What is TAG?

1. What is TAG?

2. Talented and Gifted Services It is… It is NOT… For smart kids only Giftedness = high IQ • Gardner defines intelligence as abilities to not only solve problems but also create meaningful problems as related to cultural settings • Renzulli- 3-ring Concept: Above Average Ability, Creativity, and Task Commitment

3. Gifted or Bright? • In small groups please try to put the labels into the category bright or gifted student

6. Steps to TAG Eligibility • Screening - CISS process – All teachers observe students over 2 week period identifying characteristics • Referral - Students who have at least 5 checks in 5 different categories as well as supporting data qualifications. Parents will have the opportunity to either accept or reject testing Students are tested in each of the following areas: mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation. • Testing - Students who have met 3 of the 4 qualifications in the testing areas • Eligibility -

7. What is CISS? • CISS stands for: Characteristics Instrument for Screening Students

8. CISS: What is it? • CISS stands for Characteristics Instrument for Screening Students. • CISS one of two forms of screening completed throughout the school year to screen for Talented and Gifted (TAG) characteristics so that appropriate services may be provided for those students. • This is a SCREENING and does NOT admit a student into the TAG program.

10. Videos of Stereotypes of TAG students • Yarmouth High School Robotics Team http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RXQCAmoXvg • Smart Children Talking About Libya and Gadafi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GBY_pJnw1A • Student Sleeping In Class http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPI1XI-k9t4 • Teacher Nails Class Clown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXk8WIiwWWk • Zombie Kid Likes Turtles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y • Student Brings a Typewriter to Class http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=student+brings+typewriter+to+class&oq=student+brings+t&aq=0&aqi=g1&aql=&gs_l=youtube.3.0.0.250.2014.0.3139.16.10.0.3.3.0.235.718.8j0j1.9.0...0.0.FpB3bR2tF88

11. ALL teachers need to fill out a CISS form, even if you are not a general education teacher. • If a student is already in TAG, they do not need to be CISSed. • Just because a student has an IEP does not mean that he/she may not be TAG – CISS them! • Seeing a student do something once does not mean that box should be checked on the CISS form – it should be a consistent & superior behavior. • Just because you put 5 checkmarks in the boxes on the CISS form does not mean a student will automatically be placed in TAG – it doesn’t even mean they’ll definitely be tested. The CISS form is just one aspect of screening.

12. Just because you don’t put 5 checkmarks in the boxes on the CISS form does not mean a student won’t go further in the screening process – another teacher may have checked different boxes for a total of 5, or they may have met other (testing) criteria. • Remember, some of the behaviors associated with those listed on the CISS form may not always be demonstrated in a positive way, but that does not mean they don’t exist! • Some activities and behaviors may fit multiple categories. • If in doubt, check it.

13. Communication skills- Marvin Martian: Marvin always had a plan, and though he did not verbally communicate, his message was received. Your students should be able to get their points across, even if it is not verbal. This could include writing, dancing, playing an instrument, and simply body language.

14. Motivation- Wylie Coyote: Wylie never gave up, no matter how many times the Road Runner got away. He had a goal and was willing to make a thousand mistakes in the process of achieving it. Your students will take interest in something, sometime mundane, and go above and beyond to figure it out.

15. Reasoning- Jerry: No matter the complexity of Tom’s plan to capture Jerry, Jerry’s superior reasoning skills allowed him to outsmart his large opponent. Your students’ reasoning may be displayed in all academic areas, including math, writing, and art.

16. Humor- Animaniacs: These darling characters were confined to a water tower every time they were caught because society couldn’t handle their humor/mischief. Your students’ senses of humor may be more adult like in nature, and sometimes displayed in inappropriate manners. Don’t respond by locking them away. Instead, try to provide them with safe avenues to express it.

17. Memory- Lisa Simpson: Lisa is the “smart” Simpson who retains tons of facts about an array of subjects. Your students will be able to recall specific details about topics that interest them. These topics are not always going to be school related, or even appropriate for that matter.

