# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1. Gifted brains are not all alike.  Gifted students with specific talents, such as math or LA, will have different though processes.
2. Gifted underachieving students may not be properly challenged.  Staff must tap into their passion areas to make connections to why learning can be relevant to the student.
3. Minority students (particularly African American cultures) may not always place high priority on academics.  Staff needs to be able to identify minority students with gifted potential so that proper support and enrichment continue to  nurture and develop these talents.
What I want to know:
1. More strategies to support Twice Exceptional Learners.
2. Where to find assessments that specifically identify brain learning preferences.
Clarifying Question:
Why does society not support best practice instruction for gifted students

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1. There may be more children that could be classified as "gifted" if we looked beyond just academic tests and were better at recognizing other areas of talent.
2. Gifted does not mean perfect. Gifted students may display many unfavorable behaviors as well, such as lack of motivation and failure to complete work.
3. Schools in general are not providing what gifted kids need to excel.
What I Want to Know:
1. Specific strategies to differentiate lessons for the higher end kids
2. How to best serve the gifted at the elementary level...is cluster grouping the best?
Clarifying Question:
Why don't more schools hire Gifted Intervention Specialists to co-teach in classrooms that contain gifted clusters, just as Intervention Specialists do for rooms that include students on IEPs

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Grade acceleration has not been shown to harm social development in gifted students.
2. While many gifted students are not high achieving, high achieving students may also be misidentified as gifted.
3. Gifted students often work better individually or in groups with similar ability to their own.

What I want to know:
1. How to more appropriately offer differentiated instruction for profoundly gifted students.
2. More details about the neurophysiological differences of gifted brains.

Clarifying Question:
How do we convince society at large to dedicate more resources to the education of gifted students?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. That many students that are gifted are not enrolled in a gifted program.
2. The No Child Left Behind legislation has taken monies from programs such as gifted, and shifted them into areas that help children with learning disabilities. Schools need to do more to address this gifted population.
3. Minority students are underrepresented in gifted program and not because they are less talented.

What I want to know:
1. How to better identify students that are twice exceptional.
2. How to use more right brain teaching (music, theatre, art) in my classroom.

Clarifying Question:
I would like to see change in the way students are accepted into higher education by not relying so much on standardized testing.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  What it means to be gifted.
2.  Strategies to support gifted students.
3.  Issues gifted students deal with.

What I want to know:
1.  How to better identify minority students
2.  I would like to find more strategies to help gifted students in my classroom.  Maybe a Facebook page?

Clarifying Question:
When will there be a better way to identify gifted students beyond a IQ test?

# data[].attributes.body
Three things I learned:

1. Gifted students can be taught at an accelerated pace and don’t need nearly as much practice and review. It is extremely hard to do this in a mixed ability classroom and clustering in some form is necessary to do this.

2.  There is a lot of research on the gifted brain. There are also many theories on how the gifted brain works.  There are many techniques to utilize while teaching gifted learners.

3.  Many of the strategies used with gifted learners can be used with students who are not identified as gifted.

Two things I still want to know:

1.  How do you challenge the gifted learner who wants to protect his/her GPA? There are students who don’t want to take advanced classes because there is a chance that they won’t get an A.

2.  Have studies been done that follow gifted students from elementary through their time at a university? If so, what have we learned later in life from their participation in gifted programs?

One clarifying question:

1.  How does grade-level advancement effect the social and emotional growth of students? The books states that there is little evidence that states it is harmful, however it doesn’t go into detail on the studies.

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1.  Gifted students in math are not always strong with computation.
2.  The many characteristics many gifted students display and how I can better support them.
3.  Gifted students work better in like ability groups.

What I Would Like to Know:
1.  I would like to continue to learn more about teaching gifted students in math and more information on curriculum to aid in this out there.
2. How to improve my teaching strategies to help gifted students with overexcitabilities and behavior problems become successful.

Clarifying Question:
1.  How can I go about convincing my district that gifted students perform well in like ability groups and how can this be worked into the scheduling of students.

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1. I've gained a greater understanding of what it means to be a gifted student.
2. I've learned many great techniques for addressing the needs of gifted learners.
3. I've learned what it means to have a twice-exceptional brain.

