Gifted Students: Who AreThey? What Do They Need?

Tamra Stambaugh, Ph.D.Director, Programs for Talented YouthResearch Assistant Professor, SPEDVanderbilt Universitywww.pty.vanderbilt.edu

Developing Talent in Gifted Students andThose Who Work With Them

Their Educators

Gifted Students

Their Families

Definitions - USDOE Children and youth with outstanding talent perform or

show potential for performing at remarkable highlevels of accomplishment when compared with othersof their age, experience, or environment.

These children and youth exhibit high performancecapability in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic areas,possess an unusual leadership capacity, or excel inspecific academic fields. They require services oractivities not ordinarily provided by the schools.

Outstanding talents are present in children and youthfrom all cultural groups, across the economic strata,and in all areas of human endeavor.

» National Excellence Report, USDOE, 1993

Think About the Gifted Students You Know…What’s Wrong with This Picture?

Polly, 2001

Albert Einstein’s Desk:Princeton, 1955

School forthe Gifted

Characteristics Precocious Intense – about issues of interest Sensitive Thrive on complexity – enjoy ambiguity,

question authority, note inconsistencies Perfectionistic Asynchronous in development Large Vocabulary

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities PsychomotorPsychomotor

– Rapid speech– Marked enthusiasm– Fast games/sports– Pressure for action– Compulsive talking– Impulsive actions– Nervous habits– Sloppy handwriting– Disorganization– Caution: ADD – H or I

ImaginationalImaginational– Frequent use of

metaphor and simile– Facility for invention or

fantasy– Elaborate dreams– Mixing truth & fiction– Detailed visual recall– Fears of unknown– Imaginary playmates– Longer pretend play

(stuffed animals,costumes)

– Caution: Anxiety,Stress, Phobias

SensorySensory– Heightened sensory

pleasure: seeing,smelling, tasting,touching, hearing

– Over/under eating– Allergies

– Caution: OCD,Rigidity

– “Mini Monks”

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities IntellectualIntellectual

– Curiosity– Intense concentration– Avid reading– Love of learning– Introspection– Capacity for sustained intellectual effort– Theoretical/Moral thinking– Precise– Argumentative– Multipotentiality– “Actually”…..– Caution: ODD

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities EmotionalEmotional

– Intensity of feeling– Strong ties and

attachments– Self-evaluation and

judgment– Identification of

others’ feelings– Somatic expressions

(stomachaches,blushing, flushing)

– Inhibition (shyness,timidity)

– Fears and anxieties(feelings of guilt)

– Feelings ofinadequacy andinferiority

– Perfectionism/procrastination

– Caution:Depression

Common Myths

Gifted students are gifted in most academic areas. Gifted students are typically straight “A” students. Teachers, counselors, psychologists and parents are

well-equipped to work with gifted students. Gifted students do not need interventions to be

successful. They will make it on their own. Parents of the gifted are pushy and over-demanding. Gifted students are socially and emotionally

maladjusted.

Value-Added Findings

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

3 4 5 6 7 8

Student AStudent BStandard

--Value Added Assessment: Battelle for Kids, 2005

Student A

Student B

Proficient

Curbing the Trend:AcceleratedCurriculum; Pacing;Like Peers

In general, gifted children are as welladjusted as most other children

When they do have social/emotional issues,some of the causes are:

Reactions to the gifted label Failure of the educational system to address

uniqueness of learning needs Stress from self-criticalness, perfectionism,

meeting other’s expectations, fear of failure

Intervening andAdvocating

Behavior Interventions

Awareness of Gifted Issues:Family, Child, Teachers, Stakeholders

Whose Problem Is It?

Placement with True Peers, AppropriateLevels of Challenge (EARLY), Appropriatepacing and accelerated curriculum to meetneeds, HOTS not MOTS, Interests

Small Group Discussions& Intrapersonal Skills

Psychologist

Individual Counselor

Physician/Psychiatrist

Stambaugh & Stambaugh, 2001

PossessesAdequateSkills toPerformthe Task

Sets RealisticExpectations and

ImplementsAppropriateStrategies toSuccessfully

Complete Goals(Self-Regulation)

TaskEngagement

andAchievement

Achievement-OrientationModel

Confident in OneʼsAbility to

Perform the Task(Self-Efficacy)

Expects to Succeed / be Supported(Environmental Perception)

Values theTask or

Outcome(Meaningfulness /Goal Valuation)

Motivation

Teachers Family Peers

Each of the four elements of the model (Meaningfulness, Self-Efficacy, Environmental Perception, and Self-Regulation) is usually present in individuals whoachieve at a level commensurate with their abilities. Some of these factors may be stronger than others, but overall, achievement-oriented individuals display acombination of all four traits. Remediation can be based on diagnosing which element or elements are deficit and addressing them. Two individuals might havevery different remediation programs based on their achievement-orientation profiles.

Siegle,2009

Best Educational Strategies

Grouping with Like Academic Peers Rigorous Curricular Opportunities

– Harder Questions, Books, Concepts– Whole to Part Ideas– Habits of the Discipline– Different not More of the Same– In Place of – Not In Addition to

Pursuit of Interests Extra-curricular Academic Opportunities

Most Damaging Strategies

Success without Work Peer-Tutoring Lack of an Academic Peer Group High Expectations Without Support Negative Behavior Modification Plans

Talking with Teachers Praise First & Assume Partnership Ask How Your Child is Performing in

Comparison to Others, on DiagnosticTests – LISTEN

Explain What You See at Home/Don’tConvince

Don’t Use Word “bored” or “needs morechallenge” – be specific

Ask for Advice/Suggestions Make a Suggestion if None (“I was

wondering if…) Monitoring/Contracts/Systems in Writing Patience and Home Enrichment Small Steps

Parenting the Gifted Talk to your child about being gifted -

What does gifted mean? What does itnot mean? Dispel myths.

