Gifted and Talented Presentation

October 20, 2010Presented by Lynn Gorey and the

Gifted and Talented Staff and Administrators

Gifted and TalentedMission StatementReleased 1995

The South Orangetown Central School District is committed to providing each student with ongoing opportunities and resources to reach his or her full potential. Experiences that are specifically directed to engaging and challenging gifted and talented students should be an integral part of their learning.

Goals

To ensure that all of our students have the opportunity to achieve their full academic potential

To identify students with high potential, and to inform parents and teachers so the needs of these students may be met

To provide staff development and resources for our teachers so that they are prepared to use effective strategies and provide challenging learning opportunities for all students

To offer a continuum of services for the full range of our students’ abilities

BOE Policy Programs for the Gifted and Talented: Policy 4322

The Board of Education will provide appropriate educational programs for students identified as being gifted and talented

Programs for Gifted StudentsThe Board wishes for the District instructional program to meet the special and

individual needs of all its students. Therefore, students with extraordinary learning ability and/or outstanding talent in the creative arts will be provided with appropriate programs, and services, in order that these students may achieve their full potential.

The program for gifted and talented students may offer such opportunities as;a) Enrichment activities within the regular classroom;b) Special instruction or counseling outside the regular classes;c) Special classes or projects designed for the gifted or talented;d) Advanced grade or class placement

Adoption date: June 17, 2010

SOCSD potential Regulations to accompany the BOE policy

Ensure that all of our students will have an opportunity to achieve and maximize his/her full potential and talent

Identify students with high potential, and inform parents and teachers so the needs of these students will be met

Ensure that the ongoing K-12 identification process includes multiple measures, including but not limited to , achievement test scores, student performance or products, intelligence testing, parent, student and/or teacher recommendation, and other appropriate measures

Develop appropriate curricular and instructional modifications for gifted students

Provide staff development and resources for teachers so they are prepared to use effective strategies and provide challenging learning opportunities for all students

Offer a continuum of services that range from full participation in the regular classroom to pull-out classes for identified students

Take into consideration the pre-K-Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards of the National Association for Gifted Students (NAGC) when developing programs

National Association for the Gifted

According to the National Association for Gifted Children, gifted individuals are those who demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude or competence in one or more domains. Domains include any structured area or activity with its own symbol system such as math, music or language and/or set of sensorimotor skills such as painting, dance or sports.

The development of ability or talent is a lifelong process. Young children can show exceptional performance on tests. As children mature the achievement and high level of motivation in the domain becomes the primary characteristic of giftedness.

NAGC states that exceptionally capable learners need differentiated educational experiences that consists of adjustments in the level, depth and pacing of curriculum and outside of school programs to match their current levels of achievement and learning rates. Some gifted learners need additional and unusual interventions. Additional support services such as counseling, parent education and specially designed programs are sometimes indicated

NAGC estimates that about 5 % of US children are considered gifted.

Giftedness includes high task commitment and the ability to see a project through to its successful conclusion, and this ability is a central component of giftedness along with high ability and high creativity (Renzulli and Reis, 1985)

Both quantitative and qualitative selection criteria are needed in the accurate identification of a gifted student.

We will address the area of identification in more detail later in the presentation

What is RTI and how does it help students who are gifted and talented?

Response to Intervention is a problem solving framework that focuses on providing high quality instruction and intervention matched to student needs.

RTI addresses the instructional and social/emotional needs of students using research-based strategies and ongoing progress monitoring.

RTI is mandated as part of the reauthorization of IDEA in 2004

Tiers

Tier 1: Core instruction in classrooms: ALL Students

Tier 2: Strategically targeted instruction in addition to core instruction

SOME studentsTier 3: Intensive targeted instruction

FEW students

Tenhagen/Kueht 2007

Three-Tier Model of RTI

Tier 35% of students

Tier 215-20% of students

Tier 180-85% of students

Tier 1-Core Instructional Interventions

All students Preventive, proactive

Tier 2-Targeted Group Interventions

Some students (at-risk) Assessment-based High efficiency Rapid Response

Tier 3-Intensive, Individual Interventions

Individual students Assessment-based High intensity Of longer duration

Tier I

Good curriculum and instruction in classrooms will meet the needs of most students. All students need rich learning experiences that are organized around key concepts and ideas. They need relevant, meaningful activities and opportunities to grapple with real world problems. Students need structure and choice.