What I'd Like to know:
1. I would like to continue to discover great techniques to enhance the education of my gifted students.
2. I would like to find and apply better ways to motivate the unmotivated gifted learner.

Clarifying Question: Is it better for the gifted learner to be separated into classes with equally gifted learners, or is it more beneficial for them to be integrated into regular classrooms?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Students are not always gifted in all subject areas.
2. There are many techniques I can use to reach my gifted learners.
3. Different characteristics of gifted students.
What I'd like to know:
1. How to motivate gifted students who don't feel the need to use their "gift".
2. How to effectively reach all levels of gifted students so they are not bored (will be learned over time).
3. Can students be identified as gifted through different forms of assessment?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. I learned that not all gifted students are the same. It is important to identify them as individuals to meet their needs.
2. All gifted students are not motivated and mature. Sometimes they need a push just like other children.
3. Gifted students feel insecure with open ended questions and concepts that aren't concrete.
What I would still like to know:
1. Even though a student is gifted, if they don't perform well on the pre assessment, should they still be held to a higher standard?
2. Why do we qualify gifted students based on one test?
Clarifying question:
How do I collect data to show the students are getting the enrichment they need?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. I've learned many characteristics of gifted students
2. I've learned different ways that I can engage and motivate gifted students who may be struggling
3. Gifted students have their own difficulties such as being mistaken for ADHD

What I would still like to know:
1. How to effectively create extension activities or assignments for my gifted students in ability mixed classrooms
2. Where can I find resources to help supplement my lessons so that these populations are being met?

Clarifying question:
1. What training do districts provide to teachers with gifted students? Why is this not an annual training?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1)There are many different areas of the brain that control learning and giftedness.
2) Some gifted students need quiet and individual time to complete tasks and group activities aren't alway best for them.
3) Gifted students are sometimes diagnosed as ADHD when in fact they may be bored with the standardized curriculum.
4) Gifted students may not want to be recognized as such in a heterogeneous classroom and may do best with others in a specific classroom.
Want to Know:
1)How can funding be made available to reinstate the gifted program within my district.
Clarifying Question:
What can I do to improve in my history classroom that will challenge students with gifted abilities?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. A ton of strategies to better engage not only my gifted students but all the students in my classes. (I felt that while the book was geared to gifted students, much of the information could be applied to all students.)
2. A deeper understanding of how the brain works and processes information.  I did not realize neuroscience could be so fascinating.
3.That gifted students can be misdiagnosed with ADHD and their lack of focus in class could be due to boredom.

What I would still like to know:
1.  How to better incorporate the arts into a physics classroom.
2. When using a differentiation approach, how to keep students on task and engaged.  Also, how to get them to buy in to more difficult work when they can just do the "easier" work and not have to think as much.  I guess how to keep gifted students motivated sums it up.

Clarifying question:
With all the research about giftedness and identifying giftedness, why do school districts still rely on a one-dimensional approach to identify gifted students and why only once or twice in elementary school?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.I learned that many teacher have been as confused as I'm about identifying, recognizing ,and servicing gifted student.
2.The brain research is improving what we know about the gifted student and what parts of the brain on which side are being fired when which will help us to learn how and when students can and will learn best.
3.Some students are not identified and if they are they may become board or lazy and may chose not to engage or pursue higher standards.
What I would still like to know:
1.When the research seems to say these students need more collaboration with teacher and some would prefer to be grouped with other students of like giftedness why are funding and schools seeming to be going away from gifted classes towards inclusion with teacher struggling to be trained and provide the enrichment.
2.How can I get other teachers to realize that there are twice exceptional students and they need enrichment and compassion.
Clarifying question:
Why are we spending the money on research in the intrest of and to better serve the etudents and to meet their needs yet we can not figure out a way to change our unconstituional schoolfunding problem in Ohio, so we can aford to provide what the reaserch sugests?
2. How many Eisenstein ,Churchill's ,Edison's do we have to miss? If Hitler would have been able to pursue his gift the world may have never knew the Holecost.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:

1. Many gifted students do not achieve at ability level, so the needs of gifted students and the strategies used to challenge  them should be varied.

