One of the most exciting newinitiatives that the Centeris undertaking this year isa collaboration with the IdahoDepartment of Education to evaluateservices to gifted and talentedstudents. There are only 115 schooldistricts in the state, and over 50% ofthem have fewer than 1,000 K-12students. A major focus for theevaluation is helping to assess theimpact of the state training grant, apool of $500,000 appropriatedannually since 1997 to support staffdevelopment.

Idaho’s mandate, passed in 1993, isbroad and recognizes five categoriesof giftedness. Local districts have a lotof discretion in responding to themandate but report that over 9,000G/T students are identified and servedannually. In order to gain a sense ofthe scope and breadth of giftedprograms, the evaluation design hasseveral components, including astatewide district-level survey; aquestionnaire to teachers whoparticipated in staff development as a

result of training grant funds; fourregional town hall meetings to assessparent support; and the analysis ofstandardized test data to trackstudent performance trends. Selectedmembers of the state legislature will

be contacted to gain their insights intothe issues and needs of the state aswell.

The most appealing component of theevaluation to those members of theresearch team who enjoy travel (andthat’s all of us) is the opportunity tovisit local districts in four geographicregions of the state. Twelve schooldistricts have agreed to host on-sitevisits, including Aberdeen, Boise,Caldwell, Coeur d’Alene, GlennsFerry, Idaho Falls, Marsh Valley,Middleton, Post Falls, Twin Falls,Wallace, and Wendell. These visitshave been scheduled from Octoberthrough December of 2001.

In order to compete for this contract,the Center created a multi-state

In this Issue

From the Director...........................................................................................................................................2Arthur Vining Davis Curriculum Development Initiative...............................................................................6Test Construction is Compared to Building a Dream House......................................................................7Project Phoenix 2000-01 Comes to a Close................................................................................................8Record Attendance for Summer Enrichment Program..................................9Summer Institutes at William and Mary.........................................................11Passion Renewed: The Magic of Spain........................................................13

�����������������������Fall 2001 Volume 10 Number 1The College of William and Mary

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Farewell to Linda Avery, who hasserved as manager of theCenter over the past severalyears! Linda is returning to her homein Seville, Ohio, to care for herparents. Her contributions to the lifeand spirit of the Center have beenenormous, and we shall deeply missher. As a friend and colleague, Lindahas been invaluable in her counseland advice on Center operations andin working with staff and graduatestudents to make each of us feelspecial. Her contributions to bothProject Phoenix and Project Star havebeen incalculable. Linda managedboth of these grants and coordinatedtheir major activities, includingdevelopment, implementation, anddissemination. Her scholarship willalso be missed, as she hasmade numerous presentations anddeveloped many publications for peerreview.

This fall has been an activeand international one for me,traveling to both Singapore andAustralia for gifted education work.In Singapore, I was part of aninternational team, working with Dr.Wu-Tien Wu from National TaiwanNormal University and Dr. RenaSubotnik from Hunter College in theUnited States to review the Ministry ofEducation gifted programs after 20years of development. For five days,we visited classrooms, met withfocus groups of students, teachers,administrators, and ministry officials,and reviewed program documents.

We reported preliminary findings toministry officials on the last day. Theprogram is very impressive in bothits organization and implementationfacets. Over 20 full-time professionalsare assigned to the Ministry to helpplan, develop, and implementprograms in selected school sites.They manage assessment, developcurriculum, hire and monitor teachers,and collect data on studentperformance for regular analysis.(This role roughly parallels that ofstate department personnel in theUnited States.)

Perhaps most impressive is theteaching observed in Singaporeclassrooms, especially in mathematicsand science. Every teacher usesinstructional technology as an integralpart of lessons - for example, inthe introduction of a new conceptor in demonstration of applications.Students also are called on to use ITas they explain group findings on in-class problems. Both an science andmath concepts receive in-depth

treatment in class, with studentsengaged in challenging problems thatrequire application of the principlesbeing studied. Every minute is usedtoward a specific instructionalpurpose, and typically all students areactively engaged in the learningprocess. The level of their curriculumin these subject areas is moreadvanced (about two years) by thetime students are in seventh grade.

In Australia, I worked with teachersthroughout Victoria on the developmentof curriculum units, using the Williamand Mary model. Twenty-five teachersrepresenting primary and secondaryteaching in mathematics and socialstudies engaged in intensive workfor a three-day period. They willcomplete their work over the next twomonths, and following review andrevision, begin piloting their units inFebruary. The Victoria Department ofEducation plans to disseminate thesematerials to all schools in their state.The second leg of the Australia worktook me to Sydney and the teachereducation program at the University ofNew South Wales, where I delivered aseries of lectures and workshops for65 participants. A highlight of thisyear’s program was a special seminarstrand for principals on leadershipskills and issues in developingprograms for the gifted.

