Gifted and High Achieving Children

Presented by Holly MelchioriGifted Coordinator, Indian River County

HIGH ACHIEVER OR GIFTED?HIGH ACHIEVER

• Remembers the answers.• Is interested.• Generates advanced ideas.• Works hard to achieve.• Performs at the top of the group.• Learns with ease.• Needs 6 to 8 repetitions to master.• Comprehends at a high level.• Enjoys the company of age peers..• Completes assignments on time.• Enjoys school often.• Absorbs information.• Gets A's.

GIFTED• Poses unforeseen questions. • Is curious.• Is selectively mentally engaged.• Knows without working hard.• Is beyond the group.• Already knows.• Needs 1 to 3 repetitions to master.• Comprehends in-depth, complex ideas.• Prefers the company of intellectual peers.• Initiates projects and assignments.• Enjoys self-directed learning.• Manipulates information.• May not be motivated by grades.

How Many Gifted Are in the US?(Based on US Population of 265,000,000)

Ratio of Gifted to general population 1 out of 50 individuals may have an IQ of 130 or above1 out of 260 individuals may have an IQ of 140 or above

1 out of 2,330 individuals may have an IQ of 150 or above1 out of 31,560 individuals may have an IQ of 160 or above

1 out of 652,600 individuals may have an IQ of 170 or above1 out of 2,000,000 individuals may have an IQ of 180 or above

Gifted in the State of FloridaEligibility Criteria

Majority of Gifted Characteristics

Evidence of Need for Services

Intellectual ability - Superior intellectual development measured by an intelligence quotient of two (2) standard deviations or more above the mean on an individually administered standardized test of intelligence.(130)

Eligibility - Plan B Option

• The student is a member of an under-represented group and meets the criteria specified in an approved school district plan for increasing the participation of under-represented groups in programs for gifted students.

• For the purpose of this rule, under-representedgroups are defined as groups:– a. Who are English Language Learners, or– b. Who are Economically Disadvantaged (free/reduced lunch)

CHARACTERSITCS OF GIFTED STUDENTS

It is important to realize that any list or commentsregarding “gifted characteristics” are a generalization .There is no single indicator of giftedness

– Solves problems quickly – Insightful – Learns new information quickly –good memory– Answers questions in detail – Separates problems into their component parts – Applies prior knowledge to solving problems – Learns new and difficult concepts easily

Identifying Special Populations• Special Populations - Defined as a subgroup of “typical” gifted students

which includes learning disabled, low socially economic, and those linguistically or culturally diverse (African American, Hispanic, ESOL students)

• Frequently, these students suffer from the three U’s– Under identification– Underrepresentation– Underachievement.

• Although most students have been formally identified for gifted before middle school, classroom teachers, counselors, and administrators need to be aware that these students may have been over looked.

• The use of multiple criteria, appropriate checklist of characteristics, portfolios, and teacher recommendations along with achievement ability will help foster appropriate identification of these students. Parent and community awareness of opportunities in gifted should be shared

Characteristics of Special Population Gifted Students

• Ingenious problem-solving skills• May exhibit poor social skills and frustration• Exceptional memory• Quick conceptualization of ideas• Advanced abstract reasoning skills• Academic achievement below academic potential• Advanced leadership abilities-may be positive or negative• Successful students in this category generally have a strong

sense of self and supportive, inspiring relationships

CHARACTERSITICS/BEHAVIORS THAT HINDER IDENTIFICATION

• ADHD

• LEARNING DISABILITIES

• DISRUPTIVE CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR

• UNORGANIZED

• HIDES ABILITY TO FIT IN WITH PEERS

• DAYDREAM

• QUESTIONABLE SENSE OF HUMOR

• PERFECTIONISTIC-ALL OR NOTHING

• LACK OF APPROPRIATE SOCIAL SKILLS

• OBSESSED WITH ONE AREA OF INTEREST AND NOTHING ELSE

• HIGHLY SENSITIVE

• HIGH LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION/LOW SELF ESTEEM

GIFTED CHILDREN CAN MISBEHAVE, DON’T FINISH OR DO ASSIGNMENTS,

AND QUESTION AUTHORITY

MYTHS

Myths common in public perception...– They have everything going their way.– They can succeed without help.– Their special abilities are always prized by their families.– They should be valued primarily for their brain power.– They are more stable and mature emotionally.– They have gotten “something for nothing."– They naturally want to be socially isolation.

