Encinitas Union School District Gifted and Talented Education

1. Encinitas Union School DistrictGifted and Talented Education 2006-2007

2. What we will review • State Requirements for Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) • What the Research Says • What We are Doing as a District • What the School is Doing • What Classrooms are Doing • Resources

3. GATE From the State Level • To participate in the state program and thereby receive funding, the district must submit an application to the state for approval. • The application may be approved for one, two, or three years. • Our application is up for renewal at the end of this year. • The application must meet the requirements of Ed. Code and California GATE Standards.

4. California Education Code 52200-52212 The Legislature is committed to the belief that programs for gifted and talented pupils include all of the following: • Differentiated opportunities commensurate with pupil’s particular abilities and talents. • Learning environments in which pupils can acquire skills and understanding at advanced ideological and creative levels commensurate with their potential.

5. California Education Code 52200-52212 • Elements that help gifted and talented pupils develop sensitivity and responsibility to others. • Elements that help to develop a commitment ethical standards. • Elements that assist pupils to develop problem solving abilities to expand each pupil’s awareness of choices for making contributions to his or her environment. • Elements that help gifted and talented pupils develop realistic, healthy self concepts.

6. California Standards for the Gifted • Program Design • Identification • Curriculum and Instruction • Social and Emotional Development • Professional Development • Parent and Community Involvement • Program Assessment • Budgets

7. So what does all this mean? • The district has certain criteria they must meet for ongoing state financial support of our program. • The standards and education code both support our focus for gifted students on • differentiated curriculum and opportunities within the classroom • Staff Development • Service Learning

8. What is recommended • Differentiated Curriculum • Flexible Grouping • Clustering students within classes • More than one identification instrument. • Strong staff development programs for teachers. • Parent Education

9. What is not recommended(not supported by research) • Pull-out instruction that is unrelated to state standards or content being covered in the classroom. • After school /lunchtime programs which could exclude some students. • One-time presentations/field trips.

10. The Learner Precocity Intensity Complexity The Curriculum Advanced content(Well beyond 2 years) Process/product depth (ability to concentrate over extended periods of time) Issues/concepts/themes (Ideas across domains of learning) Gifted Learners

11. Gifted Learners • Uneven development • majority of gifted kids develop this way. (Stronger in one domain than another) • Manifested in one area or several – model that child is bright everywhere is not realistic. • Degrees of giftedness within & across areas • Non-intellectual factors matter in predicting program success (motivation, persistence)

12. Programs and Services • Necessary components • Curriculum Alignment and Adaptation to Standards • Philosophy Statements • Goals • Student Assessment • Organizational Arrangements

13. Program and Services • Flexible grouping with differentiation is what is proven through research to work • Acceleration vs. enrichment: acceleration yields better results • Cluster grouping – smaller is better, diads to quads. Pull-out and self contained lead to about the same results

14. Curriculum • Gifted students tend to use higher order thinking even without training, but benefit significantly from being trained. • Gifted students prefer a structured learning environment, but prefer open-ended tasks and assignments. • Academically gifted students tend to be uncomfortable taking risks or dealing with ambiguity, therefore there is a need for teaching divergent thinking • Needs to be Standards-Based

15. Differentiated Curriculum • What the teacher differentiates • Content • Process • Product • Learning Environment

16. Differentiated Curriculum • Why is the Teacher Differentiating • Access to Learning • Motivation to Learn • Efficiency of Learning

17. Differentiated Curriculum Features of a GATE Differentiated Curriculum • Acceleration • Complexity • Depth • Challenge • Creativity

18. 50 year longitudinal Study • Students given an accelerated curriculum, do better over time • Gains for students were across groupings – how students were grouped did not matter

19. What the District is Doing Differentiation Task Force • Composition of the Group • Primary Teachers • Intermediate Teachers • Parents • Principals • District Office Administrators

20. Process • Discuss definitions of Differentiated Instruction and GATE Program • Review existing GATE Plan • Look at what research tells us • Articles • Findings from William & Mary • Teacher presentation from William and Mary • Recommendations/Next Steps

21. Recommended Next Steps • Review and Revise District GATE Plan • Revisit Identification Process • Professional Development in Differentiated Instruction for Gifted Learners • Address needs of Gifted Students at all Grade Levels • GATE Certification of Teachers • Stronger Communication with Parents • Provide Resources for Parents • Form District Parent Advisory

22. Resources for You • Books • Helping Gifted Children Soar, Carol A.Strip • Guiding the Gifted Child, Webb, Meckstroth, & Tolan • Reforming Gifted Education, Karen Rogers • Web Sites • California Association for the Gifted http://www.cagifted.org/ • National Association for Gifted Children http://www.nagc.org/default.aspx?id=48 • Supporting the Needs of Gifted Children http://www.sengifted.org/