All of these experiences haveprovided on-going rich connectionswith people and programs in otherparts of the world, and I am pleased topartner our efforts here at the Centerwith international development effortsin these countries and others.

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evaluation team, drawing on colleagues in the midwest andthe west to ensure balanced perspectives. The principalinvestigator is Dr. Joyce VanTassel-Baska, and she is joinedby Dr. Karen Rogers from the University of St. Thomas inMinneapolis and Dr. Laura Pehkonen, the state G/Tcoordinator in Oregon. Staff and graduate students from theCenter will also be integrally involved.

An ad hoc Advisory Council was convened on August 31st tolaunch the evaluation and to gather input from keystakeholders. Participants at this meeting included Gary Marx,the state gifted education specialist, and three other high-ranking administrators from the Idaho Department ofEducation; Elaine Clegg, the president of Idaho - TheAssociation for the Gifted (ITAG); and educators from fourIdaho school districts: Ann Ward from Bonneville Jt., MarciaWall from Kellogg, Teri Powell from Meridian, and JudyRandelman from Weiser. These individuals volunteered theirtime and their wisdom to aid us in making tactical decisions forthe study.

We are off to a fabulous start with this contract, as noted byGary Marx’s comment: “The Idaho SDE selection team wasimpressed with the thoroughness of W&M’s proposal and theinnovative approaches, including regional groups andpresentations. The selection team also appreciated the factthat experts would be on-site conducting interviews andcollecting data. The SDE is excited about working with theCenter for Gifted Education to improve services for GTstudents in Idaho.” Moreover, we have gotten outstandingcooperation from the state department as well as the localdistricts in the state. We know we will learn a lot from havingthis incredible opportunity and hope that through the processwe can contribute to moving the Idaho program to new levelsof excellence in the field.

by Linda D. Avery, Ph.D.

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The Center welcomes Dr. Annie Feng to our staff to serve asthe Coordinator of Research and Evaluation. Dr. Fengrecently completed her Ph.D. from St. John’s University witha major in Instructional Leadership. She has a one year olddaughter, named Mary, and her husband, Jack, is commutingto Williamsburg from his job in New York City. Annie taughtEnglish and reading at Dalian University of ForeignLanguages in China before coming to the United States forgraduate study. Annie has already stepped into a leadershiprole on the Montgomery County language arts implementationstudy and the Idaho gifted evaluation research project.

Dawn Benson, formerly Administrative Assistant, has recentlybeen promoted to Conference Coordinator. With this position,she will be responsible for handling the logistics of theCenter’s major conferences: National Curriculum NetworkConference, Advanced Placement Summer Institute, andSummer Institute for Administrators and Teachers.

Jeanne Struck, the Director of our Saturday and SummerEnrichment program, was selected for two important awardsthis year by the National Association for Gifted Children andwill be honored at a reception in Cincinnati on November 8th.She is receiving the NAGC Outstanding Doctoral StudentAward as well as the Dissertation Award for her research onservices to economically disadvantaged high-ability learnersin an urban public school system.

Dr. VanTassel-Baska has recently been selected for twoimportant awards. The first, the Riley Award, is the mostprestigious award offered by the gifted education communityin the state of South Carolina. Joyce will be honored at theirstate conference in late November. The second is anInternational Mensa award for her contributions to research inour field. This is the second time in her career that Joyce haswon this distinguished award from the Mensa organization.

Dr. VanTassel-Baska was also selected as one of threeinternational experts in education to evaluate gifted servicesfor the Ministry of Singapore. (She discusses some of theseexperiences in her Director’s remarks.) Following thatengagement, she traveled to Australia to work with educatorsin Melbourne and Sydney on curriculum and programdevelopment.

Catherine Little conducted a September workshop withelementary teachers in Omaha Public Schools on theimplementation of the William and Mary language arts units.We welcome this district to our national network of schoolsusing the William and Mary curriculum materials. LindaAvery and Jeanne Struck worked with K-12 teachers andcoordinators from Hamilton County, Ohio, in mid-Septemberto discuss the W&M models for concept learning andreasoning as well as strategies for differentiating contentstandards for high-ability learners.

Catherine Little and Jeanne Struck also conducted workshopsfor elementary and secondary teachers in Albuquerque, NewMexico, in October.