Instruction needs to be paced according to student needs. Students need to be appropriately challenged and coached when

needed. By focusing first on assuring high quality instruction for all in the

classroom, the potential is there to raise the “floor” for gifted students, improving the match between their needs and instruction.

Differentiated Instruction

Instruction has clear objectives with focused activities to reach the objectives

Assessment results are used to make instructional decisions Students have multiple avenues to show mastery of content and

skills Instructional pacing, depth and complexity are varied A variety of grouping strategies are used in classrooms including:

cluster grouping, cooperative learning groupings, ability groupings, and grouping by interests

Opportunities for students to work independently and individually exist

Learning opportunities engage each student in meaningful tasks that offer an appropriate level of challenge.

Tier 2

Gifted and talented/high ability learners may need specific supports to make progress. For example: instruction in small group pull out could be designed to meet the specific skill deficits of Twice Exceptional students who may not be meeting established benchmarks or students might be working with assignments that are more complex and involve greater depth than the regular classroom work.

Tier 2 instruction is explicit and aligned with Tier 1 instruction. This instruction can be delivered in a pull out program or a push in service. The service could be provided by a g/t teacher, a reading specialist, a special education teacher, a psychologist, a speech and language teacher, etc.

Tier 2 instruction can also be considered as enrollment in Honors or Advanced placement classes.

Tier 3

Tier 3 refers to evidence based intensive targeted interventions for students whose academic and intellectual needs are not being met by Tier 1 or Tier 2.

Children and adolescents who might need this intervention are highly gifted (IQ of 145 or greater) or exceptionally gifted (IQ 180+). This small percentage of students requires radical acceleration, dual enrollment, specialized counseling or participation in specialized classroom. Some types of acceleration include: single subject acceleration, whole grade skipping, early school entrance, early college admission, credit by examination, virtual courses.

Individuals with an IQ of 145+ appear in the population at a ratio of 1 in 1,1000. Individuals with an IQ of 160+ appear in the population at a ratio of 1 in 10,000 and 180+ appear at a ratio of 1 in a million.

Twice Exceptional Learners

The defining characteristics of the twice-exceptional learner is evidence of high performance or potential in a gift, talent, or ability combined with a disability that suppresses the student’s ability to achieve according to his/her potential (Brody & Mills, 1997).

Twice exceptional students will be found in all three tiers and will

need interventions that differ from students with disabilities who are not gifted.

Teachers need to be sensitive to the contradictions that might exist. This group of students is highly diverse but there are some patterns that we can use to help teachers. We will offer staff development this year at each building to help teachers understand twice exceptional learners and plan effective instructional strategies to meet their needs.

We encourage parents to share additional information that could help in the identification and support of these learners

RTI Process

Gifted Education should be delivered using a tiered model of programming. Levels of intensity in programming allows for the diverse needs of high ability learners. A continuum of programs and services need to be in place. One size doesn’t fit all.

The problem solving process which uses data, strengths and interests of students to implement appropriate, rigorous and relevant curriculum and instruction are strengths of RTI process and apply to all students

.*RTI Building level teams and the RTI District level team are Data Inquiry

Teams. The teams will review the progress of the gifted and talented students as part of their yearly work. We will also continue to do longitudinal studies on our gifted and talented students

RTI interventions for gifted students should target underachievement where applicable.

WOS

Library Media Specialist: Diana NicajInstructional Learning BlockBalanced Literacy: Workshop ModelLearning CentersEnrichment classes using the Problem

based learning model: Innovative Designs in Education staff development

TZE

Identification Staff development for Twice Exceptional

Students Acceleration guidelines Push in modeling Pull out special sessions School wide events Cluster classes Chess club/ Spelling club

All second grade students are screened via the OLSAT. Students who do not test in to the program have the opportunity to submit a portfolio of work products for possible GT identification.

Students who do not test in via the OLSAT create hands-on, math and writing projects, based on a concept.

Students also participate in Socratic seminar to engage hierarchical thinking

Identification

Beth Collins will be convening a focus group for parents. Parents can share their ideas and ask questions regarding the identification process and communication.

