Gifted & TalentedGifted & Talented

Exceptional ChildExceptional Child

Spring 2002Spring 2002

Group MembersGroup Members

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be “gifted and talented”?“gifted and talented”?

Formal Definition:Formal Definition:

Children, and whenever applicable, youth who are Children, and whenever applicable, youth who are identified at the preschool, elementary, or identified at the preschool, elementary, or secondary level as possessing demonstrated or secondary level as possessing demonstrated or potential abilities that give evidence of high potential abilities that give evidence of high performance capability in areas such asperformance capability in areas such as

IntellectualIntellectual

CreativeCreative

Specific academic or leadership abilitySpecific academic or leadership ability

Performing/visual artsPerforming/visual arts

Common Definition:Common Definition:

children who have outstanding intellectual children who have outstanding intellectual ability or creative talentability or creative talent

Giftedness Explained…Giftedness Explained…

Specific Types of Giftedness:Specific Types of Giftedness:o Schoolhouse giftednessSchoolhouse giftednesso Creative-productive giftednessCreative-productive giftednesso Gifted vs. potentially giftedGifted vs. potentially gifted

Three-ring GiftednessThree-ring Giftednesso Above-average abilityAbove-average abilityo CreativityCreativityo Task commitmentTask commitment

Argh!Argh!

Hard to determine “giftedness”Hard to determine “giftedness”

Frustrations in schoolFrustrations in school

The Purpose of Education for the The Purpose of Education for the GiftedGifted

Provide opportunity for self-fulfillmentProvide opportunity for self-fulfillment

Help societyHelp society

I know my child is gifted I know my child is gifted when…when…

Identification: TestingIdentification: Testing

Intelligence TestsIntelligence Tests

Creativity TestsCreativity Tests

Achievement TestsAchievement Tests

In-School TestingIn-School Testing

Identification: NominationIdentification: Nomination

Teacher NominationTeacher Nomination

Students’ WorkStudents’ Work

Peer NominationPeer Nomination

Self- NominationSelf- Nomination

Parent NominationParent Nomination

Educating Gifted StudentsEducating Gifted Students

The Options:The Options:Acceleration:Acceleration: Smarter does not always mean more Smarter does not always mean more maturemature

Ability Grouping:Ability Grouping: Not beneficial for all studentsNot beneficial for all students

Segregation:Segregation: Only beneficial on a partial basisOnly beneficial on a partial basis

Integration:Integration: Benefits all involved, including teachersBenefits all involved, including teachers

Partial Pullout:Partial Pullout: “Best of both worlds”“Best of both worlds”

Teaching TipsTeaching TipsMixed Ability Middle SchoolMixed Ability Middle SchoolTeachers differentiate curriculum through:Teachers differentiate curriculum through:

ContentContentProcessProcessProductProduct

Tips for making differentiation doable and for meeting Tips for making differentiation doable and for meeting the needs of gifting and talented students are:the needs of gifting and talented students are:1.1. Take Baby StepsTake Baby Steps2.2. Make activities differentMake activities different3.3. Raise the bar for everyoneRaise the bar for everyone4.4. Find your students passions. Find your students passions.

Meeting the Enrichment Needs Meeting the Enrichment Needs of Middle School Studentsof Middle School Students

National Research Center on Gifted and National Research Center on Gifted and Talented’s Schoolwide Enrichment Model(SEM) Talented’s Schoolwide Enrichment Model(SEM)

Major goal: To promote challenging and Major goal: To promote challenging and enjoyable “high-end learning” across a range enjoyable “high-end learning” across a range of school types, levels, and demographic of school types, levels, and demographic differences. differences.

Three major components that make up the Three major components that make up the SEM:SEM: Total Talent PortfolioTotal Talent Portfolio Curriculum modificationCurriculum modification Enrichment clustersEnrichment clusters

What’s it like to be gifted?What’s it like to be gifted?

Meadowlane Elementary SchoolOdyssey of the Mind (OM)Invent America

McNair Magnet SchoolScience fairSpecial ClassesOdyssey of the Mind (OM)Science Olympiad

Kennedy High SchoolMeetings every couple of monthsAP Classes

Works ConsultedWorks Consulted

Bos, Candace S., Schumm, Jean Shay, & Vaughn, Sharon. (2000). Teaching Exceptional, Diverse, and At-Risk Students in the General Education Classroom (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Carolyn, K. (1998-2002). You Know You’re The Parent of a Gifted Child When…

<http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/parent_of.htm>

McCluskey, Ken W., & Walker, Keith D. (1988). The Doubtful Gift. Kingston: Ronald P. Frye & Company.

Renzulli, Joseph S, Ed. D. (1998). Nurturing the gifts and talents of primary grade students. Creative Learning Press.

Renzulli, Joseph S. & Richards, Susannah. (2000, March). Meeting the enrichment needs of middle school students. Principal, 62-63.

Works ConsultedWorks ConsultedSouthern, Thomas W., & Jones, Eric D. (1991). The Academic Acceleration of Gifted Children. New York: Teachers College.

Stephens, Kristen R. State Definitions for the Gifted and Talented Revisited. "Exceptional Children”, p. 219-38. (2000-2002).

Teno, Kevin M. (2000). Cluster grouping elementary gifted students in the regular classroom: A teacher’s perspective. Gifted Child Today, 23(1). 44-49, 53.

Wehrmann, Kari Sue. (2000, Sept.). Baby Steps: a beginner’s guide. Educational Leadership, 58(1). 20-23.

Educational Shoes…Educational Shoes…