GT Characteristics and Portfolio Development

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GT Characteristics and Portfolio Development

• UISD Department of GT and Advanced Academics
• Presented by Lisa M. Dunn-Flores

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Objectives

• To review characteristics of gifted/talented and
  potentially gifted/talented students.
• To provide an overview of portfolio development,
  qualification, guidelines, and evaluation.
• To form a partnership between parents and schools
  to meet the needs of gifted students.

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National/State Leadership Training Institute on
the Gifted and Talented
Region One Education Service Center
OH 6
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GT Characteristics

• Energy
• Risk-taker
• Adventurous
• Popular with peers
• Leader of many social activities
• More mental and physical stamina than his peers
• Does your child have above-average physical and
  mental stamina and/or appear to be tireless?

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GT Characteristics

• Enthusiasm
• Keen sense of humor
• Assertiveness
• Capacity to generate many ideas
• Questioning right and wrong or worries about
  social issues
• Eagerness to participate in some activities that
  peers do not like (chess, conversations with
  adults)
• Taking on the role of cheerleader encouraging
  others to join activities
• Does your child demonstrate a high degree of
  interest and excitement in work and play?

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GT Characteristics

• Problem-Solving and Reasoning Ability
• Identifying the reasons something happened
• Natural curiosity to find out why and how
• Seeing the big picture easily
• Noticing how things are alike or different
• Coming up with a large number of ideas and
  possible solutions
• Trying to understand complicated material by
  separating it into parts
• Ability to develop logical and common sense
  answers
• Does your child find unique ways to solve
  everyday problems, think things through carefully
  and thoroughly, or use more logical, rational
  thought processes than his peers?

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GT Characteristics

• Sensitivity
• Unusual degree of self awareness
• Greater awareness of her own and other peoples
  feelings
• Non-conforming persona (having no fear of being
  different)
• Being judgmental of other people, places, and
  things
• Does your child demonstrate a deep understanding
  and compassion for others?

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GT Characteristics

• Originality
• Playing with words and making up riddles
• Using ordinary terms in unusual ways
• Creating pictures and stories that may seem
  different from those created by his grade-level
  peers
• Drawing pictures that include a lot of detail or
  tell unusual stories
• Does your child use uncommon combinations of
  materials to produce products and/or process
  ideas in unique ways?

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GT Characteristics

• Interest in Adult Issues
• Interest in adult problems such as the
  environment, politics, religion, or ethnic issues
• Have older friends
• Spend time listening to adults talking
• Show interest in current events
• Does your child hold a mature perspective in
  conversation and raise provocative questions
  about current events or historical episodes?

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GT Characteristics

• Persistence
• Easily bored with routine jobs
• Drawn to complex and complicated tasks of his own
  choosing that appear to be over his head
• Responsible (he can be counted on to do what hes
  promised and usually do it well)
• Focused on perfectionism
• Self-critical and not easily satisfied with his
  own speed or accomplishments
• Tenacious, continuing with tasks when others have
  quit
• Ambitious with a can-do attitude
• Your child may keep collections, draw pictures
  with many careful details, or have a long-term
  interest in a particular topic or task.

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GT Characteristics

• Curiosity
• Asking questions constantly about anything and
  everything
• Possessing a good deal of intellectual
  playfulness, making up imaginary playmates or
  colorful stories
• Starting questions with, I wonder what would
  happen if
• Manipulating, changing, and elaborating on ideas
• Concerning herself with adapting, improving, and
  modifying her environment and objects that
  surround her
• Does your child ask many unexpected questions,
  utilize a variety of resources, and/or take more
  intellectual risks than his peers?

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Typical Characteristics Of Gifted Hispanic
Children as identified by E.M. Bernal and J.
Reyna (from ERIC Digest Identifier ED 423104
by Jaime A. Castellano Article Identifying and
Assessing Gifted and Talented Bilingual Hispanic
Students)
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• English language skills are rapidly acquired by
  children once they have been exposed to the
  language and given an opportunity to use it
  expressively.
• Leadership ability is exhibited with strong
  interpersonal skills although often in an open or
  modest manner.
• Children tend to have older playmates and can
  easily engage adults in lively conversation

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• Children enjoy intelligent and (or effective)
  risktaking behavior, often accompanied by a
  sense of drama.
• Children tend to keep themselves entertained or
  busy, especially with imaginative games and
  ingenious applications, such as getting the most
  out of a few simple toys and objects.
• These children accept responsibilities at home
  normally reserved for older children, such as the
  supervision of younger siblings or helping others
  to do their homework.