18. Interests- Pinky and the Brain: This duo is known for its never ending ploy to “take over the world.” They explored various ways to obtain supreme authority, never veering from their ultimate goal. Your students may find interests in subject matters that may or may not seem relevant to other kids their age, but they will do all they can to become experts in the topics. This would be encouraged outside of your classroom, but you may become frustrated when trying to teach the quadratic equation while they continue reading books on WWI.

19. Imagination/Creativity- Dragon Tales: These childhood favorites, Cassie, Ord, Zak, Wheezie, and Quetzal, were responsible for whisking two small children away into a land of creativity and make believe where trees came to life and adventure was waiting at every turn. Though you may not understand your students’ writings, drawings, or other products that are the results of creativity, their abilities to organize material in original formats and create their own realities are the epitome of creativity. Note that creative does not necessarily mean pretty or neat.

20. Problem Solving- Rabbit: This Winnie the Pooh favorite, Rabbit, was always burdened with a problem and remained stressed until a solution was found. The solution was often unconventional, but always efficient. Your students may be able to quickly find solutions to problems or they may take longer to find unordinary solutions to problems. Either way, they are able to configure the puzzle pieces to make them make sense.

21. Insight- Magic School Bus: No matter the topic, the kids on The Magic School Bus were always pushed to see things from another point of view by the “crazy” Ms. Frizzle with the help of her shape shifting school bus. Her primary mission was to provide her students with hands-on experiences to ensure that they had full understandings of the concepts. Your students may demonstrate insight not only by understanding a topic in and out, but they may also be able to view political, religious, or social issues from perspectives that they have never experienced first- hand.

22. Inquiry- Mindy: This toddler earned her own segment on Animaniacs because of the shenanigans she encountered due to her inquisitive nature. Her poor dog, Buttons, was responsible for saving her from countless near-death experiences as she ventured all over searching for answers to the most mundane question, “why?” Your students may take interest in topics that have absolutely nothing to do with what you are teaching, and they may go to extreme lengths to become experts on the subjects at hand. These lengths could include research, questioning adults they deem experts, experimenting, and even just continuing to ask you why, even though you don’t know the answer.

23. Best Practice: How do I “spot” a gifted student • Allow for higher order thinking skill activities to take place in your classroom (i.e.: group work, projects, presentations, choice boards, etc.) • Pay attention to all ten attributes of giftedness, not just the obvious few • Do NOT just have students complete worksheets day after day

24. Q & A • Give trainees a true/false sign. Use this tool as a fast formative assessment to make sure teachers understand misconceptions about gifted students and the CISS process. Ask the questions and discuss any that are necessary.

25. Q & A CISS • T/F Positive examples of communication skills are the only way a student may demonstrate the characteristic in order to be recorded according to the CISS process. • False • T/F It is ok to check every student (or almost every student) in your class in the area of creativity or motivation. • False , only check if you observe the characteristic • T/F It is ok to turn in the CISS checklist with no checkmarks at all for your entire class. • False, it is highly unlikely that NONE of your students exhibit the CISS characteristics

26. Q & A CISS • T/F Special Ed, ESOL, and students with behavior concerns won’t be served in TAG, and therefore should not be considered during the CISS process. • False!!!

27. Q & A CISS • T/F If a student has been tested before, I shouldn’t bother putting checkmarks for him/her on CISS because they won’t be tested again. • FALSE : We can use multiple criteria testing and can use different tests. Each test can be administers once every two years • T/F We use CISS to determine gifted eligibility. • FALSE: only to refer for testing if there is another piece of supporting data. • T/F Once the student has been CISSed then he/she will be tested for TAG. • FALSE: There must be a supporting piece of data

28. Q & A: Gifted Misconceptions • T/F Gifted children can have learning handicaps. • True • T/F Students earning poor or average grades cannot be gifted. • False • T/F Gifted students are happy, well-adjusted, motivated and organized. • False

29. Q & A: Gifted Misconceptions • T/F Gifted Children are usually gifted in all academic areas • False, students can be gifted in only one area and not in others • T/F Children become gifted because parents push them - False

30. Timeline • CISS: • Eligibility Team meeting: (mail home parent consent letters) • Testing: • Eligibility Team meeting: (mail home eligibility results)