2. Gifted children can be underachievers. Teachers need to find ways to motivate students. This is different for every student.

3. Gifted students, although exceptional, may have a learning disability.

What I would still like to know:

1. I would like more training on  creating lessons and assessments that  address the wide range of abilities in one class and for stretch.

2. Why are gifted students tested so early and then not again in high school?

Clarifying question:

Why are regular-ed teachers who have students on WEPs not required to service those needs?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  Overexcitabilities occur more frequently in gifted students than their non-gifted peers.
2. Gifted students grow, learn, and work better when grouped with gifted peers.
3. Gifted students can be twice-exceptional.
Want to know:
1.  What are some strategies I can use to help motivate and redirect an underachieving gifted student when minimal effort is given by the student?
2. How do I know if a student is twice-exceptional if they are not identified?

Clarifying Question:
What are the most efficient ways to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of my gifted learners when they are not grouped with their peers, and there so many   different levels of instruction needed in my classroom?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. The greatest positive academic effects for gifted students occur in full-time grouping with like ability peers.
2. Dancing lowered the risk for seniors developing Alzheimer's disease by 76% (found that quite interesting and somehow should have implications in school).
3. That gifted characteristics of "overexcitabilities" can be easily mistaken for ADHD.

Want to know:
1. How does my district plan to address the needs of gifted students at the elementary level?
2.  What are some additional strategies I can use to incorporate the arts into my math classroom?

Clarifying Question?
What instructional strategies will I incorporate/improve upon  in my math classroom so I can better challenge all students?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  There are many difficulties involved in identifying gifted learners, the most basic of which is, what is a gifted learner.
2.  Overexcitabilities are common in gifted learners.
3. Gifted students achieve at the highest level when grouped with other gifted learners.
What I still want to know:
1.  How we can accurately gifted learners?  For anything else one test is not acceptable, why for gifted identification.
2. When should homogeneous and heterogeneous ability groups be used? Do mixed ability groups ever benefit truly gifted students?
Clarifying question:
I understand that differentiation is the key to academic achievement for all students.  How can I effectively differentiate as one teacher trying to meet the needs of 25 diverse learners.  How can I equally challenge and support?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:

1.       Before taking this course, I did not know that children could be gifted in one area and have a disability in another (twice-exceptional).

2.       The population of underachieving gifted students may be larger than we believe.  There are many reasons why gifted students do not reach their potential such as: academic self-concept, attitudes toward school/teachers, motivation, and trouble adjusting to their giftedness.  I was also interested to learn the characteristics of gifted underachievers.

3.       It may be difficult to distinguish between those who are high functioning with mild autism and those who are gifted because they have similar characteristics.

What I would like to know:

1.       What is the best way to reach all my students? Are there any resources available to help differentiate each subject area without spending hours creating it?

2.       What is the most accurate tool/assessment to identify children as gifted in kindergarten? I have one student in my class who has been identified and it was based on MAPS, which was taken at the beginning of the school year.  It was the first test these students had taken and it was done on a computer which required them to use a mouse (which many of them didn’t know how to manipulate).

One question to clarify:

1.        How do you find the time to enrich those students who are gifted while making sure those who are struggling still receive much needed support?  I find it very difficult to accomplish this with 20 kindergarteners and only 1 teacher.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Gifted students have overexcitabilities that can be misdiagnosed as ADHD.
2.  An understanding of the differences between giftedness and talent.
3.  There are many characteristics in and out of the classroom that can effect a student's ability to display/express their true gifted nature.

Want to Know:
1. What are more ways/ideas to manage gifted students with overexcitabilities?
2.What are more ways to further service gifted students in a first grade classroom to better channel their abilities and channel their individual learning capabilities.

Clarify:
1. Is separating students by gifted/gen-ed in first grade the best learning option for them? We essentially begin telling them at this early age that they are "different". Even without telling them, they are smart enough to figure it out, as are their peers. Isn't socialization/cooperative learning still necessary?

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1. Students that are gifted can have a learning disability.
2. Gifted students work better in groups that are of the same level.
3. Strategies to engage gifted students in their learning process.

