GuideforGiftedandTalented:
AHandbookfor
EducatorsandParents
TableofContents
Introduction
IowaDefinnitionofGiftedandTalented
ProgramGoalsandPerformanceMeasures
Referral,Identification,andPlacement
CommunicationProcedures
DifferentiatedCurriculumandInstruction
HandbookforParents
Chapter1
Introduction
Whoarewe?
Whatdowewant?
Whydogiftedstudentsneedprogramming
accommodations?
Chapter2
HowdoIknowifmychildisgifted?
Commonlyobservedcharacteristicsofgifted
learners
Differencesbetweenhighachievers,giftedlearners,andcreative
thinkers
Intellectualtraits
Socialandemotionaltraits
Giftedandlearningdisabled
Underachievement
Misconceptions
Chapter3
Workingwithyourteacher,theschoolandthedistrict
Whatdotheymeanby…….?
Chapter4
SpecialIssues
Giftedgirls
Activities
overload
Preparingforcollege
Socialandemotionalissues
Chapter5
Resourcesforchildrenandparents
MountVernonCommunitySchoolDistrictrecognizesthatthe
studentpopulationincludesstudentswithexceptional
academicabilities.Thesestudentshaveaneedforeducational
servicesthatareconsistentwiththeirabilitylevelsand
learningcharacteristicssuchasthinkingabstractly,havingthe
abilitytostudyatopicindepth,andlearningrapidly.These
studentsshallbeprovidedwithappropriatelychallenging
curriculaandinstructionthatarecongruentwiththeir
learningabilitiesandstylesthroughthesharedresponsibility
ofteachers,giftedandtalentedspecialists,administrators,
counselors,parentsandlearnersthemselves.
MountVernonCommunitySchoolDistrictiscommittedto
providingeducationalprogrammingthatrecognizesthe
uniqueabilitiesandneedsofthesestudents,whilepromoting
progressfromtheirpointsofentry.
TheIowadefinitionfor
GiftedandTalentedStudents:
FromIowaCode257.44:
“Giftedandtalentedchildren”arethosechildrenwhoare
identifiedaspossessingoutstandingabilitiesandwhoare
capableofhighperformance.Giftedandtalentedchildrenare
childrenwhorequireappropriateinstructionandeducational
servicescommensuratewiththeirabilitiesandneedsbeyond
thoseprovidedbytheregularschoolprogram.
Giftedandtalentedchildrenincludethosechildrenwith
demonstratedachievementorpotentialability,orboth,inany
ofthefollowingareasorincombination:
a.Generalintellectualability.
b.Creativethinking.
c.Leadershipability.
d.Visualandperformingartsability.
e.Specificabilityaptitude.
89Acts,ch135,§44;2010Acts,ch1069,§72
GiftedandTalentedProgramGoalsandPerformanceMeasures:
1)Toadoptandimplementvalidandsystematicprocedures,includingmultipleselectioncriteriafor
identifyinggiftedandtalentedstudentsfromthetotalstudentpopulation.
MeasurementPlan:
-Reviewofidentificationprocess
-Reviewofidentificationcriteriaandsupportingdocumentation
2)Toprovideanarrayofserviceoptionsalignedtothedistrict’smissionstatementwhichsupportsindividual
growthatvaryinglevelsofabilities,needs,interestsandpacing.
MeasurementPlan:
-GiftedPersonalEducationPlans(PEP)
-Studentachievementdata(i.e.,IowaAssessmentsstandardscoresyeartoyear)
-Accesstocoursesandactivitiesalignedtostudents’abilities,skills,interests,andfuturecareerpathways
3)Tomeettheneedsofgiftedstudentsinthetotalschoolprogrambyworkingwithclassroomteachersto
assess,planandcarryoutdifferentiatedinstructionandevaluateoutcomes.
MeasurementPlan:
-GiftedPersonalEducationPlans(PEP)
-Classroomassessmentdata
-PLCmeetingstogatherdataandplaninstructionbasedondata
4)Toprovideongoingstaffdevelopmentinthenatureanduniquecognitiveandaffectiveneedsofgifted
learners.
MeasurementPlan:
-Collaborationwithteachingstaff
-Modelinganddemonstrationofstrategiesappropriatetothegiftedlearner
-Professionaldevelopmentpresentationsandworkshops
5)Toseekcontinuousreviewandreflectionoftheprogramandcommunicateclearlyandregularlywithall
stakeholdersinformationrelatingtogiftedstudents,services,andresearch.
Measurement Plan:
-ReviewatleasttwosectionsoftheSelf-AuditReflectionToolannually
-StudyhighperformingTAGprogramsandconductaneedsassessmentevery3years
-MakeimprovementsbasedontheSelf-AuditReflectionToolandneedsassessment
-SeekinputfromparentsandfacultythroughtheSelf-AuditReflectionToolandfromstudentsthrough
theirPersonalEducationPlan
-Presentinformationtoadministratorsandschoolboardatleastannually
Referral,Identification,andPlacementofStudentsinMount
Vernon’sExtendedLearningProgram(ELP)
Effortstoreferandidentifystudentsforgiftedprogrammingwillbemadeateach
gradelevel.Multiplecriteriashallbeusedforidentificationpurposes.
Outstandingabilitiesarepresentinstudentsfromallculturalgroupsandacrossall
economicstrata.Studentsshallreceivegiftedprogrammingcongruentwiththeir
identifiedneeds.
ReferralProcess
Astudentmaybereferredbyaparent/guardian,staffmember,counselor,school
psychologist,previousschool,orself-nomination.
Astudentmaybereferredforconsiderationbasedonanyofthefollowing:
1. Studentproductsofhighquality
2. Evidenceofoutstandingperformance
3. Evidenceofhighability,asdeterminedbyuseofdifferentiatedcharacteristics
checklist
4. Behavior/Characteristics
FacilitatingSchoolExperiencesforStudentswithHighAbilityandLowAchievement
Studentswhohaveabilitiesthatwouldqualifythemforthegiftedprogramandachieveata
lowlevelwillbereferredtothedata-gatheringteamwho,workingwiththe
parents/guardians,willdeterminetheschoolexperiencesthatbestmeetthestudent’s
needs.Thisreferralwillresultinidentifyingthestudentforthegiftedprogramandplacing
thestudentingiftedprogramservicesunlessparents/guardiansandstaffdeterminethat
suchidentificationand/orplacementwillnotmeetstudentneeds.Studentprogresswillbe
reviewedannuallybythedata-gatheringteam.
DataGatheringTeam
GiftedandTalentedspecialistteachersformateamtogatherandevaluatedata;
thisteammayincludeabuildingadministrator,andothermembersas
necessary.Themake-upofthisgroupmaychangedependingonthestudent(s)
beingconsidered.