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• Many are street-wise and are recognized by
  others as youngsters who have the ability to
  make it in the Anglo-dominated society.
• Observant educators who notice these traits in
  particular students may consider referring them
  for further assessment.

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Strengths Problems of Gifted children

• Possible Problems
• Impatient with slowness of others dislikes
  routine and drill may resist mastering
  foundation skills may make concepts unduly
  complex.
• Asks embarrassing questions strong-willed
  resists direction seems excessive in interests
  expects the same of others.
• Rejects or omits details resists practice or
  drill questions teaching procedures.
• Difficulty accepting the illogical, such as
  feelings, traditions, or matters to be taken in
  faith.

• Strengths
• Acquires and retains information quickly.
• Inquisitive attitude intellectual curiosity
  intrinsic motivation searches for significance
• Ability to conceptualize, abstract, synthesize
  enjoys problem solving and intellectual activity.
• Can see cause-effect relations

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• Possible Problems
• Difficulty in being practical worry about
  humanitarian concerns.
• Constructs complicated rules or systems may be
  seen as bossy, rude, or domineering.
• May use words to escape or avis situations
  becomes bored with school and age-peers seen by
  others as a know it all.
• Critical or intolerant toward others may become
  discouraged or depressed perfectionist.
• May disrupt plans or reject what is already
  known seen by others as different and out of
  step.

• Strengths
• Love of truth, equity and fair play.
• Enjoys organizing things and people into
  structure and order seeks to systemize.
• Large vocabulary and facile verbal proficiency
  broad information in advanced areas.
• Thinks critically has high expectations is
  self-critical and evaluates others.
• Creative and inventive likes new way of doing
  things.

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• Strengths
• Keen observer willing to consider the unusual
  open to new experiences.
• Intense concentration long attention span in
  areas of interest goal directed behavior
  persistence.
• Sensitivity empathy for others desire to be
  accepted by others.
• High energy, alertness, eagerness periods of
  intense alertness.
• Independent prefers individualized work
  self-reliant

• Possible Problems
• Overly intense focus occasional gullibility.
• Resists interruption neglects duties or people
  during periods of focused interests
  stubbornness.
• Sensitivity to criticism or peer rejection
  expects others to have similar values need for
  success and recognition may feel differently and
  alienated.
• Frustration and inactivity eagerness may disrupt
  others schedules needs continual stimulation
  may be seen as hyperactive.
• May reject parent or peer input non conformity
  may be unconventional.

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• Possible Problems
• May appear scattered and disorganized
  frustrations over lack of time others may expect
  continual competence.
• Sees absurdities of situations humor may not be
  understood by peers may become class clown to
  gain attention.

• Strengths
• Diverse interests and abilities versatility.
• Strong sense of humor.

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Application of Characteristics

• The following forms are utilized by parents and
  teachers to demonstrate examples of behaviors
  illustrating characteristics of potentially
  gifted students
• Parent Jotdown
• Teacher Jotdown
• Cite specific examples rather than simply
  indicating yes.

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Qualification for Portfolio Submission

• All students are required to obtain a minimum
  score of 55 on the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability
  Test in order to proceed with the GT
  identification process. The identification
  process is halted for students scoring below the
  minimum. A student with the adequate amount of
  matrix points must submit a portfolio for
  evaluation.
• Exception Students from outside the district
  evaluated during the 30 day identification period
  should submit a portfolio two weeks prior to the
  end of the 30 day period.

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Qualification for Portfolio Submission

• Kinder students need six matrix points from a
  combination of scores on the Naglieri Test and
  Parent/Teacher Jotdown in order to qualify for
  portfolio submission and a total of eleven points
  to qualify for the program.
• 1st-12th grade students need nine matrix points
  from a combination of scores on the test,
  jotdown, and grades in order to qualify for
  portfolio submission and a total of fourteen
  points for the program.

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Portfolio Requirements

• Students who meet the minimum criteria will be
  required to submit a portfolio, or the GT
  identification process will be halted.
• Teachers are responsible for developing and
  organizing a portfolio. Counselors are
  responsible for review, support, and submission.
• Parents are encouraged to assist.

