Marie L. Edmund Navik
North Park University
Master’s Project research submitted to the School of Education in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts in Education
© Copyright by Marie L. Navik, 2002.
All rights reserved
The curricular approach makes use of Constructivism, Progressivism,
Humanism, and Social Learning Theory. In an environment that encourages
growth and reflection, instructional practices build upon the experiences
and knowledge of participants. Lessons are based on the theories
of Lev Vygotsky, Albert Bandura, John Dewey, and Abraham Maslow.
The Program Coordinator will provide participants with foundational information
and facilitate discussions.
The project has been designed to be studied over the course of a semester
of weekly team meetings. However, alternating weekly team meetings
and weekly collaboration with the Program Coordinator extends the study
to two semesters. Participants and the Program Coordinator collaborate
to develop methods for integrating appropriate challenge for gifted learners
into standard practices.
The researcher’s goal is to differentiate professional development for
middle school teachers in order to accommodate diverse experiences and
professional preparation in gifted education. The researcher envisions
that as a result of applying concepts developed in this curriculum, participants
will become more confident in their ability to positively affect the learning
outcomes of gifted students.
Statement of the curricular issue
Background and significance of the issue
Purpose of the study
Conceptual framework for the study
Constructivism
Andragogy
Progressivism
Humanism
Social Learning/Social Development
Identification of assumptions relevant to the study
Assumptions about general learning
Assumptions about teaching/learning styles, strategies, or content
Assumptions about the specific teaching situation
Basic concepts of the study
Specific to gifted programming
Specific to content
Specific to situation
Review of relevant theoretical literature
Intelligence and giftedness
Instruction and Constructivism
Instruction and Progressivism
Instruction and Humanism
Instruction and adult learners
Review of empirical literature
Intelligence and giftedness
Professional development and differentiation
Professional development and adult learning
Summary of research relevant to the study framework
Description of the curricular project model
Description of the context for the curriculum
Conceptual framework
Description of objectives, concepts and generalizations of content, outline of content, and assessment strategies related to theoretical framework of the curriculum
Objectives
Concepts and generalization of content
Outline of content
Assessment strategies related to theoretical framework of the curriculum
Data collection procedures relevant to the project
Data analysis
Titles of Lesson Plans
General notes
Major findings
Implications for education
Limitations of the project
Recommendations for further research
Presentation to the public
Dr. James Delisle, Professor of Education at Kent State University, contends that few teachers can deliver the level of instruction gifted students need; when the diversity of the student population necessitates differentiated instruction, teachers often lack knowledge, necessary resources and support to meet the needs of a heterogeneous class (Checkley, 2000). Gifted and talented students in regular classrooms are rarely offered special attention or services to significantly address their intellectual development (Feldhusen, 2001). Teachers are reluctant to allow students to compact or test-out of grade-level content; they assign extension activities in addition to the regular workload, essentially giving gifted students more work instead of different work (Reis & Westberg, 1994). Dr. Jean Gubbins, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Connecticut, asserts that differentiation is complex (Checkley, 2000). She reports that she has master’s program students who have not heard of differentiated instruction. Gubbins concedes that, even with training, teachers who construct and implement differentiated learning experiences must have support (Checkley, 2000).
In Huntley District 158, support for teachers of the gifted program comes in the form of the collaboration delivery model. This model is called Resource Consultation when it is used in schools (Kirschenbaum, Armstrong, & Landrum, 1999). Resource Consultation provides regular classroom teachers with direct and indirect services, including identification of gifted students, curriculum and instruction modification, and assessment of student learning (Kirschenbaum, Armstrong, & Landrum, 1999). In order to more closely meet the needs of a diverse population, particularly the academically talented, the researcher intends implementation of the Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum to be embedded in the teachers’ school day and delivered through collaboration and consultation with the Gifted Program Coordinator.
In National Excellence: A Case for Developing American’s Talent (1993), the U.S. Department of Education cited studies showing gifted and talented elementary students have mastered from 35 to 50 percent of the school curriculum before the commencement of the school year. Nevertheless, most regular classroom teachers make few, if any, accommodations for exceptionally talented students. The study indicated concern that teachers are ignoring students with outstanding talents and urged that they need to receive better training in how to teach high-level curricula (U.S. Department of Education, 1993).
The U.S. Department of Education reports professional development plays
an essential role in guiding all students to achieve higher levels of learning
and development (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.). However, in
a recent statement, Gene R. Carter, Executive Director, Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), responded to the U.S. Department
of Education’s report on teacher quality, Meeting the Highly Qualified
Teachers Challenge. He contends that insufficient access to professional
development, support, and resources influence teachers to leave the teaching
profession (Carter, 2002).
The purposes of professional development include improving the
technical skills of teachers, increasing the teachers’ repertoire of instructional
strategies, developing teachers’ strengths, building competence in teachers’
weaker areas, and developing collaborative and supportive relationships
(Sweeny, 2002). Specialists in gifted education, affirm that professional
development, unlike in-service training, is typically a long-term, multi-year
process with established goals based on an assessment of needs, local leadership,
involvement of school administration, and collaborative decision-making
(Dettmer & Landrum, 1998).
In 1963, the Illinois General Assembly adopted legislation intended to foster educational services for gifted and talented children (ISBE, 1999). In 1987, it enacted legislation requiring all school districts to develop Comprehensive Gifted Education Plans (ISBE, 1999). Additionally, Illinois Administrative Code, Chapter I, Section 227.50 describes requirements to be met by all professional personnel for whom reimbursement funds in excess of $300 are claimed. Personnel must meet two of three requirements. They are to complete at least 3 semester or 4 quarter hours of college credit in the education of gifted and talented children, complete a training institute for teachers of gifted and talented children which is approved by the State Board of Education and provided through the Regional Offices of Education or the Intermediate Service Centers, or have had at least two years of experience in working with programs for gifted and talented children (ISBE, 2000). The Illinois State Board of Education includes providing in-service training for the teachers of identified gifted and talented children among the responsibilities of Reimbursement Coordinators (ISBE, 2000). These laws and codes furnish the basis for gifted education in the State of Illinois and the rationale for this professional development curriculum.
In 1999, the Board of Education (BOE) School District 158 created one full-time Gifted Program Coordinator’s position. Previously, the curriculum coordinator had overseen the program. Two years later, the BOE hired two additional full-time Gifted Program Coordinators. Two of the Program Coordinators primarily serve the elementary population, while one Program Coordinator primarily serves the Middle and High School population. The present job description for Coordinators of the Gifted Program of District 158 includes the training of all teachers.
Within its vision statement, the BOE has included the goal to “develop and implement educational programs that equitably serve and challenge all students, no matter their ability” (April 2002). This goal is in harmony with the current policy regarding exceptionally talented students (BOE, 2001) requiring that gifted and talented students have an opportunity to participate in appropriate educational programs to the extent possible within the resources available. The BOE further authorizes the Superintendent to include staff development for all teachers addressing the characteristics and learning needs of gifted and talented students within the gifted program (2001).
Since the Professional Development Curriculum is most meaningful when teachers apply the concepts to their own teaching, it will focus on helping learners internalize the philosophy of differentiation and transform it to be applicable to their own classroom instruction. They will learn by reflecting on their experience and acquire new skills as a means of attaining ends immediately meaningful to their present situations. According to the assumptions of Andragogy, the relevance that promotes receptivity toward change (Shaw, 2002) is foundational to the Professional Development Curriculum. The researcher intends that creativity and confidence in their capabilities will result from teachers sharing their diverse opinions, backgrounds, and experiences. Ultimately, the researcher intends teachers to see the complexity of applying differentiation strategies as a challenge to be mastered and within their grasp.
Taxonomy, cognition, and ascending intellectual demand: Teachers will reference the taxonomy (method of classification) of cognitive processing developed by the late Benjamin Bloom, Professor at the University of Chicago, to allow targeting of curriculum outcomes. Bloom defines cognition as a six-step hierarchy that includes knowing, comprehending, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating (Bloom, B. S., Mesia, B. B., & Krathwohl, D. R., 1964). Ascending intellectual demand is the increasing need for challenge experienced by students as they become more competent in the knowledge and skills of a particular domain (Tomlinson et al., 2002).
Curriculum and instruction: The meaning of the term curriculum has undergone changes as the concerns of curriculum planners have changed. Traditionally, curriculum has referred to essential information passed from one generation to the next (Wiles, 1999). As educators faced the challenge of social changes early in the twentieth century and the educated classes broadened beyond the elite, curricula became that which educators intended for students to know and do rather than subjects to be taught. With the increasing diversity of learners in the mid-twentieth century, the focus shifted from concentration on disciplines to that to which the learners are intended to be exposed. In the last third of the twentieth century, largely due to financial pressures, curriculum planners redirected the focus to products and the use of standards and intentional teaching for specific outcomes (Wiles, 1999). Since assumptions about the purpose or definition of the term “curriculum” along with the philosophy of the definition are foundational, for the purpose of this project the term curriculum will refer to a plan for learning, planned actions for instruction, planned outcomes for which the school is responsible, and a structured set of learning outcomes resulting from instruction. Curriculum is not what students will do in the learning situation, but what they will learn because of what they do with the results (Wiles, 1999). Curriculum has the following four components: objectives, content, experiences, and evaluation means. Instruction refers only to experiences (Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998). An instructional plan addresses teaching methods and educational activities that engage students in learning the content of the curriculum (Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998).
Consultant: A consultant has some influence but no direct authority to make changes or implement programming (Killion, & Harrison, 1997). A consultant’s work includes establishing relationships with clients, clarifying expectations, diagnosing situations, and guiding clients in determining the best intervention to accomplish their goal (Killion, & Harrison, 1997). A consultant collaborates with the client when invited, provides insights, makes inquiries, and offers potential choices, but refrains from directing the course of action. Cooperation, collegiality, and collaboration are essential elements of work environments with a sense of community (Kruse, 1999). For clients to grow from the collaboration, consultants must encourage them as they seek multiple solutions and must refrain from dictating a best answer. Final choices rest with the clients as the collaborator assists them in achieving their goals (Killion, & Harrison, 1997). As a catalyst for change, the staff developer must be comfortable being perceived as “on the edge” with “ears to the ground” (Killion, & Harrison, 1997).
Embedded professional development: According to the U.S. Department of Education, Building Bridges: The Mission & Principles of Professional Development, professional development “promotes continuous inquiry and improvement embedded in the daily life of schools…and requires substantial time and other resources.” Thomas Guskey (1997) elaborates on the concept using the term “procedurally embedded” to mean an ongoing activity “woven into the fabric” of the educator’s daily responsibilities.
Dr. Joseph Renzulli, Director of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC G/T) at the University of Connecticut, speaks of two kinds of giftedness. One kind shows up well in school settings; another kind is more apparent in learning situations promoting creative-productive giftedness by using and applying information and thinking in integrated, inductive problem-solving processes (Renzulli, 1998). In identifying giftedness, Renzulli finds that research on creative-productive people consistently has shown that the interaction of three clusters is necessary for creative-productive accomplishments. The three clusters are above average ability, creativity, and task commitment. Like Sternberg, Renzulli finds traditional definitions and measures of intelligence to be limiting and likely to overlook individuals who have the potential to produce creative accomplishments (1998).
A contemporary of Sternberg and Renzulli, Harvard University professor Howard Gardner put forth a theory of multiple, independent intelligences in Frames of the Mind (1983). The intelligences Gardner names are the logical-mathematical, the linguistic, the spatial, the musical, the bodily kinesthetic, the interpersonal, the intrapersonal, the existential, and the naturalist. Gardner’s theory is based on empirical findings of biological research showing that aspects of intelligence are located in particular parts of the brain. Physiological changes take place in distinct parts of the brain when different types of learning that occurs result in synaptic connections in various locations in the brain. Gardner stipulates that to qualify as an intelligence, the aspect must appear within a symbol system valued by others (1983). The development of intelligences is also cultural, and, therefore, may be valued only within certain groups. For example, the knowledge a Native American child has about his environment may be valued by his family and tribe, but not valued in the schoolhouse (Lake, 1990).
Gardner defines intelligence as “the capacity to solve problems or to fashion products that are valued in one or more cultural settings” (1983). In addition, intelligence is a bio-psychological potential drawn on within a culture for a variety of purposes (Gardner, 1994). Multiple Intelligences Theory (MI) has liberated the concept of intelligence from the constraints of IQ, but has, nonetheless, subjectively and arbitrarily corralled human intelligence within a limited number of categories (Williams, 2000). Eliot Eisner, Stanford University, responds that Gardner’s work provides a “compelling corrective to the intellectually constipated conception of human ability” embraced by education (1995). However, he also sees the limitations of defining only the intelligences Gardner named and would like to see the artistic treatment of a symbol system included in the identified intelligences (Eisner, 1995).
According to Albert Bandura, Stanford University, a strong sense of perceived self-efficacy develops through the experience of mastering tasks considered by the individual to be sufficiently difficult to be perceived as obstacles (1994). As the individual succeeds at overcoming obstacles, his concept of his own abilities to manage challenges becomes more robust, and he develops a resiliency that frames his response to adversity. The sense of self-efficacy can also grow from observing the success of others who assumed to be similar in significant ways. However, it is crucial that the observer perceive himself to have very similar gifts and talents to the successful role model. Seeing a far superior specimen succeed is actually detrimental to self-efficacy. A third way to enhance self-efficacy is through social persuasion. Bandura points out that self-efficacy will more likely be lowered by negative comments than be enriched by positive ones (1994). Those who have optimistic perceptions of self-efficacy also have stronger beliefs that they exercise some control over their situations (Bandura, 1994).
Dewey believed that only by applying previous knowledge to solving new and meaningful problems does the intellect expand and grow (1990). To this end, he offered a five-step method, based on the scientific method, as a model for problem solving. The steps to the method included awareness of the problem, its definition, proposal of hypotheses to solve the problem, examination of consequences of each in light of previous experience, and testing the most likely solution. The classrooms of the University of Chicago Laboratory School were themselves laboratories and workshops where students applied the five-step method of problem solving to every day tasks like building and cooking (Dewey, 1990).
American psychologist and philosopher Henry James offers a theory of knowledge based on three levels of knowing: knowledge-of, knowledge-about, and knowledge-how (Tomlinson et al., 2002). The teacher’s knowledge of giftedness and his adult-learning preferences will indicate how the Professional Development Curriculum will be differentiated in appropriate process, content, product, and environment. Knowledge-of instructional strategies appropriate for gifted children are appropriate for a teacher who is relatively inexperienced. As he becomes more proficient at teaching and more comfortable with his responsibilities, he may remember strategies and seek to move to the knowledge-about stage. At this stage, he will understand the key concepts and essential principles governing qualitatively different educational experiences for gifted students. At some point, the teacher may move to the level of knowledge-how wherein he may apply his understanding of differentiated curriculum to generate new insights and approaches to education of the gifted (Tomlinson et al., 2002).
The concept of a learning community organized around the basic principle of continuing learning throughout life delights Knowles. A proponent of Andragogy, the art and science of helping adults learn, Knowles envisions using learning centers and specialists – learning skills assessors, educational diagnosticians, educational planning consultants – and support staffs, to link citizens of all ages with appropriate learning resources, giving them the skills and support for lifelong learning (1980). In contrast to pedagogy, the teacher-focused, content-based, art and science of educating children (Conner, 1995), Andragogy is learner-centered and process-based (Conner, 1995). Andragogy makes four assumptions about the design of learning. First, adults need to understand the purpose of the learning. Second, they learn by seeing the results of experiences. Third, they approach learning as problem solving. Fourth, when the topic is of immediate value, adults learn best. Additional principles include involving adults in the planning and evaluation of instruction, and allowing adults to learn from successes and mistakes (Knowles, 1980). Knowles suggests explaining why specific things are taught, using task-oriented learning activities in the context to which they relate, taking into consideration the diverse backgrounds of the learners, and allowing learners to discover understandings (1980).
Peter Senge, Director of the Center for Organizational Learning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management, has also written about the idea of a “learning organization” in which people at all levels are continually increasing their capacities by collectively learning (O’Neil, 1995). In an interview with John O’Neil, Senior Editor of Educational Leadership (1995), Senge, however, cautions that schools are stratified places where individuals at the various layers perceive themselves as having little self-efficacy; they are without power. Senge contends when members of an organization sense they are powerless, the organization has a low ability to learn (O’Neil, 1995). Like Knowles, Senge reports that deep learning, which involves motion between contemplation and application, is driven by learners themselves. For schools to become “learning organizations,” they must become environments safe enough for teachers to continually learn, reflect, and interact (O’Neil, 1995).
The researcher intends the Professional Development Curriculum to be learner-centered. The lessons will be drawn from the concerns of the teachers, evaluated based upon their usefulness, and implemented in an environment of respect for the individual needs of the teachers. As teachers become proficient at differentiating for their students, they will share their stories of successes with other teachers to help them see the practical contribution of differentiation to their classroom experiences.
A study of Multiple Intelligences (MI) by Dr. Carolyn M. Callahan, Professor in the Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, reports that even when the MI Theory was implemented well, as in the Support to Affirm Rising Talent (START) Program, it had no significant effect on the achievement of students (Fasko, 2001). However, the gifted program in the Charlotte-Mechlenburg, NC, schools found that within two years of incorporating MI into their classrooms, students showed up to 20% higher scores on standardized math and reading tests (Fasko, 2001). The DISCOVER program, developed by Dr. June Maker, identified a more culturally diverse group of gifted students using MI (Fasko, 2001, Maker, et al, 1994). Implications of MI theory to gifted education include the individualization of students’ educations, multiple methods of instruction, project-based learning, and art-infused curriculum (Fasko, 2001).
Results from New York State’s Design for Differentiation project affirm these findings (2002). The three-year project was implemented to enhance the progress of advanced learners in heterogeneous classrooms in 16 New York State middle schools. Teachers received three days of training in the summer and one day each in the winter and spring. Coaches visited teacher’s classrooms 1 to 3 times a year to support planning and curriculum, providing observations and anecdotal feedback. Teachers involved in the study had access to electronic networking for social interaction and collaboration. Final research shows teachers increased their use of differentiation strategies and students generally improved their idea development, organization, and language use. A comparison of initial and follow-up surveys show the project provided teachers, especially new teachers, with new strategies for teaching gifted students. Teachers reported the most effective elements of the model were the days of training, the days of coaching, and the Constructivist approach used by trainers (Design for Differentiation, 2002).
Teachers who must meet the needs of students with varying levels of ability often express frustration (Davalos & Griffin, 1999). Teachers expressed the following frustrations: lack of expertise in knowing how to challenge high-ability students, lack of time to plan to meet individual needs, difficulty with classroom management when diverse learning experiences were taking place simultaneously, and need for support staff to implement replacement activities (Reis & Westberg, 1994). A study on the impact of teachers’ individualized practices on fifth-grade gifted students indicates that regular classrooms meet the needs of gifted students only under certain conditions (Davalos & Griffin, 1999). Conditions found to be influential include having highly motivated teachers who understand the benefits of individualized education, have been trained in its use, and are inclined to take advantage of training. Classroom teachers also need to be willing to allow gifted students to be autonomous learners; teachers must understand the academic, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners and be prepared to support those needs. In addition, students and instructors must have a shared language of learning (Davalos & Griffin, 1999).