What I still want to know:
1. Since gifted students learn better within their same ability level, is it more appropriate to have them in a gifted class to better service them?
2. How do you appropriately identify gifted students?  Is it appropriate after one test? Should other factors be considered besides one test?

Clarifying Question:
1.How can you differentiate for your gifted students and not make them feel superior to the rest of the class?

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1. Students with overecitabilities are often misdiagnosed as ADHD and the adults should look to see if the behaviors persist over all environments or only in the classroom.
2. Students who are minorities are often not identified as gifted because of cultural differences and possibly using a student survey would help to target these students based on their peers' evaluations.
3. For the math gifted students presenting content information in a whole-to-part is more beneficial as they grasp the concept and can make connections usually without much teacher instruction, as opposed to the step-by-step approach of most textbooks.  They need less skill/drill and more opportunities to analyze and apply solutions to problems.

What I still want to know:
1.  How to incorporate more project-based learning opportunities in my heterogeneous classroom?  (I would love to see a class in action that uses this approach, as I am a very visual learner myself.)
2. Are there any grant monies available to help fund programs for our elementary level gifted students?

Clarifying Question:
The first time I was introduced to the idea of clustering the population of a classroom to promote gifted learning, the student levels in the remainder of the class were not the extremes.  I didn't see any mention of the make-up of the remainder of the class in the reading. Does clustering mean the population of the classroom would be 5-8 gifted students in the same classroom as the lowest leveled students with the remainder of average/high average ability?

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1. Gifted students are often misdiagnosed as having ADHD.
2. Minority students are often overlooked when it comes to identifying students as gifted.
3. Gifted students benefit from working in groups of students who are at the same academic level.

What I Still Want to Know:
1. Where can I find gifted resources for kindergarteners, without having to reinvent the wheel?
2. What are some ways to determine a kindergarteners learning styles, since they are so young and are unable to complete a questionnaire?

Clarifying Question:
Kindergarten is a very dependent grade level. How do other teachers help their students to become independent quickly (early in the year), in order to reach all of the needs in your classroom?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  Gifted students need modification just like other students.
2. A better understanding of the underachieving gifted students.
3. Better understanding of minority students.

What I still want to know:
1.  I want to learn more about ways to incorporate the Arts into my classes.
2. How to better support the twice exceptional students.

Clarifying question:
Is there a simple, yet effective data collection system for pretesting and ability level identification that doesn't require large chunks of time.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Gifted students need to be challenged more than just basic differentiation.
2. Gifted students should be provided with more choices to complete tasks/present their understanding.
3. Teachers tend to increase difficulty rather than complexity when challenging gifted students.

What I would still like to know:
1. Are gifted children, who move up a grade for acceleration, have difficulty with social and emotional maturity over time?
2. How do we promote gifted students' growth mindsets without having district/state assessment growth/scores affect their self-esteem?

Clarifying Question:
Are there assessments/check off lists (beyond a MAP test score/%) to determine if a gifted student is academically ready to accelerate a grade level in one or all subjects?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  Students can be twice exceptional
2.  Gifted students may lack motivation and act out with negative behavior.
3.  I know how important it is to use the arts in the regular education room.

What I would still like to know:
1.  How come regular ed teachers don't have gifted teachers co teaching alongside them as we do with special needs students?
2.  Do individual districts have the choice in determining the number of data points collected to identify students?  At our school if a student tests gifted in an area on one MAP session; they are gifted for life.
Clarifying question:
Is clustering gifted students together in one room more effective than dispersing those students throughout individual classrooms?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. There is a big discrepancy in the amount of minority students that are labeled as gifted because of differences in experiences and values.
2. A growth mindset makes students across different ethnic groups and both genders more successful than a fixed mindset.
3. The twice exceptional students may need help with organization and pacing and so several short-term goals may work better than one long-term goal.
What I still want to know:
1. How does curriculum compacting look when multiple students are in different parts of the curriculum and I have to clarify ideas for them while teaching the general education students at the same time?
2. Is it the teacher's job to be assessing for giftedness or just recommending them for gifted programs/classes? (pg.226 "teacher should assess the student's capabilities on a number of characteristics"
Clarifying Question:
1. Can't these strategies be used with all students and not just gifted students? Is there a reason they are considered gifted applications as opposed to strategies for the general public as well?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. That the brain of a gifted student is very different from the brain of a typical student. It was interesting finding out how the brain develops differently.