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Portfolio Requirements

• FIVE items should be submitted.
• A Portfolio Review and Agreement form (S2) must
  be signed by teacher, parent and student. This
  form must be turned in with the portfolio. A
  meeting in which the parent, student, and teacher
  agree on the items to be evaluated takes place
  prior to the deadline.
• Each item should be labeled with the Student ID
  number, campus number, and grade level. (Copy of
  paper strips provided S3,S4). NO STUDENT OR
  CAMPUS NAMES

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Portfolio Development

• START EARLY
• Items should be developed beginning early in the
  school year. Save potential portfolio products.
  
• Possible Portfolio Items
• Journal entry, Photo journal (Photos of student
  in which the students face shows are NOT allowed)
• Research project (Science project or other
  discipline)
• Original story (written or dictated)
• Art work
• Interest profile (see sample)
• Placemat
• Heavily guided class assignments are discouraged
  as they appear the same to the evaluation
  committees and do not highlight student
  creativity. Class assignments should allow for
  individualized work and creativity.

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Portfolio Development

• Items NOT to Include
• Awards
• Tests
• Worksheets
• Group Assignments
• Family Albums
• Photographs or videos of the student in which a
  students face is visible

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Possible Portfolio Items for Secondary Students

• Original Research Projects i.e., science project
  in which the scientific method is followed and
  documented
• Formal paper (written on an important historical
  figure or author, current social, political, or
  economic event/problem, or a work of literature)
• Students may communicate the impact of such
  figure/event and his/her/its contribution to
  society.
• Original art work (drawings, sketches, paintings)
  
• Note Photographs of particularly large pieces
  may be submitted. Explanations of art work may
  accompany the items.

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Possible Portfolio Items for Secondary Students

• Journal or photo journal (Responses to works of
  literature, quotes, or life experiences)
• Note Family photos or photos of student (in
  which his/her face is visible) are NOT allowed.
• Oral Presentation based on a study (Recorded on a
  CD or tape)
• Performances (Video or audio)
• Note Students face should NOT be visible.
• Video documentary on a given subject of interest

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Guidelines for Products

• Large three dimensional projects should be
  photographed or videotaped (on a regular VHS tape
  or DVD) with a detailed written explanation.
  Small three dimensional items which fit in
  portfolio envelope will be accepted. All items
  must fit in one envelope.
• Audio cassette tapes should be standard size.
• Computer generated projects can be printed or
  submitted via USB drive to the teacher.

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Portfolio Development

• Resources
• Sample Interest Profile
• Lists of products
• Examples of Portfolio Products with Explanations
• Placemat Activities Packet (Elementary Teachers)
• Kingore article for parents

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Portfolio Evaluation

• A committee of educators from the elementary and
  secondary levels meets to evaluate and score
  student portfolios.
• A rubric, the Academic Portfolio Profile, is used
  for documentation and scoring.

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Portfolio Evaluation Descriptors

• Unusual Presentation of Idea
• Work advanced beyond age or grade level
• Complex or intricate presentation of idea
• In-depth understanding of idea
• Resourceful and/or clever use of materials
• Evidence of support of research for the idea
• Organized for effective communication
• Evidence of high interest and perseverance

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Important Dates to Remember

• October 30, 2009-GT Nominations Deadline
• Newspaper ad ran Sunday, September 27,
  Wednesday, September 30, and Friday, October 2,
  2009.
• November 9 - 13, 2009-Testing Window for NNAT
  (Naglieri Non-verbal Ability Test)-Counselor
  administers.
• November 16, 2009-Counselors submit NNATs to
  GT/AA Office for scoring.
• December 4, 2009-Counselors submit Parent/Teacher
  Jotdowns to GT/AA Office.

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Quote of the Day

• A really great talent finds its happiness in
  execution. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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UISD Office of GT and Advanced Academics

• Questions or concerns may be directed to our
  office at [phone] or [phone].
• Ms. Amy Alaniz, Director aalaniz_at_uisd.net
• Mrs. Lisa M. Dunn-Flores, Coordinator
  lmdunn_at_uisd.net
• Melva del Corral mcorral_at_uisd.net and
• Amelia Moore amoore74_at_uisd.net,
• Instructional Accountability Clerks
• It is the policy of United I.S.D. not to
  discriminate on the basis of race, color,
  national origin, sex, or handicap in its
  programs, services, or activities as required by
  Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as
  amended Title IX of the Education Amendments of
  1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
  of 1973, as amended.

For knowledge itself is power. --Francis Bacon