Unveiling Gifted Students in the Classroom

1. Gifted? Identifying Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom

2. Einstein was 4 years old before he could speak and 7 before he could read. Thomas Edison’s teachers told him he was “too stupid to learn anything.” A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he had “no good ideas.” Louis Pasteur was rated mediocre in chemistry in college. Think you know who’s gifted?

3. Isn’t gifted just another name for a good student, a bright child, or a student who has good behavior and follows directions?

4. NO!

5. How do you tell the difference between a bright child and a gifted child?

6. Bright children learn new vocabulary easily but use words that are age appropriate. They tend to take turns in conversation. Gifted children have extensive vocabularies and often choose words that are age-advanced. They understand nuances other children don’t and often dominate conversation. Bright vs....Gifted

7. Bright children understand classroom presentations and benefit from drills that help them cement skills and concepts, follow directions readily, and are somewhat patient with rote learning. Gifted children dislike rote learning and drills because they master what they’ve learned very quickly. Sometimes they don’t follow directions because they see different ways of solving problems. Bright vs.. Gifted

8. Bright children are energetic, curious, and ask a lot of questions, sometimes asking the same question more than once. Gifted children are voraciously curious, often about many topics, wanting every detail about areas of interest. Bright vs... Gifted

9. Bright children generally stay on-task and are able to complete projects by a deadline. Gifted children may become deeply involved in all aspects of a project and may not finish assignments and projects by a deadline. Bright vs... Gifted

10. Bright children show emotion but are generally able to get past an upset and explain why they are angry, hurt, or perturbed. Gifted children are often emotional, passionate, and deeply empathetic. Their emotions may get in the way of other areas of thought or work. Bright vs... Gifted

11. Bright children share interests with peers and fit in at school; they generally believe others like them. Gifted children usually have high self-esteem, but sometimes feel different from their peers. They worry that they’ll never fit in and so may develop low self-esteem, even in the face of high achievement. Bright vs... Gifted

12. Bright children: -know the answers -have good ideas -work hard -are in the top group -require 6-8 repetitions for mastery Gifted children: -ask the questions -have wild, silly ideas -play around, yet test well -function beyond the group -require only 1-2 repetitions for mastery Bright vs... Gifted

13. Bright children: -enjoy peers -complete assignments -follow the plan -are pleased with own learning Gifted children: -enjoy adults -initiate projects -create the plan -are highly self-critical and tend to be perfectionists Bright vs... Gifted

14. Characteristics of Gifted Students • Are extremely curious • Know a little about many things but may not have depth in any one area • Are often a challenge to teachers because of questions and contributions to class • Learn rapidly and easily • Are often frustrated with lack of activity or assignments outside their interest

15. Characteristics of Gifted Students • Are creative and inventive • Have off the wall ideas and comments • Have high verbal ability • Are able to talk around problems and their lack of knowledge

16. Characteristics of Gifted Students • Have a good sense of humor • Often use humor at the wrong time, can be sarcastic and can distract others • Have a wide variety of interests • May be involved in so much that they become overextended • May be very disorganized.

17. Gifted English Language Learners • Acquire a second language rapidly • Show high ability in mathematics • Display mature sense of diverse cultures and languages • Demonstrate advanced awareness of American expressions • Translate at an advanced level (oral) (The Connie Belin and Jacqueline N. Blank International Center of Gifted Education and Talent Development, University of Iowa)

18. Bottom LineGifted Students can be great students any teacher would love to teach. They are enthusiastic and willing to learn. However, they can also be disruptive, challenging toward authority, and eccentric.

19. Do you recognize any of your students in this presentation?

20. If you do, please recommend those students using the referral forms found at the Gifted Department Website linked to www.habershamschools.com - Departments – Gifted Program – Document Uploads – Gifted Referral Forms.

21. How does the referral process work?

22. Referral & Evaluation Process • Referral: Gather Information-The classroom teacher gathers information and begins a referral packet for student recommendations. Work samples and informational pieces need to be gathered throughout the year. It is helpful to submit samples that show a child’s ability over a span of time. Original and innovative pieces are most helpful with teacher comments attached to each work sample. A referral is a recommendation for evaluation. It is the job of the Gifted Eligibility Team to determine if testing is appropriate. 2. The Gifted Eligibility Team (GET) meets in early March with the nominating teacher who will serve as the child’s advocate throughout the process. The GET consists of a school level panel of five members, consisting of: • an administrator, • the child’s classroom teacher, • a gifted education teacher, and • two other members selected by the principal. Nominations will be carefully reviewed by the team to determine if gifted testing is warranted.

23. Referral & Evaluation Process (continued) 3. Formal Evaluation: The gifted education teachers administer assessment measures in the following areas: a. Mental Ability b. Achievement c. Creativity d. Motivation 4. Determination ofEligibility 5. Notification of gifted placement or curriculum recommendations

24. January is Gifted Referral Month. If you believe that you are teaching gifted students who have not yet been identified, observe them using the Student Talent Survey form as a guideline. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to any gifted education teacher or check the county website for forms, links, and information. The deadline for submissions is January 31.

25. Discovery Teachers Hannah Demore Kathy Meredith Allison Smith Feel free to contact us by email or by phone (706-778-2030) with any questions.