NEED FOR THE PROGRAM

FINISHES WORK QUICKLY AND CORRECTLY THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND IN ASSIGNMENTS AND PROJECTS SEARCHES FOR RELATED INFORMATION BECOMES ABSORBED IN AREAS OF INTERESTS ASKS PROBING QUESTIONS ABOVE AVERAGE SCORES ON DISTRICT AND STATE

ASSESSMENTS EXCELS IN ABOVE GRADE LEVEL WORK

THE PROCESSSCREENING

NOMINATION BY TEACHER, PARENT, SCHOOL EMPLOYEE, OR COMMUNITY LEADER

CHECKLIST OF GIFTED CHARACTERISTICS COMPLETED BY TEACHER, PARENT

REVIEW OF STUDENT’S SCHOOL WORK AND STATE/DISTRICT ASSESSMENTS

STANDARDIZED SCREENER FOR INTELLECTUAL ABILITY(SOME DISTRICTS)**SOME DISTRICTS MAY USE A UNIVERSAL SCREENER ASSESSMENT

STUDENT INFORMATION REVIEWED-STUDENT IS REFERRED ON FOR FURTHER EVALUTION OR PROCESS IS STOPPED

If the process is stopped, and the child shows no need for further evaluation, you can request a meeting to understand why.

EVALUATION PROCESS

The child/student will be given a full intelligence test to assess child's cognitive ability by a school psychologist. Some examples are-WISC iv, RIAS, DAS. There is no way to prepare a child for this test. The results will compare the child to others of the same age. An Intelligence Quotient-IQ score and percentile ranking will be generated. An IQ score of 130 or above is generally considered superior. A District's Plan B option may vary for acceptable scores. An eligibility meeting will take place for a review of the assessments and to determine if the child qualifies for gifted services. Available gifted services will be discussed and an Educational Plan will be created to meet the child's needs.

Nurturing the Bright Child

• Regardless of the results, all children benefit from enriching and engaging experiences. Preparing all children for success in a global society means exposing them to flexible and creative thinking. The ability to solve problems ands create various solutions is a vital skill.

Advocate for the Child

When an issue arises, following these steps can ease the tension and lead to a solution.Follow the chain of command - meet with the teacher first. Advocate for all students - show concern for all students with

similar needs.Support the schools - attend meetings, join PTO/SAC, be active

and visible when possibleHave a plan - write down your concerns, write down goals for

your childGet the facts - understand both sides, gather all the information

you can

Be persistent-obtain copies of state laws, district policies, be a source of information for both school and community. Engage other parents.

Maintain a positive attitude-the way you approach teachers, schools, and others will act as a model for your child. Very few problems are resolved when anger and negativity are displayed

Remind yourself and others that the child is at the forefront

EncouragementOne of the most important ways to advocate for

your child is to encourage them. Parents are their children’s first mirror.

Listen to your child-children often need to work through their thoughts and ideas out loud. It helps to build a child’s self esteem, knowing a parent takes the time to listen.

Support the child’s interestPraise your child appropriately-it’s best to praise the

effort, not the result.

EncouragementOne of the most important ways to advocate for

your child is to encourage them. Parents are their children’s first mirror.

Avoid “put-downs”-pinpoint the behavior- “I feel so tired and impatient when you argue about your chores”

Laugh with your child—relieves stress. Show them the positive side of a situation.

Help your child develop social skills-help them become a better friend . Teach them to share, listen to others, sympathize, and help those in need.

Empower and EnrichChallenging our Children to Think

Activities to Increase Creativity and Problem Solving Abilities

Language Arts – engage you child by asking questions

– What if… the character did something differently, you were the character, the problem in the story was changed, the ending was different?

– What might happen next… stop throughout the book and ask child to predict .

– How would you… solve that problem, act in that situation, end the story?– Change - change the title, change the ending, change the book cover,

change the character.– Compare - yourself to the character, one character with another, this

book to another.

Mathematics - know what your child is learning and reinforce this at home

– Fractions - halve a recipe, use measuring cups, divide a pie, take a survey (2 out of 5 family members believe)

– Measurement - using a ruler or tape measure-measure the length of your bed, measure the width of your room.

– Time - what time will it be 20 minutes from now? – Ask how they found the solution to a problem. What other ways could

it be solved? – Geometry walk - look for shapes in the neighborhood.

Activities to Increase Creativity and Problem Solving Abilities

Science and problem solving – explore the world with your child

– Alphabet nature walk-list the letters of the alphabet. Write down an object in nature that starts with that letter. Try to find every letter.

– Section off an area in your yard. Observe it for 10 minutes. What creatures did you find?

– Visit local library to research area of interest. Many have guest speakers and mentors.

– Ask child to solve problems around the house, community and world.• How can we reduce the amount of trash?• How can we save electricity?• How could we arrange the furniture?• How can we create jobs in the community?• How can we stop polluting the ocean?

Activities to Increase Creativity and Problem Solving Abilities