In an analysis of data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the Office of Educational Research and Improvement of the U.S. Department of Education (1999) examines data from the First in the World (FiW) Consortium, a group of 17 school districts north of Chicago and the Illinois Math and Science Academy. Working in collaboration, the FiW Consortium is attempting to become the first in the world in math and science achievement. How frequently teachers meet and actively seek ways to improve instruction is seen as an indicator of teacher engagement. The data shows the FiW students are more likely than other U.S. students to have teachers who report meeting frequently with other teachers in their subject discipline to discuss and plan curriculum or teaching approaches. This finding aligns with other data from the TIMSS on the amount of out-of-school time teachers devote to their work. Interest in the FiW Consortium’s efforts has been peaked by initial results showing FiW schools performing at or near the top of the world on TIMSS. The apparent success of the Consortium (U. S. Department of Education, 1999) is in contrast to the generally disappointing performance of other U.S. students on the same assessment (U. S. Department of Education, 1993).
Dorothy D. Billington, Ph.D., conducted a four-year study based on Malcolm Knowles’ theory of Andragogy to find out what environment is most likely to help adults mature and develop in their thought process (Billington, 2002). Sixty men and women, between the ages of 37 and 48 involved in doctoral studies, participated in the study. Using 2 tests, a questionnaire, and 17 interviews, Billington found that adults can and do experience significant personal growth when the learning environment has seven key characteristics. The first is a safe and supportive environment that respects and acknowledges accomplishments and abilities. The second is freedom to be creative and to experiment. Third, the leader accepts adult learners as peers knowing they have the potential of teaching her as much as she can teach them. Fourth, learning is self-directed, taking into consideration what the adult learner needs and wants to learn to increase his competency professionally. Fifth, the pace is intellectually stimulating but within reach. Sixth, adults are actively involved in learning. Seventh, systems provide feedback from adult learners to faculty about how to adapt programs to meet their needs. The faculty then listens and makes adaptations to facilitate learning for individuals (Billington, 2002).
Stephen Brookfield challenges the notion that adult learners are self-directed by asserting that insufficient evidence exists to make this claim (1995). He suggests that questions of gender, cross-cultural dimensions, networks, and quality of products need further investigation. That adult learners engage in critical reflection is also questionable. According to Brookfield, the choice to forego or pursue action, as a result of transformational reflection, is contextual and the product of re-framing roles and relationships (1999). Brookfield indicates one reason educators give for teaching adults is to help them learn how to learn (1999); he offers that perhaps adults have simply become more self-conscious about the process they must undergo to know something. He recommends more study regarding adult learning as socially embedded and socially constructed.
Encouragement, cooperation, growth, and celebration facilitate constructive
problem solving (Tools for Schools, 1998). Based on the results of
studies reviewed and principles of theorists studied, the researcher intends
the following:
1. The Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum will focus
on teaching differentiation strategies in a way that will help adult learners
progress from their present competency to higher proficiency regardless
of their present level of knowledge about differentiation.
2. The Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum will address
the needs of participants who are novices as well as participants who are
experts at differentiation and will assist them as they create and implement
differentiated instructional plans for their students.
3. In collaboration with the Program Coordinator, participants will
make changes in their instructional strategies to not only effectively
increase their own individual zones of proximal development, but to focus
on how to recognize their students’ zones of proximal development and provide
scaffolds of support to increase these students’ self-efficacy and zones
of independent learning.
4. Participants will become increasingly predisposed to learning about
strategies for teaching gifted students.
5. Participants who attempt instructional strategies designed to stretch
gifted students will not only grow in their own sense of self-efficacy,
but if they have designed appropriately challenging learning experiences
for their students, the students will also become more self-efficacious.
Teachers chosen by the middle school principal to work with students selected for gifted programming will have the opportunity to participate in professional development embedded in their regular school day. Professional development will begin the third week of classes and will continue through the school year, both formally during common planning time and informally, as teachers express the need to the Program Coordinator. During one planning period each week, the Gifted Program Coordinator will meet with each team to focus on differentiation strategies for implementation by individual teachers. The Program Coordinator will collaborate with teachers in planning, implementing, and assessing differentiation. The Program Coordinator has no supervisory responsibility; participation in collaboration on the teachers’ part is voluntary.
Selection for inclusion in gifted programming is based on a score on a matrix. The matrix gives point values for performance on math, language, and reading achievement test; behavior observations by teachers; and verbal and non-verbal aptitude. Twenty-four students have been identified at each grade.
If the teachers indicate an increase in their implementation of differentiation strategies between the beginning and the end of the semester using the Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, the Program Coordinator will look at their lessons to determine whether they reflect qualitative development based on strategies discussed throughout the year. Data from students’ standardized tests will be analyzed to determine whether achievement has increased. Any increases will be compared to the data from the previous year. Random interviews with parents and students will add depth to this analysis. These findings will be used by the Program Coordinator to assess the effectiveness of the resource consultation/collaboration service delivery model in this setting. Findings will also be useful in both annual internal review and periodic external evaluation of the gifted program.
Formative assessments will include evaluation of teachers’ proficiency both before and after collaboration on individual components of the Professional Development Curriculum. Needs identified from surveys and pre-tests will determine the structure and content of lessons. Teachers’ reflections about implementation of differentiation strategies will provide post-assessment. Later, quarterly student grades will provide a longitudinal assessment of the effect of the professional development on student outcomes. Teachers’ lesson plans, students’ portfolios, and results of nationally normed achievement tests will be the basis for a summative evaluation.
Next, each lesson provides an introductory thought regarding the topic for discussion, followed by presentation of information on the topic. Throughout the lessons, participants develop common definitions to vocabulary germane to the study and record them on handouts designated as parts of Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum. Parts are numbered to correlate with lesson numbers, e.g. Part #1 relates to Lesson 1 of 20. The Program Coordinator records participants completion of parts of the Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum on Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum. (See following.)
Each lesson has a worksheet numbered to correlate with the lesson. Each worksheet provides three activities which are differentiated. Participants choose the activity which best suits their levels of experience and expertise in working with gifted learners. Participants with limited experience in and preparation for working with gifted students will most likely choose the first activity. According to Henry James’ taxonomy (Tomlinson, 2002), the participant who chooses this activity would be termed emerging, indicating he has “knowledge-of” the concept and has begun the process of acquiring skills, techniques, and understanding to improve his efficacy with gifted learners. The participant who selects the second activity would be termed developing, indicating he has “knowledge-about” the concept, as well as experience and proficiency in working with gifted learners. The participant who chooses the third activity would have considerable experience, understanding, and insight into issues pertaining to gifted education. This participant is considered to be expanding, having “knowledge-how to”; he is prepared to contribute to the field of gifted education and the professional development of others. Thus, each Worksheet: Tiered Activity models differentiation of content based on prior knowledge and pace of learning. The Program Coordinator records choices of participants on Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, noting the degree to which each participant feels proficient in the area under study.
In addition, each lesson provides a holistic rubric, giving summary
statements of characteristics of emerging, developing, and expanding practitioners
in gifted education. The intention of these holistic rubrics is to
set a fair standard of competency for those working with gifted students.
Self-evaluation on criteria from the holistic rubrics is intended to result
in transfer of concepts from the Professional Development Curriculum to
applications with gifted learners. Emerging participants studying
with developing and expanding participants are anticipated to perceive
their own potential to progress to a higher level of professional performance.
Developing participants have a forum for discussing ideas and collaborating
with colleagues about issues germane to gifted learners. Expanding
participants have the opportunity to reflect on substantive issues relevant
to the field of gifted education and receive encouragement to contribute
to the self-efficacy of teammates. The holistic rubrics also model
setting goals, clarifying objectives, and stating standards, essential
practices of differentiated learning experiences. The Program Coordinator
records the self-evaluation of participants on Matrix: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, noting the degree to which each feels
he is prepared to contribute to the field of gifted education in the area
discussed.
Name _______(KEY)__________
Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Part #1
Characteristics of Gifted Learners: Gifted Learners may be silent even
when they know the answers, exhibit “flow” learning, experience alienations
from their age mates, become underachievers, be uneasy with their identity,
seek acceptance, demonstrate advanced levels of comprehension, show unusually
varied, eclectic, and intense interests, have a high degree of curiosity,
be internally motivated, be able to elaborate on ideas, need freedom and
individuality in study, be highly inquisitive, have a large and advanced
vocabulary, retain and process information well, see direct and novel relationships,
generate original ideas, be adept at self-evaluation, associate with older
students and adults, exhibit creativity, exhibit leadership, have a keen
sense of responsibility, enjoy challenges, be perceptive and observant
beyond their years, have a highly developed sense of social concerns, learn
things at an earlier age than their peers, learn more quickly than their
peers, handle abstraction better than their peers, prefer to work or learn
on their on own, adapt readily to new situations, be adventurous.
Part #2
Gifted and Exceptionally Talented Students are students whose mental
development is accelerated beyond the average or who have demonstrated
a specific aptitude or talent to the extent they need and can benefit from
specially planned educational services, includes students with exceptional
ability in academic subjects, high-level thought processes, divergent thinking,
creativity, and the arts.
Part #3
Full-time ability grouping is the practice of grouping students by
their performance on tests of ability or achievement into levels differentiated
by content-complexity, product, process-pace, and/or environment.
Cluster groups consist of five to eight identified gifted students in a heterogeneous classroom of one teacher who has received training in how to teach exceptionally capable students.
Tracking groups all students by ability for much of the school day,
and students tend to remain in the same track throughout their school experience.
Part #4
Rubrics are scoring tools that list what counts and articulate gradations
of quality.
Holistic rubrics give a snapshot of status or achievement.
Analytical rubrics show relative strengths and weaknesses.
Part #5
The Zone of Proximal Development is the level between the actual developmental
level of a person within which he can perform independently without help
and the level at which the person is unable to perform, even with guidance.
The ZPD includes the functions and activities the person can perform only
with the assistance of another person. To maximize learning, tasks
slightly beyond the actual developmental level of the learner are designed
with an appropriate scaffold of support.
Part #6
Self-efficacy is the belief a person has about his capability to perform
in such a way that the outcomes of his effort influence events that affect
his life.
Part #7
Scaffold is a metaphor describing the support offered by educators
in assisting learners to achieve learning outcomes.
Part #8
Advanced Language includes unassuming and appropriate displays of advanced
vocabulary, similes, metaphors, and analogies to express insight and effective
use of language that is more complex than would be expected for age and
grade.
Analytical Thinking includes demonstrated ability to discern components of a whole, solve more difficult problems than would be expected for age and grade, looks for complex, abstract relationships and patterns in procedures, experiences, ideas and/or objects and may appear in organization and planning of events and procedures.
Meaning Motivation is an inner drive for thorough, independent understanding resulting in development of expertise, philosophy, extensive memory, and perceptive questioning.
Perspective is shown in unique graphics, patterns, and displays of ability to interpret and incorporate unexpected points of view or insightful interpretation of another’s point of view.
Sense of Humor appears finely developed in ability to understand subtle humor of others or produce original jokes, puns, and other humorous effects and is used to defuse volatile situations and to gain approval.
Sensitivity is apparent from concern about human issues, justice, needs and motivations of others, high standards and empathy expressed through words, art, or actions.
Accelerated learning is demonstrated through mastery or ability to learn and interpret materials and concepts beyond what would be expected for age and grade level, is increased with exposure, and is shown by able use of a variety of tools to assess information.
Part #9
Reflective Questions cause the learner to share and clarify his thinking
about the process of his learning and production of critical thinking.
Open-ended Questions and Statements increase thinking and lift the ceiling of possibilities beyond reproducing knowledge or information students already know to production of new knowledge.
Scamper is a technique for manipulating ideas to help the learner create new concepts.
Divergent Questioning is an method of active learning that stretches and extends the curriculum vertically. It enhances self-efficacy for all students by providing opportunities for enrichment without acceleration.
Part #10
Differentiation is adaptation of content, product, process, and/or
environment.
Content is what is to be learned and the materials through which the student learns.
Process is the way students use essential skills to understand key concepts and information.
Products are the means through which students show evidence of their learning and broaden and deepen their understanding of what they have learned.
Readiness is the student’s entry point to a skill or understanding; it is a way in which students differ.
Interest is the enthusiasm, keenness, or curiosity a student has for a particular study or skill; it is a way in which students differ.
Learning Profile includes intelligence, gender, culture, learning style; it is a way in which students differ.
Part #11
Acceleration is the practice of making advanced curriculum available
at younger ages.
Early admission is the practice of enrolling students in schooling before the typical age dictated by school or state educational policies.
Dual enrollment is the practice of matriculation to post-secondary education while concurrently completing credits toward high school graduation.
Early exit is the practice of graduation before completion of the standard number of years provided by school or state policy.
Grade advancement is the practice of promotion by skipping grade levels or movement to a higher grade mid-year in all classes.
Single subject promotion is the practice of skipping one grade level in a particular subject area or moving to the next grade mid-year in one class.
Classroom based acceleration is the practice of differentiating by pace within the regular classroom setting.
Challenge level is the point at which learning experiences match the learner’s Zone of Proximal Development and he is appropriately challenged to make continuous progress.
Content acceleration is the practice of adapting basic materials and activities to provide a faster pace than the standard curriculum provides.
Part #12
Compacting is a process by which the standard curriculum is streamlined
to adapt for learners who are capable of mastering it more rapidly than
their age-mates.
Objective-Referenced tests are criterion referenced and usually assess one objective at a time using short answer or multiple-choice responses.
Performance-Based assessments evaluate the processes learners use to reach conclusions.
The Compactor is a record-keeping device developed by Joe Renzulli and Linda Smith that keeps track of curriculum areas to be considered for compacting, procedures for compacting basic material, and acceleration and/or enrichment activities.
Most Difficult First is a strategy for compacting curriculum wherein students begin by demonstrating their proficiency with applications which involve holistic use of skills or require depth of knowledge and understanding.
Part #13
Tiered Assignments are designed by teachers to provide varied levels
of activities for students to extend and build on prior knowledge through
multiple methods of inquiring, challenging products. The benefits
of Tiered Assignments include blending assessment and instruction, reinforcing
concepts based on students’ readiness, and challenging students within
their ZPD..
Part #14
Extension menus give students opportunities to choose from a variety
of learning experiences aligned with key concepts of the curriculum but
in addition to key concepts.
Respectful work shows an understanding for learning differences, taking
into consideration what individual learners need to learn efficiently and
effectively. It is student-centered and honors commonalities and
differences in readiness, experiences, learning styles and is based on
competency rather than deficiency.
Part #15
Metacognition is thinking about one’s own thinking and consists of
three basic elements: developing a plan of action, maintaining and
monitoring the plan, and evaluating the plan. It provides understanding,
control over, and appropriate use of knowledge.
Cognition is having knowledge.
Part #16
Curriculum is a plan for learning, planned actions for instruction,
planned outcomes for which the school is responsible, and a structured
set of learning outcomes resulting from instruction. Curriculum is
not what students will do in the learning situation, but what they will
learn because of what they do with the results (Wiles, 1999). Curriculum
has the following four components: objectives, content, experiences,
and evaluation means (Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998).
Part #17
Underachievement is performance not commensurate with capability.
Part #18
Creative problem solving is a proactive process in which problem solvers
search for problems in need of solutions and systematically develop and
implement solutions.
Part #19
Independent learning is the most frequently recommended instructional
strategy in programs for gifted learners and is used as a means for differentiating
and individualizing instruction. A learner applies the process when
he researches a topic by himself or with others.
Learning contracts are useful instruments to manage independent learning.
Part #20
Master teachers of gifted learners are able to adapt curriculum to
provide gifted learners with opportunities to be appropriately challenged
to make continuous progress.
Characteristics of a differentiated classroom include flexibility, creativity, reliability, respect for differences, clarity of goals, equitable evaluation, pursuit of excellence, understanding, appreciation, and insightful collaboration.
Name _________________________________ Team _________
Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum
Complete Date Emerging Developing Expanding
Lesson 1 of 20
· Tiered Activities #1
· Holistic Rubric #1
· Glossary: Part #1
Lesson 2 of 20
· Tiered Activities #2
· Holistic Rubric #2
· Glossary: Part #2
Lesson 3 of 20
· Tiered Activities #3
· Holistic Rubric #3
· Glossary: Part #3
Lesson 4 of 20
· Tiered Activities #4
· Holistic Rubric #4
· Glossary: Part #4
Lesson 5 of 20
· Tiered Activities #5
· Holistic Rubric #5
· Glossary: Part #5
Lesson 6 of 20
· Tiered Activities #6
· Holistic Rubric #6
· Glossary: Part #6
Lesson 7 of 20
· Tiered Activities #7
· Holistic Rubric #7
· Glossary: Part #7
Sub-totals
Totals from previous page
Lesson 8 of 20
· Tiered Activities #8
· Holistic Rubric #8
· Glossary: Part #8
Lesson 9 of 20
· Tiered Activities #9
· Holistic Rubric #9
· Glossary: Part #9
Lesson 10 of 20
· Tiered Activities #10
· Holistic Rubric #10
· Glossary: Part #10
Lesson 11 of 20
· Tiered Activities #11
· Holistic Rubric #11
· Glossary: Part #11
Lesson 12 of 20
· Tiered Activities #12
· Holistic Rubric #12
· Glossary: Part #12
Lesson 13 of 20
· Tiered Activities #13
· Holistic Rubric #13
· Glossary: Part #13
Lesson 14 of 20
· Tiered Activities #14
· Holistic Rubric #14
· Glossary: Part #14
Lesson 15 of 20
· Tiered Activities #15
· Holistic Rubric #15
· Glossary: Part #15
Lesson 16 of 20
· Tiered Activities #16
· Holistic Rubric #16
· Glossary: Part #16
Lesson 17 of 20
· Tiered Activities #17
· Holistic Rubric #17
· Glossary: Part #17
Sub-totals
Total from previous page
Lesson 18 of 20
· Tiered Activities #18
· Holistic Rubric #18
· Glossary: Part #18
Lesson 19 of 20
· Tiered Activities #19
· Holistic Rubric #19
· Glossary: Part #19
Lesson 20 of 20
· Tiered Activities #20
· Holistic Rubric #20
· Glossary: Part #20
TOTAL
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 1 of 20
Key Concept: Characteristics of Gifted
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to characteristics of gifted learners,
participants will use a common vocabulary aligned with District 158 policy
regarding characteristics of gifted learners as shown by developing Glossary:
Professional Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #1: Tiered
Activities, and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #1.
II. Main Idea
Teachers of gifted students should recognize characteristic of gifted
learners in order to meet the needs of gifted students.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed
to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive and cohesive process for student nomination must be coordinated in order to determine eligibility for gifted education services.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Information regarding the characteristics of gifted students in areas served by the district must be annually disseminated to all appropriate staff members.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled
to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted
education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional
methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess
exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
2.3 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made aware of the
nature and needs of gifted students.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
Participants will begin by reading the poem, “Two Voices.”
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will work independently for 5 minutes on Worksheet:
Tiered Activity #1.
· Participants will discuss responses to Worksheet: Tiered
Activity #1
· Participants will develop group definitions of terms related
to characteristics of gifted learners, aligned with District 158 policy.
On Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #1, participants will write the definitions developed by the group.
· Participants will evaluate their understanding by circling
the number of the line on Holistic Rubric #1 that best describes their
proficiency in using knowledge pertaining to characteristics of gifted
learners.