Updates, Awards, andPresentations by Center Staff

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BEYOND WORDS: IMAGERY IN LITERATURE GRADES 1-2

This literature unit, organized around the study of figurativelanguage, explores the idea that language can change theway we think about the world by creating new images andconnections in our minds. The unit uses poetry and picturebooks as the basis for analyzing different types of figurativelanguage, including simile, metaphor, and personification,and gives opportunities for students to create their ownliterary images. In addition, the unit introduces students topersuasive writing and to advanced word study, as well asproviding an opportunity for students to explore howlanguage changes over time in their families and theirculture. (2001) 2001 Winner of National Association forGifted Children Curriculum Division Award for OutstandingCurriculum

ANCIENT EGYPT: GIFT OF THE NILE GRADES 2-3

This unit is designed around the idea that humancivilizations develop and sustain themselves as a collectionof interdependent systems. The civilization of ancient Egyptforms the central content of the unit, with exploration ofsystems of agriculture, economics, language, andleadership in this ancient culture. The unit also providesopportunities for students to broaden their understanding bycomparing the ancient Egyptian civilization with aspects oftheir own lives and communities. [Note: This unit may beused in conjunction with Ancient China: The MiddleKingdom for a broader exploration of ancient civilizations.]

ANCIENT CHINA: THE MIDDLE KINGDOM GRADES 2-3

The concept of systems is the foundation for this unit, whichexplores ancient China to demonstrate the interdependentsystems that develop and sustain a civilization. The unitexplores systems of agriculture, language, leadership, andtrade in ancient China, using models for reasoning anddocument analysis to support student understanding.Students also have opportunities to broaden theirunderstanding by comparing the ancient Chinese

civilization with aspects of their own lives and communities.[Note: This unit may be used in conjunction with AncientEgypt: Gift of the Nile for a broader exploration of ancientcivilizations.]

BUILDING A NEW SYSTEM: COLONIAL AMERICA 1607-1763 GRADES 4-5

This unit begins with an in-depth study of theinterrelationships between the Chesapeake Bay Systemand both the Native Americans and the early Englishcolonists in Virginia. The unit then turns to an exploration ofthe economic, social, and political systems of early Americaacross the colonies, comparing and contrasting lifestyles ofdifferent groups in different regions. Frameworks forreasoning and document analysis support students in theirexplorations of this period of history.

THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION GRADES 4-5

Intensive document analysis and exploration of the conceptof cause and effect form the foundation of this unit exploringthe Revolutionary period in American history. The unitexplores the chronology and major events leading up to andduring the Revolutionary War and uses primary sources todemonstrate the social and political context. Thecontributions of particular individuals and groups to thehistory of the time are also highlighted.

A HOUSE DIVIDED? THE CIVIL WAR, ITS CAUSES AND EFFECTS GRADES 5-6The concept of cause and effect serves as a centralorganizing theme of this unit, which explores the events andperspectives leading to the American Civil War and thechronology and context of the war itself. Using primarysource documents as a major resource, studentsinvestigate the social, political, and economic influences

Continued on page 12

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Supported by a grant fromthe Arthur Vining DavisFoundations, the Center forGifted Education has been engaged incurriculum development efforts insocial studies for gifted secondarystudents over the last two years. Thisproject has involved planning, writing,and piloting several units tied to majortopics and concepts addressed in theVirginia Standards of Learning forWorld History and World Geography.An advisory committee of localteachers and gifted programadministrators as well as Williamand Mary faculty met on severaloccasions to determine topical needsand to review materials in progress.The advisory committee and thecurriculum development staff thenpiloted several draft lessons inclassroom settings to inform furtherdevelopment and revision efforts.

The Center is pleased to announcethe products of this project, units forhigh-ability learners in secondarysocial studies courses, available nowand in the coming months forpurchase and piloting:

Defining Nations: Cultural Identityand Political Tension

Primary Sources and HistoricalAnalysis

Post-Colonialism in the 20th Century:Perspectives on Tradition andChange

A fourth unit focused on the period ofthe Renaissance and Reformation inEuropean history is also indevelopment, for publication in thespring of 2002.

This unit was developed in response to aneed expressed by teachers for a frameworkfor examining recent events in worldhistory. The unit is designed around theconcepts of nationalism and identity asinterrelated ideas that affect events anddecisions throughout the world. Unitlessons explore recent changes andconflicts, giving students multipleopportunities to analyze events based on adeveloping understanding of how the ideasof nationalism and identity apply to specificsituations. Four regions constitute theprimary focus of the unit, engaging studentsin study of tensions and events in EasternEurope, the Middle East, Mexico, andChina and Taiwan, while a unit projectallows students to explore the recent historyof Northern Ireland.