2. That gifted students can think on a higher level, but they can have a lack of motivation like so many non-gifted students.

3. That students can be gifted in one area but also have difficulty learning in another area. I always assumed that they are gifted in all areas.

What I'd like to know:
1. How do I reach  all students in my classroom, especially those that are gifted?

2. How I can keep the gifted learner challenged while teaching a class that a number of non-gifted students.

Clarifying Question:
1. How can I differentiate my lessons to meet the needs of all my students in the classroom, both gifted and non-gifted?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. All gifted students who are gifted in a particular area are still not gifted in the same way.
2. Gifted students still need to be reminded of what expectations are, given help with organization , and do not need more work to do but work that is challenging enough for them.
3. Students can be twice exceptional.

What I still want to know:
1. I want to explore more ways to incorporate the arts in my regular education classroom.
2.  How do I get all of my students to explain their thinking in words to math problems?

Clarifying question:
If we are expected to differentiate all lessons to meet levels of all students, is it beneficial to cluster the gifted students in one classroom rather than throughout the grade level?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Gifted children often have many layers to their educational challenges.
2. Gifted children need opportunities to be different and to showcase their abilities within the general education setting.
3. Ideas to provide gifted students  acceleration within the general education classroom that more effectively meets their needs.

What I would still like to know:
1. I would like to know more about dealing with the wide range of abilities in one class and establishing an effective learning environment that reaches the highs and lows.
2. Why aren't gifted programs funded like other special ed programs? Why are the mandates not funded like they are with the other end of the spectrum?
Clarifying question:
Why is it that we test children in the primary grades and then they are labeled gifted for life? Why aren't they retested to ensure that they are truly gifted, once they enter the middle school grades?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Gifted students need to be challenged consistently across all grade levels.
2. These challenges should allow for the gifted student to be unique and have the option to work independently.
3. Even though gifted students may want to work independently, they should be provided with opportunities to interact with like-ability peers.

What I would still like to know:
1. I would still like more research on full-time gifted classes to see if that is really beneficial to the student.
2. I would still like to know how grade skipping is not harmful socially or emotionally to the gifted student because I see otherwise in the middle school.

Clarifying question:
1. How can I effectively differentiate  within my classroom to meet all the needs of my students, both gifted and special ed?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Students can be exceptional in multiple ways.
2. Gifted is not just intellectual development but also social and emotional.
3. Grouping with like-minded peers leads to success.
What I want to know:
1. What is the best way to serve twice exceptional students?
2. What is the best way to identify the gifted student that carries over from year to year?
Clarifying Question:
What is the best way to differentiate for high level math students?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  How the brain of a gifted student is different from the brain of a typical student.
2.  How important it is to incorporate the arts into classes for gifted students and strategies of how to do so.
3.  Some possible causes and strategies for underachieving gifted students.
What I want to know:
1.  Is it really accurate to identify gifted students at such a young age and keep that identification throughout all of their schooling?
2.  Is ability grouping best for all students?
Clarifying Question:
How can we motivate students to work on improving their weaknesses?

# data[].attributes.body
What I have learned..
1. The amount I learned about how the brain functions is at the top of the list.
2. Students who are not white are not identified as gifted as frequently as those students who are white.
3. Based upon my other classes I've taken and working with gifted students, much of the information on underachievers, twice-exceptional etc... I have experienced.
What I would like to know...
1. How to differentiate math and centers for kindergarten students throughout the day when they cannot read yet. I find myself with stacks of folders, papers.  It takes more time for me to explain the different levels of activities and projects and cannot pull students for guided reading etc...
2. Where do we get support as a kindergarten teacher?  Often support is offered to higher level students.
(I have a third question)
3. When students are scoring close enough that the maps trainer said your class should not be getting differentiation just yet, why do observations then mark us down when we only differentiate specific areas when we have data to support it.  I'm not understanding why we cannot adjust according to our class needs.