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #1 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #1 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give the
Program Coordinator their completed Worksheet: Tiered Activity #1
and Holistic Rubric #1.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Navik, M. (2002). Two voices. Unpublished.
· Other Materials
o Worksheet: Tiered Activities #1
o Holistic Rubric #1
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #1
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
o BOE. (2001). Instruction: Program for the Gifted (Exceptionally
Talented Students). Community Consolidated District 158 Board Policy
Manual.
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #1 in alignment with District 158 policy. Program
Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #1 for each participant, make suggestions, and note completion
of Glossary: Part #1 on Matrix: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet: Tiered
Activities #1 and discuss the results.
· Participants will evaluate their proficiency on Holistic Rubric
#1.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Two Voices
By
Marie L. Edmund Navik
I teach the ones who jump up with every answer.
I teach the ones who never have to try,
The ones who get so into stuff,
They forget to eat or sleep.
I teach the ones who can’t explain how they got the answer,
They just know it and don’t know why.
I teach the ones who never raise their hands.
They know their knowing makes others feel real strange.
They’ve seen eyes roll and felt the sneers,
I teach the ones who have heard it all before
And wait in a solitary half-glaze,
For new thoughts to light up their eyes.
Since they move in and out of listening,
They don’t know what they do not know.
Branded, they address their label.
Gifted? Gifted? Am I different? How? Why?
Then, as if shaking off slumber, reverie comes to an eerie end.
Dazed, they’ve missed your point and struggle with surprise.
It’s more than an instructional concept at risk….
It’s sense of self at stake and at the heart.
Once embracing the identity of exceptionality,
If they let you see what they don’t know,
Will you stop thinking they are special; will you muse,
Not really gifted… not working as gifted would?
Is gifted something that I am?
Or is gifted something that I do?
Will you think my jokes are funny if I share myself with you?
Do you understand the words I use to express my thoughts and dreams?
Or must I be the changeling, adapting a mask,
Forever to myself untrue?
I get weary adapting myself to situations,
Trying to be like everybody else
When nobody’s like anybody but himself.
I bought the band shirt and earrings, even got a small tattoo.
And join in meanness, hurting with the hurt,
But I’m afraid of being hurt, too.
I’ve heard you teach the gifted.
Did you choose us or have no choice?
We’re as different as we are alike, and each one of us has a voice.
Do you have the gift of seeing, of seeing me and not my label?
Of knowing when to be my firm teacher-guide
And when to just walk by my side.
Please help me rest and stop being everyone but me.
Give me a home for my best self-identity.
Shore me up with patience as I try to say what I think I mean.
Don’t blow my cover; I need the other kids to like me.
Friendship is an art, and I don’t think many people understand
How hard it is to be a little smart.
I’m watching you, searching for a hint you connect with me.
They say you are a gifted teacher.
Some people say I’m gifted, too.
Usually I think it’s true.
But then, again I feel so dumb; I can’t believe the stupid things I
say,
And I worry what I’ll become.
If you know how to help me keep learning,
You are a teacher of the gifted; but most important of all,
You keep me thinking and growing and give me hope I’ll find my place.
To me, you aren’t just a gifted teacher.
You are the present under the tree.
I’ve come to try you on for size; you are a gift for me.
Lesson 1 of 20
Characteristics of Gifted
Worksheet #1: Tiered Activities Name ________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of the term “gifted.” After working independently for five minutes, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #1: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Write the names of students brought to mind by various parts of the
poem, “Two Voices.”
Write five questions that this poem answers.
2. Note parts of the poem that are accurate. Note parts of the poem that are inaccurate.
Accurate Inaccurate
3. Explain on the back of this page the difference between being a gifted teacher and a teacher of the gifted. What would it take to be both?
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for application, knowledge,
and comprehension. Activity #2 asks for evaluation. Activity
#3 asks for synthesis of ideas.
Lesson 1 of 20
Characteristics of Gifted
Glossary: Part #1 Name ___________________________
Part #1
Characteristics of Gifted Learners: Gifted Learners may
Lesson 1 of 20
Characteristics of Gifted
Holistic Rubric #1 Name ___________________________
Assess your understanding of characteristics of gifted learners.
Give Holistic Rubric #1 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant identifies students for the gifted program
based on observation of behaviors characteristic of gifted learners.
· Participant’s observations are validated by objective measures.
2 Developing· Participant provides opportunities for students
to exhibit behaviors characteristic of gifted learners.· Participant
records observations of candidates for the gifted program.
1 Emerging· Participant is competent in using a checklist of
characteristics provided by Program Coordinator to observe the behaviors
of students nominated for the gifted program.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 2 of 20
Key Concept: Definitions of Gifted
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to definitions of gifted, participants
will use a common vocabulary aligned with District 158 policy regarding
the term gifted as shown by developing Glossary: Professional Development,
Completing Worksheet #2: Tiered Activities, and through use of self-assessment
on Holistic Rubric #2.
II. Main Idea
Teachers of gifted students should understand historic, national, state,
and school definitions of the term gifted in order to align their efforts
with the Comprehensive Plan for Gifted Education of District 158.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed
to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive and cohesive process for student nomination must be coordinated in order to determine eligibility for gifted education services.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Information regarding the characteristics of gifted students in areas served by the district must be annually disseminated to all appropriate staff members.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled
to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted
education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional
methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess
exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
2.3 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made aware of the
nature and needs of gifted students.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #2. Ask participants if the definitions
recorded for Part #1 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Participants will discuss the belief that all people are gifted,
just in different ways.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will compare the United Stated Department of
Education and the Illinois State Board of Education definitions of giftedness
from printed material supplied by Program Coordinator. Program Coordinator
will record their observations on a transparency of a Venn diagram on an
overhead projector.
· Participants will view “Comprehensive Plan for Gifted Education
in District 158,” a PowerPoint presentation. Program Coordinator
will pause to elicit comments and questions.
· Participants will work independently for 5 minutes on Worksheet:
Tiered Activity #2.
· Participants will discuss responses to Worksheet: Tiered
Activities #2.
· Participants will develop group definitions aligned with District
158 policy of the term gifted. On Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part 2 participants will write group
definitions, aligned with District 158 policy, of the term gifted.
· Participants will evaluate their understanding of the term
gifted by circling the number of the line on Holistic Rubric #2 that best
describes their proficiency.
Conclusion
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will revisit
the motivation idea and discuss whether the belief that all persons are
gifted, just in different ways is relevant to the gifted program as described
in the Comprehensive Plan for Gifted Education in District 158.
· Participants will give the Program Coordinator their completed
Worksheet: Tiered Activity #2 and Holistic Rubric #2.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #2 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #2 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o United States Departments of Education (P.L. 95-561.IX (A)
o Stephens, K., & Karnes, F. A. (2000). State definitions
for the gifted and talented revisited. Exceptional Children (66)
2.
· Other Materials
o Navik, M. (2002). Comprehensive plan for gifted education
in District 158.ppt. Unpublished.
o Transparency: Venn Diagram
o Worksheet: Tiered Activities #2
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #2
o Holistic Rubric #2
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
o BOE. (2001). Instruction: Program for the Gifted (Exceptionally
Talented Students). Community Consolidated District 158 Board Policy
Manual.
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #2 in alignment with District 158 policy. Program
Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #2 for each participant, make suggestions, and note completion
of Glossary: Part #2 on Matrix: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet
#2: Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will contribute to the development of a Venn
diagram comparing national and state definitions of the term gifted.
· Participants will evaluate their use of the term gifted through
use of Holistic Rubric #2.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
District 158 Comprehensive Plan for Gifted Education. Ppt
Prepared by Marie Navik
from the Board approved Comprehensive Plan
Philosophy of the Gifted and Talented Development Program
The Huntley Consolidated School District 158 Board of Education is committed
to the belief that each student is a unique and valuable human being who
possesses individual educational needs and abilities.
It is the responsibility of the school to not only acknowledge this,
but to identify those needs and abilities and then to provide appropriate
educational experiences to optimize each child’s individual development.
From the Board approved Comprehensive Plan
Philosophy of the Gifted and Talented Development Program
District 158 places a strong value on academic excellence and is therefore
committed to the development and implementation of a comprehensive program
which will encompass all grade levels and all fundamental areas of learning.
Programs should help develop self-esteem, skills in independent study,
research, creative and critical thinking, foster a desire for life-long
learning, and facilitate their growth as individuals and as members of
society.
From the Board approved Comprehensive Plan
Philosophy of the Gifted and Talented Development Program
However, gifted and talented students need a program that takes into
consideration their potential for superior achievement.
These students will be presented with differentiated curriculum to
assist the gifted and talented students in developing their abilities.
From the Board approved Comprehensive Plan
Philosophy of the Gifted and Talented Development Program
The education of the gifted and talented is part of the district’s
commitment to provide quality services to all students.
Gifted students need to master the content and skills of the regular
curriculum.
Mastery of the required program is not sufficient for the development
of their talents.
From the Board approved Comprehensive Plan
Philosophy of the Gifted and Talented Development Program
The gifted and talented program develops strategies for students to
become independent problem solvers through creative, critical, and higher
level thought processes by
· Modifying their rate of learning with appropriate pacing and/or
acceleration
· Increasing the complexity of areas of study with differentiation
from the Board approved Comprehensive Plan
Program Design
Formal identification occurs at grades 2, 6, and 9 using objective
and subjective measures as stated in the Gifted Rules and Regulations of
the State of Illinois.
Students identified in grades 3 through 8 will have their curriculum
compacted and enhanced with enrichment and acceleration activities.
From the Board approved Comprehensive Plan
Program Design
Math acceleration
Language Arts extension and enrichment
“This will take place in the regular classroom, under the instruction
of the classroom teacher trained in gifted education.” (Emphasis
is mine.)
Thanks for listening.
Marie
Lesson 2 of 20
Definitions of Gifted
Transparency: Venn Diagram
Lesson 2 of 20
Definitions of Gifted
Worksheet #2: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of definitions of the term gifted. After working independently for five minutes, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #2: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Write the names of students brought to mind by parts of the national
and state definitions of gifted.
Write five key terms in the definitions of gifted.
2. Note parts of the definitions with which you agree and parts with which you disagree.
Agree Disagree
3. Explain on the back of this page the differences between potential and performance, and talents and gifts.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for application. Activity
#2 asks for knowledge, and comprehension and evaluation. Activity
#3 asks for synthesis of ideas.
Lesson 2 of 20
Definitions of Gifted
Glossary: Part #2 Name ________________________
Part #1
Characteristics of Gifted Learners: Gifted Learners may be silent even
when they know the answers, exhibit “flow” learning, experience alienations
from their age mates, become underachievers, be uneasy with their identity,
seek acceptance, demonstrate advanced levels of comprehension, show unusually
varied, eclectic, and intense interests, have a high degree of curiosity,
be internally motivated, be able to elaborate on ideas, need freedom and
individuality in study, be highly inquisitive, have a large and advanced
vocabulary, retain and process information well, see direct and novel relationships,
generate original ideas, be adept at self-evaluation, associate with older
students and adults, exhibit creativity, exhibit leadership, have a keen
sense of responsibility, enjoy challenges, be perceptive and observant
beyond their years, have a highly developed sense of social concerns, learn
things at an earlier age than their peers, learn more quickly than their
peers, handle abstraction better than their peers, prefer to work or learn
on their on own, adapt readily to new situations, be adventurous.
Part #2
Gifted and Exceptionally Talented Students are
Lesson 2 of 20
Definitions of Gifted
Holistic Rubric #2 Name ___________________________
Assess your understanding of definitions of gifted. Give Holistic
Rubric #2 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant is equipped to contribute to the revision
of the Comprehensive Plan for Gifted Education, District 158 based on knowledge
of national and state definitions of the term gifted.
2 Developing· Teacher applies knowledge of definitions of gifted
to classroom plans for students identified as gifted.
1 Emerging· Teacher is aware of national, state and school definitions
of gifted.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 3 of 20
Key Concept: Grouping Arrangements for Gifted Students
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of grouping arrangements for gifted students, participants
will use a common vocabulary aligned with District 158 policy regarding
grouping arrangements for gifted students as shown by developing a Glossary:
Professional Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet: Tiered
Activities #3, and through use of self-assessment of Holistic Rubric #3.
II. Main Idea
Teachers of gifted students should understand the differences among
tracking, ability, cluster, and flexible grouping.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
2.3 Minimum Standard: The use of flexible grouping of gifted learners must be an integral part of gifted education programming.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
5.1 Minimum Standard: Flexible instructional arrangements must be available.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing
professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
2.3 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made aware of the
nature and needs of gifted students.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #3. Ask participants if the definitions
recorded for Part #2 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Participants will brainstorm a variety of ways to group students
for instruction.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used..
Procedure
· Participants will each draw a visual representation of a grouping
arrangement on a transparency and name it according to its use.
· Participants will view “Grouping Arrangements for Gifted Students.ppt,”
a PowerPoint presentation. Program Coordinator will pause to elicit
comments and questions.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #3: Tiered Activity
and share their results.
· Participants will develop group definitions of terms relating
to grouping arrangements for gifted students. On Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #3, participants
will write group definitions, aligned with District 158 policy, of terms
relating to grouping arrangements for gifted students.
· Participants will evaluate their understanding by circling
the number of the line on Holistic Rubric #3 that best describes their
proficiency in using knowledge pertaining to grouping arrangements of gifted
students.
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #3 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #3 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will compare
and contrast various grouping arrangements and their use.
· Participants will give the Program Coordinator their completed
Worksheet #3: Tiered Activity and Holistic Rubric #3.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging (knowledge of), Developing (knowledge about), or Expanding
(knowledge how to).
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o None used
· Other Materials
o Navik, M. (2002). “Grouping arrangements for gifted students.ppt.”
Unpublished.
o Transparency: Grouping Arrangements
o Worksheet #3: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #3
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #3 in alignment with District 158 policy. Program
Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #3 for each participant, make suggestions, and note completion
of Glossary: Part #3 on Matrix: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #3:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #3, participants will evaluate their
proficiency using grouping arrangements.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Grouping Arrangements for Gifted Students.ppt
Prepared by Marie Navik
from the Board approved Comprehensive Plan
Program Design
Math acceleration
Language Arts extension and enrichment
“This will take place in the regular classroom, under the instruction
of the classroom teacher trained in gifted education.” (Emphasis
is mine.)
As we stand today…
Gifted Program
Science, Social Studies, P.E., Exploratories
Heterogeneously grouped by chance
Full-time ability classes
Math: Acceleration
Homogeneously grouped by achievement
Accelerated math includes both identified ET students and other high
achievers.
Multiple sections of accelerated math are taught by teachers from various
teams.
Advantages of grouping ET students on one team per grade
implementation stage
Staff development in differentiation techniques will be delivered to
teachers who are motivated to implement them because their classes contain
ET clusters.
ET students will be assigned to class sections according to the teachers’
specific professional preparation and expertise in working with the gifted
and talented.
Too often ET students are considered the “easy” ones or expected to
brighten up uninspired teaching.
Teaches, not ET students, are responsible for ensuring the important
points of a lesson are made in discussions.
ET students are in school to stretch to their own intellectual
frontiers in community with other learners.
The unique concerns of ET students will be the focus of the team an
equitable amount of time.
Teams sometimes express the urgent need to serve the learning disabled
at the expense of the ET students… “We have kids with bigger problems
than the ET students have,” said a Huntley Middle School teacher during
a team meeting.
When this is the approach, ET students either top the grading scales
and are not appropriately challenged, or, even when they offer significant
challenges to the teachers, do not receive effective differentiation to
build upon their strengths.
The failure of any ET student should be a cause of grave concern.
Remediation should be the focus of teachers’ plans and interactions with
the student.
“Never give up on a student….”
Implementation stage
ET students will have equal opportunity for appropriate challenge since
planning for and anticipating the need for differentiation will be a significant
part of a teacher’s preparation for any given lesson or unit.
Implementation stage
ET Coordinator will be a bona fide member of each grade level team
which serves ET students.
Implementation stage
Compacting the number of teams served by the ET Coordinator will be
more efficient and effective leading to greater impact and better outcomes.
Theoretical Foundations
Grouping practices
Silverman (1990) and Gallagher (1990) sharply criticize the practice
of heterogeneous grouping.
Melding of practices
Tomlinson (1994) suggested melding of practices
Flexible grouping strategies
Appropriate curricula
Appropriate instructional strategies
And,
Chance (1998) provided a summary of common themes in Gifted educational
theories
Problem-centered content
Individual interests
Critical, creative thinking skills
Social skills included in content
Flexible scheduling and regrouping
Independent study, learning centers, individual pacing
Why group gifted students?
“Gifted students benefit from learning together, and need to be placed
with similar students in their areas of strength….” (Winebrenner
and Devlin)
What is a full-time ability group?
It is the practice of grouping students by their performance on tests
of ability or achievement into levels differentiated by
Content / Complexity
Product
Process / Pace
Environment
What does the research say?
Kulik and Kulik (1982-1992)
Students in an ability-group setting – regardless of which ability
group – were substantially more motivated toward subject area than students
not ability-grouped.
Ability grouping makes gifted students aware that others are as bright
or brighter than they are.
Each year of full-time ability grouping results in a half-year’s additional
academic progress.
What does it mean to place gifted students in cluster groups?
A group of five to eight identified gifted students, usually those
in the top 5% of ability in the grade level population, are clustered in
the classroom of one teacher who has training in how to teach exceptionally
capable students. The other students in that class are of mixed ability.
(Winebrenner and Devlin)
Why cluster or self-contain rather than heterogeneously group?
Teachers are more likely to address the needs of the ET students rather
than leave them to fend for themselves.
ET students can better understand and accept their own learning styles
if other ET students are in the class.
An ET student in a class with a cluster is more likely to positively
modify his participation to neither shut-down nor show-off.
Cluster grouping of gifted students allows them to learn together,
while avoiding permanent grouping arrangements for students of other ability
levels.” (Winebrenner and Devlin)
Isn’t Cluster Grouping the same as tracking?
No.
In a tracking system, all students are grouped by ability for much
of the school day, and students tend to remain in the same track throughout
their school experience.
If gifted students are clustered won’t some classes lack role models
for academic and social leadership?
Research on role modeling (Schunk,1987) indicates that to be effective,
role models cannot be drastically different from those who would be motivated
by them. ET students are “drastically different” by definition.
Teachers report that the new leadership “rises to the top” in classes which do not have identified ET students in them.
How does the grouping concept fit in with inclusion models?
The practice of grouping allows educators to come much closer to providing
better educational services for groups of students with similar exceptional
learning needs.
Ideal instruction for the Gifted:
Higher level content
Faster paced instruction
Enrichment extending the study of topics not typically addressed
Daily intellectual challenges
Opportunities to test the limits of talent in situations which require
applying gifts
Interactions with other gifted students to build strategic learning
networks
What do ET students need?
Consistent opportunities
to engage in new learning
to develop behaviors that allow them to cope with the challenge
and struggle of new learning
The bottom line…
Group all ET students for a given grade on the same team.
Choose the teams for ET based upon the interest, preparation, and expertise
of the teachers.
Thanks for listening.