IdentificationandPlacementCriteriaforGiftedProgrammingServices
TheBodyofEvidenceusedtocollectdataforidentificationandplacementofstudentsfor
giftedprogrammingservicesanddifferentiatedcurriculumare:
ForKindergartenthrough6thgrade
Meetatleasttwoofthefollowingeligibilitycriteria:
• Aptitude-CoGATSAStestscoreof130orabove
• Achievement-98thpercentileoraboveonIowaAssessments(grades3andup)
MAPreadingscoresat225andabove(5th/6thgrade)
MAPmathematicsscoresat240andabove(5th/6thgrade)
• Ability--DemonstratedPerformance--Studentperformancewithsupportingdata,
grades,performanceinclass,evidenceofremarkablecreativity
• Ability--Behavioral/Characteristics--(KOI)evidenceasindicatedonthecharacteristics
checklistbyclassroomteacherorELPteacher.
th
For7 -12thGrade
Mustreceive+5pointswithinthecriteriabelow:
1.MAPassessmentdata,identifyingstudentswithnationalpercentilerank(NPR)scoresof98
NPRorhigherineithermathorreadingorboth.(upto2points)
2.Standardizedachievementtestdata(IowaAssessmentsorsimilar),identifyingnational
percentilescores98NPRoraboveformathand/orreading.(upto2points)
3.CognitiveAbilitiesTestsStandardAgeScores(SAS)of130orhigherinverbal,quantitative,
and/ornonverbal.(upto3points)
4.HistoryofpreviousparticipationinanELP/TAGprogram.(upto1point)
5.Completionofperceptualsurveys(students/parents)(upto1point)
6.Teacherrecommendation.(upto1point)
Otherscoresthatmaybeconsidered;
7.Out-of-levelstandardizedtestlikeExplore,ACT,SAT,inthetop75%.(upto1point)
8.StandardizedIQtestscore(99NPR3points,98NPR2,97-95NPR1)
Whereverpossible,identificationof“gifted”studentswillutilizethemostobjectivetesting
possible,andwillconformtotherecommendationsoftheNationalAssociationforGifted
Children.
1
2
Placement
Directservicesareprovidedtostudentsthathavebeenidentifiedaccordingtotheprocedures
statedinthisplan.Directservicesarespecificallydesignedtomeetthediversecognitive,
personal,andsocialneedsofhighest-abilitylearnersandincludethefollowing:
•Providingstudentswithopportunities,resourcesandencouragementtodevelopinterests,
knowledge,thinkingskills,creativeideas,andtaskcommitment.
•Developingself-confidence,feelingsofcreativeaccomplishment,andtheabilitytointeract
effectivelywithothers.
Whentheschoolgatheringteamhascompletedcollectingtheinformationforthe
nominatedstudentandthatstudenthasmettherequirementsforidentification,the
parentsareinformedandthestudentwillthenreceivespecificprogrammingstrategiesfor
his/herareaofstrengthbasedupontheareaofidentificationineitherIndividualizationwith
personalization,theELPTalentPool,ortheregularclassroom.
Tier3
Individualization via
Personalized Education
Plan (PEP)
Facilitated by ELP Teacher
Tier2
Talent Pool
Enrichment Activities with ELP teacher or in
classroom
Tier1
Classroom Core Curriculum for
Total Population
ExplanationoftheMultipleTieredSystemofService(MTSS)tiers:
IndividualizationwithPersonalEducationPlan(Tier3)
Tier3studentsarethoseidentifiedashavingthehighestneedsforgiftedservicesas
evidencedbytheircombinationofidentifiedstrengths.Thistierincludesthosewhoare
eligibleforsingle-subjectorwhole-gradeacceleration,aswellasthosewhowillnot
acceleratebutrequireahighdegreeofacademicextensiontomeettheirneeds.
APersonalizedEducationPlanwillbedevelopedbasedonindividualneedsandwillbeused
asaplanningguideformakinginstructionaldecisionsaboutmaterials,programming
options,andassessmentsforgiftedandtalentedstudentsbaseduponstrengths,interests,
learningcharacteristics,andsocial-emotionalneeds.
o DataforthePEPiscollectedfromregularclassroom,district,andstate
assessments,and/oridentifiedgiftedprogrammingoptions.
o ThePEPwillbereviewedwithparentsandthegiftedstudentatleastonceayear.
o ThePEPiscriticalinthetransitionofgiftedstudentsfromonelevelof
schoolingtothenext,andfromschooltoschool.
TalentPool(Tier2)
Tier2TalentPoolstudentsareagroupofstudentswhomeetsomeoftheidentification
criteriaandmayreceiveenrichmentoverandabovetheregularcurriculum.Serviceswillbe
providedbasedonneeds,strengths,orinterestsofthestudentandavailabilityof
programming/staffing.
TalentPoolIdentificationProcedure
Studentsincludedinthetalentpoolmustmeetoneormoreofthefollowingcriteria:
•ConsistentELPparticipationinpreviousyears.
•Scoresequaltoorexceedingthe95thpercentileontheIowaAssessmentorMAPinreading
ormath.
•Scoresequaltoorexceeding120(usingSAS)ontheCognitiveAbilitiesTestareasofverbal,
quantitativeand/ornon-verbalreasoning.
•Expressionofintenseoutsideinterestsand/orcommitmenttoself-selectedwork.
Unlikestudentswhoareformallyidentified,studentsincludedinthetalentpoolvaryfrom
yeartoyearandmayrotateinandoutofenrichmentgroupsasneeded.
RightofAppeal
Ifastudentdoesnotmeetthespecifiedcriteriaforidentification,andgiftedprogramming
servicesstillseemwarranted,thenstaffmembers,thestudentand/orparents/guardian
maysubmitdatatothedatagatheringteamtobereviewed.Thegatheringteamwill
considerthefollowinginformationonwhichtobasedecisionsforprovidedgifted
programmingservices:
• Demonstratedaccomplishments
• Teachertestimonyorreports
• Outstandingscoresonobjectivetests
• Otherevidence
Thepurposeofthisregulationistoestablishanorderlyprocessforresolvingparent
grievances,topromotepositiverelationships,andtoprovideparentswithanopportunityto
presenttheirgrievancesbeforetheadministration.
TheMountVernonCSDbelievesthateveryeffortshouldbemadetosettlegrievancesas
promptlyandequitablyaspossible.Parentsareencouragedtotakeanycomplaintfirsttothe
GiftedandTalentedSpecialist,asexperiencehasshownthatproblemscanfrequentlybe
settledthroughdiscussionandcommonunderstanding.
• Weencouragestudentsand/orfamiliestosubmitanygrievancesinwriting.
• AllgrievancesreceivedbyMountVernonCSDwillbeacknowledgedandrespondedto
within3businessdays.Everyeffortwillmadetoresolvethegrievance.
• AllgrievanceswillbeinvestigatedbytheSpecialist(ordesignee),withtheinvolvement
ofanyindividualassociatedwiththecomplaint.
• Everyeffortwillbemadetoquicklyresolvegrievancestothesatisfactionofboth
student/familiesandstaffmembers.
• Awrittenresponsewillbesenttotheindividualfilingthegrievance.
Ifthestudentorfamilymemberisdissatisfiedwiththeresultsoftheinvestigationbythe
Coordinator,thestudent/familymembermaymakeawrittenrequestthathis/hergrievance
bereviewedbytheMountVernonCSDSuperintendent.Ifthestudentand/orfamilymember
continuestobedissatisfiedwiththeresultsofthedecisionbytheSuperintendent,he/she
mayregisterawrittengrievancewiththeSchoolBoard.TheSchoolBoardwillprovide
parentswithadispositionofthegrievancewithin7daysofthemeetingaboutthegrievance.
ThedecisionoftheSchoolBoardshallbefinal.