The focus of this unit is an exploration ofaspects of the complex process countrieshave undergone to establish and maintainnational identities and cultural stability asthey have emerged from 19th centuryEuropean colonialism. The unit uses thenations of India and South Africa toinvestigate these ideas in depth, withexamples from other Asian and Africancountries addressed through unit activities.The central concepts of change over timeand cause and effect are examined in detailas they relate to the historical content.

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This unit is intended to support students in theirdevelopment of the skills of the historian,particularly in the area of document analysis. Itprovides a collection of primary source documentsand strategies for engaging students with thesedocuments that will deepen and extend their skills inanalyzing and interpreting written historicalcontributions. The unit lessons may be used asstand-alone pieces as they fit throughout a year’scurriculum or addressed as a whole unit on thehistorical analysis process. The unit incorporates amodel for reasoning and a focus on the concept ofperspective throughout the lessons.

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On September 21, 2001, theCenter for Gifted Educationsponsored a seminar forall graduate students titled “Testand Item Construction.” Dr. BruceBracken, a national expert in the fieldand a professor in the School ofEducation at the College of William &Mary, taught the session. Studentswere encouraged to bring theirinstruments for review and feedbackand to make the most of thisopportunity to prepare for either amaster’s thesis or dissertation. Theevent was opened to the entireSchool of Education community.

Dr. Bracken began the seminar byintroducing the analogy of the dreamhouse, comparing building a dreamtest to building a dream house. Heused architectural terminology suchas foundations and blueprints todemonstrate that the same planningprocess that goes into a house isrequired for constructing a test. Eachitem must be carefully constructed,and tests must be piloted, evaluated,and refined. In one slide he used theidea of “Conceptualizing Your DreamHouse” and raised the issue that justlike some buyers might be better offpurchasing a house instead ofbuilding their own, some people arebetter off using pre-established scalesinstead of creating their own. Thisslide provided a natural transition into“Conceptualizing Your Test.” Onceagain, questions like, “Are you sureyou wouldn’t rather use an existingtest?” were raised. Before taking thestep to create their own test, studentswere urged to critically evaluatepreexisting tests to see if one mightmeet their needs.

Throughout the seminar Dr. Brackenused the analogy of constructing yourdream house to demonstrate thedifficulties of conceptualizing a test.In each slide he raised issues such assize, respondents, costs, quality,interior design, exterior design,foundational and construct definition,test blueprints, test construction, andentrance/exit. In one section of hispresentation, “Tips for Item Writing,”Dr. Bracken stressed the importanceof writing in simple language,presenting a single thought in the itemresponse option, and using onlyclearly defined items. He alsoincluded advice on the difficulties ofmaking sure that respondents do notalways give neutral responses.

During the seminar students also hadthe opportunity to practice their owntest construction skills. Under theguidance of Dr. Bracken, studentspresented ideas they were workingon. The students were encouraged toexamine test construction from both amicro and macro level. They began atthe macro level by discussing whatthey were trying to test and possiblestrategies of doing so. Seminarparticipants then evaluated the ideasand gave suggestions about how toeffectively test areas such ascreativity, philosophical giftedness,and students’ satisfaction level withhigh school guidance counselors.Later in the day students worked onthe micro level aspects of testconstruction. They presented anddiscussed items they had written fortests. Participants then evaluatedthe items to make sure they wereclearly written, understandable, andunbiased.

Overall, students came away from theday with a much better understandingof the complexities of test constructionon both a micro and macro level. Onestudent commented, “It is so muchmore complicated to create aneffectively written test than I evercould have expected, but this seminarwill definitely help me with mydissertation. What I learned today isextremely important.”

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The Center for Gifted Education’ssocial studies curriculumproject, Project Phoenix, iswinding down. The three-year project,funded by a Jacob K. Javits grantfrom the U.S. Department ofEducation, is aimed at developing andfield testing social studies curriculumunits for high-ability learners. Theunits are designed to employ bestpractices in social studies, includinga multicultural emphasis, primarysource analysis, and reasoning skills.During the 2000-01 school year, datawere collected from 52 classes inNorfolk Public Schools in Virginia. Inappreciation for the tremendousamount of time and effort the Norfolk

teachers and principals devoted tothe project, the Center hosted adinner in their honor. Thirty-fiveteachers and four principals from thefour elementary and three middleschools in the project, along withNorfolk Public Schools administratorsDeborah Alberti, Pat Payne, and JaneSnyder, came together to receivethanks and gifts from CenterDirector Dr. Joyce VanTassel-Baska.The camaraderie among everyonepresent was evident, and all left withthe feeling of a job well done.