Marie
Lesson 3 of 20
Grouping Arrangements for Gifted Students
Transparency: Grouping Arrangements
Lesson 3 of 20
Grouping Arrangements for Gifted Students
Worksheet #3: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of grouping arrangements. After working independently for five minutes, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #3: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Contrast tracking and flexible, ability grouping.
2. In the chart below, create four different flexible grouping configurations of your ET class. Give a name to each which describes its use.
Flexible Grouping Configurations
3. Implement a flexible grouping plan. Describe the plan used
and its purpose. Evaluate resulting student outcomes.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge and comprehension.
Activity #2 asks for application. Activity #3 asks for evaluation.
Lesson 3 of 20
Grouping Arrangements for Gifted Students
Glossary: Part #3 Name ___________________________
Part #2
Gifted and Exceptionally Talented Students are students whose mental
development is accelerated beyond the average or who have demonstrated
a specific aptitude or talent to the extent they need and can benefit from
specially planned educational services, includes students with exceptional
ability in academic subjects, high-level thought processes, divergent thinking,
creativity, and the arts.
Part #3
Full-time ability grouping
Cluster groups consist of
Tracking groups
Lesson 3 of 20
Grouping Arrangements for Gifted Students
Holistic Rubric #3 Name ___________________________
Assess your understanding of grouping arrangements for gifted students.
Give Holistic Rubric #3 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant evaluates student outcomes as a result
of grouping practices and makes use of resulting data in planning to differentiate
for the needs of gifted students.
2 Developing· Participant uses a variety of grouping practices
for instructional purposes.
1 Emerging· Participant is able to distinguish among tracking,
ability, cluster, and flexible grouping.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 4 of 20
Key Concept: Assessment: Data Driven Decisions
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to assessment, participants will
use a common vocabulary regarding rubrics as shown by developing Glossary:
Professional Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #4: Tiered
Activities, and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #4.
II. Main Idea
In order to provide appropriately challenging learning experiences
for gifted students, teachers must determine desired learning goals, pre-assess
achievement levels, document mastery, and delineate descriptors which meet
and exceed grade level expectations. Philosophy of grading, purpose
of grading, and assessment tools should reflect current best practices
based on theory grounded in research and consistent with the goals of the
school.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #3: Gifted education programming must evolve from a comprehensive and sound base.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Gifted programming must be guided by a clearly articulated philosophy statement and accompanying goals and objectives.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress through the program
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual
strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
2.3 Minimum Standard: An assessment profile must reflect the
unique learning characteristics and potential and performance levels.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Means for demonstrating proficiency in essential
regular curriculum concepts and processes must be established to facilitate
appropriate academic acceleration.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Gifted learners must be assessed for proficiency
in basic skills and knowledge and provided with alternative challenging
educational opportunities wh>
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
2.3 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made aware of the
nature and needs of gifted students.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #4. Ask participants if the definitions
recorded for Part #3 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Participants will write answers they are sure of on handout
Pretest: Rubrics (front). After a short time, participants
will compare their answers with answers given on Pretest: Rubrics
(back) and decide whether their answers show mastery of knowledge on Pretest:
Rubrics. As a group, participants will briefly discuss how pretests
provide teachers with information about whether to teach students the regular
grade level curriculum or differentiate the curriculum in response to proven
mastery. Pretests also motivate students to learn the regular curriculum
when they see they have not yet achieved mastery.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will read and discuss general conclusions from
research on grading and reporting from “Grading and reporting student learning”
(Guskey, 1996) and ). “Grading formulae: What grade do students
deserve?” (Guskey, 1996).
· Participants will formulate a definition for the term rubric,
discuss types (holistic and analytic), and generate logical rules for converting
rubric scores to grades. They will discuss purposes of grades and
school policies for grading.
· Participants will develop group definitions to terms related
to assessment. On Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part # 4, participants will write definitions for terms relating
to assessment.
· Participants will compare various teacher generated holistic
and analytic rubrics.
· Participants will assess their proficiency with rubrics with
Holistic Rubric #4.
· Based on their self-assessment using Holistic Rubric #4, participants
will individually choose and complete one activity from Worksheet #4:
Tiered Activities. They will discuss results.
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #4 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #4 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #4: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #4.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Guskey, T. R. (Ed.). (1996). “Grading and reporting student
learning.” In Communicating student learning: 1996 yearbook
of the Association for Supervision and Development. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Development.
o Guskey, T. R. (Ed.). (1996). “Grading formulae:
What grade do students deserve?” In Communicating student learning:
1996 yearbook of the Association for Supervision and Development.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Development.
· Other Materials
o Pretest: Rubrics (front and back)
o Various teacher generated holistic and analytic rubrics
o Worksheet #4: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #4
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #4
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #4. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #4 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #4 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will assess their proficiency using rubrics through
use of Pretest: Rubrics and Holistic Rubric #4.
· Participants will complete and discuss Worksheet #4:
Tiered Activities.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 4 of 20
Assessment: Data Driven Decisions
Pretest: Rubrics (front) Name ___________________________
To the best of your ability, write answers to the following questions. Compare your answers to the answers on the back of the page.
1. What is a rubric?
2. Give four reasons why rubrics are considered powerful teaching tools.
·
·
·
·
3. Name two types of rubrics. What is an advantage of each?
·
·
4. What are three essential features of a rubric?
·
·
·
5. What are some common flaws in rubrics?
Lesson 4 of 20
Assessment: Data Driven Decisions
Pretest: Rubrics (key) Name ___________(Back)___________
To the best of your ability, write answers to the following questions. Compare your answers to the answers on the back of the page.
1. What is a rubric?
A scoring tool that lists what counts, articulates gradations of quality.
2. Give four reasons why rubrics are used.
· Are considered powerful teaching tools because expectations
are clear
· Help students become better judges of quality
· Tend to reduce amount of time teachers spend evaluating student
work
· Can be designed to accommodate differences in students
· Easy to use and explain
3. Name two types of rubrics and give an advantage of each.
· Holistic gives a snapshot of status or achievement
· Analytic shows relative strengths and weaknesses
4. What are three essential features of a rubric?
· Evaluative criteria
· Quality definitions
· Scoring strategy
5. What are some common flaws in rubrics?
· Teachers need evaluative criteria that capture the essential
ingredients of the skill being measured, not the particular display of
that skill applied to a specific task. Criteria should be instructionally
relevant and guide the teacher in designing instruction.
· Evaluation criteria need to be specific enough to show what
is significant about student response.
· Dysfunctional details
· Test mastery rather than skill mastery
Lesson 4 of 20
Assessment: Data Driven Decisions
Worksheet #4: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following categories of activities based on your self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #4. After completing Worksheet #4: Tiered Activities, give it to the Program Coordinator.
Emerging –Knowledge of
1. Remember the reasons for using a rubric.
2. Recall the potential flaws in rubrics
3. Recognize holistic and analytic rubrics
Developing—Knowledge about
1. Distinguish poor from excellent rubrics.
2. Translate the Rubrics Rubric into your own words.
3. Interpret the value of rubrics to your teaching.
4. Explain key concepts and principles of using rubrics to others.
Expanding—Knowledge how
1. Generate a rubric to evaluate your own rubrics.
2. Produce rubrics for upcoming classes based on instructional goals.
3. Solve problems by using rubrics to formulate data-driven decisions.
4. Make contributions to the field by sharing your rubrics with others.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Emerging asks for knowledge and comprehension.
Developing asks for application. Expanding asks for evaluation.
Lesson 4 of 20
Assessment: Data Driven Decisions
Glossary: Part #4 Name _________________________
Part #3
Full-time ability grouping is the practice of grouping students by
their performance on tests of ability or achievement into levels differentiated
by content-complexity, product, process-pace, and/or environment.
Cluster groups consist of five to eight identified gifted students in a heterogeneous classroom of one teacher who has received training in how to teach exceptionally capable students.
Tracking groups all students by ability for much of the school day, and students tend to remain the same track throughout their school experience.
Part #4
Rubrics are
Holistic rubrics give
Analytical rubrics show
Lesson 4 of 20
Assessment: Data Driven Decisions
Holistic Rubric #4 Name ___________________________
Assess your understanding of rubrics. Give Holistic Rubric #4
to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant creates clear evaluative criteria in
rubrics.· Participant writes separate descriptions based on goals
for each qualitative level.· Participant has developed a logical
scoring strategy for use with rubrics.· Participant analyzes data
from students’ rubrics to plan instructional lessons.· Participant
trains students in the art of evaluation and metacognition.
2 Developing· Participant is able to evaluate published rubrics.·
Participant is able to find and adapt rubrics to instructional purposes
and students.· Participant’s scoring strategy reflects instructional
goals.· Participant sets goals before instruction and uses goals
to establish criterion.
1 Emerging· Participant uses published rubrics.· Participant
uses rubrics aligned with curriculum and standards.· Participant’s
scoring strategy is fair.· Participant gives rubrics to students
when making assignments.· Participant uses rubrics to explain expectations
and clarify assessments.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 5 of 20
Key Concept: Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to appropriately challenging curricula
for gifted students, participants will use a common vocabulary regarding
the term ZPD. They will understand ZPD to be the difference between
a person’s actual developmental level to independently solve problems and
the level of potential development at which the person can solve problems
with guidance or in collaboration with others. Understanding will
be demonstrated by development of Glossary: Professional Development
Curriculum, completing Worksheet #5: Tiered Activities, and through
use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #5.
II. Main Idea
Teachers of gifted students should understand the concept of the ZPD
in order to design appropriately challenging learning experiences beyond
the learner’s actual developmental level yet within the learner’s range
of success with guidance or collaboration.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted
education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means
of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education
2.3 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Means for demonstrating proficiency in
essential regular curriculum concepts and processes must be established
to facilitate appropriate academic acceleration.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Gifted learners must be assessed for proficiency
in basic skills and knowledge and provided with alternative challenging
educational opportunities when proficiency is demonstrated.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled
to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted
education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional
methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess
exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
2.3 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made aware of the
nature and needs of gifted students.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #5. Ask participants if the definitions
recorded for Part #4 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will read a short narrative in which two
groups are standing along side a lake in the middle of dense undergrowth.
The leader of one group observes that none of his students knows how to
swim, so he intends to lead them in bushwhacking their way to the other
side using knives. The other leader decides to teach his students
to swim because he doesn’t want to whack through. Participants will
be asked to which teacher they think they are most like.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Program Coordinator will define the Zone of Proximal Development
(ZPD) as the difference between a person’s actual developmental level to
independently solve problems and the level of potential development at
which problems can be solved with guidance or in collaboration with others.
After discussing this definition, participants will write a definition
of ZPD in their own words on Glossary: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum, Part #5.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #5: Tiered Activity
and discuss the results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #5, participants will assess their proficiency
teaching within the Zones of Proximal Development of gifted students.
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #5 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #5 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will recall
the narrative of the swimmers and the bushwhackers (used as motivation)
and apply the concept of the ZPD to the situation. They will drawing
conclusions as to when it is appropriate to rely upon skills which students
have mastered to solve problems and when to teach new skills to equip students
to face new challenges.
· Participants will give Program Coordinator Worksheet #5: Tiered
Activities and Holistic Rubric #5.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o None used
· Other Materials
o Worksheet #5: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #5
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #5
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #5. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #5 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #5 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #5:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #5 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 5 of 20
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Worksheet #5: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of the theory of the ZPD. After working independently for five minutes, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #5: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Remember the definition of ZPD and write it below
Recall the role of the teacher in the ZPD and write it below.
2. Translate the concept of ZPD into a logical opposite. Describe
that opposite below.
Describe how a student’s ZPD is determined and how to use that information
in designing appropriately challenging learning experiences.
3. Describe an instrument you have developed for determining your students’
ZPD in an area of the discipline you teach. Evaluate the effectiveness
of the instrument.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of information to create a product.
Lesson 5 of 20
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Glossary: Part #5 Name ______________________
Part #4
Rubrics are scoring tools that list what count and articulate gradations
of quality.
Holistic rubrics give a snapshot of status or achievement.
Analytical rubrics show relative strengths and weaknesses.
Part #5
The Zone of Proximal Development is
Lesson 5 of 20
Zone of Proximal Development
Holistic Rubric #5 Name ___________________________
Assess your use of appropriately challenging curricula for gifted students
by rating your understanding of the ZPD. Give Holistic Rubric #5
to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant evaluates instructional materials and
influences selection of appropriately challenging instructional materials
for gifted students.· Participant has developed tools for identifying
students’ Zones of Proximal Development in content areas.· Participant
analyzes student outcomes to plan instructional lessons within the Zones
of Proximal Development of individual students.· Participant is
able to adapt instruction to diverse Zones of Proximal Development.·
Participant trains students to recognize when they are able to proceed
independently within their actual developmental level and when they are
within their Zones of Proximal Development and when they would learn best
with guidance or support.
2 Developing· Participant is able to evaluate results of assessments
for determining ZPD.· Participant is able to adapt instruction to
accommodate enlarging ZPD of students.· Participant’s accommodations
for ZPD align with instructional goals.
1 Emerging· Participant models learning in the Zone of Proximal
Development to students.· Participant encourages students to interact
with peers and teachers to receive necessary guidance and support to perform
within their Zones of Proximal Development.· Participant recognizes
when students cannot perform tasks without help.· Participant recognizes
when students cannot perform tasks even with help..
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 6 of 20
Key Concept: Self-Efficacy
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to appropriately challenging curricula
for gifted students, participants will use a common vocabulary regarding
the term self-efficacy. They will understand self-efficacy to be
belief in one’s ability to perform in such a way as to affect the outcomes
of one’s life. Understanding will be demonstrated by developing Glossary:
Professional Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #6: Tiered
Activities, and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #6
II. Main Idea
When people believe they have the capability to perform in ways that
influence their lives, they set challenging goals and use analytic thinking
to accomplish those goals. A resilient sense of self-efficacy is
needed for students to learn from both failure and success and use that
knowledge to assist them in making continuous academic progress.
A person’s sense of self-efficacy arises from success with challenges that
he perceives as being robust and respectably difficult but within his ZPD.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted
education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means
of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Means for demonstrating proficiency in
essential regular curriculum concepts and processes must be established
to facilitate appropriate academic acceleration.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Gifted learners must be assessed for proficiency
in basic skills and knowledge and provided with alternative challenging
educational opportunities when proficiency is demonstrated.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
4.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #6. Ask participants if the definitions
recorded for Part #5 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will re-visit the short narrative in which
two groups are standing along side a lake in the middle of dense undergrowth.
The leader of one group observes that none of his students knows how to
swim, but they do know how to use knives, so he intends to lead them in
bushwhacking their way to the other side using knives. The other
leader decides to teach his students to swim because he doesn’t want to
go whacking through, and he believes his students are capable of learning
to swim with his help. Ask participants to describe how organizations
learn and characteristics of organizations that are capable of learning.
Comment on the belief that schools, as organizations, do not exhibit a
propensity for learning because faculty and staff members lack a resilient
sense of self-efficacy. Discuss what would build a faculty’s sense
of self-efficacy as an organization.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Program Coordinator will define self-efficacy as belief in
one’s ability to perform in such a way as to affect the outcomes of one’s
life.
· Participants will contribute ideas about what kinds of experiences
build students’ self-efficacy.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #6: Tiered Activity
and discuss the results.
· Participants will write the group’s definition of self-efficacy
on Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #6.
· Using Holistic Rubric #6, participants will assess the impact
their instruction has on the self-efficacy of gifted students.
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #6 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #6 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will recall
the narrative of the swimmers and the bushwhackers used as motivation and
apply the concept of the self-efficacy to the situation. Draw conclusions
as to the impact relying upon skills students have mastered to solve problems
has on self-efficacy and the impact learning new skills has on students’
resiliency and belief in their influence over outcomes.
· Participants will give Program Coordinator Worksheet #6: Tiered
Activities and Holistic Rubric #6.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o None used
· Other Materials
o Worksheet #6: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #6
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #6
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #6. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #6 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #6 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet # 6:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #6 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 6 of 20
Self-Efficacy
Worksheet: Tiered Activities #6 Name ________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of
the theory of self-efficacy. After working independently for five
minutes, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet:
Tiered Activities #6 to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Remember the definition of self-efficacy and write it below
Recall the most effective way to develop self-efficacy.
2. Analyze a specific learning experience for gifted students in your
class and determine its relative value in building resilience and self-efficacy.
Describe how resilience and self-efficacy affect both an individual’s
and an organization’s performance.
3. Evaluate whether your sense of self-efficacy is changing in some
area of your professional life and to what you attribute the change.
How can you contribute to a colleague’s self-efficacy?
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity
#3 asks for evaluation and creative application.
Lesson 6 of 10
Self-efficacy
Glossary: Part #6 Name _________________________
Part #5
The Zone of Proximal Development is the level between the actual developmental
level of a person within which he can perform independently without help
and the level at which the person is unable to perform, even with guidance.
The ZPD includes the functions and activities the person can perform only
with the assistance of another person. To maximize learning, tasks
slightly beyond the actual developmental level of the learner are designed
with an appropriate scaffold of support.
Part #6
Self-efficacy
Lesson 6 of 20
Self-efficacy
Holistic Rubric #6 Name ________________________
Assess your use of appropriately challenging curricula for gifted students
by rating your understanding of self-efficacy. Give Holistic Rubric
#6 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant provides learning experiences that students
consider robust challenges yet within their ZPD.· Participant provides
opportunities for students to observe their intellectual peers succeeding
at robust challenges.· Participant avoids positive or negative social
reinforcements as a means to enhance students’ self-efficacy.· Participant
provides a learning environment free of obstacles to successful completion
of challenging learning tasks.· Participant models resiliency in
situations challenging to his self-efficacy.
2 Developing· Participant uses flexible grouping to provide
students with opportunities to observe the outcomes of their peers’ efforts.·
Participant builds upon the successes of students.· Participant
encourages students to evaluate their own efforts.
1 Emerging· Participant understands the theory of self-efficacy.·
Participant recognizes the work ethic of those with resilient self-efficacy.·
Participant knows the most effective way to build self-efficacy.·
Participant knows the least effective way to build self-efficacy..
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 7 of 20
Key Concept: Scaffold
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to appropriately challenging curricula
for gifted students, participants will use a common vocabulary regarding
the term scaffold. They will understand a scaffold to be help given
to learners in order that they may succeed at tasks within their ZPD.
Understanding will be demonstrated by developing Glossary: Professional
Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #7: Tiered Activities,
and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #7.
II. Main Idea
The term scaffold is a metaphor for support offered by educators to
guide learners to achieve successful outcomes within their Zones of Proximal
Development (ZPD). The amount of scaffolding which is effective should
be differentiated to reflect the uniqueness of learners and enhance their
self-efficacy.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted
education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means
of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Means for demonstrating proficiency in
essential regular curriculum concepts and processes must be established
to facilitate appropriate academic acceleration.
2.3 Minimum Standard: Gifted learners must be assessed for proficiency
in basic skills and knowledge and provided with alternative challenging
educational opportunities when proficiency is demonstrated.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled
to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted
education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional
methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess
exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #7. Ask participants if the definitions
recorded for Part #6 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will recall the narrative about the two
groups standing along side a lake in the middle of dense undergrowth and
the choice to bushwhack through or teach the students to swim. Participants
will be asked to offer ideas about what kind of help students would need
to succeed at each choice.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Program Coordinator will define a scaffold as help given to
learners in order that they may succeed at tasks within their ZPD.