DifferentiatedCurriculumandInstruction
Programmingservicesincurriculaandinstructionwillbedesignedtoaccommodate
thestudent’sabilitylevelsandlearningcharacteristics,suchasthinkingabstractly,
havingtheabilitytostudyatopicindepth,andlearningrapidly.Theprogramming
servicesmaydifferdependingontheneedsofthestudentandthegifted
designation.Programmingservicesmayinclude:
• Differentiatedcurriculaandinstruction
• Acceleration
• Flexiblegroupingthatshouldincludehomogenousgrouping
• Providingappropriatecoursesandactivities
Differentiatedcurriculumandinstructionwillbecarriedoutinthefollowing
ways:
• Thecontentobjectivestaught
• Theprocesses,appropriateinstructionalstrategiesandresourcesusedin
teaching
• Theexpectations(activitiesandexperiences)requiredofstudents
• Theproductsandassessmentsrequiredofstudents
• Thelearningenvironment
Acceleration
Studentswithoneormoreexceptionalabilitieswho,inthejudgmentof
administrativeandcertifiedpersonnel,wouldbenefitfromaccelerationinthe
educationprogrammaytakeclassesinareasbeyondtheircurrentgradelevelor
participateinotherapprovedformsofacceleration.
Studentsbeingdiscussedforwholegradelevelaccelerationmustcompleteatleast
threeweeksintheirpresentgrade.
Whole-gradeaccelerationwillonlybeconsideredifastudentshowsabove-level
proficiencyonallrequiredassessmentsinallcoresubjectareasandmeetstheIowa
AccelerationScaleguidelinesforability,aptitudeandachievement,aswellasthe
guidelinesfordevelopmentalfactors,attitudeandsupport,andinterpersonalfactors.
Elementary(K-6)RequiredAssessmentsforAccelerationConsideration:
Literacy
CoGATSASscoreof130orabove(verbal)
FASTcompositescoreof>100
GradelevelBRIcomprehensiontestat100%
DAZEcomprehensionexamat2gradelevelsabove
Mathematics
CoGATSASscoreof130orabove(quantitative)
80%oraboveonallfourbenchmarkassessmentsfromthemathcurriculumforgrade
level
90%onReadinesstestfornextgradelevel
Astudentwillonlybeconsideredforwholegradeorsinglesubjectaccelerationwhen
itisagreeduponbystaff,parents,andstudenttobeinthechild’sbestinterestinall
areasofdevelopment.
Secondary(7-12)OptionsforAcceleration:
Menu of Options (Definitions and explanations of each follow, adapted from
Davidson Institute) As each student is different, what works and is proper for one, won’t
necessarily work for all. Acceleration at MVCSD can be done in many ways.
Acceleration
Credit by Examination
Compacting
Independent Study
Ability Grouping
Dual Enrollment
Combined classes
Telescoping curriculum
ELP class
Acceleration -- Accelerating the gifted student to a level that is a closer match to his
or her abilities is the educational option that is strongly supported by empirical
research. Acceleration can be an attractive option for schools because it can be
implemented using materials and classes already available at the school, thus the cost
involved is minimal.
Credit by Examination -- Some school districts offer examinations whereby students
can skip one or more courses by performing well on a test of the material that is
covered in those courses. This is similar to placement tests employed by many colleges
to determine enrollment eligibility for particular courses. A score above 80 percent is
considered sufficient demonstration that a student has mastery of a subject and should
be allowed advance through, or skip, a course.
Compacting -- Compacting is a variation on the credit-by-examination approach.
Students are pre-tested for knowledge and proficiency. Rather than testing out of an
entire course, this option allows students to skip those units in which he or she can
demonstrate mastery through pre-testing. Again, 80 percent proficiency or better
should be adequate. With compacting, the student is then encouraged to develop an
independent course of study to delve into the topic in greater depth or to move onto
another unit.
Independent Study -- Examples of independent study options include online distance
learning courses, correspondence courses and forming a learning partnership with a
mentor or teacher. However, independent study also can be done within the school
setting by allowing the student to pursue a topic in greater depth. This option might
include research topics or different readings. Ideally, independent study is not assigned
in addition to regular schoolwork in order to fill a student's time. Such an arrangement
discourages the child from moving ahead because the independent study is seen as a
negative, rather than a positive opportunity. Independent study often is paired
successfully with credit by examination or compacting because students who are able to
prove their proficiency in particular subjects are able to move ahead at their own pace.
Students participating in independent study still need supervision, however, and should
be both monitored and directed in their efforts.
Ability grouping -- Ability grouping involves gathering gifted learners together for
programming. Even in schools geared for gifted learners, ability grouping is utilized.
Ability grouping sometimes is rejected as contrary to mainstreaming and the idea of
"least restrictive environment." However, ability grouping does not restrict any
individual based on disability and, in fact, provides a less restrictive environment for
high-achievers. Some also argue that removing high-achievers deprives more average
students of role models. This is not supported by research, which indicates that
students tend to select role models with abilities similar to their own. Ability grouping
provides more appropriate role models for gifted students, and fosters an environment
where learning and performance are valued. Ability grouping generally is applied in one
of two ways:
o Within-Class Grouping -- Commonly referred to as "clustering," this method
involves grouping gifted students within the classroom for special lessons or
projects. It may be more inclusive than other types of gifted programming, and
it is less expensive than pull-out programming. Clustering can create an extra
burden for the teacher, however, as it may be difficult to integrate assignments
with the core curriculum.
o Between-Class Grouping -- Rather than separating students within a
classroom, between-class grouping gathers students of high ability from
different classrooms, which may be at one school or a number of schools.
Between-class grouping can be divided into two categories:
Dual Enrollment -- Meeting the educational needs of a gifted student may require
enrollment in two or more levels of schooling at the same time. Some students attend
different schools for different classes, such as music, physical education and social
studies at the elementary school, and math, language arts and science at the middle
school. Although scheduling can be a challenge, dual enrollment can be an excellent
arrangement for some students and schools.
Combined Classes -- Students take more than one course during the same
period. Example: Enroll in art and math during the same period.
Telescoping curriculum-- We recently implemented telescoping in our 3 years in 2 for
math at the MS. We could develop some courses that curriculum compact 2 years in
one at the HS. This would allow for a greater number of students to be able to benefit
and move through the curriculum in order to take advanced classes like PSEO and AP
sooner. For example, one school has a compacted LA 9/ LA 10 class which then allows
the students to take AP LA as sophomores.
ELP class -- Students may sign up for an Independent Study ELP class. They can work
on the following options:online HS credit courses, online college credit courses, socioemotional/academic need checks, goal work, scholarships, ACT/SAT prep, projects in
the classroom or off campus, job shadows, internships, or ELP study hall. Teachers
could also send students to do an in-depth project in lieu of a basic project for
differentiation or compacting. Collaboration with other gifted students on projects like
BIG is also supported.
HandbookFor
ParentsOfGiftedStudents
MountVernonCommunitySchoolDistrict
2016
Chapter1:Introduction
Whatdowewant?
Parentsofgiftedchildrenwantwhateveryparentwants:toeducatetheirchildren
commensuratewiththeirabilitiesandtonurturetheirsocialandemotional
growth.Thesegoalsuniteparentsofchildrenofalllearningabilitiesandstyles.
Whydogiftedstudentsneedspecialprogramming?
Sometimesparentsorevenstudentsthemselveshearthat“smart”children/young
adultsdon’tneedanyspecialhelporattention,orthattheycanorshouldbeableto
takecareofeverythingthemselves;nomatterwhathappensintheireducation,
theywill“comeoutfine”.Thismaybetrueofsomechildrenbutoftenwhengifted
studentsfindthemselvesinclassroomsthatdonotaddresstheiruniquelearning
stylesandthinkingpatterns,theresultscanbefrustration,inattentivebehavior,
emotionalconfusion,andevendepression.Ironically,thesebrighteststudentsmay
tuneoutandachievefarbelowtheirpotential.
