most of the questions asked?

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How do I make a good referral cont.

• Use the resources you have available to gain more
  specific information (internet, guidance
  counselor, gifted teacher, school psychologists,
  literature etc).
• Try accommodations/modifications in the classroom
  using the resources in your district to help you
  teach at their instructional level. Are the
  classroom modifications unsuccessful in
  challenging the student?

20
Remember

• Remember you must look at student performance
  across the years not just this year.
• Remember advanced on the PSSA has no correlation
  with gifted.
• Remember when looking at Terra Nova scores, you
  want the top 2 (98th percentile or better) in
  math, reading, writing.

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Remember cont.

• Remember for gifted children, you are replacing
  their curriculum with material they have not
  mastered not just adding more work because they
  have finished their assignments early.
• Remember we need to add breadth and depth to a
  gifted childs curriculum.
• Remember we need to match the material to the
  child and not the child the material.

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What is the Purpose of Gifted Education?
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Role of Gifted Education in Schools

• To identify the specific talents and abilities of
  gifted students and nourish those abilities
  through placing students in appropriate
  curricula.
• To provide an appropriate education based upon
  the specific abilities of each student.
• To challenge gifted students by providing
  educational programming that meets their academic
  and intellectual needs.
• (Thomas, A Grimes, T, 1995).

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Levels of Service in Programming

• Services offered to all Students
• Services offered to many students
• Services offered to individuals or small groups
  by specialists in school.
• Outside services or unusual in-school options
  offered to individual students
• Ron Schmiedel

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Gifted Education components
Acceleration
Acceleration
Enrichment
Affective Needs
Enrichment
Affective Needs
Career Investigation
Career Investigation

• Through a variety of service delivery options!
• Ron Schmiedel

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Gifted Program
Counseling services
Independent Study
Pull-out
Student Government
Tiered Assignments
Mentorship
Enrichment
Clubs
Acceleration
School in a School
Grouping
Testing out
College classes
Resource room
Differentiation
Specialized Curriculum
Gifted Center
Learning contracts
Grade skipping
Distance Learning
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GIEP?

• Based on unique needs to the gifted student, not
  just on the students classification.
• Enables the student to participate in
  acceleration or enrichment or both as
  appropriate.
• Enables the student to receive services according
  to their intellectual and academic abilities and
  needs within the scope of the K-12 district
  curriculum.
• (PDE-Parent Guide to Special Education for the
  Gifted)

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GIEP cont.

• Statement of the students present educational
  performance.
• Annual goals will describe what the student can
  be expected to learn during the year.
• Short-term outcomes are the sequential steps the
  student must take in order to reach these Annual
  goals.
• Dates for the beginning and end of the GIEP.
• (PDE-Parent Guide to Special Education for the
  Gifted)

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GIEP cont.

• Ways for determining whether the goals and
  learning outcomes are being met.
• Names and positions of the GIEP participants.
• Date of meeting.
• List any support services that are needed.
• (PDE-Parent Guide to Special Education for the
  Gifted)

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So What does the EASD K-8 Program look like?
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EASD K-8 Program.

• Working collaboratively with the teacher the
  gifted program will be a combination of a
  push-in and pull out program.
• students will be able to connect what they are
  studying in the classroom with the activities
  they will be doing in the gifted program. 
• Some of the activities they will be doing in the
  gifted program will be computer research, reading
  genre study, science investigations, reasoning
  papers and many open discussions. 

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EASD K-8 Program cont.

• More individualized GIEPs will be written
• Area of giftedness more specific
• Personal Goals more specific
• SDI (Specifically Designed Instruction) will be
  more specific
• SDI will be provided to the teacher

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How this affects you

• Modifications may consist of compacting,
  acceleration and/or enrichment all within the
  scope of the K-12 district curriculum.
• General educational curriculum will be
  adapted/modified as needed.
• (PDE-Parent Guide to Special Education for the
  Gifted)

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So How can I be more Supportive?
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What changes can I make?

• Differentiated instruction
• Depth
• Compacting
• Acceleration
• Contracts
• Ask questions that are open ended
• Ask questions that require higher level of
  response.
• (http//www.kidsource.com)

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What changes can I make.

• Group interactions and simulations
• Guided self-management
• Creative projects that synthesize knowledge and
  ability to manipulate ideas.
• Group gifted students together for class work.