Such help may be explicit training of skills and knowledge targeting individuals,
groups, or whole classes, prior knowledge, or adaptations in the learning
environment that assist learning.
· Participants will contribute ideas about kinds of scaffolds
they have found to be useful with gifted learners and write them on Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #7.
· Program coordinator will describe a progression from Teacher-Centered
Instruction, to Teacher/Student Centered, to Student/Teacher Centered,
to Student-Centered Learning and the degree of support needed for each.
Participants will offer examples of when each step is appropriate.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #7: Tiered Activity
and discuss results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #7, participants will assess their use
of scaffolding to support the self-efficacy of gifted students.
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #7 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #7 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will discuss
what is meant by the phrases “sage on the stage” and “guide on the side”
and when it is important to be each.
· Participants will give Program Coordinator Worksheet #7: Tiered
Activities and Holistic Rubric #7.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o None used
· Other Materials
o Worksheet #7: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #7
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #7
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #7. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #7 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #7 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet 7:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #7 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 7 of 20
Scaffold
Worksheet #7: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of the term scaffold. After working independently for five minutes, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #7: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Remember the definition of the term scaffold and write it below.
Recognize and list the scaffolds of support build into this lesson.
2. Distinguish among teacher-centered, teach/student centered, student/teacher
centered, and student-centered learning.
Analyze how the scaffolds you use in your classroom approximate individual
students’ ZPDs.
3. Describe a plan to add or remove a scaffold of support from your
classroom work, make observations on the result, and draw conclusions.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for evaluation and creative application.
Lesson 7 of 20
Scaffold
Glossary: Part #7 Name __________________________
Part #6
Self-efficacy is the belief a person has about his capability to perform
in such a way that the outcomes of his effort influence events that affect
his life.
Part #7
Scaffold is
Lesson 7 of 20
Scaffold
Holistic Rubric #7 Name ___________________________
Assess your use of appropriately challenging curricula for gifted students
by rating your understanding of scaffolds. Give Holistic Rubric #7
to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant makes decisions about degree and kind
of scaffolds appropriate based on data from pre-assessments.· Participant
models flexibility in use of scaffolds for protégés and other
teachers.· Participant designs intentional plans of graduated scaffolding
in alignment with students’ growing ZPD.· Participant plans varying
degrees and kinds of scaffolds for individuals.
2 Developing· Participant uses scaffolds of support suggested
in instructional materials.· Participant varies the degree and kind
of support he gives to individuals.· Participant expects students
to need support as they learn new skills and provides that support in alignment
with educational goals.
1 Emerging· Participant understands what a scaffold is.·
Participant recognizes scaffolds in instructional plans written by others.·
Participant knows which students in his classes need more support than
others.· Participant knows that scaffolding is useful in formative
stages of skill development..
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 8 of 20
Key Concept: Identification of Students for Gifted Programming
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to identification of students who
are likely to benefit from gifted programming, participants will understand
how to use the Kingore Observation Inventory (KOI). They will develop
a common vocabulary of the terms used in the KOI as shown by developing
Glossary: Professional Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet
#8: Tiered Activities, and through use of self-assessment on Holistic
Rubric #8.
II. Main Idea
Identification of gifted students is necessary to provide appropriate
challenging differentiated learning experiences beyond the regular curriculum.
Use of the KOI for identification enriches learning environments by raising
levels of thinking, production, and challenge for all students. It
offers a systematic, inclusive, and authentic approach to documenting holistic
identification.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed
to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive and cohesive process for student nomination must be coordinated in order to determine eligibility for gifted education services.
1.1 Minimum Standard: All students must comprise the initial screening
pool of potential recipients of gifted education services.
1.1 Exemplary Standard: The nomination process should by ongoing,
and screening of any student should occur at any time.
1.2 Minimum Standard: Nominations for services must be accepted
from any source (e.g., teachers, parents, community members, peers, etc.)
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
Guiding Principle #4: All student identification procedures and instruments must be based on current theory and research.
4.0 Exemplary Standard: Student assessment data should come from
multiple sources and include multiple assessment methods.
4.1 Exemplary Standard: Student assessment data should represent
an appropriate balance of reliable and valid quantitative and qualitative
measures.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K-12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
7.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K—12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #8. Ask participants if the definitions
recorded for Part #7 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
Program Coordinator will read the following statement: We can’t
change where students have been, but we can influence where they are going.
Expend your energy providing opportunities for future learning successes.
Set up you classroom with a wide array of challenging opportunities for
all students and watch their responses (Kingore, 2001).
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion and direct instruction will be used.
Procedure
· Program Coordinator will give each teacher a copy of the materials
used for identifying students to receive gifted services: nomination,
observation, and identification forms. Program Coordinator will describe
how each is used in the identification process and the limitations of high
stakes testing and snapshot behavior observations.
· Program Coordinator will give each teacher a folder containing
the Kingore Observation Inventory and share purpose of the KOI and method
for its use.
· Participants will contribute examples for experiences they
have with gifted learners to develop a group definition for each of the
general categories from the KOI (Advanced Language, Analytical Thinking,
Perceptive, Sense of Humor, Sensitivity, and Accelerated Learning) and
write them on Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #8.
· Program Coordinator will challenge participants to observe
every student using the KOI, looking for strengths and differences.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #8: Tiered Activity
and discuss results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #8, participants will assess their use
of KOI to identify students with special talents and abilities needing
differentiation beyond the regular curriculum.
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #8 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #8 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will analyze
why certain patterns might emerge on the KOI.
· Participants will give Program Coordinator Worksheet #8: Tiered
Activities and Holistic Rubric #8.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Kingore, B. (2001). Anecdotal Folder. In The Kingore
observation inventory (2nd ed.) Austin, TX: Professional Associates
Publishing.
o Kingore, B. (2001). Categories of gifted characteristics.
In The Kingore observation inventory (2nd ed.) Austin, TX:
Professional Associates Publishing.
o Kingore, B. (2001). Explanation of behaviors categorized
in the Kingore Observation Inventory. In The Kingore observation
inventory (2nd ed.) Austin, TX: Professional Associates Publishing.
o Kingore, B. (2001). KOI folder. In The Kingore
observation inventory (2nd ed.) Austin, TX: Professional Associates
Publishing.
o Kingore, B. (2001). KOI scoring form. In The Kingore
observation inventory (2nd ed.) Austin, TX: Professional Associates
Publishing.>
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #8. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #8 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #8 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #8:
Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #8 and discuss the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 8 of 20
Identification
Worksheet #8: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of the KOI. After working independently for five minutes, share your ideas participants near you. Give Worksheet #8: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Recall the seven categories of gifted used in the KOI.
List names of students who have demonstrated gifted behaviors.
2. Describe how you have implemented one or more activities from The
Kingore Observation Inventory to enrich classroom interactions. What
observations did you note on the KOI.
Explain why gifted behaviors are rare to non-existent in some classrooms.
3. Explain how you have integrated activities intended to enrich the
standard curriculum into a 6-week unit lesson plan, made anecdotal records
for students and entered notations on the KOI. Describe patterns
noted in analysis of records. Tell how you applied information from
analysis when planning differentiated instruction and created holistic
assessments for students identified on KOI.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for implementation and application. Activity #3
asks for report of integration, analysis, and evaluation based on knowledge.
Lesson 8 of 20
Identification
Glossary: Part #8 Name _________________________
Part #7
Scaffold is a metaphor describing the support offered by educators
in assisting learners to achieve learning outcomes.
Part #8
Advanced Language includes
Analytical Thinking includes
Meaning Motivation is
Perspective is shown
Sense of Humor appears
Sensitivity is apparent from
Accelerated Learning is demonstrated through
Lesson 8 of 20
Identification
Holistic Rubric #8 Name ________________________
Assess your use of multiple criteria to identify students who would
benefit from gifted services and differentiated curriculum by rating your
understanding of KOI. Give Holistic Rubric #8 to the Program Coordinator
before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant makes decisions about degree and kind
of differentiation of standard curriculum for gifted learners based on
data from multiple criteria.· Participant models enrichment of curriculum
for protégés and other teachers.· Participant designs
lessons taking into consideration categories of gifted characteristics
and intentionally provides opportunities for learners to display gifted
characteristics.· Participant documents observations of students.
2 Developing· Participant documents observations of students.·
Participant provides opportunities for students to demonstrate learning
behaviors beyond what is ordinarily expected of age and grade level.
1 Emerging· Participant understands how students are identified
for the gifted program.· Participant reads information provided
regarding characteristics of the gifted individuals in his class.·
Participant knows the categories of gifted characteristics listed in the
KOI...
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 9 of 20
Key Concept: Questioning Techniques
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to strategies to appropriately challenge
gifted students, participants will use a common vocabulary regarding questioning
techniques. They will demonstrate their understanding by developing
Glossary: Professional Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet
#9: Tiered Activities, and through use of self-assessment on Holistic
Rubric #9.
II. Main Idea
For the seven categories of gifted from the KOI (Lesson 8) to be observable,
students must have opportunities in the classroom to display evidence of
giftedness. Questions that are open-ended and stimulate thinking
create situations for students to think in different ways, ask different
kinds of questions, and apply what they know in different ways. From
the questions students ask and their responses to questions, a trained
observer will perceive behaviors characteristic of gifted learners not
only to facilitate identification but to extend and enhance curriculum
to better meet their needs.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed
to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive and cohesive process for student nomination must be coordinated in order to determine eligibility for gifted education services.
1.2 Minimum Standard: All students must comprise the initial screening
pool of potential recipients of gifted education services.
1.3 Exemplary Standard: The nomination process should by ongoing,
and screening of any student should occur at any time.
1.4 Minimum Standard: Nominations for services must be accepted
from any source (e.g., teachers, parents, community members, peers, etc.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment
to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse
abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an
opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate interventions.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
Guiding Principle #4: All student identification procedures and instruments must be based on current theory and research.
4.0 Exemplary Standard: Student assessment data should come from
multiple sources and include multiple assessment methods.
4.1 Exemplary Standard: Student assessment data should represent
an appropriate balance of reliable and valid quantitative and qualitative
measures.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
7.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
8.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #9. Ask participants if the definitions
recorded for Part #8 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will read the following statement:
Do something gifted – I’m watching and assessing (Kingore, 2001).
Participants will discuss their progress in using the KOI to observe students
and whether they are providing opportunities for students to display behaviors
characteristic of gifted learners. Program Coordinator will direct
the conversation to questioning techniques and strategies.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will generate a list of questioning strategies
they have found useful in stimulating the thinking of gifted learners.
· Program Coordinator will ask participants what purposes their
questions serve. Participants will discuss the use of questioning
to discover what students know, how they feel, what they need, and to stimulate
critical thinking and more in-depth questions.
· Participants will generate a list of do’s and don’ts for effective
questioning.
· Participants will contribute examples for experiences they
have with gifted learners to develop a group definition for the general
categories of questioning strategies and write them on Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #9.
· Program Coordinator will challenge participants to tape record
a typical day of teaching and analyze their own questioning style:
basic recall, divergent, answered by teacher, and wait time.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #9: Tiered Activity
and discuss results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #9, participants will assess their use
of questioning strategies to identify students with special talents and
abilities and to extend and enhance the standard curriculum
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #9 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #9 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #9: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #9.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Eberle, B. (1996). Scamper: games for imagination
development. Waco TX: Prufrock Press.
o Johnson, N. (1990). Questioning makes the difference.
Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning.
o Kingore, B. (2001). The Kingore observation inventory.
Austin, TX: Professional Associates Publishing.
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #9: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #9
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #9
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #9. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #9 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #9 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #9:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #9 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 9 of 20
Questioning Techniques
Worksheet #9: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of the questioning techniques. After working independently, share your ideas with the participants near you. Give Worksheet #9: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Recall names of five questioning strategies discussed.
Write an example of each of the above.
2. Describe a divergent questioning technique that you use and how it
aids identification of and differentiation for gifted learners.
Explain how divergent questioning enhances the self-efficacy of students.
3. Record instances when you have modeled divergent questioning for
students and other educators. What was the result of your leadership?
How was it helpful? What would you do differently in the future?
Is modeling teaching strategies useful as professional development?
How? Why?
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for implementation and application. Activity #3
asks for a record of contributions to the professional development of others
and reflection on the results of those experiences.
Lesson 9 of 20
Questioning Techniques
Glossary: Part #9 Name __________________________
Part #8
Advanced Language includes unassuming and appropriate displays of advanced
vocabulary, similes, metaphors, and analogies to express insight and effective
use of language that is more complex than would be expected for age and
grade.
Analytical Thinking includes demonstrated ability to discern components of a whole, solve more difficult problems than would be expected for age and grade, looks for complex, abstract relationships and patterns in procedures, experiences, ideas and/or objects and may appear in organization and planning of events and procedures.
Meaning Motivation is an inner drive for thorough, independent understanding resulting in development of expertise, philosophy, extensive memory, and perceptive questioning.
Perspective is shown in unique graphics, patterns, and displays of ability to interpret and incorporate unexpected points of view or insightful interpretation of another’s point of view.
Sense of Humor appears finely developed in ability to understand subtle humor of others or produce original jokes, puns, and other humorous effects and is used to defuse volatile situations and to gain approval.
Sensitivity is apparent from concern about human issues, justice, needs and motivations of others, high standards, and empathy expressed through words, art, or actions.
Accelerated Learning is demonstrated through mastery or ability to learn and interpret materials and concepts beyond what would be expected for age and grade level, is increased with exposure, and is shown by able use of a variety of tools to assess information.
Part #9
Reflective Questions cause the learner to
Open-ended Questions and Statements are
Scamper is
Divergent Questioning is
Lesson 9 of 20
Questioning Techniques
Holistic Rubric #9 Name ___________________________
Assess your use of questioning techniques. Give Holistic Rubric
#9 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant differentiates for gifted learners using
a variety of questioning techniques to develop application, analysis, synthesis,
and evaluation.· Participant models creative thinking and open-ended
and divergent questioning.· Participant designs lessons that inspire
insightful questions as well as insightful answers.· Participant
structures learning experiences for students to develop questioning skills.·
Participant reflects on his questioning technique by analyzing information
gleaned from video or audiotapes of his classroom instruction or seeks
insight from peer coaches.
2 Developing· Participant allows adequate time for students
to consider challenging questions and wait-time for responses.·
Participant establishes and maintains a safe atmosphere for students to
take intellectual and creative risks.· Participant refrains from
answering his own questions when students are reticent.· Participant
balances reproductive and productive questions.· Participant facilitates
Socratic Seminar, Shared Inquiry, and SCAMPER.
1 Emerging· Participant understands the purposes served by questioning.·
Participant asks a variety of types of questions in class discussions.·
Participant recognizes reflective, open-ended, and divergent questions
in support materials provided by publishers of core textbooks.·
Participant listens closely to the responses of students and encourages
them to respond to one another’s ideas.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 10 of 20
Key Concept: Differentiation Overview
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to strategies to appropriately challenge
gifted students, participants will use and understanding a common vocabulary
regarding differentiation. They will understand differentiation to
mean multiple options for content, process, product, and environment.
They will demonstrate their understanding by developing Glossary:
Professional Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #10: Tiered
Activities, and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #10.
II. Main Idea
Gifted learners deserve opportunities to learn new information.
Using pre-tests and informal assessments, teachers can determine to what
extent students have achieved the knowledge and comprehension goals of
the standard grade-level curriculum. If the learner demonstrates
knowledge, skill, or proficiency either in advance of instruction or more
rapidly than his chronological peers, the curriculum may be differentiated
to be more appropriately challenging. Differentiation falls into
four main categories: content, product, process, and environment.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #1: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated
into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared on requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K-12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
8.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
9.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #10. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #9 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will ask participants to discuss, based
on their understanding of the term differentiation, when differentiation
is beneficial for students and what kinds of differentiation they have
used.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will brainstorm ways they have made accommodations
for gifted learners. Program Coordinator will lead participants to
categorize their experiences as differentiations of products, processes,
content, or environment.
· Program Coordinator will ask participants what purpose differentiation
serves and what kinds of knowledge a teacher must have for differentiation
to effectively enhance a student’s education.
· Participants will consider whether it is appropriate for students
to complete the standard assignments and activities before they may move
on to new learning.
· Participants will contribute examples for experiences they
have with gifted learners to develop and record a group definition for
each of the terms related to differentiation in Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #10.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #10: Tiered Activity
and discuss results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #10, participants will assess their
use of differentiation to extend and enhance the standard curriculum
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #10 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #10 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curri>
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o None used
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #10: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #10
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #10
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #10. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #10 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #10 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #10:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #10 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 10 of 20
Differentiation
Worksheet #10: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of differentiation. After working independently, share your ideas with participants sitting near you. Give Worksheet #10: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. List four general ways in which learning experiences can be differentiated.
Write an example of each of the above.
2. Explain how teachers know when and how to differentiate for students.
3. Describe the relationship between equity and excellence in learning
experiences for gifted students.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for a recapitulation of implementation.
Lesson 10 of 20
Differentiation Overview
Glossary: Part #10 Name ______________________
Part #9
Reflective Questions cause the learner to share and clarify his thinking
about the process of his learning and production of critical thinking.
Open-ended Questions and Statements increase thinking and lift the ceiling of possibilities beyond reproducing knowledge or information students already know to production of new knowledge.
Scamper is a technique for manipulating ideas to help the learner create new concepts.
Divergent Questioning is a method of active learning that stretches and extends the curriculum vertically. It enhances self-efficacy for all students by providing opportunities for enrichment without acceleration.
Part #10
Differentiation is
Content is
Process is the way
Products are the means
Readiness is the
Interest is
Learning Profile includes
Lesson 10 of 20
Differentiation Overview
Holistic Rubric #10 Name ___________________________
Assess your use of differentiation. Give Holistic Rubric #10 to
the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant differentiates for gifted learners by
taking into consideration readiness, interest, and learning profile.·
Assessment is an on-going, integral part of the instructional plan.·
Participant uses differentiation techniques when pre-assessments indicate
a need or other information leads him to believe student learning will
be enhanced by modifications.· Participant uses a variety of flexible
grouping arrangements to facilitate differentiation.· Participant
engages students in activities to discover learning preferences and interests.
2 Developing· Participant focuses on the essentials of the discipline
being learned.· Participant uses a variety of instructional approaches
to adapt to student differences.· Participant provides students
with choices of products for authentic assessment.· Participant
allows students to choose from a variety of instructional materials to
accomplish objectives.· Participant strives to provide both equity
and excellence for learners.
1 Emerging· Participant understands the purposes served by differentiation.·
Participant recognizes general ways in which to differentiate.·
Participant acknowledges that individual students have different needs.·
Participant assesses students’ knowledge and understanding to determine
instructional plans..
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 11 of 20
Key Concept: Acceleration
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to differentiation strategies, participants
will use a common vocabulary regarding acceleration. Participants
will understand acceleration to be differentiation of pace. Understanding
will be demonstrated by developing Glossary: Professional Development
Curriculum, completing Worksheet #11: Tiered Activities, and through
use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #11.
II. Main Idea
Gifted learners deserve opportunities to learn new information.