Clarifying Question
How do I find support and resources to teach kindergarten students. The level of differentiation that I've given has not been project based. I would like to do that with someone who can guide me.

# data[].attributes.body
4/26/18
1.  Students who are gifted can also have learning barriers
2,  Gifted students respond well to independent study and choice, they tend to have higher motivation.
3. Gifted students need to be able to have resources at their level which may sometimes include accommodations, modifications and differentiation.

1.  How is it possible to identify a first grade student based on one test?
Why aren't there more criteria to establish a  child as gifted, since it takes so many tests and data to identify them as learning disabled?

Clarifying Question:
When a child in a primary grade, and they are gifted in reading, is it fair to tell that child that they can not read a series of books enjoyed by their peers because it is below their reading level, when clearly it is at their maturity level? (

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Although we sometimes think that gifted students are very motivated because learning comes easily to them, they are sometimes the least motivated and need support from their teachers in order to meet their full potential.
2. Students can be gifted in one area but also have difficulty learning in another area.
3. It's important to include all areas of the arts in instruction to help students learn but this is often an area that teachers feel the least prepared to teach.

What I'd like to know:
1. How can I be sure that I am reaching all students in my classroom especially those that are gifted?
2. I currently use guided reading in my classroom but would like to know how to also implement guided math groups.

Clarifying Question:
1. How do we find the resources to reach gifted students and implement them when there is not a set gifted program in our district?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Gifted students can be misdiagnosed as having ADHD due to the behaviors which make them gifted.
2. It is more effective to have gifted students ability grouped. There is more learning that happens in this grouping.
3. Minority students are underrepresented in gifted programs due to a variety of factors including unconfident parenting.

What I'd like to know:
1. What I'd like to know:
How can I take a more active role in helping minority students who are gifted be identified.
2. How can I help parents gain confidence in their guidance of their gifted child.

Clarifying question:             How do I continue to challenge the gifted student in a mixed ability grouping?

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1. Research suggests that the truly gifted benefit from being grouped together.
2. Effective strategies are compacting and accelerating the curriculum.
3. Gifted students respond to independent study and choice with higher motivation.

What I'd Like to Know:
1.  What resources are out there that can help with my subject matter to create tiered assignments for gifted students?
2. Twice exceptional students who struggle with organization need help. What are some strategies or tools that I can use?

Clarifying Question:
1. Differentiating instruction is necessary to meet the needs of all of my learners, but how can it be done effectively so gifted students are challenged and students who need more support can get it?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Students can be both gifted and identified, aka twice exceptional.
2. Gifted students do not equal motivated students or mature students.
3. Having students from a variety of abilities is a reality and difficult to manage at times.

What I'd like to know:
1. What are two-three simple differentiated strategies that are most universal?

2. Why do we still use IQ tests as measuring tools when we know they can be unreliable?

Clarifying question:
Since we differentiate in our rooms, why not differentiate an entire course?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  Gifted learners need student-centered activities that encourage a variety of tasks and activities.
2. Teachers need to nurture both the social and emotional development of gifted children as well as the intellectual needs.  Gifted children often feel misunderstood or different than their peers.
3. Ability grouping can benefit gifted students because they can work at a different level than their peers.  Gifted students can dig deeper into the topic and will feel more comfortable working with students that have similar abilities.

What I'd Like to Know.
1. I would like to now how to successfully teach math in small groups so that I can group my students by their abilities.
2. Where can I find resources that will help me to easily differentiate math within my first grade classroom.

Clarifying Question:
How do we meet the ever changing, individual needs of all of our students and differentiate within the classroom when students are not completely independent and there is only one teacher.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  Students who are identified as gifted, can also have learning barriers.
2. Gifted learners need choices in their activities.
3. I am already incorporating many of the strategies learned and discussed in this book study.
What I would still like to know
1. Is ability grouping more successful with the gifted learners?
2. How can I better serve my gifted learners in Language Arts?  My schedule has many of my gifted students learning in the classroom with my special ed. students... This seems to not be assisting these students in their learning environment.
Clarifying question
1. How can I get more resources on reaching all students and planning for all of the different variety of learners I teach each and everyday. I feel like I am just trying to keep my head above water with planning, and trying to service the needs of all of my students.

