Identification of High Potential Students

1. Identification of High Potential Students Scaling-Up Project CRITICAL Harlem Renaissance Technology Center August 17, 2009

2. The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented www.gifted.uconn.edu Nancy.heilbronner@uconn.edu

3. “Schools are places for talent development.”Joseph Renzulli

4. Theme: A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships • The main focus of Joe Renzulli’s work has been to apply the pedagogy of gifted education to all students. Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation; but all children have the equal right to develop their talent, ability, and motivation. ~John F. Kennedy

5. What is Gifted & Talented? Gifted Behaviors vs. Gifted People

6. How We Perceive “Gifted?”Matilda

7. What is Gifted & Talented? Identification Activity

8. School House or Lesson Learning Giftedness Creative/Productive Giftedness Two Types of Giftedness

9. Conservative IQ/Cognitive test scores only Top 1%-5% of student population Under representation of culturally, linguistically, economically diverse & twice exceptional students Liberal Multiple identification criteria Top 10%-15% of student population More inclusive Conservative vs. Liberal Identification Methods

10. Personality Factors Perception of Self, Self-Efficacy Courage Character Intuition Charm/Charisma Need for Achievement Ego Strength Energy Sense of Destiny Personal Attractiveness Environmental Factors SES Parental Personalities Education of Parents Stimulation of Childhood Interests Family Position Formal Education Role Model Availability Physical Illness and/or Well Being Chance Factors Zeitgeist Factors Influencing Gifted Behavior

11. It’s difficult to reprimand some children for inattention in class.

12. Three Ring Conception of Giftedness

13. Above Average Ability Above Average Ability: Characteristics • General Ability • High levels of abstract thinking, verbal & numerical reasoning, spatial relations, memory and word fluency • Adapts to novel situations • Automization of information processing; rapid, accurate & selective retrieval of information

14. Above Average Ability Above Average Ability: Characteristics • Specific Ability • Application of various combinations of general abilities to one or more specialized areas of knowledge or performance • Capacity for acquiring and using advanced knowledge, techniques, logistics and strategies • Capacity to determine relevance of information

15. Task Commitment Task Commitment: Characteristics • High levels of interest, enthusiasm, fascination, & involvement • Shows perseverance, endurance, determination, hard work & dedicated practice • Self-confident, belief in own ability, driven to achieve • Ability to identify problems; tune in to new developments in field • Sets high standards, open to criticism, developing sense of taste, quality & excellence about work products

16. Creativity: Characteristics • Fluency, flexibility & originality of thought • Openness to experience; receptive to new and different thoughts, actions & products • Curious, speculative, adventurous, and “mentally playful”; willing to take risks in thought and action; uninhibited • Sensitive to detail, aesthetic characteristics of ideas and things; willing to act on and react to external stimulation and own ideas and feelings Creativity

17. Three Ring Conception of Giftedness Giftedness Is Evident

18. A I C U C T P Giftedness Appears… At Certain Times In Certain People Under Certain Circumstances

19. Identifying Talent Pool Students • What are we looking for? • Learning Profile? • Personality Traits? • IQ?

20. We realize you do better on your IQ tests than you do in anything else, but you just cannot major in IQ.

21. The Renzulli Identification System • Based on the 3-Ring Conception of Giftedness & the Enrichment Triad Model • Strives for equity, excellence & economy • Designed to be flexible (e.g. to follow state guidelines on cut-off scores) • Based on research of behavioral characteristics of highly creative & productive people

22. Talent Pool Membership • Students who demonstrate above average ability on cognitive tests • Students who would most benefit from supplementary services • May be based on state guidelines

23. Test Score Criteria [Approximately 50% of The Talent Pool] 99th %ile Total Talent Pool Consists of Approximately 15% of the General Population Test Score Nominations [Automatic, and Based on Local Norms] Step 1 92nd %ile Non-Test Criteria [Approximately 50% of The Talent Pool] Alternative Pathways Teacher Nominations [Automatic Except in Cases of Teachers Who Are Over or Under Nominators] Step 2 Step 3 Alternative Pathways Special Nominations Step 4 Notification of Parents Step 5 Action Information Nominations Step 6 Renzulli Identification System

24. Student Profile: Trina • Curious, quick learner • Achieved English proficiency in one year • Family fled Bosnia • Self-Motivated • Likes languages

25. Student Profile: Jake • Learning disabilities • Verbal, curious • Parents helped with reading & writing • Wide range of interests • IQ • Junior herpetologist

26. Student Profile: Iris • Shy, quiet • Good grades • First generation American • Family values education • Gifted writer

27. Student Profile: Reynaldo • Reluctant student • Easily disappointed & frustrated • Problems at home • Poor grades • Deep thinker, curious

28. Student Profile: Keith • Precocious learner • Impatient with peers • Needy mother • Acts out • Great writer, mathematician, scientist

29. Student Profile: Angelo • Voracious reader • Highly educated family • Socially awkward • Hates writing • Excellent mathematician, creative thinker

30. Top 1% IQ Reading, Writing, Math Top 5-10% IQ Reading, Writing, Math Top 10-15% Alternate Pathways

31. Identifying Talent Pool Students • Local decision for criteria • Use multiple criteria • Top 10-15% - About 2-5 students • Look beyond the obvious - look for potential as well as talent that is already developed

32. Gifted class indeed! One is gifted in science but can’t read; one is gifted in reading, but won’t even try in math…

33. The Golden Rule of Gifted Education There should be a direct relationship between the identification system and the types of services provided by the program!