Through the use of pre-tests and informal assessments, teachers can determine
to what extent students have achieved the knowledge and comprehension goals
of the standard grade-level curriculum. If the learner demonstrates
knowledge, skill, or proficiency either in advance of instruction or more
rapidly than his chronological peers, the curriculum may be differentiated
to be more appropriately challenging. When indicated to be appropriate
by formal or informal assessment, acceleration differentiates to accommodate
pace of learning.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #1: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed
in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared one requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing
new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive
to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual
strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
9.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
10.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each
student to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should
be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #11. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #10 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will ask participants to recall the fable
of the tortoise and the hare. After briefly recapitulating the moral
of the fable, the Program Coordinator will ask participants why the hare
lost the race, leading to a discussion of why the hare stopped running.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will brainstorm ways to differentiate pace.
Program Coordinator will assist participants in ranking the differentiation
strategies according to where these differentiations would take place and
who would be responsible for initiating and implementing them. Program
Coordinator will define acceleration as differentiation of pace.
· Program Coordinator will show participants the Iowa Acceleration
Scale (1998) and briefly explain how it is used to document assessment
for grade-level acceleration.
· Participants will consider how to document assessments appropriate
to single subject acceleration, and classroom-based acceleration.
· Participants will contribute examples for experiences they
have with gifted learners to develop and record a group definition for
each of the terms related to acceleration in Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #11.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #11: Tiered Activity
and discuss results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #11, participants will assess their
knowledge of acceleration strategies to differentiate for students with
special talents and abilities and to extend and enhance their learning
experiences.
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #11 for each participant and
make suggestions.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #11: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #11.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Assouline, S., Colangelo, N., Lupkowski-Shoplik, A.,& Lipscomb,
J. (1998). Iowa acceleration scale: a guide to whole-grade
acceleration K-8. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #11: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #11
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #11
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #11. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #11 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #11 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #11:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #11 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 11 of 20
Acceleration
Worksheet #11: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of acceleration. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #11: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Define academic acceleration.
2. Explain the importance of assessment and documentation in making
decisions regarding when and how to accelerate.
3. Explain how acceleration leads to tracking. Give examples based
on various content areas.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of concepts discussed in previous lessons.
Lesson 11 of 20
Acceleration
Glossary: Part #11 Name _________________________
Part #10
Differentiation is adaptation of content, product, process, and/or
environment.
Content is what is to be learned and the materials through which the student learns.
Process is the way students use essential skills to understand key concepts and information.
Products are the means through which students show evidence of their learning and broaden and deepen their understanding of what they have learned.
Readiness is the student’s entry point to a skill or understanding; it is a way in which students differ.
Interest is the enthusiasm, keenness, or curiosity a student has for a particular study or skill; it is a way in which students differ.
Learning Profile includes intelligence, gender, culture, learning style; it is a way in which students differ.
Part 11
Acceleration is the practice of
Early admission is the practice of
.
Dual enrollment is the practice of
Early exit is the practice of
Grade advancement is the practice of
Single subject promotion is the practice of
Classroom based acceleration is the practice of
Challenge level is the point
Content acceleration is the practice of
Lesson 11 of 20
Acceleration
Holistic Rubric #11 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding of acceleration. Give Holistic Rubric
#11 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant initiates assessment process for single
subject, grade-level, dual enrollment, and early exit acceleration when
appropriate.· Assessment is an on-going, integral part of the instructional
plan.· Participant uses acceleration when pre-assessments indicate
a need or other information leads him to believe a more rapid pace will
enhance student learning.· Participant uses a variety of flexible
grouping arrangements to facilitate acceleration.· Participant uses
his knowledge of vertical articulation of curriculum in his content area
and other core areas to provide appropriately challenging learning opportunities.
2 Developing· Participant routinely assesses and documents students’
mastery of grade-level curriculum in advance of instruction.· Participant
recognizes students who are logical candidates for classroom based, single
subject and grade-level acceleration.· Participant provides opportunities
for acceleration within the classroom.· Participant collaborates
with Program Coordinator, counselor, parents, and students in identifying
appropriate pace of acceleration.· Participant strives to provide
both equity and excellence for learners.
1 Emerging· Participant is aware of acceleration options available
within the District at various grade-levels.· Participant recognizes
acceleration as appropriate for some learners in some areas in order to
provide appropriately challenging learning experiences which result in
continuous progress.· Participant is aware of who is responsible
for various assessments resulting in different types of acceleration.·
Participant assesses students’ knowledge and understanding to determine
instructional plans that include classroom acceleration..
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 1>
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to differentiation strategies, participants
will show their understanding of terms related to compacting. Compacting
will be defined as a process of streamlining standard curriculum to differentiate
pace. Understanding will be demonstrated by developing Glossary:
Professional Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #12: Tiered
Activities, and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #12.
II. Main Idea
Gifted learners deserve opportunities to learn new information.
Using pre-tests and informal assessments, teachers can determine to what
extent students have achieved the knowledge and comprehension goals of
the standard grade-level curriculum. If the learner demonstrates
knowledge, skill, or proficiency either in advance of instruction or more
rapidly than his chronological peers, the curriculum may be differentiated
to be more appropriately challenging. When indicated to be appropriate
by formal or informal assessment, compacting differentiates to accommodate
pace of learning.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #1: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.1 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
6.1 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared one requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.1 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing
new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment
to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse
abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an
opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive
to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
10.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities
for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas
of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal
learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners
must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional
approaches, and resource materials.
11.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each
student to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should
be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #12. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #11 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will ask participants to recall the previous
discussion of the fable of the tortoise and the hare. Program Coordinator
will ask participants to consider the following modern day parable and
discuss what happens to students when they are asked to review material
or skills which they feel they have mastered.
The housekeeper has just finished the family’s wash. While she
is standing back admiring her work, her employer enters and remarks about
what a fine job she has done, how sparkling clean everything is, how neatly
stacked. Cheerfully he tells her to resort and reload the washer
with the clean laundry. Astonished, the housekeeper, questions her
boss. Still cheerful, he reminds her that she is still learning and
that a little more practice doing the wash surely would be good for her.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will contribute to a discussion about students
who may, when they enter the classroom, already be proficient at learning
experiences planned. Program Coordinator will lead the discussion
to reflection by experienced teachers as the changes in content of textbooks
over the course of their careers and the apparent “dumbing down” of published
instructional materials.
· Participants will contribute ideas about how to know whether
instructional materials appropriately challenge students and how to streamline
the curriculum for those who require a more rapid pace to make continuous
progress. Program Coordinator will define compacting as a process
by which standard curriculum is streamlined to adapt for learners who are
capable of mastering it more rapidly than their age-mates.
· Program Coordinator will explain the strategy of “most difficult
first.”
· Program Coordinator will explain the three basic phases of
curriculum compacting: determining goals and objectives of standard
curriculum, assessing students’ mastery of these objectives, providing
more challenging options for students who exhibit mastery.
· Participants will consider how to use results of objective-referenced
tests and performance-based assessments to discover students’ skills and
strengths before instruction begins. Participants will brainstorm
ways to be efficient using both students’ and teachers’ time in assessment.
· Program Coordinator will read the “Eight Steps for Implementing
Curriculum Compacting” (Reis, Burns, & Renzulli, (1992) to participants.
· Participants will contribute examples of strategies they have
used to lessen the paperwork in documenting compacting. They will
develop and record a group definition for each of the terms related to
acceleration in Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #12.
· Program Coordinator will show participants examples of compactor
forms (Reis, Burns, & Renzulli, 1992) used for record-keeping when
compacting is implemented.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #12: Tiered Activity
and discuss results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #12, participants will assess their
use of compacting strategies to differentiate for students with special
talents and abilities and to extend and enhance the standard curriculum
Conclusion
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #12 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #12 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #12: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #12.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Reis, S, Burns, D., & Renzulli, J. (1992). Curriculum
compacting. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press,
Inc.
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #12: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #12
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #12
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #12. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #12 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #12 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #12:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #12 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 12 of 20
Compacting
Worksheet #12: Tiered Activities Name ________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of compacting. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #12: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. List the three basic phases of compacting.
2. Explain the steps you have taken in successfully compacting.
3. What implications does compacting have for use of students’ time?
What implications does it have for teachers’ time? Explain how you
balance your needs as a teacher with the needs of your students when compacting.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of concepts discussed in previous lessons.
Lesson 12 of 20
Compacting
Glossary: Part #12 Name ______________________
Part #11
Acceleration is the practice of making advanced curriculum available
at younger ages.
Early admission is the practice of enrolling students in schooling before the typical age dictated by school or state educational policies.
Dual enrollment is the practice of matriculation to post-secondary education while concurrently completing credits toward high school graduation.
Early exit is the practice of graduation before completion of the standard number of years provided by school or state policy.
Grade advancement is the practice of promotion by skipping grade levels or movement to a higher grade mid-year in all classes.
Single subject promotion is the practice of skipping one grade level in a particular subject area or moving to the next grade mid-year in one class.
Classroom based acceleration is the practice of differentiating by pace within the regular classroom setting.
Challenge level is the point at which learning experiences match the learner’s Zone of Proximal Development and he is appropriately challenged to make continuous progress.
Content acceleration is the practice of adapting basic materials and activities to provide a faster pace than the standard curriculum provides.
Part #12
Compacting is a
Objective-Referenced tests are
Performance-Based assessments evaluate
The Compactor is
Most difficult first is
Lesson 12 of 20
Compacting
Holistic Rubric #12 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding of compacting. Give Holistic Rubric
#12 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant facilitates cross-disciplinary compacting
for students who have demonstrated mastery of skills.· Participant
designs objective-based and performance-based assessments aligned with
curriculum and goals.· Participant mentors colleagues in efficient
and effective use of compacting.· Participant uses a variety of
flexible grouping arrangements to facilitate challenge level instruction
for students who have successfully completed compacted learning experiences.·
Participant uses his knowledge of vertical articulation of curriculum in
his content area and other core areas to provide appropriately challenging
learning opportunities through compacting.
2 Developing· Participant designs relevant learning objectives
for enrichment learning and acceleration resulting from successful compacting.·
Participant uses a variety of objective-based and performance-based assessments
to determine mastery levels of learners.· Participant designs curriculum
enrichments and extensions for learners who have demonstrated prior knowledge.·
Participant collaborates with Program Coordinator, counselor, parents,
and students in documenting the results of compacting.
1 Emerging· Participant identifies relevant learning objectives
in his subject area.· Participant identifies students who may benefit
from compacting.· Participant uses publisher’s pre-tests to determine
students’ knowledge and understanding of one or more learning objective.·
Participant eliminates practice, drill, or instructional time for students
demonstrating prior mastery of specific skills or rapid acquisition of
skills.· Participant offers opportunities for enrichment and acceleration
for students who have successfully mastered compacted curriculum.·
Participant makes use of record-keeping aids in documenting compacting.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 13 of 20
Key Concept: Tiered Assignment
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to differentiation strategies, participants
will use a common vocabulary regarding tiered assignments. Tiered
assignments will be defined as activities for students to extend and build
on prior knowledge through multiple methods of inquiring, challenging products.
Understanding will be demonstrated by developing Glossary: Professional
Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #13: Tiered Activities,
and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #13.
II. Main Idea
Gifted learners deserve opportunities to learn new information.
With pre-tests and informal assessments, teachers can determine to what
extent students have achieved the knowledge and comprehension goals of
the standard grade-level curriculum. If the learner demonstrates
knowledge, skill, or proficiency either in advance of instruction or more
rapidly than his chronological peers, the curriculum may be differentiated
to be more appropriately challenging. When indicated to be appropriate
by formal or informal assessment, tiered assignments differentiate content,
process, and product to accommodate prior knowledge and promote growth
in deeper levels of understanding and application.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #1: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
6.2 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared one requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.2 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing
new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
11.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
12.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each
student to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should
be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K thorugh 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #13. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #12 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will ask participants to reflect on the
twelve tiered activities used thus far in the Professional Development
Curriculum and share how they chose one activity of three to complete.
Program Coordinator will define tiered assignments to provide varied levels
of activities for students to extend and build on prior knowledge through
multiple methods of inquiring, challenging products.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will contribute to a discussion about the rationale
for using tiered assignments. Drawing from previous discussions of
data driven decisions and assessment, the Program Coordinator will underscore
the need for knowing what previous knowledge students bring to learning
experiences and the importance of meeting them in their Zones of Proximal
Development with challenge level opportunities.
· Program Coordinator will explain the six basic steps of developing
a tiered assignment: selecting an activity organizer for the framework
of understanding, assessing readiness, interests, learning profile and
talents, creating the activities, charting the complexity of the activity,
adapting the activity to address multiple levels of complexity appropriate
to learners’ assessments, and matching tasks to students’ profiles.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #13: Tiered Activity
and discuss results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #13, participants will assess their
use of tiered assignments to differentiate for students with special talents
and abilities and to extend and enhance the standard curriculum.
Conclusion
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and develop group definitions for terms related to tiered activities.
They will complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum. Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #13 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #13 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #13: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #13.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o None used
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #13: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #13
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #13
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #13. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #13 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #13 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #13:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #13 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 13 of 20
Tiered Assignments
Worksheet #13: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of tiered assignments. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #13: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. List and describe the six basic steps in developing a tiered assignment.
2. Explain how you have assessed student readiness, interests, learning
profile, and areas of talent before assigning tasks.
3. Describe the process you use in developing creative tiered assignments
to provide appropriate challenge for heterogeneously grouped learners.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of concepts discussed in previous lessons.
Lesson 13 of 20
Tiered Assignments
Glossary: Part #13 Name ______________________
Part #12
Compacting is a process by which the standard curriculum is streamlined
to adapt for learners who are capable of mastering it more rapidly than
their age-mates.
Objective-Referenced tests are criterion referenced and usually assess one objective at a time using short answer or multiple-choice responses.
Performance-Based assessments evaluate the processes learners use to reach conclusions.
The Compactor is a record-keeping device developed by Joe Renzulli and Linda Smith that keeps track of curriculum areas to be considered for compacting, procedures for compacting basic material, and acceleration and/or enrichment activities.
Part #13
Tiered Assignments are
Lesson 13 of 20
Tiered Assignments
Holistic Rubric #13 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding of tiered assignments. Give Holistic
Rubric #13 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant facilitates cross-disciplinary tiered
assignments for students who have demonstrated mastery of skills.·
Participant designs tiered assignments aligned with curriculum and goals.·
Participant mentors colleagues in developing tiered assignments.·
Participant uses a variety of flexible grouping arrangements to facilitate
challenge level tiered assignments for students who have demonstrated mastery
of standard curriculum.· Participant uses his knowledge of vertical
articulation of curriculum in his content area and other core areas to
provide appropriately challenging tiered assignments.
2 Developing· Participant designs tiered assignments based on
relevant learning objectives.· Participant uses tasks designed for
a variety of learning styles and learning modalities.· Participant
designs creative tiered assignments with multiple levels of complexity.·
Participant collaborates with Program Coordinator, counselor, parents,
and students in assessing students’ learning profiles.
1 Emerging· Participant identifies relevant learning objectives
in his subject area.· Participant identifies students who benefit
from differentiated tasks.· Participant uses publisher’s supplementary
material to provide a variety of tasks aligned with curriculum goals.·
Participant allows learners to build on prior knowledge in assignment of
tiered activities.· Participant offers opportunities for enrichment
through tiered assignments for students who have demonstrated mastery of
curriculum.· Participant makes use of rubrics to clarify expectations.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 14 of 20
Key Concept: Extension Menu
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to differentiation strategies, participants
will use a common vocabulary regarding extension menus as demonstrated
by developing Glossary: Professional Development Curriculum, completing
Worksheet #14: Tiered Activities, and through use of self-assessment
on Holistic Rubric #14.
II. Main Idea
Gifted learners deserve opportunities to learn new information.
With pre-tests and informal assessments, teachers can determine to what
extent students have achieved the knowledge and comprehension goals of
the standard grade-level curriculum. If the learner demonstrates
knowledge, skill, or proficiency either in advance of instruction or more
rapidly than his chronological peers, the curriculum may be differentiated
to be more appropriately challenging. When indicated to be appropriate
by formal or informal assessment, extension menus can differentiate content,
process, and product to accommodate prior knowledge and promote growth
in deeper levels of understanding and application.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #1: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed
in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
6.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared one requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.3 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing
new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment
to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse
abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an
opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive
to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
12.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
13.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each
student to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should
be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #14. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #13 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will ask participants to explain, according
to their understanding of differentiation, what is meant by the term respectful
work. Program Coordinator will explain that the goal of a strategy known
as the extension menu is to differentiate products and/or processes to
provide work for students that is respectful of their prior knowledge and
present abilities. The extension menu gives students the opportunity
to choose from a variety of learning experiences aligned with key concepts
of the curriculum but in addition to key concepts.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will fold pieces of paper into 3 X 3 square grid.
· Using terms from Bloom’s Taxonomy, participants will write
the levels of cognition on small pieces of paper provided by Program
Coordinator. Levels used are knowledge, comprehension, application,
analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Participants will demonstrate
a variety of configurations of an extension menu by moving the small pieces
of paper from square to square. (Participants may add more papers
to complete the square or some squares may be left blank.)
· Participants will discuss the possible outcomes of using if
the 3 X 3 square as a menu of choices for students. Depending on
how participants arrange the terms, is it possible for a learner to choose
terms configured like winning tic-tac-toe configurations? Participants
discuss how by changing the arrangement of levels they are able to control
the complexity required to produce a winning configuration.
· Participants will decide on a configuration and arrange papers
over squares. Removing one piece of paper at a time, participants
will write a verb in each square that would belong at that level of complexity.
Participants will collaborate with one another to produce verbs.
Once they have written verbs, participants will discuss how this template
can be used in their content areas.
· Program Coordinator will remind participants of the six basic
steps of developing a tiered assignment: selecting an activity organizer
for the framework of understanding, assessing readiness, interests, learning
profile and talents, creating the activities, charting the complexity of
the activity, adapting the activity to address multiple levels of complexity
appropriate to learners’ assessments, and matching tasks to students’ profiles.
Participants will discuss how these steps can be changed and adapted for
use with extension menus.
· Program Coordinator will display examples of extension menus
and templates for their construction. Program Coordinator will explain
that students may also freely choose from options on the extension menu
rather than follow a tic-tac-toe configuration.
· Based on prior experience with extension menus and learning
experiences from the lesson, participants will describe the product they
have created and, from that description, contribute to a group definition
of extension menu. On Glossary: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum, participants will write a group definition of respectful
work and extension menus.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #14: Tiered Activity
and discuss results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #14, participants will assess their
use of extension menus to differentiate for students with special talents
and abilities and to extend and enhance the standard curriculum
Conclusion
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #14. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #14 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #14 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #14: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #14.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Winebrenner, S. (1992). Teaching gifted kids in the regular
classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
· Other Materials.
o Examples of extension menus
o Worksheet #14: Tiered Activity
o Holistic Rubric #14
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #14
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #14. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #14 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #14 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #14:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #14 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 14 of 20
Extension Menus
Worksheet #14: Tiered Activities Name ________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of extension menus. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #14: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. List and describe the six levels of cognition from Bloom’s Taxonomy.
2. Explain the rationale for your configuration of the levels of cognition
used on your extension menu template.
