Developing and Cultivating Talent and Abilities

1. Developing and Cultivating Talent and Abilities CEC October 18, 2013

2. One of the most widely discussed and debated topics in the field. Gifted and Talented Term and Definition Gifted and Talented means 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 or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities.

3. Earlier definitions relied heavily on the use of IQ scores for identifying gifted individuals. In 1993, the U.S. Department of Education proposed a new definition: Children and youth with outstanding talent perform or show the potential for performing at high levels of accomplishment when compared with others their age, experience, or environment. . .

4. . West Virginia State Board Policy 2419 Definition: Giftedness is exceptional intellectual abilities and potential for achievement that requires specially designed instruction and/or services beyond those normally provided in the general classroom instruction.

5. West Virginia State Board Policy 2419     (1) General intellectual ability with a full scale score at the 97th percentile rank or higher on a comprehensive test of intellectual ability; and    (2) At least one of the four core curriculum areas of academic achievement at the 90th percentile rank or higher as measured by an individual standardized achievement test, or at least one of the four core curriculum areas of classroom performance demonstrating exceptional functioning evaluation (Special Considerations)

6. First report to examine high-performing students over time

7. Fordham Report High Flyers = Those students who scored at or above the 90thnormed percentile on the MAP math and reading assessments, (according to NWEA 2008 Norms Study).

8. Two Groups Tracked: • Elem./middle school cohort from 3rd gr. to 8th gr. • 81,767 students in math and • 93,182 students in reading from 1500 schools in thirty states • Middle/high school cohort from 6th gr. to 10th gr. • 43,423 students in math and • 48,220 students in reading from 800 schools in twenty states

12. A majority of “high flyers” maintained their status over time, but substantial numbers “lost altitude.” 2.Most descenders don’t fall far, but there are real consequences in terms of merit-based aid and choice of college. 3.“High flyers” grew academically at similar rates to low/middle achievers in math, but grew at slightly slower rates than low/middle achievers in reading. Findings

13. Report video http://www.edexcellence.net/publications/high-flyers.html

14. Will they get it on their own? It is my hope that this report debunks, once and for all, the absurdity that high-achieving students will do fine without appropriate services delivered by teachers trained in gifted education strategies." - National Association for Gifted Children.

15. Talent development Potential Support Expertise Eminence Ability Motivation Effort Creativity

16. Multiple Intelligences

17. Talent Development Expect more than proficiency from many more students through policies, funding and practices that consistently support high expectations and high achievement. Provide multiple strategies to support student achievement at the highest levels, and expand access to rigorous curriculum and supplemental services and programs. Support emergent talent as early as possible, establishing a commitment to achievement at an early age. Engage communities to support in-school learning and supplement curriculum with outside-of-school opportunities Expand pre-service and in-service teacher training on identifying and serving high-ability, low-income and culturally and linguistically diverse students. Minimize a student’s zip code and socioeconomic status as the determining factors for receiving a rigorous, high quality education. Identify successful program models and interventions that work with low-income, high-ability students from different geographical, cultural and racial backgrounds. Remove policy barriers that impede participation and access.

18. Appropriate Instruction/Support Types of praise

20. Types of praise video http://wvde.state.wv.us/osp/giftedresourcesteacher.html OR http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTXrV0_3UjY Fixed mindset – Intelligence is innate, can’t control it - fear of failure – unwilling to try to solve a problem Growth mindset – Intelligence is malleable – take on a challenge; enables to cope with the struggles that inevitably accompany life.

21. http://www.parentingscience.com/praise-and-intelligence.html

22. A child runs up to you with a painting. You hold it up and think what to say.

23. Praise the process, not the person. (Carol Dweck) • So how should you praise? • Praise: • the strategy • interesting idea they came up with • the way they followed through, persisted • the correct choice they made • The attempt to solve a problem • Praise choosing a difficult task • Appreciation of their work, effort

24. Mindsets can be changed. Gifted Education Programs; “As long as these programs encourage a growth mindset they will not jeopardize a child’s will to learn.” Carol Dweck

25. Example of differentiating the Common Core State Standards

26. Purpose/ Goal Point of View Evidence/ Data Implications/ Consequences What will the group do this evening? Inferences Concepts/Ideas Assumptions

27. Concept Mapping Common Themes Among Fairy Tales Accomplishing difficult tasks Triumph of humility over greed Triumph of the youngest, weakest Cinderella Resolution plot Jack and the Bean Stalk conflict climax

28. Modeled on the National Standards http://wvde.state.wv.us/osp/gifted.html

29. Resources https://sites.google.com/site/artprojects1/home/native-americans Marcellus, Shale I Worry? The Middle Atlantic Colonies

30. https://sites.google.com/site/sharingideasgiftededucationwv/ http://www.wvgifted.org/Resources.html http://www.nagc.org/ This presentation: http://wvde.state.wv.us/osp/giftedresourcesteacher.html

31. I skimped a little on the foundation, but no one will ever know it.