Likeallchildrenandyoungadults,giftedchildrenneedtobechallengedand
nurtured,tolearnboththattheyareuniqueindividualsandthattheyshare
commontraitswithothers.Whiletheymaylearnquicklyandhaveexpert
knowledgeontopicsthatinterestthem,theycannottakecareofthemselvesany
more(orless)thanotherchildren.Theyneedparenting,guiding,andteachingthat
fitthemindividually.Ourchildrenneedtobechallengedandnurtured,andonly
whentheirabilitiesarefullydevelopedcantheytaketheirmostpositiveform.
Chapter2:
HowdoIknowifmychildisgifted?
Giftedisasimpletermtodescribeacomplexgroupofchildren,eachwithhisorher
ownspecialtalents,strengths,andweaknesses.Generally,gifteddescribeschildren
withtalentsorabilitiesremarkableamongchildrentheiragethatrequirespecial
challenges,teachingmethods,oropportunitiestodevelopfully.
Allparentsknowthattheirownchildrenarespecial,butoftenwehesitate
beforeapproachingeducationprofessionalstoask“Ismychildgifted?”Yet,
manygiftedchildrenarefirstidentifiedbytheirparents.
CommonlyObservedCharacteristicsofGiftedLearners
Somestudentsareeasilyidentifiedbyusingthefollowingcharacteristics(adapted
fromKingore,2004,Clark,1997;Webb1994).Otherstudents,whomayhave
learningdisabilitiesorotherexceptionalities,maybemoredifficulttoidentify.
Whilelistsofvarioustraitstypicalofgiftedstudentsmaybehelpfulinidentifying
studentsinneedofservices,itisimportanttorememberthatnostudentmay
necessarilypossessalltheattributeslisted,andsomehighabilitylearnerswill
demonstraterelativelyfewofthem.Likewise,anyoftheattributescanpossess
bothpositiveandnegativequalities.
A High Achiever...
A Gifted Learner...
A Creative Thinker...
Remembers the answers
Poses unforeseen questions
Sees exceptions
Is interested
Is curious
Wonders
Is attentive
Is selectively mentally engaged
Daydreams; may seem off task
Generates advanced ideas
Generates complex, abstract ideas
Works hard to achieve
Knows without working hard
Answer the questions in detail
Performs at the top of the group
Ponders with depth and multiple
perspectives
Overflows with ideas, many of
which will never be developed
Plays with ideas and concepts
Injects new possibilities
Is beyond the group
Is in own group
Exhibits feelings and opinions from
Shares bizarre, sometimes
multiple perspectives
conflicting opinions
Learns with ease
Already knows
Questions: What if...
Needs 6 to 8 repetitions to master
Needs 1 to 3 repetitions to master
Questions the need for mastery
Prefers the company of intellectual
Prefers the company of creative
peers
peers but often works alone
Understands complex, abstract humor
Creates complex, abstract humor
Relishes wild, off-the-wall humor
Grasps the meaning
Infers and connects concepts
Makes mental leaps: Aha!
Initiates projects and extensions of
Initiates more projects that will ever
assignments
be completed
Is receptive
Is intense
Is independent and unconventional
Is accurate and complete
Is original and continually developing
Enjoys school often
Enjoys self-directed learning
Enjoys creating
Absorbs information
Manipulates information
Improvises
Responds with interest and opinions
Enjoys the company of age peers
Completes assignments on time
Is a technician with expertise in a field
Is an expert who abstracts beyond the
field
Is original and continually
developing
Is an inventor and idea generator
Memorizes well
Guesses and infers well
Creates and brainstorms well
Is highly alert and observant
Anticipates and relates observations
Is intuitive
Is pleased with own learning
Is self-critical
Is never finished with possibilities
Gets A's
May not be motivated by grades
May not be motivated by grades
Is able
Is intellectual
Is idiosyncratic
AdaptedfromKingore,B.(Spring2004)HighAchiever,GiftedLearner,Creative
Thinker
IntellectualTraits
Inquisitivenature:Whilemostchildrenspendtheirtimeasking“Why?”thegifted
learnerisoftenunsatisfiedbyanswersthatseektoappeaseratherthanfocuson
theissueinquestion.Suchstudentsmaycontinuetoaskquestionsuntiltheyreach
alevelofsatisfactionwiththeresponse.
Advancedvocabularyfortheirage:Somechildrensoundlikelittleadults.Theyare
fascinatedbywordsandlanguage.Astheygrowolder,studentsmaybevoracious
readerswithextensivevocabularies.Suchstudentsmayreadthedictionaryforfun,
incorporatelargeanddelightfulwordsintotheirwritingassignments,ornaturally
usepreciseterminologyintheirspeaking.
Creativeproblemsolving:oftenthesechildrencangeneratednumerous,
innovative,orevenunusualsolutions,whichtheymayapplytodebateswiththeir
parents.Inothercases,achildmayresultinanunorthodoxresponsethatseems
entirelyreasonabletothechild.
Exceptionalmemorizationabilities:Studentswithexceptionalmemoriesmayfind
school quite easy, especially when their teachers require knowledge rather than
analysis. However, many bright students do not also have exceptional memories;
andstudentswithexceptionalmemoriesmaynotbefacilewithanalysis.
Passionate interests and ability to develop and retain vast storehouses of
information about their interests: These students often become real experts on
anythingthatintereststhem.Itisnotunusualforachildtobeall-consuminginhis
/herquestforunderstandingasubjectandsubsequentlycompletelydropthetopic
asapassionbecausehis/herinteresthasbeenquenched-andsuddenlyanew
interestwillreplacetheoldone.
Learnsnewmaterialrapidlyandgetsboredbyrepetition:Forthestudentwhoisa
“quickstudy,”thekindsofrepetitiveexperiencesfoundinsomeclassroomsmay
resultinthestudent’smentallydroppingoutoftheconversation.Asaresult,heor
shemayappeartobeunengaged,distracting,orhostiledependinguponthe
context.Thismayeventuallyleadtounderachievement.
Highenergylevel(sometimescombinedwithreducedneedforsleep):Some
giftedchildrenare“nonap”babiesandlightandshortsleepers.Theirparentsmay
bejealousofmothersandfatherswhosebabiessleeplikebabies.Suchstudents
mayappeartobehyperactive:Dabrowskireferredtothispatternasover
excitabilities,whichmaybefoundtobetypicalinverybrightchildren.
Keenobserverandquestioner:Thesechildrenoftendisplayanearlyinterestinnationaland
worldevents.Theymayalsocallattentiontoinconsistenciesthattheyseedemonstratedin
policies.Likewisetheymayquestionauthority,notonlyingovernment,butinparents,
teachers,andbabysitters.
Intensefocus:Studentswithintensefocusmayconsideranideainsuchdepththatthey
mayappeartobedaydreamingwhiletheclassmovesontoothertopics.Suchstudents
mayappearunwillingtotransitionfromonesubjecttoanotheratthesamepaceastheir
classmates.Yettheconstantmovingfromtopictotopicbasedonthepassingofthehands
ofaclockmayappeartosuchstudentsasunreasonableandunnecessarilypainful.