3. Describe ways in which learning experiences in your classroom apply
the concept of respectful work.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of concepts discussed in previous lessons.
Lesson 14 of 20
Extension Menus
Glossary: Part #14 Name ___________________________
Part #13
Tiered Assignments are designed by teachers to provide varied levels
of activities for students to extend and build on prior knowledge through
multiple methods of inquiring, challenging products. The benefits
of Tiered Assignments include blending assessment and instruction, reinforcing
concepts based on students’ readiness, and challenging students within
their ZPD.
Part #14
Extension menus give
Respectful work is
Lesson 14 of 20
Extension Menus
Holistic Rubric #14 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding of extension menus. Give Holistic Rubric
#14 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant facilitates cross-disciplinary learning
experiences and extension menus.· Participant designs extension
menus aligned with curriculum and goals.· Participant mentors colleagues
in developing extension menus.· Participant provides opportunities
for students to develop skill in developing appropriately challenging extension
activities.· Participant uses his knowledge of vertical articulation
of curriculum in his content area and other core areas to provide appropriately
challenging extension menus.· Participant appreciates and makes
use of the diversity in his classes to spark maximum growth and success
of individuals.
2 Developing· Participant uses extension menus aligned to relevant
learning objectives.· Participant researches to find tasks designed
for a variety of learning styles and learning modalities that take into
consideration cognitive levels.· Participant uses extension menus
with multiple levels of complexity.· Participant collaborates with
Program Coordinator, colleagues, and others to continually renew and refresh
his options in planning respectful work.
1 Emerging· Participant is flexible and willing to adjust content,
process, and product to accommodate learners’ readiness, interest, and
learning profiles.· Participant accommodates diversity in planning
learning experiences.· Participant collaborates with others to gain
ideas about classroom management and differentiation strategies.·
Participant builds learning experiences on competency rather than deficiency.·
Participant offers opportunities for respectful work.· Participant
is clear about key concepts and skills in his content area.· Participant
communicates with parents when using differentiated learning experiences
for students.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 15 of 20
Key Concept: Meta-cognition
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to differentiation, participants
will understand meta-cognition to mean thinking about thinking. Participants
will use a common vocabulary regarding meta-cognition as demonstrated by
developing Glossary: Professional Development Curriculum, completing
Worksheet #15: Tiered Activities, and through use of self-assessment
on Holistic Rubric #15.
II. Main Idea
In harmony with Constructivist, Social Learning, and Self-efficacy
theory, the art of thinking about one’s thinking enables and enhances meaningful
growth in understanding, depth of analysis, creative application and critical
evaluation of content, process, and products. Meta-cognition strategies
also promote learners’ recognition of environments that stimulate their
cognition and those which depress their cognition.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #1: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.4 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
6.4 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared one requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.4 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing
new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive
to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual
strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout the district.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities
for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas
of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal
learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #15. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #14 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will hand one participant a small green
chalkboard and ask him to explain what it is. If the participant
offers a creative response, discussion will continue. If the participant
does not offer a creative response, the Program Coordinator will take the
board back and rebuke the participant, saying that actually it is a landing
field for miniature jet fighter planes and is being readied for a massive
assault on dust mites present in every classroom. She will then pass
it to the next participant and ask him to tell the group what it “really”
is. Participants will be encouraged to provide a thoughtful answer,
taking into consideration both the innate and figurative qualities of the
object. Lavish praise will be given for unique points of view, creative
applications, and fundamental logic of concept. Program Coordinator
will then retrieve the chalk board and summarily announce that it is really
just a chalk board.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants discuss what they were thinking about while they
were listening to colleagues fabricate uses for the green board and waiting
for their turns and how they felt to be rebuked or praised for their responses
and ultimately corrected and given the “correct” answer. Program
Coordinator will ask participants if they were thinking about their thinking
which is the definition of meta-cognition.
· Program Coordinator will give each participant an article
retrieved from the Internet. Based on notations from Matrix:
Professional Development Curriculum, participants will receive the article
best suited to their readiness, interest, and learning profile. (See
Resources for articles.) Program Coordinator will ask each participant
to read his article, making whatever notes are helpful to him.
· When he feels he has comprehended the main ideas of the article,
he will write a “Research Blip” on the article. Program Coordinator
will describe a “Research Blip” as having the following characteristics:
· Short enough to read between a teacher’s mailbox and his wastebasket.
· Begin with a relevant attention grabber.
· Supply significant information.
· End with a challenge to apply the information.
· Participants will share their “Research Blips” and offer a
brief evaluative statement as to who would find this article useful or
interesting. From the articles, participants will develop definitions
of cognition and meta-cognition.
· Participants will complete Worksheet #15: Tiered Activity
and discuss results.
· Using Holistic Rubric #15, participants will assess their
use of metacognition strategies to extend and enrich curricula for gifted.
· On Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum participants will record group definitions of cognition and
meta-cognition..
Conclusion
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #15. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #15 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #15 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #15: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #15.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Brain dancing for students. Retrieved November 10, 2002, from
http://BrainDance.com/bdi.htm
o Blakey, E. & Spence, S. (1990). Developing metacognition.
Retrieved November 10, 2002, from http://eee.rf.hob/fsysnsdrd/RTIV_rf327218.html
o Collins, N. (1994). Metacognition and reading to learn.
ERIC Digest. Retrieved November 10, 2002, from http://www.ed.gov.databases/ERIC_Digests/ed376427.html
o Livingston, J. (1997). Metacognition: an overview.
Retrieved November 10, 2002, from http://www.gse.buffalo.edu.fas/shuell/cep564/Metacog.htm
o Learning to learn: metacognition. Retrieved November
10, 2002, from http://snow.utoronto.ca/Learn2/targets2.html
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #15: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #15
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #15
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #15.
Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum, Part #15 for each participant, make suggestions,
and note completion of Glossary: Part #15 on Matrix: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #15:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #15 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 15 of 20
Meta-cognition
Worksheet #15: Tiered Activities Name ________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of meta-cognition. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #15: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Define meta-cognition and describe its relevance to student-centered
learning.
2. Write 3-5 strategies you regularly use to stimulate meta-cognition
in learners.
3. Write a brief journal describing how completing the reflective piece
of action research or the discussion section of a study has enhanced your
experience as a learner.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of concept and previous experiences.
Lesson 15 of 20
Meta-cognition
Glossary: Part #15 Name ___________________________
Part #14
Extension menus give students opportunities to choose from a variety
of learning experiences aligned with key concepts of the curriculum but
in addition to key concepts.
Respectful work shows an understanding for learning differences, taking into consideration what individual learners need to learn efficiently and effectively. It is student-centered and honors commonalities and differences in readiness, experiences, learning styles and is based on competency rather than deficiency.
Part #15
Meta-cognition is
Cognition is
Lesson 15 of 20
Meta-cognition
Holistic Rubric #15 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding and use of meta-cognition. Give Holistic
Rubric #15 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant is aware of and minimizes environmental
distractions to learning.· Participant views errors as opportunities
to learn and indications of direction learning experiences should take.·
Participant facilitates students’ ability to note needed improvements and
spot errors.· Participant values students’ self-assessments and
trains students to become increasingly adept at making accurate self-assessments.·
Participant rewards students for making connections to and applications
of previous knowledge.· Participant is a reflective practitioner
and models metacognition.
2 Developing· Participant helps students develop tactics for
strategic planning rather than providing one-size-fits-all strategic plans.·
Participant provides frequent opportunities for students to reflect on
the depth of their cognition. · Participant gives students assignments
that require them to assess their readiness for learning, rate of learning,
and preferred learning styles and modalities.· Participant is open
to discussing revisions of plans that are proving unsuccessful or not working
to students’ expectations or satisfaction.
1 Emerging· Participant incorporates students in the process
of planning for projects.· Participant provides students with instruments
for maintaining and monitoring their plans.· Participant requires
students to evaluate their own work before his own evaluation.·
Participant brainstorms with students to discover what they already know,
what they need to know, and how to get needed information.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 16 of 20
Key Concept: Curriculum Appropriate for Gifted Learners
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to curriculum appropriate for gifted
learners, participants will show their understanding of curriculum as a
plan for learning with the following four components: objectives,
content, experiences, and evaluation. Participants will demonstrate
their understanding by developing Glossary: Professional Development
Curriculum, completing Worksheet #16: Tiered Activities, and through
use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #16.
II. Main Idea
Successfully challenging gifted learners through differentiation of
curriculum is dependent on the standard curriculum having sufficient potential
to provide depth and breadth of learning. Not only should curriculum
guide teachers in planning instruction for mastery of key information,
ideas, and essential skills, it should also provide learning experiences
that deal with complex issues and offer opportunities for gifted learners
to encounter, accept, and meet challenge.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #1: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.5 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed
in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
6.5 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared one requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.5 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing
new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive
to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual
strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and
instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted
learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout
the district.
1.0 Exemplary Standard: A well-defined and implemented curriculum
scope and sequence should be articulated for all grade levels and all subject
areas.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
3.0 Minimum Standard: A program of instruction must consist of
advanced content and appropriately differentiated teaching strategies to
reflect the accelerative learning pace and advanced intellectual processes
of gifted learners.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities
for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas
of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal
learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #16. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #15 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will initiate a discussion among participants
about what curriculum is. Participants will develop a group definition
of curriculum.
· Participants will share how the District’s Curriculum Guide
assists them in providing appropriately challenging educational experiences
for gifted learners.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Program Coordinator will display various resources designed
to assist in developing appropriately challenging curricula for gifted
learners.
· Participants will have the opportunity to leaf through resources
and make informal comments with one another.
· Program Coordinator will ask participants to brainstorm elements
missing from current Curriculum Guide which could be the basis for an auxiliary
curriculum designed to complement the standard curriculum yet provide appropriate
challenge for exceptionally talented and gifted learners.
Conclusion
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #16. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #16 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #16 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #16: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #16.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Curry, J. & Samara, J. (1997). The Curry/Samara
Model. Austin, TX: The Curriculum Project.
o Tomlinson, C., Kaplan, S., Renzulli, J., Purcell, J., Leppien, J,
& Burns, D. (2002). The parallel curriculum: a design
to develop high potential and challenge high-ability learners. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
o Renzulli, J. (n.d.). A bird’s eye view of the schoolwide
enrichment model: a practical plan for total school improvement.
Retrieved June 8, 2000 from http://www.sp.ucon.edu/~nrcgt/sem/semart07.html
o VanTassel Baska, J. (1994). Comprehensive curriculum
for gifted learners (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and
Bacon.
o VanTassel Baska, J., & Little, C. (2003). Content-based
curriculum for high-ability learners. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press,
Inc.
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #16: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #16
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #16
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #16.
Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum, Part #16 for each participant, make suggestions,
and note completion of Glossary: Part #16 on Matrix: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #16:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #16 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 16 of 20
Curriculum Appropriate for Gifted Learners
Worksheet #16: Tiered Activities Name ________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of curriculum appropriate for gifted learners. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #16: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Define curriculum and write down the location of your copy of the
District Curriculum Guide.
2. What one aspect of the current curriculum do you think is particularly
appropriate for gifted learners? How could the current curriculum
be extended to better meet the needs of gifted learners?
3. Write a brief summary of your professional preparation and work in
curriculum development. Include information about curricula you have
adapted and extended for gifted learners.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for application and evaluation. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of previous experiences and knowledge.
Lesson 16 of 20
Curriculum Appropriate for Gifted Learners
Glossary: Part #16 Name ___________________________
Part #15
Meta-cognition is thinking about one’s own thinking and consists of
three basic elements: developing a plan of action, maintaining and
monitoring the plan, and evaluating the plan. It provides understanding,
control over, and appropriate use of knowledge.
Cognition is having knowledge.
Part #16
Curriculum is
Lesson 16 of 20
Curriculum Appropriate for Gifted Learners
Holistic Rubric #16 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding of curriculum appropriate for gifted learners.
Give Holistic Rubric #16 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant has professional preparation in curriculum
development.· Participant combines knowledge about best practices
in curriculum development with experience and expertise in gifted education.·
Participant serves on curriculum development committee and addresses the
needs of gifted learners within that committee.· Participant publishes
or makes public curriculum map he uses.
2 Developing· Participant modifies and adapts District Curriculum
to meet the needs of gifted learns.· Participant is knowledgeable
about one or more curricula designed for gifted learners and is able to
incorporate that knowledge into District Curriculum. · Participant
collaborates with colleagues to align curriculum vertically and horizontally.
1 Emerging· Participant uses the District Curriculum Guide when
planning for instruction.· Participant is aware of curriculum models
designed for gifted learners.· Participant collaborates with Program
Coordinator in adapting District Curriculum for gifted learners.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 17 of 20
Key Concept: Underachievement
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to underachievement among gifted
learners, participants will show their understanding as demonstrated by
developing Glossary: Professional Development Curriculum, completing
Worksheet #17: Tiered Activities, and through use of self-assessment
on Holistic Rubric #17.
II. Main Idea
Professionals are delighted to assist learners who work hard when their
efforts result in worthwhile products. Their hearts go out to students
who work hard but struggle to learn and apply knowledge. They acknowledge
that the learner who works hard without accomplishing his goals is at risk
of losing his motivation to learn. He is one step from not putting
forth effort and, as a result, having an unsatisfactory educational experience.
He is at risk of becoming an underachiever and is the focus of great concern
in this era of standards and accountability. His scores tell the
story of his schooling. Rarely, however, does the public see the
gifted learner who puts forth little or no effort and yet receives high
scores is at similar risk. Potentially, he can reach a point in his
life when he will come to the end of what he already knows and find he
is ill equipped to meet the challenge of new learning. Low scores
then replace the high scores he received without effort. Educators
do the learner who can get by with little effort no service providing only
insufficiently challenging educational opportunities. The gifted
learner also deserves to be academically stretched, so he must put forth
effort and develop strategies for learning.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #1: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.6 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
6.6 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared one requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.6 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing
new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and
instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted
learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout
the district.
1.0 Exemplary Standard: A well-defined and implemented curriculum
scope and sequence should be articulated for all grade levels and all subject
areas.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the un>
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
3.0 Minimum Standard: A program of instruction must consist of
advanced content and appropriately differentiated teaching strategies to
reflect the accelerative learning pace and advanced intellectual processes
of gifted learners.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities
for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas
of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal
learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #17. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #16 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will ask participants if they have family
members or know of acquaintances who appear to be bright and yet never
seem to realize their potential. Sharing ideas, participants will
consider why these people never realized their potential.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Program Coordinator will ask participants to fold a sheet
of paper into four quadrants. Participants will mark the quadrants
I, II, III, and IV. They will begin with I in the upper left hand
corner and proceeding counterclockwise.
· Participants will mark quadrant I with the symbols ++.
Program Coordinator will describe this quadrant as representing learners
who have learned how to learn. They work hard and get good results.
· Participants will mark quadrant II with the symbols + -.
Program Coordinator will describe this quadrant as representing learners
who work very hard, and yet, for some reason, they do not get good results.
· Participants will mark quadrant III with the symbols - -.
Program Coordinator will describe this quadrant as representing learners
put forth little or no effort and do not receive good results.
· Participants will mark quadrant IV with the symbols - +.
Program Coordinator will describe this quadrant as representing learners
who have not learned how to learn. They put forth the minimum amount
of effort possible to get by and yet get good results.
· Program Coordinator will lead participants in discussing how
quadrant IV students are able to get good grades without working and lead
them to discuss the necessity for students to learn how to learn.
· Participants will discuss whether it is fair to call underachieving
gifted students selective consumers and what steps must be taken to move
them out of quadrant IV to quadrant I before they become quadrant III students
who have no motivation to learn even though the learning experiences are
sufficiently challenging to require their attention.
· Participants will develop a group definition of underachievement.
On Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
participants will record a group definition of underachievement.
Conclusion
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #17. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #17 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #17 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #17: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #17.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o None used
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #17: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #17
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #17
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #17.
Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum, Part #17 for each participant, make suggestions,
and note completion of Glossary: Part #17 on Matrix: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #17:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #17 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 17 of 20
Underachievement
Worksheet #17: Tiered Activities Name ________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of underachievement. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #17: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. Define underachievement.
Describe an adult underachiever you know and how you think he became
an underachiever.
2. What do you see as the causes of underachievement in gifted learners?
3. What are you now doing or have you done in the past to remedy underachievement
among gifted learners?
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of concept and previous experiences.
Lesson 17 of 20
Underachievement
Glossary: Part #17 Name ___________________________
Part #16
Curriculum is a plan for learning, planned actions for instruction,
planned outcomes for which the school is responsible, and a structured
set of learning outcomes resulting from instruction. Curriculum is
not what students will do in the learning situation, but what they will
learn because of what they do with the results (Wiles, 1999). Curriculum
has the following four components: objectives, content, experiences,
and evaluation means (Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998).
Part #17
Underachievement is
Lesson 17 of 20
Underachievement
Holistic Rubric #17 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding underachievement. Give Holistic Rubric
#17 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant develops individual instructional plans
designed for remediation of underachievement.· Participant combines
knowledge about best practices in instruction with knowledge about underachievement
in gifted learners.· Participant serves on student assistance committee
and addresses the needs of underachievement among gifted learners within
that committee.· Participant takes a proactive stand in advocating
for appropriately challenging educational experiences for gifted learners
throughout the grade levels, beginning with pre-school students.
2 Developing· Participant identifies behaviors characteristic
of gifted learners in underachievers who are gifted.· Participant
uses instructional strategies to engage underachieving gifted students
in learning how to learn· Participant is knowledgeable about possible
causes for underachievement.· Participant collaborates with Program
Coordinator, counselors, administration, and support staff in designing
educational experiences for underachieving gifted learners.
1 Emerging· Participant provides appropriately challenging learning
experiences for gifted learners.· Participant is aware of underachievement
among gifted learners.· Participant collaborated with Program Coordinator
in adapting District curriculum for underachieving gifted learners.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 18 of 20
Key Concept: Real World Problems
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to gifted learners, participants
will consider applying creative problem solving approaches to real world
problems as appropriate for gifted learners. Participants will show
their understanding as demonstrated by developing Glossary: Professional
Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #18: Tiered Activities,
and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #18.
II. Main Idea
Gifted learners often perceive the ramifications of current events
more sharply than do their age-mates. A world in which justice does
not appear to be served, natural resources are dwindling, and political
intrigue results in the loss of innocent lives may be overwhelming to them
because they are bright enough and sensitive enough to understand the issues,
yet believe they lack power to influence those in authority or to effect
a change themselves. Considering real world problems of this magnitude
may result in the sense that they are unable to influence their world and,
consequently, the outcomes of their own lives. A loss of self-efficacy
may lead to unhealthy results. As a means to preserve or restore
self-efficacy, gifted learners should be encouraged in their efforts to
make a meaningful and positive difference in some real world problem.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #1: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared one requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing
new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and
instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted
learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout
the district.
1.0 Exemplary Standard: A well-defined and implemented curriculum
scope and sequence should be articulated for all grade levels and all subject
areas.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
3.0 Minimum Standard: A program of instruction must consist of
advanced content and appropriately differentiated teaching strategies to
reflect the accelerative learning pace and advanced intellectual processes
of gifted learners.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities
for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas
of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal
learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #18. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #17 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will read headlines from a recent national
news paper or periodical and ask participants to consider the impact of
current events on students in general. Participants will then be
asked if gifted learners react more strongly to tragic events than their
age-mates.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Participants will brainstorm situations in need of improvement
or things that could be done better.