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AccelerationAccess to higher level learning
activities than typically provided in regular
education to students of the same age

• Early Admission to Kindergarten and/or First
  Grade
• Grade Skipping
• Subject-Matter Acceleration
• Curriculum Compacting
• Honors Level Courses
• College Level Options
• Advanced Placement
• College in the High School
• Concurrent/Dual Enrollment

38
Acceleration cont.

• Credit by examination
• Early entrance into Middle School, High School,
  or College
• Early Graduation

39
Enrichment

• In-depth learning experiences that enhance the
  curriculum and are based upon individual student
  strengths, interests, and needs
• Seminars
• Independent projects
• Alternative assignments
• Outside of the classroom

40
Curriculum Differentiation

• Effective differentiation requires consideration
  given to grouping practices
• Flexible grouping - Arranging students by
  interest or need
• Cluster grouping Ability grouping within a
  heterogeneous classroom
• Cooperative learning groups

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Differentiation

• Is twofold
• Group/class
• The curriculum, instruction and/or assessment is
  modified to better suit the needs of the class or
  group
• An honors level class must be different from a
  regular level class
• Individual
• The curriculum, instruction and/or assessment are
  modified to meet the needs of the individual
  students in the class

42
Differentiation

• Content
• Extension of core learning, using both
  acceleration and enrichment strategies
• Exposure to challenging and specialized resources
• Stress higher-level thinking, creativity, and
  problem solving skills
• Set high standards that demand rigorous
  expectations for student work and performance
  demonstration

43
Differentiation

• Process
• Promote independent, self-directed, and in-depth
  study
• Encourage the application of advanced research
  and methodological skills
• Focus on open-ended tasks
• Allow student-centered discussions, Socratic
  questioning, and seminar-type learning
• Provide students with the freedom to choose
  topics to study and the methods to use in
  manipulating and transforming information

44
Differentiation

• Product
• Encourage the development of products that
  challenge existing ideas and produce new ones
• Promote products that are comparable to those
  made by professionals in the designated field
• Require that products represent application,
  analysis, and synthesis of knowledge
• Provide opportunity to create products/solutions
  that focus on real-world issues
• Establish high-level and exemplary criteria to
  assess student performance and products

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Differentiation

• Learning Environment
• Encourage the development of social and
  self-awareness
• Encourage self-directed learning to promote the
  development of independent research
• Encourage a tolerant and supportive environment
  that fosters a positive attitude
• Enable the pursuit of higher-level learning
  through the extension of classroom activities
  into the real-world
• Provide access to resources and materials that
  meet the students level of learning

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Differentiation
Learning Environment
Content
Process
Product
Encourage a tolerant and supportive environment
that fosters a positive attitude Enable the
pursuit of higher-level learning through the
extension of classroom activities into the
real-world Provide access to resources and
materials that meet the students level of
learning
Establish hi-level and exemplary criteria to
assess student performance and products Provide
opportunity to create products / solutions that
focus on real-world issues Require that products
represent application, analysis, and synthesis of
knowledge
Promote independent, self directed, and in-depth
study Encourage the application of advanced
research and methodological skills Focus on open
ended tasks Allow student-centered discussions,
Socratic questioning, and seminar type learning
Extension of core learning, using both
acceleration and enrichment strategies Stress
higher-level thinking, creativity, and problem
solving skills Exposure to challenging and
specialized resources Set high standards that
demand rigorous expectations for student work and
performance demonstration
47
Other Programming Options

• Independent Studies
• Curriculum Compacting
• Pre-assess
• Demonstrate mastery
• Alternative activity
• Enrichment Activities
• Mentorship
• Shadow Studies

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What resources are out there to help me?
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Resources

• http//www.schoolshistory.org.
• http//www.glc.k12.ga.us/qcc/homepg.asp
• http//www.cloudnet.com/7Eedrbsass/edres.htm
• http//www.nswagtc.org.au/info/links.html
• http//www.easdpa.org/district/professional/lesson
  plan.htm

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Resources, contd
http//www.hoagiesgifted.org/investigations.htm
http//www.glc.k12.ga.us/trc/cluster.asp?modebrow
seintPathID7686
http//webquest.sdsu.edu/webquest.html (click
Portal, then select Top in left column

• http//curry.edschool.virginia.edu/hottlinx/
• http//www.shambles.net/pages/staff/gifted/

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Resources, contd

• http//www.bestwebquests.com
• http//edsitement.neh.fed.us/tab_lesson.asp?subjec
  tArea2
• http//www.intel.com/ca/education/unitplans/
• http//www97.intel.com/en/ProjectDesign/UnitPlanIn
  dex/GradeIndex/4
• http//www97.intel.com/en/ProjectDesign/UnitPlanIn
  dex/SubjectIndex/SubjectIndex.
• http//www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/6097/mat
  h.html (this won't work from school computers,
  but it is good)
• http//www.stetson.edu/hats/teacher.php

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Resources, cont

• http//www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed342175.
  html
• Article by Dr. Carol Ann Tomlinson describing the
  characteristics of a differentiated classroom
  with an emphasis on the learning needs of
  academically advanced learners.
• Article by Sandra Berger describing instructional
  and management strategies for the modification of
  curriculum based on the needs and characteristics
  of gifted students. Explores models and
  strategies for modify content process, product
  and learning environment.

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Resources cont..

• http//teach-nology.com/
• School Psychologist
• Gifted facilitators
• Guidance Counselors
• Principals
• Websites and books

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References

• Pennsylvania Department of Education
• Kidsource website
• School history website
• Dr. Edmund Sasss website
• Georgia Learning Connections website
• Szabos, J 1989. Challenge. Good Apple 34.
• Ron Schmiedel from Pine-Richland High School

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Good Bye Thanks for everyone's help and patience