What do you know about the needs of gifted learners? Please write your thoughts on paper.

1. Brainstorm While You are Waiting What do you know about the needs of gifted learners? Please write your thoughts on paper.

8. Gifted Education Goal of sharing of information/session To share foundational information regarding gifted education with all MMSD staff as all teachers are teachers of students with gifts and talents To come to a common understanding as a school district that we represent all students, and strive to be responsive to all learners in our classrooms To gain further understanding of students’ profiles and knowing our learners The Board of Education approved a new Talented and Gifted Education plan to improve gifted education services in MMSD Gifted learners exist in all populations. 8

9. Characteristics of Gifted Learners in Various Populations (see handout) • After reviewing the handout, does a student come to mind in one of the categories? • Why did you think of this student? • Turn and talk with partner • Share out with large group http://www.gtequity.org/docs/equity_in_ge.pdf

10. Bright VS Gifted Bright Child Gifted Learner Janice Szabos 10 Knows the answers Has good ideas Works hard Answers the questions Top group Listens with interest Learns with ease 6-8 repetitions Enjoys peers Grasps the meaning Is receptive Enjoys school Is pleased with own learning Asks the questions Has wild, silly ideas Plays around, yet tests well Discusses in detail, elaborates Beyond the group Shows strong feelings and opinions Already knows 1-2 repetitions for mastery Prefers adults Draws inferences Is intense Enjoys learning Thrives on complexity Is highly self-critical

11. For Gifted Education Services 11

12. TALENT AREA • GENERAL INTELLECTUAL • SPECIFIC ACADEMIC • CREATIVITY • LEADERSHIP • VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS Gifted and Talented. Pupils enrolled in public schools who give evidence of high performance capability in intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership, or specific academic areas and who need services or activities not ordinarily provided in a regular school program in order to fully develop such capabilities (from s. 118.35(1), Wis. Stats.).

13. K-12 5 Areas Pupil profile Multiple measures Responsive tools Appropriate tools Appropriate programming Parental participation PI 8.01(2)(t)2 Each school district shall establish a plan and designate a person to coordinate the gifted and talented program. Gifted and talented pupils shall be identified as required in s. 118.35(1), Stats. This identification shall occur in kindergarten through grade 12 in general intellectual, specific academic, leadership, creativity, and visual and performing arts. A pupil may be identified as gifted or talented in one or more of the categories under s. 118.35(1), Stats. The identification process shall result in a pupil profile based on multiple measures, including but not limited to standardized test data, nominations, rating scales or inventories, products, portfolios, and demonstrated performance. Identification tools shall be appropriate for the specific purpose for which they are being employed. The identification process and tools shall be responsive to factors such as, but not limited to, pupils' economic conditions, race, gender, culture, native language, developmental differences, and identified disabilities as described under subch. V of ch. 115, Stats. The school district board shall provide access, without charge for tuition, to appropriate programming for pupils identified as gifted or talented as required under ss. 118.35(3) and 121.02(1)(t), Stats. The school district board shall provide an opportunity for parental participation in the identification and resultant programming.

15. “…give evidence of high performance capability…” • Achievement tests • WKCE • SRI • District achievement tests • Above level assessments • Teacher checklists • Parent report • Student portfolios

16. 16

17. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDJst-y_ptI

18. Gifted students don’t need help. They’ll do fine on their own. • All teachers challenge and know how to teach each student. • Gifted students are needed as role models in each room. • All students are gifted It is not fair to identify only some. • Acceleration can be socially harmful to students. • Gifted programs are elitist. • Gifted students don’t get poor grades. • Special education students can’t be gifted. • AP courses are sufficient gifted programming. • Gifted education requires abundant economic resources.

19. The gifted and talented constitute one single homogeneous group. • The gifted constitute 3%-5% of the population and “equals” high IQ. • There must be “winners” and “losers” in identification and programming. • A single test score or indicator tells us all we need to know about giftedness. • Creativity is too difficult to measure. • The “patch-on” approach to programming is effective. • There is a single curriculum for the gifted. • Gifted programs should stick out like a score thumb. • High-stakes tests are synonymous with rigor and difficulty. • Gifted and talented individuals do not have unique social and emotional needs. http://www.nagc.org/myths.aspx?terms=myths

20. Donald J. Treffinger

21. Moving beyond differentiation and acceleration ….

22. Best Practices in Gifted Education • Daily Challenge in Talent Area • However it can be managed, gifted learners must be provided with appropriately complex knowledge and skills in their area or areas of demonstrated performance.

23. Best Practices in Gifted Education • Rigorous Challenge in all Academic Areas • Although this rigor does not have to be daily in each academic area, it must be consistent, articulated across grade & building levels, and consciously delivered.

24. Best Practices in Gifted Education • Double or Triple-Time Pacing in Math and Science • This instructional strategy ensures that mathematically and scientifically gifted learners will retain what they learn with greater accuracy because of their significantly faster learning rate.