Longattentionspan:Studentswithlongattentionspansmaydemonstratethistrait
inconsistently;theymayappearextremelyhyperactive,forinstance,exceptwhen
participatingintheirinterestarea,whensuddenly,theycanconcentrateforthreehourson
asingletopic.Insuchacontext,itisquitelikelythatgiftedstudentsbecomesoimmersedin
theprocessthattheylosetrackofeverythinggoingonaroundthem.Manypeoplewould
lovetohavethisskill,butinthecontextofschoolschedules,studentswhocanconcentrate
deeplymaybeputtemporarilyatadisadvantagewhenstudentshavetomovequicklyfrom
onesubjecttoanotherbasedonpassingtime.
Intuitive:Thesechildrenoftencanseethroughglibstatements,challengingtheiradultsto
dealverydirectlywiththem.Theyinnatelygraspwhateverisunderthesurface,withno
apparentclues.
Independentandprefersindividualizedwork:Whilemanystudentsenjoygroupactivities,
giftedlearnersmaythriveonindependentactivitiesinwhichtheyaregivenagoalandthe
offerofassistanceasneeded.Studentswhoenjoythistypeofworkwillactuallyworkharder
whenallowedtoworkindependently.Itisimportanttonote,however,thatthisisnota
licenseforallowingthehighabilitylearnertolanguishinacornerwhiletherestoftheclass
movesforward.Thestudentshouldbeassistedwithgoal-settinganddecisionmaking,as
wellasresearchskills,asnecessary.
SocialandEmotionalTraits
Strongsenseofhumor:Thesearethestudentsthatseemto“getthejokes.”Such
studentsdelightinpunsandwit.Studentswithstrengthinthisareamayuseit
effectivelytoavoidfights.
Creativity:Creativestudentsofteninitiatetheirownlearningandaskunusual
questions.Ironically,participationinschoolhasatendencytodecreasestudents’
creativityovertime.Whilecreativechildrenaretypicallyofabove–average
intelligence,brightchildrenarenotnecessarilyalsocreative.
Opennesstonewexperiences,solutions,ideas:Somestudentsrevelinthefact
thatamathematical(orEnglishorscience)problemcanbesolvedthroughavariety
ofroutes.Forthesestudentsthequestion,“Whatisanothercorrectanswer?”
comesasawelcomereliefinclassrooms.Inresponsetoacomplexproblemsome
giftedchildrenmayproposeanewideaorproduct,evengoingasfarastodevelop
aprototype-justtoseeifitcouldreallywork.Itisimportanttoconsiderwhether
theideaisreallyimplausibleorwhetherthestudent’sideaisjustaheadoftherest
ofus.Considerthefirstreactiontotheideaofanairplane……
Challengeauthority:Typically,bothparentsandteacherswillgetfurtherifthey
provideareasonforthedecisionsthataffectbrightchildren.Whiletimedoesnot
alwayspermitsuchlengthyexplanations,theydohelpchildrengrowintheir
understandingofthekindsofthoughtprocessesthatfeedintorationaldecision
making.
Internallocusofevaluation:Insteadofworkingforgrades,somegiftedstudents
mayfocusonworkingtotheirownlevelofexpectation.Insuchcasesthestudent
maybeconsumedwithaprojectlongafteritwassupposedtobeturnedin.
Abilitytodeferclosure:Livingwithambiguitycomesnaturallytosomebright
students,whocanhappilyfunctionknowingthatparadoxesexistallaroundthem.
Whileotherswantaclearcutresponse,thesechildrenmaybequitehappynotto
knowthe“onerightanswer”untilsomeundeterminedpointinthefuture.
Preferencetooverlookdetails:Becausemanyofthesestudentsareglobal
thinkers,theymayfindthatdetailsgetinthewayoftheirlargeideas.Itmaybe
helpfulforparentstoguidestudentsfromabigideadowntothenecessary
detailswhentheyarerequiredforassignments.
Sensitivity:Becauseofheightenedsensitivities,thesestudentsmayhavebigger-than
lifefearsoranxiety.
Asynchronousdevelopment:Itoftenastonishesadultswhenthefiveyearoldwho
hasreadeverythingondinosaursthrowsascreamingtantrumbecauseofaminor
changeofschedule,yetthissortofunevendevelopmentisquitetypicalforadvanced
learners.Motorskillsmaylagcognitivedevelopment,whichcausefrustrationwith
writingassignments.
Multipotentiality:The“jackofalltrades,masterofnone”oftendescribessuch
students.Studentsmaydividethemselvestothepointofexhaustionormaychoose
toparticipateinmultipleareaswithouteverworkingtoaproficiencylevelthey
mightbecapableofachieving.
Peerrelations:Thequestionofwhoisapeermayappearearlyinthelifeofhigh
abilitylearners,astheymayselectpeersbasedoncommoninterestsandattitudes
ratherthanonthebasisofchronologicalage.
Perfectionism:Somechildrenmaydevelopunrealisticallyhighexpectationsof
themselves,oftenduetotheirpastperformances.Itisimportanttodistinguish
betweenthechildwhomaintainshighperformancestandardsinmultipleareas(asa
resultofwantingtodoone’spersonalbestwheneverpossible)andthechildwho
feelsexternalpressuretoachieve.Inthesecondcase,thestudentmaybecome
paralyzedandeventuallybecomeunwillingtoturninanythingthatisnot“perfect.”
Thisexcessiveself-criticismcanbecomedebilitatingandmayresultincoursefailures
andloweredself-esteem.
GiftedandLearningDisabled
Contrarytowhatmanybelieve,learningdisabilitiesmayoccurinpeopleofaverage
orabove-averageintelligence,itisthattheyprocessinformationdifferently.But
becausethetwoareas-giftednessandlearningdisabilities-tendtomaskeachother,
itisoftenthecasethatGTLDstudentsmaynothavebeenidentifiedforservicesin
eitherarea.Whattypicallyhappensisthatduringtheearlyyearsofschooling,when
thecognitivetasksareeasier,thestudent’sintelligenceishighenoughto
compensateforthelearningdisability-butthelearningdisabilitykeepsthestudents
fromappearingtobestellar.Whenthestudentmovesintofourthgrade,schools
requirereadingforcontentinsubjectslikescienceandsocialstudies;inthis
context,thelearningdisabilitywillmanifestitself,buttheintelligencewillkeepthe
studentfrombeingidentifiedwithalearningdisability.Thecombinationofthese
twofactorsatworktogethermayservetomakethestudentextremelyfrustrated.
ManytypesofLDexist,includingAsperger’sSyndrome,processingdifficulties,
dyslexia,nonverballearningdisorder,andothers.Thesymptomsvarywidelywith
thetypeofdisability.Followingaresomebroadcharacteristicsassociatedwith
theselearningdisabilities.
Asperger’sSyndrome:Disturbingtheaffect,Asperger’sSyndromeresultsin
studentswhodonotunderstandsocialcues.Theymayspeaktooloudlyorstand
tooclosely.Suchstudentsoftencannotunderstandmetaphoricallanguage,yet
maybeverybright.Suchstudentsmayfinditdifficulttounderstandhowsomeone
elsefeels.
Processingdifficulties:Processingdifficultiescomeinawidearrayofconfigurations.
Putbriefly,studentshavedifficultywitheitherinputoroutput:“IknowwhatIwant
tosay,butcan’tsayit.”Theymaybecomeextremelyfrustrated,becausethey
understandmaterialbutareunabletodemonstrateitonmultiplechoicetest(in
somecases)oressaytests(inothercases).Itishelpfulifteachersvarythetesting
styleandprovidestudentswithnotesoratleastoutlinesofthenotes.
Non-verballearningdisorder:StudentswithNonverbalLearningDisorderareoften
verybrightanddemonstrateadvancedvocabularyskillsandmemorizationskills
quiteearly.However,theydemonstratedifficultieswithfinemotorcoordination.