Help the child develop strengths inareas of interest.

Differentiate expectations betweencognition and emotional regulation

Remember asynchrony and treat thechild of the moment

Giftedness is not an excuse for poorbehavior

I’m thinkinghe’s a

prodigy…

Parenting the Gifted Child Remember the 4 C’s

– Choices, Cheers, Challenges, Control Separate the behavior from the child Teach them how to fail and take risks in safe

environments (Fail early and then move on) Acknowledge attempts and hard work more than

outcomes (Mindset)– Effort versus Achievement– Internal vs. External Rewards/Goal Setting

Provide accurate, specific, liberal praise Watch out for: “should”, “ought”, “if you’re so smart

then…”, and sarcasm Teach coping skills and help them reframe ideas

The SAVY Experiencein Talent Development

Academic Grouping and Interaction with Like Peers– Chance to Feel “Normal”

Accelerated, Research-based Curriculum– Prescriptive Approach w/pre-assessment– Shown to increase content acquisition and critical thinking

Cultivates Intra and Interpersonal Skills– Interest, motivation, practice, self-esteem, academic

discipline Exposure to Advanced Processes within a Specific

Discipline– Scientific experimentation, problem-based learning, big

ideas within and across disciplines, analysis and criticalthinking

May Reduce Potential Underachievement May Serve as a Crystallizing Experience

The Integrated Curriculum Model

AdvancedContent

Dimension

Process-Product

Dimension

Issues/Themes

Dimension

- VanTassel-Baska, 1986

Concept Map of Soil

Linking to Change as anOverarching Concept

Change is everywhere. Change is related to time. Change can be natural or manmade. Change may be random or predictable.

Examples of Change

Examine changes in liquids when frozen orheated. (What’s the Matter)

Examine random and predictable changes inweather patterns. (Weather Reporter)

Examine man-made and natural changes inerosion. (Dig It)

Examine how the length of a shadowchanges over time. (Shadow)

©Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

SCIENTIFICINVESTIGATION

AND REASONING

MakeObservations

AskQuestions

Learn More

Design andConduct theExperiment

CreateMeaning

Tell OthersWhat Was

Found SCIENTIFICINVESTIGATION

AND REASONING

Whe

el o

f Sci

entif

icIn

vest

igat

ion

Literature WebKey Words

READING

Feelings

Ideas

Structure

Images/Symbols

CFGE, 1997

PROGRESS REPORT Spring SAVY 2010

ACCELERATED CONTENT 1 2 3 4 Explains advanced content with clarity and depth Accurately applies the learned content to new situations and tasks

PROCESS 1 2 3 4 Demonstrates an in-depth understanding of sophisticated ideas through products, group discussions, and/or writing

Accurately evaluates posed problems or situations and applies appropriate solutions or methods (through problem-based learning, experiments, high level questioning, and/or writing)

CONCEPTS/THEMES 1 2 3 4 Synthesizes learned content to abstract or overarching ideas within the discipline (e.g. change, systems, cause & effect, mathematical principles)

Demonstrates an understanding of theÒbig ideasÓ of generalizations of the discipline

Student: _______________________________

Course: _______________________________

Teacher: _____________ Date: ___________

1 Rarely

2 Sometimes

3 Most of the time

4 Consistently

Course Objectives:

HABITS OF SCHOLAR 1 2 3 4 Is actively engaged in the course, both verbally and nonverbally Is respectful and tolerant of otherÕs ideas Asks for assistance or clarification when appropriate Perseveres, even when the content is challenging Interacts & collaborates well with peers and instructors Anecdotal Evidence/Instructor Comments:

SAVY AND SCHOOL Students reported that SAVY, as compared to their typical

school experience, provided:

More academically-minded friends* More difficult courses* More enjoyable classes** Teachers who were encouraging* A stronger desire to attend class* Opportunities to engage in critical thinking*

Students also reported that it was just as easy to make friends, beencouraged by teachers and feel liked both at their school andat SAVY. Parents also found the overall SAVY experience to bepositive and reported that the courses are a good academic fitfor their child.for their child.

*p<.05 ** p<.001

RemindersReception for Dr. Peters and Time to Talk with Other

Parents

COMMUNICATION FROM TEACHERSVisit the Website: pty.vanderbilt.edu

Parenting the Gifted Support Group2nd – 5th Saturdays – Still a few spots available

Final Saturday – Parent Lecture and Open HouseDeveloping Talent – Dr. Donna Ford (change)

For More Information

Our savvy SAVY Staff– Educational Consultant/Psychologist

• Megan.peters@vanderbilt.edu– Co Assistant Coordinators

• Tinsley Webster– Tinsley.webster@vanderbilt.edu

• Candice Whitley– Candice.whitley@vanderbilt.edu

SAVY WELCOMES Dr. Megan Parker-Peters

– Educational Consultant and SchoolPsychologist

Look for– New and Exciting Courses– All Day Summer Classes

• Pre VSA/WAVU Opportunities for 5th/6th

– Testing and Educational Consulting• Screening for SAVY• Full Assessment and Recommendations for

Gifted• Educational and IEP Consulting for Gifted