The following week was the last offour parent workshops aimed atextending learning into the home and

community through use of the ProjectPhoenix Parent Handbook. Over onehundred parents joined their childrenat Oceanair Elementary School tolearn about the teaching models in theunits and beam with pride as theirchildren received Project PhoenixScholar Awards. The excitement inthe room was overwhelming asparents worked on hamburger modelparagraphs while their childrenexplained the process to them.Around the room was a colorfuldisplay of student work completed onProject Phoenix, and studentsdelighted in sharing their learningabout primary source analysis, thedifference between assumptions andinferences, and the concept ofsystems.

Phoenix work will continue at theCenter during the 2001-02 schoolyear, as we print and publish therevised units. The valuable lessonswe have learned from working inNorfolk Public Schools and theNorfolk community will transfer toother outreach projects.

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The 2001 Summer EnrichmentProgram held on campus at theCollege of William and Marybroke all records. The Center forGifted Education had 436 giftedlearners attending classes; this was106 more students than the summer2000 session. One hundred seventy-two of the applicants also registeredfor a second class.

The Saturday/Summer EnrichmentProgram is an enrichment opportunityfor gifted learners from pre-kindergarten through grade 10.During the summer session,youngsters from all over the UnitedStates come to explore specializedareas of science, mathematics, andthe humanities. Behaviors fostered bythis program include the students’ability to apply process skills used inindividual fields of inquiry, recognizeproblems and approaches to problem-solving, understand and appreciateindividual differences, and becomeself-directed learners.

The program is partially subsidizedby the Howard Hughes MedicalInstitute Biological Sciences EducationProgram Grant. A key element of thisgrant is to enhance the science

education of young learners. Fundsfrom the grant are used toenhance and expand the scientificand mathematical components ofthe Saturday/Summer EnrichmentProgram. During the recent summersession, 47 courses were offered, 28within the math, science, ortechnology disciplines. Three hundredninety-three (65%) of the enrollmentswere in classes funded by the grant.

This year’s summer program offeredmany exciting courses. Bubble Funwas targeted at rising first and secondgraders. Students in this class learnedto make bubble bodies and shapesand used various types of devices tomeasure sizes of bubbles. A visitorwalking into this class would haveseen the youngsters testing differentsolutions to discover which oneswould make bubbles. Each day, as awarm-up activity, the learners wereasked to create a picture based on theprevious day’s experiences. Inaddition, the students connected theirexperiences with math and languagearts by using customary andnonstandard units of measurementand writing reflections that focused onthe day’s activities. A parentcommented that this course opened

up a new area of interest for her child.

Lego Logo has been a popular classwith students for many years, asevidenced by its being the course thatalways fills up first. In this class,students used various LEGO kits andcomponents to study the six simplemachines, pneumatics, and computercontrol. Starting with and buildingon the six simple machines, thestudents built and controlledpneumatic and mechanical systems.Design briefs were used in the classto promote problem-solving. Theclass ended with the learners buildingsystems with LEGO componentsand operating the systems withcomputerized controls. One parentcommented that this course openedup a new world for her daughter.“Pennie Brown [the teacher] is thecatalyst for this epiphany!” Due to thepopularity of this course, manyparents requested a “pre LEGOLOGO” class. Thus the birth of Towersand Bridges, a new class offered forthe first time this past summer.

Towers and Bridges was offered torising third and fourth graders. Thiscourse gave the students theopportunity to study the principles ofbridge and tower design, along withconstruction and structural analysis.The learners built various bridges andtowers out of household materials,LEGO elements, and other materials.When observing this class, one couldalways see students engagedin problem-solving and designconsideration activities. Parents werepleased that this course was offered,and both sessions had the maximumnumber of participants.

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WOW and Amaze with Science wasa hit with rising fourth, fifth, andsixth graders. During hands-onexperiences, the students learnedabout “magical” forces that attract andrepel, and how science can help solvea mystery and assist with conqueringchallenges. The students enjoyed themany hands-on activities, especiallymaking slime.

Another exciting new offering wasStones and Bones: An Introductionto Archaeology. The learners tookthe role of archaeologists and werefaced with the problem of anarchaeological site discovered onland intended for the construction of anew elementary school. Their job wasto study the field of archaeologythrough research, experimentation,and excavation of artifacts. Theseyoung archaeologists visited a digsite, had discussions with an expertin the field, and participated inexperimental archaeology.

Destination Alpha was anotherinteresting course for rising sixth,seventh, and eighth graders. Thestudents were involved in a simulationin which they joined a new businessventure offering intergalactic travel

opportunities for Earthlings. Theyformed a company, had input on thespacecraft design, decided on whatan Alpha space hotel would offer,designed the hotel layout, builtmodels, created theme rooms, andprepared tourist materials such aspostcards and souvenirs. Theselearners were engaged in a multi-billion dollar effort and were makingimportant decisions.