StudentswithNVLDhavedifficultyadaptingtochanges.Ascoursesbecomemore
difficultduringintermediateyears,thesestudentsfinditdifficulttofollowdirection,
performmathassignments,orunderstandtheirpeersorteachersbecauseof
impairedsocialskills.Theirhandwritingmaybequitelaboriousanddifficultto
read. NVLDmanifestsitselfinavarietyofwaysincludinganxietyanddepression.
Studentsunderstanddetailsbutmaynotseethebigpicture.Althoughtheymay
readearly,theymayalsobeslowreaderswhostrugglelateronwith
comprehension.StudentswithNVLDprofitgreatlyfromhavingfamilyandteachers
talkideasthrough;theyareorientedtoorallanguageandwilloftenperformbetter
onwrittenassignmentsiftheyhaveaccesstoacomputer.
Dyslexia:Commonlythoughtofasreversingletters,dyslexiahasmanydifferent
manifestations,includingdifficultieswithspelling,decoding,andfluency.Areading
disorder,itisneurologicalinorigin,soitisunhelpfultosuggestthatastudent“work
harder.”Thebesthelpappearstobephonologicaltrainingearlyintheeducational
experience(gradesK-12).AccordingtotheInternationalDyslexiaAssociation,
“language-basedproblemsaffectbetween15and20%ofthetotalpopulationof
people,ofthestudentswithspecificlearningdisabilitiesreceivingspecialeducation
services,70-80%havedeficitsinreading.”
Dyscalculia:Studentswithdyscalculiahavedifficultywitharithmeticproblemsand
graspingmathconcepts.Mathconceptsandrulesaredifficulttorecall,asarebasic
mathfacts.Studentswithdyscalculiatendtobeoff-and-on:theirmathoperations
workonedaybutnotthenext.
Dysgraphia:Studentswithdysgraphiahavedifficultieswithhandwriting,forming
letters,andwritingwithinaspecificspace.Lettersmaybedistortedorincorrect.
Whenstudentsfirstlearnhandwriting,theywillhavemorethanthetypical
problems.Somemayresorttodrawingindividualletters,apainstakingprocess.In
schools,theuseofacomputerforwritingassignmentsappearstobethemost
helpfulintervention.Althoughtheoriginofdysgraphiaisunknown,itisthoughtto
beneurologicalandmayberelatedtoothersequencingproblems.
VisualSpatialOrientation:Whilenotalearningdisability,avisualspatialorientation
maycreatelearningdifficultiesinschool,becauseschoolstypicallyprovideworkthat
issequentialinnature.Studentswhoarevisualspatialoftenenjoytakingthings
apartandputtingthembacktogethercorrectly.Theyseethingsthree-
dimensionally.Theylearnconcepts“allatonce”ratherthatstepbystep.Visual
spatiallearnersfinditeasiertolearndifficultmaterialthaneasymaterial,andmay
belatereaders.
Underachievement
Underachievement,definedasadiscrepancybetweenabilityandachievement,but
oftenseenasatendencyforastudenttodolessthanheorsheiscapableof,isone
ofthemostdifficultproblemsforparentsofgiftedstudents.Oneofthefunctionsof
schoolistoensurethatstudentslearnhowtofaceachallengeandhowtoworkhard
towardagoal.Unfortunately,whenstudentsareroutinelyrequiredtopracticeskills
theyhavealreadymastered,theylearntobelievethatschoolis/shouldbeeasy;asa
result,theyfailtodevelopaworkethicorabeliefintheirabilitytorisetoa
challenge.Asaresult,whensomestudentsdoconfrontadifficulttask(oftenin
middleorhighschool),manybelievethattheyareincapableofmeetingthegoal,
becausetheyare“notsmartanymore.”Whiletheyfeeloverwhelmed,theirpeers
whohavedevelopedtheworkethicandself-efficacymaybemorecomfortableand
successful.Anothersideeffectofunderachievementisthatteachersmayperceive
thechildasbeingunabletodothework.“Well,”theymaysay,“Ithoughtshewas
gifted,butthatwasobviouslyamistake.”
Ifyourchildappearsnottobeengagedinthelearningprocess,itisimportantto
ascertainwhy.Variousfactorscanattributetounderachievement,buttoreverse
underachievementitishelpfultoknowtheoriginoftheproblem.Anumberof
interventionshaveproventobeeffective,dependingonthecircumstances.In
general,teacherscanhelpbyprovidingopportunitiesforcreativity,freedomof
choice,academicchallenges,andenjoymentforlearning.
MisconceptionsandMyths:
Allgiftedchildrenlikeschoolanddowellthere.Notallhigh-abilitylearners
performwellinschool.Anumberofobstaclesmaylimitachievement,including
“boredom”ifthecurriculummovesmoreslowlythanthecognitivepaceofthe
individualchild;perfectionismthatmaypreventastudentfromturningin
assignmentswhentheydonotmeetupwiththestudent’sexpectations;learning
disabilities;andrelationshipswiththeteacherandotherstudentsintheclass,who
maybeimpatientwiththetalentedlearner’sneedtomovemoredeeplyintothe
content.
Smartstudentsdevelopevenly.High-abilitylearnersoftendevelopasynchronously
andmayfeelfrustratedattheirinabilitytoperformphysicallywhattheycan
conceiveofcognitively.Whenhandwritingisphysicallydifficult,it’seasytoassume
thattheproblemisonewiththeactofcomposition.Tryaskingyourchildtodictate
hisorherideastoyoutodetermineiftheproblemisconceptualorphysical.
Likewise,manystudentsdevelopcognitivelybeforeemotionally;theymayusean
advancedvocabulary,yetcrywhensomethingrelativelyminorgoeswrong.
Chapter3:
Whenstudentsareidentifiedasgifted…..parentsexperienceyetanotherlayerof
jargonsandprocedures.Thissectionwillclarifysomeofthevocabularyandprocedureswith
whichyoumaynotalreadybefamiliar.
“Whatdotheymeanby…identifiedasgifted?”
Multiplesourcesandtoolshavebeenusedtoallowyourchildtodemonstratehis/her
exceptionalitiesorpotential.Avarietyofassessmenttoolshavebeenusedtocollect
informationaboutyourchild.ThedistrictwillhaveusedaBodyofEvidenceforgifted
identification.Thisbodyofevidenceistoensurethatthestudentisknownwell,looked
beyondjustoneareaforinformation,includedamorediversepopulationandwouldmatch
appropriateservicestotheneedsofthisstudent.
TheBodyofEvidenceincludes:
IntellectualAbilityAchievement
DemonstratedPerformance
Behaviors/Characteristics
PersonalizedEducationPlan,orPEPisawrittenrecordofgiftedandtalentedprogramming
thatwillbeusedwitheach“Tier3”giftedchildandconsideredineducationalplanningand
decisionmaking.PEPsaresignedannuallybyparents,thechild’steacher/s,thestudent(as
appropriate)andotherpersonnelinvolvedindevelopment.
Differentiation:Thisreferstothepracticeofmodifyingexistinglessonstoaccommodate
thelearningstylesofalllearners.First,lessonsmaybecompactedbecausemanygifted
studentslearnandunderstandmaterialquicklyanddeeply,noteverythinginthetextneeds
tobetaughtoraddressed.Teachersmaypre-testandthenselectportionsoftheregular
curriculumtoteach.