We are looking to better define our process and procedures for identifying a Talent Pool of students that will serve as the major (but not the only) target group for participation in a wide variety of supplementary services. This is based on the research of Dr. Joseph Renzulli. Mrs. Collins will explain the components of this process with the focus group and bring back their ideas to the Gifted and Talented Leadership team.

Mrs. Collins will report back to the Curriculum Council at the end of the 10-11 school year with an update on the process and communication related to identification.

Identified students receive:

1.Crime scene investigation

2. Read-aloud performances

3. Movie-making

4. Archaeological Dig creation

5. American Sign Language

6. Latin

Cottage Lane

Cluster GroupingsPush in modelingPull out groupsInstructional support periodSchool wide eventsIDE workMath Olympiads/ Word masters

South Orangetown Middle School

Gifted and Talented Support Programs

Cluster Classes

Cluster classes are in the four core subjects:ELAMathSocial StudiesScience

“Differentiation is the primary means by which we can meet the needs of the Gifted and Talented Students.”

Differentiation Support

Grade 6 ELA and SS – K. McBrideGrade 7 ELA and SS – P. EyerGrade 8 ELA and SS – P. EyerGrade 6,7 and 8 Science- I.D.E. Cons.

SOMS

Cluster groupingsAdvanced classesHonors classesChallenge labVirtual classes

Other Supports

Accelerated Classes: Math

Grade 6 Middle School Math Grade 7 Pre-Algebra and Pre-Algebra Honors Grade 8 Integrated Algebra and Integrated Algebra Honors

Earth Science 8 Studio and Art 8 Drawing and Design for Production 8

Challenge Lab – P. Olsen and A. Sorenson Mini – Courses Independent Projects Academic Competitions

Social/Emotional Supports – Guidance Team and School Psychologist

Tappan Zee High School

Opportunities for Advanced and Extended Learning

9th Grade

English 9 HonorsWorld History 9 HonorsGeometry HonorsAdvanced BiologyAccelerated options in the artsOpportunities for involvement in clubs

and athletics

Enrollment in 9th Grade Honors

01020304050607080

Student Enrollment

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2010-2011

2010-2011Transition from 9th grade Honors into 10th grade Honors

85%

86%

87%

88%

89%

90%

91%

92%

93%

English 10H

World History(AP + Honorscombined)

Math

Percentage still enrolled in the Honors Track

Advanced Coursework

Honors coursework available in:Mathematics, Social Studies, and English440 students enrolled in Honors classes

Advanced Placement coursework available in:Mathematics, Social Studies, English,

Social Sciences, Art, Foreign Language, and Computer Science

359 students enrolled in AP classes

Other Extended Learning Opportunities

High school courses for college creditLeadership opportunities within clubs

and athleticsExtensive art and music opportunitiesVirtual High School (VHS) classes

Can one teacher do it all…

“It is a daunting task, being an educator, bearing the responsibility for shaping both the academics and the attitudes. Accountability, as defined in today’s schools, often measures the easy stuff: the math facts memorized, the commas placed correctly, the historical events sequenced. But the true measure of an educator’s teaching performance is not so readily determined. No computer scanned bubble sheet measures how our students feel about learning, or their biases toward self and others. These indexes, the true value of learning and education, elude detection and measurement, sometimes for years…So brave educators wishing to enhance both students’ self-concepts and their achievements must be content with not knowing the immediate or long-term impacts of their actions.”

Delisle, J. R. (1992). Guiding the social and emotional development of gifted youth: A practical guide for educators and counselors. New York: Longman (pp. 49-50)

References

http://www.mtagate.org/Montana AGATE, State Association for Gifted

and Talented Educationhttp://www.gifted.uconn.edu/Neag Center for Gifted and Talented

DevelopmentBrody, L. E. & Mills, C. J. (1997) “Gifted children

with learning disabilities: A review of the issues.” Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30, 282-296.

Thank you please visit the district website for ongoing information about the programs and projects.

Please take a moment to complete the short survey either in paper, return to Lynn Gorey or complete the survey online Parent Feedback http://staff.socsdblogs.org/diverselearners/gifted-talented/parent-feedback/