Advocating for Your Child

1. Advocating for Your Child Elizabeth Nagy

2. Areas of Advocacy • National • State • San Diego City • School • Site Plan • Classroom • Individual Teacher Plan • Family

3. Federal Definition: • “Students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities.”

4. Why Advocate on the Higher Levels at All? • 3 million GAT in USA • Classroom • Children’s academic and artistic gifts and talents must be systematically encouraged and thoughtfully supported to allow them to reach their full potential. • Many elementary students – 40-50% material (study) • Most students spend 80% in regular classroom • 1991 study – 18-25% drop out (socio-economic status, access to extracurricular activities, hobbies, computers • Teachers • Gifted Education Programs Require Funding • National Trends in Math and Science

5. National / Federal Level • Sets standards for states to follow • No federal mandate • No funds to districts for gifted programs • Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act • Research-based initiative which must be approved yearly with each new budget • Administered by the Department of Education • Year 2005 - 11 million • Year 2006 9.6 million

6. Javits Money • VERY Small Proportion of Funds • National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented • Competitive demonstration grants to institutions of higher education and state and local education agencies to develop and expand models to better serve underrepresented students • State grants to state agencies and school districts to implement programs which enhance programs statewide

7. Why is this important? • Javits is for national research and demonstration projects only • Without a strong federal mandate states are free to provide gifted services as they see fit – decisions are made at the state and local levels • Wide variability in programs • Uncertainty for students and their families

8. State Level • Huge variability among states • Funding and state support • State mandates • Teacher preparation • Program and service options • Accountability

9. State of California • Why? • Most monies for GATE come from state and local sources • California Department of Education Standards for programs for gifted and talented students (go to CAG website to download) • Program Design • Identification • Curriculum and Instruction • Social and Emotional Development • Professional Development • Parent and Community Involvement • Program Assessment • Budgets

10. CAG - California Association for the Gifted • Just moved to Sacramento • (916) 441-3999 • www.cagifted.org Regions • Educational Offerings and Publications • Gifted Education Communicator • Advocacy in Action • Awards and Scholarships • Advocacy • See Handout • Website for how to interact with legislators • Links to other gifted sites • Yearly meeting in March (Palm Springs)

11. Local - San Diego City Schools • Why? • Decisions made here! • School Board • Opportunities for Advocacy! • Who is your board representative! • GATE Department • Help identify resources but have minimal dollar impact

12. GATE Department • Goals • Testing • Cluster and Seminar • Involvement • GATE DAC (District Advisory Council) • Feb 6 Meeting Dr. Cohn • (Ballard) • Personnel (understaffed!)

13. GATE Advocacy at the District • DAC Involvement • Committees • Responding to Cutbacks (see NAGC website) • Examine the program • Establish a rationale (why do gifted learners really need something different educationally speaking?) • Communication Skills • Build Bridge for Administrators • Network • Speak/write to your board member (children can help) • Speak/write to the Superintendent

14. Advocacy Methods • Personal Letter • Email • Phone call • Speaking to leader • Press • What to include? • Where to get more information

15. School Advocacy • Why? • Most decisions here • Teacher and principal are crucial • Classroom groupings • How • Get involved • Be a representative • Help the rep • GATE meeting(s) at school

16. School GATE Plan and Rubric • Program Design State GATE Standard • Model A (Traditional), B (Cluster), C (Collaborative), D (Individual), Seminar • Identification State GATE Standard • Professional Development State GATE Standard • Social and Emotional Development State GATE Standard • Parent and Community Involvement GATE Standard • Program Assessment State GATE Standard • Budget State GATE Standard

17. Teacher GATE Plan • If teaching GATE class • Each teacher outlines how he/she will teach GATE students • Strategies he/she will use • Familiarize self with some of these concepts – can use them at home

18. Classroom Become involved

19. Classroom • Why go in the classroom? • Biggest thing you can do to understand your child’s situation • Look at it from the teacher’s point of view – what are they up against? • Number of students • Ability range of students • Emotional / Social abilities of students • Standards and Curriculum • Balance what you see with what you hear from child • Collaborative Partnership • How can you best help the teacher so you both can meet the needs of your child?

20. Before Meeting with the School • HANDOUT • Begin with your child. • “I’m bored” doesn’t give you enough information. • What would make school more interesting? • If they could change anything, what would they change? • When do they feel excited about classes? • When do they tune out? • Saying the “B” word is often counterproductive

21. Meeting with the Teacher #1 • Always start here • Plan in advance what you are going to say • Write down thoughts and observations about your child’s abilities • Avoid using the term “gifted education” and focus on stating the dilemma without that. • Bring examples of child’s work (at home or from school) as appropriate

22. Meeting with the teacher #2 • Expect the teacher to be reasonable • Approach from a positive note • Thank the teacher for giving you this time • Get to the point about why you feel it is necessary to meet • Listen carefully to what the teacher says • Make eye contact

23. Meeting with the teacher #3 • Wait before you respond • Work for a consensus. Stress “we” not “you” • Show courtesy • Paraphrase • Control your emotions • Keep an open mind • Check to make sure your questions are answered before you leave • Plan a timeline for follow up steps with the teacher • Thank the teacher for their time again

24. Do Follow Up • Write a note of thanks • Don’t assume everything is fine after the conference • Write down the main points of the conference and plan • Communicate! • Talk with child and teacher periodically to assess progress • Be consistent in support

25. Follow Up #2 • Follow up with next steps as you agreed to with the teacher • Understand you will probably need more conferences • Involve others as necessary. Follow chain of command.

26. Avoid • Trigger Words • Examples: “You always,” “my child is bored in your class,” etc • Attitude • “Shotgun approach” • Vinegar vs. honey • Lack of preparation • If you were the teacher, how would you like to be approached by a parent?

27. Family • Discuss your thoughts about what is the best way to meet the needs of your child with your partner. • What was their experience with education? • Are you both on the same page? • What mentor options exist? • SENG website can help with social and emotional aspects

28. Conclusion • Remember the goal • Be persistent • Stay focused • Be positive • Keep your sense of humor

29. Internet Resources #1 • www.nagc.org • Advocacy toolkit • www.cagifted.org • Advocacy tab • Resource list

30. Internet Resources #2 • www.sandi.net • (search for gifted or GATE or look under departments) • San Diego program, contacts • Links to others • www.sengifted.org • Help with social and emotional • Share with family and teachers • www.hoagiesgifted.org

31. Bibliography Resources • Winebrenner, Susan. (2001) Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. • Strip, Carol. (2000) Helping Gifted Children Soar.