Acceleration:Thestudentmaybeadvancedagrade;maybeprovidedbooksandmaterials
fromahighergradelevelinonecourse,mayattendhonorclasses,ifavailable,orperhaps
after-schoolandsummerenrichmentcourses.Accelerationcantakeonmanyforms,
includinggradeskipping,self-pacedinstruction,subjectacceleration,andotherdistrict
options.
WhatParentsCanDotoNurturetheGifted
Theprocessoflearningdoesnotoccursolelyintheclassroom.Parents,youaretheprimary
forceinyourchild’seducation.Whileourteachersprovideexcellentdirection,ideasand
materialsforthesequentialdevelopmentofskillsandunderstandings,yourfamilymotivates
thechildasheorsheprogresses.MountVernonCommunitySchoolDistrictencouragesyou
toparticipateinyourchild’songoingeducation;yourparticipationisvitalintheareasof
motivation,reinforcementandenrichment.
Theexpectationsofthefamilyareamajorfactorinachild’smotivation.Studiesshowthat
expectationisthesinglemostinfluentialdeterminantofhighorlowachievementbothin
andoutofschool.Regardlessoftheadaptationsmadebytheschool,thegiftedchildwill
fallshortofattaininghisorherpotentialifthechildfailstogetthetrainingathomethat
givesrespectforintellectualpursuits,thatbuildsthevalueofperseverance,that
encouragesfreedomofactionandindependence.
AShortCourseinSchoolActivism(WhattoDo
WhenYourSchoolandYourChildDon’tMesh)
Brightchildrenarenotalwayseasytoeducateandthebrighterthechild,thelesslikelyheor
sheistofitcomfortablyintothetypicalclassroom.Recognizingthatteachers,schools,and
studentsdifferwidely,parentssometimefacedifficultdecisionsaboutwhatisbestfortheir
children.Ingeneral,ifyouhaveconcernsorwantchangestooccur,weadvisestartingatthe
levelclosesttoyourchild-theclassroom-andworkingyourwayuptheadministrativeladder
onlyasmuchasnecessary.
Atthebuildingleveleachteachershouldbeknowledgeableaboutthatschoolsgiftedplan,
andthecurrentclassroomteacheraboutyourchild,andiftherehasbeenaplanmade,the
teachershouldknowthedetailsofhis/herPersonalizedEdcuationPlan.Abovetheteacheris
yourschool’sprincipal,thekeyfigureinhowseriouslyandeffectivelythegiftedcurriculumis
beingprioritizedthroughoutyourschool.
IntheMountVernonSchoolDistrict,SusannahMaddockistheGiftedandTalentedspecialist
forK-6thgrades,andDeAnnScearceisthespecialistfor7th-12thgrades.Theycanbereached
byphoneoremail.
Elementary:895-6251
Middle:895-6254
HighSchool:895-8843
Emails:[email protected]@mountvernon.k12.ia.us
Chapter4:Special
Issues
Beingamemberofaspecificsubgroupcanmakean
enormousimpactonhowstudentsreactinaprogram
forthegifted.Manyexternalforcesaffecttheirattitudes,
responses,andinterpretations.Abriefoverviewofsome
oftheconsiderationsfollows.
GiftedGirls
AsBarbaraKerrpointsoutinSmartGirls,GiftedWomen:“Girlsaresubtlytaughtto
relatetheirfailures,butnottheirsuccesses,toability.Makesureyourdaughter
knowsthatshedoeshavethecapabilitytosucceed,andthatachievementsaredue
toherabilityinsteadofluck.InaBerkeleystudy,only8%ofwomenvs.57%ofmen
had4yearsofhighschoolmath.Thislocked92%ofcollegewomenoutofmany
academicoptionsthatrequired4yearsofmath.Studiesindicatethatgiftedgirls’IQ
scoresdropinadolescence.Researchershypothesizethatthisisthetimethatgirls
begintoperceivebeinggiftedasanundesirablecharacteristic.”
InWorkLeftUndone,SallyReissnotesthatmanygiftedfemalesare“unawareor
ambivalentaboutorfrightenedbytheirpotential”(1998p.55).Manyequate
ambitionwithselfishness.Researchsuggeststhatgirlswhoareinvolvedingifted
programsandnumerousextracurricularactivitieshavelessfrequentlossof
confidenceintheirabilitiesthandoothergirls.
ActivitiesOverload
Participationinextracurriculars,likesportsorclubs,isawonderfulwayforstudents
tosocialize,tolearnhowtobeateamplayer,andtodevelopskills,coordination,
self-esteem,andfitness.However,parentsshouldrealizethattherewardssystem
andpressurescan“capture”studentsandparents.Overlybusyschedulescandrain
students’energiesandsaptheirstrengthtosuchanextentthatstudentsbecome
toopreoccupiedandtootiredforefficientlearningintheclassroom.Mentalwork
takesalotoftimeandenergy.Parentsshouldworktobalanceschedulessothat
studentshaveadequatetimeforstudying,socializingandhavingunstructuredtime.
PreparingforCollege
Studentsinterestedincollegeshouldtakethemostrigorousacademiccourses
offered.Itwillnotworktothestudent’slong-termadvantagetotakeonly“safe”
courses,inwhichan“A”gradeisassured.Itisbettertogoforthetopmarkinthe
hardestcourseandfallshortofthat,thantoreceivean“A”inaneasiercourse.The
depthofmaterialcoveredinthetoughestcourseprovidesthegreatestexposureto
thetypeofinformationandanalysissoughtonthecollegeentranceexaminations,
aswellaspreparingstudentstosucceedincollege.
Social-EmotionalIssues
Giftedchildrenoftenhaveuniquesocialandemotionaltraits,asdiscussedinChapter
2.Parentsofgiftedchildrenoftenworrythattheirchildrenwillsufferteasingat
schoolorfindfewgoodfriendsamongtheiragemates.Giftedkidsmayreportfeeling
strangeor“weird”inrelationtotheirclassmates.Themoreextremethechildren’s
“gifts,”themoreseveretheseproblemsmaybe.
Dr.LindaSilvermanadvisesthatthreekeyfactorsareessentialtothehealthysocial
developmentofgiftedchildren.Thefirstoftheseisawarmandrespectfulhome
environmentthatteachesappreciationofpeopleofallabilitiesandbackgrounds.
Second,opportunitiesespeciallyinelementaryyearstorelatetointellectualpeers,
notjusttochildrentheirownage.Atthetimeintheirliveswhentheirownselfconceptisforming,childrenneedtoseetheirgiftsandtalentsasaccepted,
enjoyable,andsharedwithothers-notasstrangeorweird.Finally,adolescentgifted
childrenneedtoexerciseself-acceptanceinmainstreamsettings.Onlywhenthey
cometounderstandtheirowndifferenceswillgiftedchildrenbeabletorecognize
andacceptdifferencesinothers.
Therearemanybooksandarticlesonthesocialandemotionalneedsofgifted
children.Thereisareadinglistattheendofthishandbook.Ifyouwouldlike
moreinformationonthisoranyofthetopicscoveredinthehandbook,please
contactoneofthegiftedandtalentededucationspecialists.
Chapter5:ResourcesforChildrenandParents
Thefollowingareanumberofresourcesthatyoumaywanttoconsiderinyour
searchforinformationongiftedtopics.