· Participants will develop steps to creatively solve problems.
They will then compare the steps they have developed to the steps in Creative
Problem-Solving (Stanish, & Eberle, 1997) and make adjustments to their
own steps to improve the process.
· Program Coordinator will encourage participants to engage
gifted learners in a creative problem solving process with the goal of
making a positive impact on some part of their world.
Conclusion
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #18. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #18 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #18 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #18: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #18.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o Stanish, B., & Eberle, B. (1997). Be a problem-solver:
a resource book for teaching creative problem-solving. Waco, TX:
Prufrock Press.
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #18: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #18
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #18
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #18.
· Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, Part #18 for each participant, make
suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #18 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #18:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #18 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 18 of 20
Real World Problems
Worksheet #18: Tiered Activities Name ___________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of creative problem-solving. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #18: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. List steps to creatively solve problems.
2. How do you incorporate creative problem solving into educational
experience for gifted learners?
3. Record examples of real world problems which students have positively
influenced because of creative problem solving. What long-term results
have you seen?
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of concept and previous experiences.
Lesson 18 of 20
Real World Problems
Glossary: Part #18 Name ___________________________
Part #17
Underachievement is performance not commensurate with capability.
Part #18
Creative problem-solving is
Lesson 18 of 20
Real World Problems
Holistic Rubric #18 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding the process of creative problem solving.
Give Holistic Rubric #18 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant has professional preparation in meeting
the social/emotional needs of gifted learners.· Participant influences
the educational climate positively by modeling creative problem solving
strategies.· Participant serves on a crisis intervention committee
and addresses the needs of gifted learners within that committee.·
Participant publishes creative problem solving efforts of gifted learners
and encourages other gifted learners to make positive contributions to
their world.
2 Developing· Participant uses creative problem solving routinely
in classroom management.· Participant develops real world applications
of curricular objectives. · Participant applies creative problem
solving to real world applications.
1 Emerging· Participant collaborates with Program Coordinator,
counselors, administration, support staff, and parents to respond constructively
to sensitivity of gifted learners to current events.· Participant
is aware of sensitivity of some gifted learners to current events.·
Participant knows the steps involved in the creative problem-solving process.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 19 of 20
Key Concept: Independent Learning and Learning Contracts
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to curriculum appropriate to gifted
learners, participants will show their understanding of independent learning
and learning contracts as demonstrated by developing Glossary: Professional
Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #19: Tiered Activities,
and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #19.
II. Main Idea
When gifted learners have been challenged consistently and appropriately,
they are able to make connections among discrete chunks of information
to construct new knowledge. Construction of new knowledge should
be a primary goal of educators who work with gifted learners since much
of standard education is repetitious for them. Making connections
and discovering relationships helps learners order their thinking and make
sense of their world. Independent learning using learning contracts
encourages and facilitates creative, original applications of knowledge,
understanding, and analysis.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
4.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared one requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing
new materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive
to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual
strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education.
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and
instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted
learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout
the district.
1.0 Exemplary Standard: A well-defined and implemented curriculum
scope and sequence should be articulated for all grade levels and all subject
areas.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
3.0 Minimum Standard: A program of instruction must consist of
advanced content and appropriately differentiated teaching strategies to
reflect the accelerative learning pace and advanced intellectual processes
of gifted learners.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities
for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas
of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal
learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
Hand out Glossary Part #19. Ask participants if the definitions
recorded for Part #18 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
Program Coordinator will initiate a discussion among participants about
how they deal with gifted learners who want to change or adjust assignments
and what kind of classroom management strategies they have developed to
adapt to such suggestions.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Program Coordinator will display examples of learning contracts.
· Participants will share ideas about how to manage individualization
for gifted learners who have original ideas about how to acquire, understand,
and use knowledge.
· Participants will brainstorm a list of guidelines to use in
implementing individualized learning contracts.
· Participants will develop group definitions of independent
learning and learning contracts. On Glossary: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum, participants will record group definitions
of independent learning and learning contracts.
Conclusion
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #19. Program Coordinator will check Glossary:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum, Part #19 for each participant,
make suggestions, and note completion of Glossary: Part #19 on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· At the conclusion of the lesson, participants will give Program
Coordinator Worksheet #19: Tiered Activities and Holistic Rubric #19.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
V. Resources>
· Other Materials.
o Worksheet #19: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #19
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #19
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #19.
Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum, Part #19 for each participant, make suggestions,
and note completion of Glossary: Part #19 on Matrix: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #19:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #19 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 19 of 20
Original Applications
Worksheet #19: Tiered Activities Name ________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of original applications. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #19: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. How is a learning contract developed?
What responsibilities do parties in a contract have to one another?
2. What aspect of the individualized learning do you find most problematic
for gifted learners?
3. Describe qualities of the educational experience that make individualized
learning a useful and productive way for gifted learners to express their
unique understandings and applications of curricular extensions.
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge of the concept.
Activity #2 asks for comprehension and application. Activity #3 asks
for synthesis of concept and previous experiences.
Lesson 19 of 20
Original Applications
Glossary: Part #19 Name ___________________________
Part #18
Creative problem-solving is a proactive process in which problem solvers
search for problems in need of solutions and systematically develop and
implement solutions.
Part #19
Independent learning is
Learning contracts are
Lesson 19 of 20
Original Applications
Holistic Rubric #19 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding and use of original applications. Give
Holistic Rubric #19 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant makes negotiation for opportunities
to plan original applications a routine part of learning experiences for
gifted learners.· Participant monitors the progress of independent
learning while developing independence in gifted learner.· Participant
collaborates with gifted learner about appropriate content goals, processes,
products, and evaluation instruments.· Participant has confidence
in gifted learners abilities to become effective independent learners who
can make constructive use of original ideas and applications.
2 Developing· Participant instructs gifted learners in skills
necessary to develop individualized learning plans.· Participant
adapts expectations as gifted learners acquire knowledge and skill as independent
researchers. · Participant provides opportunities for gifted learners
to use different types of research techniques.
1 Emerging· Participant uses the District Curriculum Guide when
planning individualized instruction.· Participant uses published
templates for contracts and plans for individualized learning.·
Participant is open to discussing ideas gifted learners have for original
applications.
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
Middle School Teachers of Gifted Students
Lesson 20 of 20
Key Concept: Transformations
Time allotment for this lesson: 40 minutes during teachers’ team meeting
I. Specific Objectives
In their study of concepts related to curriculum appropriate to gifted
learners, participants will develop a consensus of attributes of a master
teacher of gifted learners and what characteristics of a differentiated
classroom are. They will show their understanding by developing Glossary:
Professional Development Curriculum, completing Worksheet #20: Tiered
Activities, and through use of self-assessment on Holistic Rubric #20.
II. Main Idea
Increasing understanding of issues relevant to gifted learners and
practice using strategies for meeting their needs transforms the educational
practitioner. This lesson is intended to provide participants with
the opportunity to discuss challenges, report successes, and consider opportunities
for further professional development in gifted education.
III. NAGC Gifted Program Standards
· Program Design: The development of appropriate gifted
education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical,
theoretical, and empirical support.
Guiding Principle #4: Gifted education programming services must be an integral part of the general education day.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Gifted education programming should be articulated
with the general education program.
4.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted services must be designed to supplement
and build on the basic academic skills and knowledge learned in regular
classrooms at all grade levels to ensure continuity as students progress
through the program.
Guiding Principle #5: Flexible grouping of students must be developed in order to facilitate differentiated instruction and curriculum.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be included in flexible grouping arrangements in all content areas and grade levels to ensure that gifted students learn with and from intellectual peers.
Guiding Principle #6: Policies specific to adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education.
6.0 Exemplary Standard: Gifted education policies should exist for at least the following areas: early entrance, grade skipping, ability grouping, and dual enrollment.
· Program Administration and Management: Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services.
Guiding Principle #2: Gifted education programming must be integrated into the general education program.
2.0 Minimum Standard: The gifted education program must create
linkages between general education and gifted education at all levels.
2.0 Exemplary Standard: Responsibility for the education of gifted
learners is a shared on requiring strong relationships between the gifted
education program and general education school wide.
Guiding Principle #4: Requisite resources and materials must be provided to support the efforts of gifted education programming.
4.0 Minimum Standard: Resources must be provided to support program
operations.
4.2 Exemplary Standard: The acquisition plan for purchasing new
materials for the schools should reflect the needs of gifted learners.
· Student Identification: Gifted learners must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Guiding Principle #2: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted education services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths, and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Student assessments should be sensitive to all stages of talent development.
Guiding Principle #3: A student assessment profile of individual strengths and needs must be developed to plan appropriate intervention.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: Individual assessment plans should be
developed for all gifted learners who need gifted education
3.1 Exemplary Standard: An assessment profile should reflect
the gifted learner’s interest, learning style, and educational needs.
· Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted learner.
Guiding Principle #1: Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span grades pre-K through 12.
1.0 Minimum Standard: Differentiated curriculum (curricular and
instructional adaptations that address the unique learning needs of gifted
learners) for gifted learners must be integrated and articulated throughout
the district.
1.0 Exemplary Standard: A well-defined and implemented curriculum
scope and sequence should be articulated for all grade levels and all subject
areas.
Guiding Principle #2: Regular classroom curricula and instruction must be adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the unique needs of gifted learners.
2.0 Minimum Standard: Instruction, objectives, and strategies
provided gifted learners must be systematically differentiated from those
in the regular classroom.
2.1 Minimum Standard: Teachers must differentiate, replace, supplement,
or modify curricula to facilitate higher level learning goals.
2.2 Exemplary Standard: Documentation of instruction for assessing
level(s) of learning and accelerated rates of learning should demonstrate
plans for gifted learners based on specific needs of individual learners.
2.3 Exemplary Standard: Gifted learners should be assessed for
proficiency in all standard courses of study and subsequently provided
with educational opportunities that are more challenging.
Guiding Principle #3: Instructional pace must be flexible to allow for the accelerated learning of gifted learners as appropriate.
3.0 Minimum Standard: A program of instruction must consist of
advanced content and appropriately differentiated teaching strategies to
reflect the accelerative learning pace and advanced intellectual processes
of gifted learners.
3.0 Exemplary Standard: When warranted, continual opportunities
for curricular acceleration should be provided in gifted learners’ areas
of strength and interest while allowing sufficient ceiling for optimal
learning.
Guiding Principle #5: Learning opportunities for gifted learners must consist of a continuum of differentiated curricular options, instructional approaches, and resource materials.
5.0 Exemplary Standard: Appropriate service options for each student
to work at assessed level(s) and advanced rates of learning should be available.
5.1 Exemplary Standard: Differentiated educational program curricula
for students pre-K through 12 should be modified to provide learning experiences
matched to students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles.
· Professional Development: Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Guiding Principle #1: A comprehensive staff development program must be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted learners.
1.0 Minimum Standard: All school staff must be made
aware of the nature and needs of gifted students.
2.2 Minimum Standard: Any teacher whose primary responsibility
for teaching includes gifted learners must have extensive expertise in
gifted education.
IV. Learning Experiences
Motivation
· Hand out Glossary Part #20. Ask participants if the
definitions recorded for Part #19 adequately reflect the previous discussion.
· Program Coordinator will pass out large pieces of paper and
colored markers. She will ask participants to design their ideal
learning environment in which to teach gifted learners and for them to
learn in. Creative thinking will be encouraged.
Method of Instruction
A combination of discussion, constructivism, and direct instruction
will be used.
Procedure
· Program Coordinator will ask participants to explain the designs
of their ideal learning environments and how each part of the designs relates
to best practices in gifted education.
· How will the design address concerns participants have about
challenges they have met in implementing best practices for gifted learners?
· What about the design has been included because it will facilitate
implementation of strategies the participant has found successful and useful
in challenging gifted learns?
· Where in the design is the participant? Is that where
he wants to be?
· How can he make his place in the design more meaningful, more
efficient, more effective, and more interesting?
· Participants will have the opportunity to revise their designs
and borrow ideas they like from their colleagues.
· Program Coordinator will distribute information about resources
within the program, workshops and seminars being offered in the area, graduate
classes available, schedule of State Institute in Gifted Education offerings,
membership forms in local, regional, state, and national organizations,
and subscription forms to periodicals relating to gifted learners.
· Participants will discuss and come to consensus on what constitutes
a master teacher of gifted learners and what are characteristics of differentiated
classrooms. On Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, participants will record group definitions of master teachers
of gifted learners and characteristics of differentiated classrooms.
Conclusion
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #20. P>
V. Resources
· Printed Materials
o None used
· Other Materials.
o Description of District Gifted Program Resources
o Fliers advertising workshops and seminars
o Listing of graduate classes being offered
o State Institute in Gifted Education schedule
o Membership forms local, regional, state and national gifted organizations
o Subscription forms for periodicals relating to gifted learners.
o Worksheet #20: Tiered Activities
o Holistic Rubric #20
o Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum,
Part #20
o Matrix: Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum
in Gifted Education
VI. Assessment
· Participants will share experiences they have had with gifted
learners and complete Glossary: Differentiated Professional Development
Curriculum, Part #20.
Program Coordinator will check Glossary: Differentiated Professional
Development Curriculum, Part #20 for each participant, make suggestions,
and note completion of Glossary: Part #20 on Matrix: Differentiated
Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education.
· Participants will complete one activity from Worksheet #20:
Tiered Activities and discuss the results.
· Participants will complete Holistic Rubric #20 and discuss
the results.
· Program Coordinator will record participants’ choices on Matrix:
Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum in Gifted Education
as Emerging, Developing, or Expanding.
Lesson 20 of 20
Transformations
Worksheet #20: Tiered Activities Name ________________________
Choose one of the following activities based on your understanding of issues in gifted education. After working independently, share your ideas with participants near you. Give Worksheet #20: Tiered Activities to the Program Coordinator at the close of class.
1. List strategies to appropriately challenge gifted learners that you
have implemented. How will you modify each when you use it again?
2. What changes have you noticed in gifted learners you teach over the
course of this semester? Have you changed anything significant in
your approach to their instruction? Do you see a correlation between
changes in gifted learners and changes in your approach to instruction?
3. How can this professional development curriculum be adapted to better
meet the needs of a diverse group of participants? What aspects of
gifted education would you have included that were omitted?
Modeling the Message of Differentiation….
The activities above are written to take into consideration the differences
in understanding, experience, and training among teachers in the professional
development cohort. Activity #1 asks for knowledge and understanding
of concepts. Activity #2 asks for reflection on application.
Activity #3 asks for synthesis and evaluation.
Lesson 20 of 20
Transformations
Glossary: Part #20 Name ___________________________
Part #19
Independent learning is the most frequently recommended instructional
strategy in programs for gifted learners and is used as a means for differentiating
and individualizing instruction. A learner applies the process when
he researches a topic by himself or with others.
Learning contracts are useful instruments to administer independent learning.
Part #20
Master teachers of gifted learners are able to
Characteristics of a differentiated classroom include
Lesson 20 of 20
Transformations
Holistic Rubric #20 Name ________________________
Assess your understanding of what it means to be continuously transforming.
Give Holistic Rubric #20 to the Program Coordinator before leaving.
3 Expanding· Participant considers his profession to be a work
in progress and regularly presents workshops and sessions at conferences.·
Participant continuously researches what constitutes best practices in
gifted education.· Participant participates in peer coaching and
mentoring of other participants.· Participant reflects on results
of his efforts and notes ways to adapt them to increase their flexibility
and effectiveness with gifted learners.
2 Developing· Participant collaborates with colleagues to learn
more about their success and challenges in serving gifted learners.·
Participant is able to identify characteristics of gifted learners and
use that knowledge to enrich the learners’ educational experiences. ·
Participant places a high priority on attending workshops and conferences
to be refreshed and inspired.
1 Emerging· Participant develops educational experiences that
allow gifted learners to use their gifts.· Participant is respectful
of gifted learners.· Participant collaborates with Program Coordinator
in adapting District Curriculum for gifted learners.
The researcher noted that the Program Coordinator position is “quasi-administrative,” a position in which she is able to influence teachers but has no direct authority to make changes or implement programs. Therefore, the researcher observed that cultivating relationships with teachers has a bearing on gifted students’ learning experiences only when teachers choose to use knowledge constructed through the Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum. The researcher realizes that coaching, advising, considering consequences, and suggesting alternatives facilitate teachers’ growth in self-actualization and self-efficacy. However, it was apparent to the researcher that individual teachers have freedom of choice about what is appropriate in classroom situations; the Program Coordinator’s role is to help teachers achieve the goals they value. To the extent the Differentiated Professional Development Curriculum results in changes in pedagogical practice and student outcomes, the researcher found changes in teachers’ attitudes and increased instructional options.
The researcher began this project with the notion that teachers would bring educational and life experiences to discussions. In actuality, teachers voiced a preference for direct instruction, essentially asking the Program Coordinator to reconsider the constructivist approach and become the manager and transmitter of information. Teachers who preferred a more direct approach also preferred to have the Program Coordinator develop instructional units with accommodations for gifted learners rather than learn the theoretical and empirical foundations for those accommodations. For this reason, the Program Coordinator has given out many “fish” although the professional development curriculum was designed to teach teachers “how to fish.” Nonetheless, as participants joined in lessons modeling the process of differentiation, they became more open to moving from emerging to developing to expanding teachers of gifted learners.
In the meantime, the researcher has found implementation of the Professional Development Curriculum to be a wistful experience. In some respects, working with overburdened teachers, grooming them to rise to a new level of professional performance, has seemed a circuitous route to serving gifted learners; learning outcomes depend on the varying levels of commitment of others. As in sports, the wins are the players’, but the losses are the coach’s. Many times the coaches long to just play the game and play it well. They know more about the game than the players themselves do. They know more about the game than when they themselves were players. Yet, their calling is to coax growth and victories out of others. Teachers of teachers have much in common with teachers of students. Just as teachers of reading sometimes need to curl up with good books, the researcher has found that sometimes the Program Coordinator needs to work with the gifted learners directly rather than through their teachers. At other times, the Program Coordinator needs to develop the instructional accommodation plan for the teacher and team with the teacher in its implementation. Still other times, she should develop a plan and hand it over to the teacher to implement. Following the design of this curriculum, however, the focus of the Program Coordinator is on helping teachers develop skills to become increasingly proficient and self-efficacious. In doing so, the curriculum was painted with a broad brush, affecting the lives of many students.
Within the District, profession development is optional, and, although the Gifted Program Comprehensive Plan does call for those teaching gifted students to have completed Illinois Gifted Education, only at Grade 7 have teachers completed Illinois Gifted Education and do teachers have experience teaching gifted and talented students. Within the constraints of the Collaboration/Resource Consultation service delivery model used in the District, the Program Coordinator seeks to assist teachers in learning and applying instructional strategies appropriate for gifted students. Whether the teachers take advantage of the opportunity to make use of the services of the Program Coordinator and the Professional Development Curriculum is up to the teacher. The effectiveness of the Professional Development Curriculum will depend on the extent to which the teachers are committed to the concept and are able to make a space in their schedules for reflection and professional growth.
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