Many other new courses were offeredthis summer, as well as the returning“oldies but goodies.” The courseswere enticing and exciting; however,the main component to a successfuleducational program is the quality ofthe instructors. The Saturday/SummerEnrichment Program is blessedwith innovative, dedicated, andknowledgeable teachers. As indicatedby the following comments, parentsappreciate and recognize theprogram’s teachers. “Mrs. Merritt[Dancing Feet] was wonderful, thebest!” About Bubble Fun, “the teacherhad very good command of the class.He was able to keep the students ontask, praised students, and spoke tothem in a firm, polite way.” “Naomi [Allthe World’s a Stage] is great! My son’sself-confidence has taken a big step.

Thanks to Naomi!” “There isn’t anyway to improve a course by DougBunch [Latin Lives]. I feel incrediblyprivileged (that) my daughter hasbeen with him.” “This course teacher[French] ‘lit up’ my child!”

I feel privileged to be the director ofa program that attracts such highquality professionals. I look forward toworking with the new and veteranteachers for seven Saturdays fromOctober 6 to November 17 andFebruary 9 to March 23, and duringthe Summer 2002 session from July 8to July 26. The Center for GiftedEducation plans to expand theprogram next summer.

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APSI, the second annual institutehosted by the Center, offered 11workshop options for participants.Each workshop provided intensivestudy of the content, pedagogy,and exam of a particular AdvancedPlacement course. The followingcourses were offered at theWilliam and Mary institute this year:Biology, Calculus AB, Chemistry,English Literature and Composition,French Language and Literature,Government and Politics (U.S.),Human Geography, Physics B and C,Spanish Language and Literature,Statistics, and U.S. History.

The instructors for the APSI were allCollege Board-approved consultantswho work as AP teachers or inuniversity settings in the relevantcontent areas. The consultants hailedfrom five states in College Board’sSouthern Region – Virginia, Alabama,Georgia, Louisiana, and SouthCarolina. Seven of the consultantswere returning for their secondappearance at William and Mary’sinstitute. In addition to theconsultants, the institute alsoprovided opportunities for involvementfor William and Mary faculty and staff.Faculty from the departments ofbiology, chemistry, government, andmathematics participated as guestlecturers in relevant workshops, whilestaff members and students fromthe science departments offeredconsiderable assistance in preparingand supporting lab sessions.

The AP Institute drew a totalattendance of 257 participants from25 states. They spent five days oncampus, attending their workshops inWilliam and Mary’s University Centerand in academic buildings with accessto science and computer labs.

Although most of the week was spentin the breakout workshops, someopportunities were also provided forparticipants to meet across sessionsand attend plenary events. TheInstitute opened with a welcome fromWilliam and Mary President TimothyJ. Sullivan, who praised the teachersfor their dedication to a professionvital in our society. An afternoonreception featured distinguishedspeakers from William and Mary’sOffice of Admissions, Faculty of Artsand Sciences, Reves Center forInternational Studies, and Office ofStudent Affairs, all of whom sharedinformation about the College andparticularly about university responseto Advanced Placement students.Other events included an ice creamsocial and opportunities to tourColonial Williamsburg. The weekconcluded with a luncheon for allparticipants during which consultantswere honored for their work.

Participants and presenters enjoyedtheir opportunity to engage in thisintensive professional developmentexperience at William and Mary,despite the heat and humidity of aWilliamsburg August. One participantoffered a summary comment in praiseof the overall experience: “Everythingabout this experience has been good– I have learned very much, enjoyedmeeting many teachers, and haveloved being on your beautifulcampus!”

Both Center-sponsored SummerInstitutes will be provided again inthe summer of 2002, as part ofthe Center’s continuing missionto offer professional developmentexperiences for those who work withgifted learners.

that were significant in this period of history.In addition, the unit focuses on particularindividuals and groups and their contributionsand responses to the events of the time.

THE 1920S IN AMERICA: A SYSTEM OF TENSIONS GRADES 6-7

Centered on a variety of primary sourcesincluding music and advertisements as wellas more traditional documents, this unitprovides insight into not only the events, butalso the values, lifestyles, and experiences ofthe period of the 1920s. Students explore theconcept of cause and effect and how it relatesto the events of the time, gaining a deeperlevel of appreciation and understanding asthey look at the ways different aspects of theera interact with and influence one another.

THE 1930S IN AMERICA: FACING DEPRESSIONGRADES 6-7

This unit explores Depression-era Americafrom the perspective of many different groupsof people, utilizing a variety of primarysources to illustrate events and the social-political context. The concept of cause andeffect is employed to support studentunderstanding of the complexity of history.The unit emphasizes the interplay of changesin geography, government, and the economy,as well as the influence of particularindividuals and groups, to deepen studentunderstanding of the period.

THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE: ELECTING THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT

GRADES 6-8

The concept of systems forms the basis forthis exploration of American government,particularly focused on the processesinvolved in the election of the President andthe constitutional context of these processes.Students investigate the chronology ofcampaign and election and study documentsand statistics related to Presidential electionsin American history. In addition, the unitexplores the concept of leadership as itemerges both in the process of being electedand in the context of being a President.

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13

The period of prolonged creative tension that is the lot of the doctoral studentwas interrupted this summer by a fascinating interlude in Spain. Since myarrival at the Center for Gifted Education of the College of William and Mary,many opportunities have come my way, though none to rival this adventure.

As a representative of the Center for Gifted Education and Assistant Editor of Giftedand Talented International, I attended The 14th Biennial Conference of the WorldCouncil for Gifted and Talented Children. This event was held in Barcelona from July31 until August 4, 2001, and attracted over 550 delegates from 57 countries.

Of the many conference sessions, I particularly enjoyed the presentation given byKaren Lee Carroll of the Maryland Institute, College of Art, in Baltimore, on the earlywork of visual artists, and the symposium delivered by Professor Julian C. Stanley

and his colleagues from the UnitedStates, Canada, Ireland, and Spain.These speakers described the principles and practices of the Johns HopkinsTalent Search Model and the replication, expansion, and adaptation of themodel that has led to the participation of over 200,000 students in annualuniversity-based talent searches throughout the world.

As delegates, we were treated by our hosts to Catalonian cuisine. Oneevening, a Gala Dinner was held at Can Travi Nou, a typical 17th centuryCatalan farmhouse. In the open air, amid the Bougainvillea, we relaxed withfriends.

Despite the fatigue brought about by international travel, a busy conferenceschedule, impressive summer temperatures, and the unrelieved excitementthat encounters with magnificent art and music and architecture canproduce, we reveled in the pace. In the most cosmopolitan city in Europe,astonishment was the order of the day.

I experienced “pastime with good company” over champagne and gazpacho,ice cream and sangria on La Rambla, vegetation that was reminiscent of mynative Australia, the vibrancy and passion of the flamenco, the stillness of theplazas during siesta, shopping for castanets and ceramics, mantillas, linens,and shawls, Miró and Picasso, Goya and Murillo, Gaudí and Subirachs.

For me, the pinnacle of this unforgettable experience was a visit to TheFaçade of the Passion of The Temple of the Sagrada Família (Holy Family).Here the spare and magnetic work of the sculptor Josep Maria Subirachs issaid to have reached a synthesis as he continues in his own style the workof Antoni Gaudí. We stood before the Façade and understood more fully hisbelief that “Creation is not a struggle but rather dialogue with matter.”

How grateful I am to my academic advisor and to the conference organizersfor the exercise of faculties that are not commonly drawn upon in thegraduate experience. Professional growth and aesthetic refinement, workand play, became indistinguishable. In keeping with Cervantes’understanding, this time of “recreation” allowed for the renewal of the spirit.

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Sculptor Josep MariaSubirachs, who lives andworks at the Cathedral, saidof this piece:

Flagellation representsChrist’s loneliness. In orderto emphasize suchloneliness, I have placed thisscene between Judas’betrayal and Peter’s denial.

Christ is all alone, evenmore than when he was onthe cross, because there heis at least with his mother, thedisciple he loved and someother friends. But here he ison his own, amongst hispersecutors and bound to thecolumn.

Like all my works, thisone has a very explicitsymbology. The three stagesrepresent the three daysleading up to the...

Resurrection. The cane andthe rope knot recalling themockery and torture whichChrist suffered are two highlysignificant elements. Thecolumn is made of fourtambours (representing thefour lines of the cross) and atthe same time it representsthe ancient world whichChrist broke. He changes thecourse of history: therefore,whilst the column is theinstrument of his martyrdom,he (like a new Samson) endsup breaking it into pieces.

This work is five metreshigh and is made of travertinestone. The martyrdominstruments have beentreated in a very realistic wayand are fully finished; Christ’sfigure, though, has had amore expressionist treatmentand deliberately non finito, asan image of being part of anew world arising.

Lastly, I think that afortuitous event must bementioned, the appearance,once the travertine block hasbeen broken down, of a palmfossil: a chance event, whichcan be considered to beextraordinary, bearing inmind that the palm is theemblem of martyrdom.

From Temple of the SagradaFamilia Series ofMonographs: Guide to thePassion of Christ FaçadeSculptures by Subirachs (p.8), by Joseph M. Subirachs,(2001, June). Barcelona:Editorial Mediterrània.