SuggestedOrganizations,Websites,Publications,andReadings
forParents
Belin-BlankCenter
Wearefortunatetoliveneartheworld-famousBelin-BlankCenterattheUniversity
ofIowa,whichisarespectedresearchandteachingfacilityforgiftedstudents,
teachers,andfamilies.Findtheirinformationat
http://www.education.uiowa.edu/centers/belinblank/home
IowaTalentedandGiftedAssociation(ITAG)
http://www.iowatag.org/
ITAGpromotesadvocacyatthenational,stateandlocallevels,pre-serviceandin-servicetrainingin
giftededucation,andparent/communityawareness,educationandinvolvement.
NationalAssociationforGiftedChildren(NAGC)-isanationalorganizationof
parents,teachers,andothersconcernedwithissuesinvolvinggiftedchildren.
http://www.nagc.org
SupportingEducationalNeedsoftheGifted(SENG)
SENGwillputparentsontheemaillist,ifyouareinterestedinupdates.Inadditionto
conferences,theyprovidealistoffrequentlyaskedquestionsandarticleofinterest.
WritetoSENG,P.O.Box6074,Scottsdale,AZ85261orcall(773)857-6250.
http://www.sengifted.org/
TheCouncilforExceptionalChildren(CEC)isthelargestinternationalorganization
dedicatedtoimprovingeducationaloutcomesforexceptionalchildren.
www.cec.sped.org/index.html
UniquelyGifted:Thisorganizationprovidesresourcesforgiftedstudentswho
havespecialneeds,includingADD/ADHD,learningdisabilities,Asperger
syndrome,etc.
http://www.uniquelygifted.or
Websites
Kidsource
www.kidsource.com/kidsource/pages/ed.gifted.html
TheNationalParentInformationNetwork(NPIN)
www.fcps.net/fcs?prcltem=160
Gifted-Children.com(GCC)
http://www.gifted-children.com/
TheGiftedDevelopmentCenter
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/
NationalGeographic’sInteractiveMapMachine
www.nationalgeographic.com.maps
TheNationalGalleryofArt
www.nga.gov/kids/zone/
TheLibraryofCongress
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/features/
TheNationalArchives
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/
Dibdabdooisadatabaseofovertwomillionkid/teensafesites.Allthe
searchresultswithinthissitehavebeenreviewedforsafecontent.
http://www.dibdabdoo.com/
Hoagie’sGifted
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/
Aresourcesiteofloadsofarticles,activitiesand
advocacyongiftedtopics.
Publications
GreatPotentialPresshttp://www.greatpotentialpress.com/
ImagineMagazineforGiftedChildrenhttp://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/index.html
CricketMagazinesforchildrenhttp://shop.cricketmedia.com/
Booksandarticles
Alvin.(1996).Parents’GuidetoRaisingaGiftedChild:Recognizingand
DevelopingYourChild’sPotentialfromPreschooltoAdolescence.NewYork:
BallantineBooks
Baum,S.,Reis,S.M.,&Maxfield,L.(1998)NurturingtheGiftsandTalents
ofPrimaryGradeStudents. MansfieldCenter,CT:CreativeLearning
Press,1998
Clark,B.(1997).GrowingUpGifted.(5thEd.).NewYork:Merrill.
Colangelo,N.,Assouline,S.G.,&Gross,M.U.M.(2004).ANationDeceived:
HowSchoolsHoldBackAmerica’sBrightestStudents.IowaCity,IA:
UniversityofIowa
Colangelo,N.,Assouline,S.G.,VanTassel-Baska,J,andLupkowski-Shoplik,A.
(2015)ANationEmpowered:EvidenceTrumpsTheExcusesHoldingBack
America’sBrightestStudents.IowaCity,IA:UniversityofIowa
Colangelo,N.,&Davis,G.A.(2002).HandbookofGiftedEducation.
Boston:Allyn&Bacon
Davidson,J.,Davison,B.,&Vanderkam,L.(2004).GeniusDenied:Howto
StopWastingOurBrightest
YoungMinds.NewYork:Simon&Shuster.
Davis,G.A.,&Rimm,S.B.(2003).EducationoftheGiftedandTalented.
(5thEd.)Boston:Allyn&Bacon.
Delisle,J.R,Ph.D.(2006).ParentingGiftedKids.Waco,TX:PrufrockPress
Delisle,J.R.Ph.D.&Galbraith,J.M.A.(2002).WhenGiftedKids
Don’tHaveAlltheAnswers:HowtoMeetTheirSocialandEmotional
Needs.Minneapolis,MN.FreespiritPublishing.
DevelopingMathematicallyPromisingStudents.(1999).(L.J.Sheffield,ED.)
Reston,VA:NationalCouncilofTeachersofMathematics(NCTM).
Goertzel,V.,Goertzel,M.,Goertzel,T.,&Hansen,A.(2004).Cradlesof
Eminence:ChildhoodsofMorethan700FamousMenandWomen.
Scottsdale,AZ:GreatPotentialPress.
Gross,M.U.M.(2003).ExceptionallyGiftedChildren.2nded.NewYork:
Routledge.
Halsted,J.W.(2002),SomeofMyBestFriendsAreBooks:Guiding
GiftedReadersfromPreschooltoHighSchool.SecondEdition.
Scottsdale,AZ
InternationalHandbookofGiftednessandTalent(2000).Heller,K.A.,
Monks,F.A.,Sternberg,R.J.,&Subotnik,R.F.(Eds.)(2ndEd.)NewYork:
Elsevier.
Hipp,E.(1995).FightingInvisibleTigers:AStressManagementGuidefor
Teens.Minneapolis:FreeSpiritPublishing.
Neihardt,M.,Reis,S.M.,Robinson,N.,&Moon,S.M.(Eds.).(2001).The
SocialandEmotionalDevelopmentofGiftedChildren.WhatDoWeKnow?
Waco,TX:PrufrockPress
Olenchak,F.R.(1998).TheySayMyKid’sGifted:NowWhat?
Washington,D.C.:TheNationalAssociationforGiftedChildren
Reiss,S.M.(1998).WorkLeftUndone:ChoicesandCompromisesof
TalentedWomen.MansfieldCenter,CT:CreativeLearningPress.
Rogers,K.B.(2002).Re-formingGiftedEducation:HowParentsand
TeachersCanMatchtheProgramtotheChild.Scottsdale,AZ:Great
PotentialPress.
Sternberg,R.J.(1982).LiesWeLiveBy:Misapplicationoftestsin
identifyingthegifted.GiftedChildQuarterly,26(4),157-161.
VanTassel-Baska,J.(1998).ExcellenceinEducatingGiftedandTalented
Learners(3rded.).Denver:LovePublishing.
Webb,J.T.,Gore,J.L.,&Karnes,F.A.(2004).Grandparents’GuidetoGifted
Children.Scottsdale,AZ:GreatPotentialPress.
Webb,J.T.,Meckstroth,E.A.,&Tolan,S.S.(1994)GuidingtheGiftedChild:A
practicalsourceforparentsandteachers.Scottsdale,AZ:Gifted
PsychologyPress
Webb,J.T.,Amends,E.A.,Webb,N.E.,Goerss,J.,Beljan,P.,Olenchak,F.R.,
&Lind,S.(2004).MisdiagnosisandDualDiagnosisofGiftedChildrenand
Adults:ADHD,Bipolar,OCD,Asperger’s,Depression,andOtherDisorders.
Scottsdale,AZ:GreatPotentialPress.
Winner,E.(1997).GiftedChildren,MythsandRealities.NewYork:Basic
Books.
HandbookadaptedwithpermissionfromPikesPeakBOCES,PikesPeak,CO
(2011)