Identifying the Gifted Children Across your School

1. Identifying the Gifted Children Across your School From Caterpillar to Butterfly

2. The Agenda • Finding students with talent potential within your classroom and school • The importance of a whole school approach. • Looking differently at students • Steps to finding them. • Sharing and building momentum in your school

3. From Gagné • Gifted behaviours are the natural, untrained abilities in a range of domains • Talented performance is the result of systematic nurturing and development, resulting from practice, coaching and maturation and is demonstrated through field related skills and performance • Those who are talented perform within the top 10% of the population. • Talented performance is a choreography of the catalysts – environment, intrapersonal characteristics, giftedness and the developmental process.

4. From Gagné • Without a program of talent development there is less chance of a gifted person reaching their potential • Talent development is about both environmental and intrapersonal characteristics • The developmental process is about practice,, coaching, maturation and time.

5. Who can identify the students we are talking about? • Classroom teachers • Parents • Counsellors • Other students • Others who work with students – sport coaches, dance teachers, external tutoris, music teachers • Students themselves • All of the above.

6. Activity • Write 10 things you would notice that might indicate possible talent potential. • Share with a partner – think about the youngest group in your school and the oldest group, What are the differences? • Join with another pair – combine your lists for a master list.

7. Checking in • Evidence of fast learning • High curiosity in unusual ideas • Unexpected depth of knowledge • Language • Humour • Intensity • Memory • Keen interest in recoding • Poor work habits • Multi-tasking

8. And ….. • Boredom, daydreaming • Overdoing work • Unfinished, incomplete work; low quality • Interfering with others • Procrastinating • Smart alec behaviour • Calling out/dominating classroom discussion

9. Why think at a school level? • Entry ability • Development rates • Offering chances to show potential • The right of every child to challenging learning within their ZPD

10. Ways to address it at a whole school level • A whole school policy that begins considering students as soon as they enter the school • Track evidence – keep records of demonstrations of talent at enrichment days, extracurricular tasks • Think outside the box – what are the ways students can demonstrate potential ? • Listen to what students offer an suggest • Offer broad opportunities and then refine it. • Look beyond schoolhouse giftedness.

11. Activity Teacher pleaser? Schoolhouse giftedness? Talent? Take your earlier list and decide which of your indicators are those which relate to schoolhouse giftedness - while this is important who does this miss? How might you notice the creative gifted students? Those with social/emotional giftedness? Share and combine ideas.

12. Reflection • A formal test is not the only way to identify gifted children – and should really be the confirmation after an analysis of other data. • Talent is noticed over time – a portfolio of evidence will provide ample evidence, without relying on formal testing.

13. Noticing evidence in KLAs • Groups of 6 – ensure you have someone with an interest in each KLA. • Divide into KLA groups – ensure there is a representation from each home group. • Focus on your KLA – what might indicate an expert in this KLA at various levels of schooling – think about the skills and knowledge needed, the types of focus areas that fascinate experts in this area. • Make a list of things to look for.

14. Conclusion • Those with talent potential can be noticed in lots of different ways over their time in school. • We need to be alert to their potential in a variety of ways – not rely on a single test, or piece of evidence. • The potential a child has exists when they enter school, as they continue through school and as they reach the point of independent learners, • Can we give them the chance to shine?

15. A Process for Identification: Step 1: collect anecdotal evidence • Student completes a task at a deeper, higher level than expected. • Student contributes to classroom discussion with complex, relevant input • Student connects learning across KLAs or from earlier – makes an interesting conclusion • Student completes work accurately and speed • Students responds to material with obvious knowledge

16. Step 2 • collect empirical evidence : • Record results in standardised tests from earlier in school life • Record classroom testing data – class tests. Assignments,, classwork • Collect evidence from external sources – music exams, outside testing, succession competitions

17. Step 3 • Collect anecdotal evidence from a range of sources • Parents • Other teachers • Specialist teachers • Coaches • The students • Their peers and family

18. Step 4 • Start to seek patterns of evidence • What types of patterns do you notice? • Are there clear areas of excellence? • Are there consistent examples of needs? • Are there gaps in the evidence?

19. Step 5 • Observe and note the student in a range of settings • The playground • The sport field • The musical • Excursions • Free time • Library borrowings

20. Step 6 • Talk to the student and their family • Include them in your thinking • Look beyond the conversation • Be prepared for them to hide or deny their talent

21. Step 7 • Put it all together – what picture do you have of this student? • Is further standardised testing needed? • What else do you need to know?

22. Step 8 • Explore options –what can the school offer this student? • Acceleration • Opportunities for mentors • Different content • Enrichment • Skills development

23. Step 9 • Set goals and time frame • Allocate a program guide • Check in with the student that the program ideas suit them • Set out a contract or program • Implement it

24. Step 10 • Review and adjust the program • Keep records • Make notes of success • Continue to plan and establish the needs for the student • Allow scope for flexibility

25. Building whole school knowledge. • Information • Exploration • Getting it into the classrooms • Collect evidence • Celebrate success