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14

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METHOD OF PAYMENT:❏ Bill Purchase Order # ______________ (Attach original)

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SEND ORDER TO:Center for Gifted Education P.O. Box 8795 Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8795 FAX: (757) 221-2184

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SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS PUBLICATIONSCurriculum Assessment Guide to Science Materials $10.00

Resource Guide to Mathematics Curriculum Materials for High-Ability Learners in Grades K-8 $20.00

Notes from A Scientist: Activities and Resources for Gifted Children $10.00

Guide to Key Science Concepts $15.00

Models: A Study of Animal Populations (Grades 7-8) $20.00

LANGUAGE ARTS PUBLICATIONSLibraries Link Learning: (Grades K-2) $20.00

Beyond Words: Imagery in Literature (Grades 1-2) $20.00

Patterns of Change: Cycles in Literature and the World Around Us (Grades 4-6) $20.00

Utopia: Man's Changing Ideas of the Ideal (Grades 7-9) $20.00

Change Through Choices (Grades 10-12) $20.00

SOCIAL STUDIES PUBLICATIONSAncient Egypt: Gift of the Nile (Grades 2-3) $25.00

Ancient China: The Middle Kingdom (Grades 2-3) $25.00

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Building a New System: Colonial America 1607-1763 (Grades 4-5) $25.00

The World Turned Upside Down: The American Revolution (Grades 4-5) $25.00

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A House Divided? The Civil War, Its Causes and Effects (Grades 5-6) $25.00

The 1920s in America: A System of Tensions (Grades 6-7) $25.00

The 1930s in America: Facing Depression (Grades 6-7) $25.00

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The Road to the White House: Electing the American President (Grades 6-8) $25.00

Defining Nations: Cultural Identity and Political Tension (Grades 9-10) $20.00

Primary Sources and Historical Analysis (Grades 9-10) $20.00

Post-Colonialism in the 20th Century: Perspectives on Tradition and Change (Grades 9-10) $20.00

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A Guide to Teaching Research Skills and Strategies for Grades 4-12 $20.00

The Practitioner's Guide to Exemplary School Change $15.00

Current Issues in Gifted Education Vol. 1 (2000) $6.00

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The Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary in Virginia is proud to announce its Seventh Annual National CurriculumNetwork Conference, to be held March 5-6, 2002. The 2002 conference theme emphasizes the inseparable nature of curriculum,instruction, and assessment and the need for careful attention to all three in supporting authentic, high-quality learning experiences forstudents. The major goals of the conference are as follows:

The Center for Gifted Education invites you to submit a presentation proposal for consideration. Please complete this form and theadditional materials outlined below and submit two (2) copies by November 26, 2001.

____________________________________ __________________________________________ ______________Last Name (please print or type) First Name M.I.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Name of Institution/School/District

______________________________________________ __________________________________________________________Address - Number/Street, etc. City State Zip + 4 digits

(______)________________________ ________________________________________ (_____)______________________Daytime Phone e-mail address Fax

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Presentation Title (All presentations will be scheduled in 75-minute intervals)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________If you have previously given this presentation, please indicate where/when.

Target Audience (Check all appropriate): __ Primary __ Elementary __ Middle School __ High School __ Other

Rooms are equipped with an overhead projector. VHS VCR and monitor are also available upon request. Presenter must supply any other needed equipment. Finalselection of presenters will be made by the 2002 Conference Committee. Notification of presentation decisions will be given no later than January 14, 2002.

* To provide networking opportunities forschools engaged in curriculum, instruction,and assessment for high-ability learners

* To spotlight special materials, practices,and curriculum approaches that areresponsive to the needs of high-abilitylearners

* To provide introductory and advancedtraining for the implementation of Williamand Mary units for classroom use throughworkshops and small group applications

Please provide the following information and attach it to this form. 1. Short paragraph (100 words or less) describing your presentation [for theconference program]2. 1-2 page description of your presentation3. Summary of professional background related to gifted education4. One paragraph bio [to be used in introducing speakers]

Acceptance of presentations will be based on the following criteria:1. Alignment with conference theme and goals2. Clarity of the proposal 3. Focus on salient issues in gifted education4. Evidence of effectiveness and/or grounding in research-based best practices

Mail or fax this form with the above attachments postmarked no later than November 26, 2001, toNational Curriculum Network Conference, Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary

P. O. Box 8795 Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795Fax: 757-221-2184 Phone: 757-221-2362 e-mail: cfge@wm.edu

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Center for Gifted EducationThe College of William and MaryP.O. Box 8795Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795

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PAIDWilliamsburg, VA

Permit No. 26

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