25. Best Practices in Gifted Education • Elimination of Excess Drill and Review • Once mastery is demonstrated in a content or topic area, gifted learners should not be made to review or drill on this information more than 2-3 times, at spaced intervals.

26. Best Practices in Gifted Education • Opportunities to Work Independently and Be Unique • Gifted students must be taught the skills (scaffolding) of how to work and learn independently.

27. Best Practices in Gifted Education • Teaching of concepts, Issues, Problems, Principles, Generalizations in Whole-to-Part Sequence • As decontextualists, gifted learners must see the whole “picture” first and then be allowed through analysis to break it down into its parts and relationships. This requires that we start with more complex and abstract content such as concepts or problem-based learning.

28. Best Practices in Gifted Education • Exposure to Content Beyond Grade Level in Specific Area(s) of Talent • This can be provided through subject acceleration, cross-grading, multi-age or multi-grade classes, dual enrollment, early entrance to school, and/or mentorships.

29. Best Practices in Gifted Education • Shortening the Number of Years Spent in the K-12 System • This can be accomplished for learners performing significantly above grade level in almost every academic subject area through grade acceleration, and early admission to college.

30. Best Practices in Gifted Education • Opportunities to Socialize and to Learn with Like Ability Peers • This can be provided through a number of like ability or like performing group options, such as full-time gifted programs, sent-out-programs, regrouping for specific instruction, within class grouping, and cluster grouping.

31. Research 31 • Significant research supports the following acceleration and grouping strategies of which have varying levels of effectiveness: • Subject Acceleration • Advanced Placement courses • Credit by Examination • Mentorships • Grade Skipping • Early Entrance to School • Full-time ability grouping • Regrouping for specific instruction • Cluster grouping for GT students • Pull-out grouping • Within class ability grouping • Cross-graded classes

32. Strategies to implement best practices 32 • Upfront cluster grouping • Flexible ability grouping • Choice/Choice menus • Pre-assess, compact, contract, alternatives • Formative assessment to determine learning needs • Tiered assignments • Higher Level Questioning • Open-ended assignments • Independent study/mentor

33. How does this information impact your thinking about the learners in your school? • How will this information effect your instructional practices and approach, including working with other educators?

34. Opportunities for further learning 34 • Madison Virtual Campus online course: Structuring a Differentiated Classroom (2 cr.) • Book study: Making Differentiation a Habit by Diane Heacox (1 cr.) • University of Whitewater: Offers various classes related to Gifted Education in cooperation with UWSP.

35. References Characteristics Checklist for Gifted Children. (n.d.). NAGC Parents [Informational Checklist]. Retrieved June, 2010, from http://www.nagc.org/‌index.aspx?id=958 Gifted and talented pupils. (n.d.). DPI gifted and talented pupils [Web page]. Retrieved June, 2010, from http://dpi.wi.gov/‌cal/‌gifted.html I Am Gifted. (n.d.). You tube video [Video]. Retrieved June 1, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/‌watch?v=Omx_iLtMjZA Mahoney, A. (2008, December). Counseling the Gifted. Lecture presented at GDCTGN Professional Development, Edgewood College. Maryland Public Schools. (2010, March 11). Top Ten Myths in Gifted Education. In You Tube [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.noodletools.com/‌noodlebib/‌defineEntryAPA.php Reis, S. M., & Renzulli, J. S. (2009, Fall). Myth 1: The Gifted and Talented Constitute One Single Homogeneous Group and giftedness is a Way of Being that Stays in the Person Over Time and Experiences. Gifted Child Quarterly, 53(4), 233-235. Renzulli, J., Ph.D., & Lohman, D., Ph.D. (2007, April). A Simple Procedure for Combining Ability Test Scores, Achievement Test Scores, and Teacher Ratings to Identify Academically Talented Children (Monograph). Slocumb, P., Ph.D., & Olenchak, F. R., Ph.D. (2006). Equity in Gifted Education, A State Iniative. In GT Equity [Pdf]. Retrieved June, 2010, from Texas Education Agency website: http://www.gtequity.org/‌docs/‌equity_in_ge.pdf Szabos, J. (1989). Bright Child Gifted Learner. Challenge Magazine, (34). Szabos, J. (1989). Bright Child Gifted Learner. Challenge Magazine, (34). Wyner, J. S., Bridgeland, J. M., & Dhulio, J. J., Jr. (n.d.). Achievement trap How America is failing millions of high-achieving students from lower-income families. Retrieved from Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and Civic Enterprises website: http://www.jkcf.org/‌news-knowledge/‌press-releases/‌achievement-trap-announcement/ 35

36. Additional Information and Activities Purdue Simulation National Association of Gifted Children and Nation Middle School Association Joint Position Statement Slam Poetry 36

37. Taylor Phillips from Missouri Scholar's Academy performing her slam “WELL” We need to be ready to meet her learning needs. http://giftededucation.ning.com/video/msa-2009-slam-poetry 37