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1. Even though gifted students are thinking on a higher level, they often need more guidance with organizational skills.
2. Many of the ideas that can be used for gifted students can apply for all students in a different way in the classroom.
3. There are some students that can be gifted in one area, but have a disability in another completely different area.

What I'd Like to Know:
1. I would like to talk to another Kindergarten teacher who has successfully implemented these strategies in a classroom.
2. I would like to find a way to be updated and read the most current brain research in a way everyone can understand.

Clarifying Question:
How do we find the resources to support the differentiated projects and activities? Also how do you implement these ideas at a young age when they are not completely independent and there are some students that have not mastered the foundational skills?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. It is common for gifted students to underachieve because they are unable to adjust to their giftedness.
2. Gifted students can be misdiagnosed as instead having psychological disorder because of their gifted characteristics.
3. There is a part of the brain (parietal lobe) that apprears to be responsible for math operations.
What I'd like to know:
1. More discussion regarding whether classrooms with homogenous or heterogeneous learners (aka ability grouping) are more successful for gifted learners.
2. I like to design my cooperative learning groups with  a combination abilities.  Is this best practice?
3. The title "gifted" at times bothers me because every person possesses gifts. Are we as educators making sure "typical" students recognize or discover their gifts as well?
Clarifying question:
I referred a couple students this year to be tested for gifted.  I considered referring others as well.  I'm still struggling with the qualities that make students gifted.  I think it's impossible for every gifted student to be identified, but I would like to learn more about the actual process that our county uses.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Gifted students that skip a grade have far more benefits than harmful social or emotional problems.
2. Gifted students acquire information as a whole and store it in the long-term memory in this way. Gifted student need less practice and review.
3. Minority students are harder to identify as gifted based on bias assessments.

What I'd like to know:
1. I'd like to know how to compact my social studies curriculum for my gifted students.
2. Learn how to challenge my gifted students within a mixed ability classroom and keep all learners engaged and on task.

Clarifying Question:
Personalized learning, how can this happen with so many mixed abilities and only one teacher?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Gifted students need to be with like ability peers and that research supports limited grouping is better than no grouping.
2. One of the most important steps for helping middle school students is  to identify them or their needs may not be met and they can become bored or misbehave.
3. I gained a much clearer understanding of twice exceptional students including the idea that gifted students may struggle with organization and attention.

What I’d still like to know:
1. How can I best serve my gifted language arts students in the junior high setting?  Are there models of honors English courses for junior high?
2. Where can I find resources to help my twice exceptional students with organizational skills?
Clarifying question:
How can we bring teachers and schools who have had success in grouping gifted students, differentiation, or other models together with teachers who need support and want to share ideas?  How can we make time for teachers simply to have their own cooperative groups?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Gifted learners need more independent learning activities and more challenging, deeper assignments.
2. I learned that a student can be gifted in intellectual, creative, socioaffective, or sesorimotor areas.
3. I learned minority students underachieve due to family-related factored and school-related factors.

What I'd like to know:
1) Where can I find more differentiated materials for writing which include differentiated reading passages?
2) What can I do to close the gap for underachieving minority students?
3)Where can I find more authentic writing examples that will connect to fifth grade learning standards?

Clarifying Question:
Whenever I give a choice of assignments to students, they choose assignments that utilize their strengths. How do I gear students to complete assignments that will improve their weaknesses, too? How do I do this with while making students feel it's fair?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. The strategies discussed through this course can apply to all students, not only gifted students.
2. I gained more knowledge about the twice exceptional students and how to better serve them.
3. I gained valuable resources through the forum to incorporate the arts into lessons to reach more students.
What I'd like to know:
1. How do we keep all students from being defined by their labels instead of for the unique person they are?
2. Examples of school districts that are using a co-teaching model to serve both gifted and sped students at the same time.
Clarifying Question:
What is the best way to make sure the needs of the gifted students are met without making other students feel like they are less intelligent/capable?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Many of the strategies discussed can be used for my special education students and not only apply to gifted students.
2. I learned that creativity and intelligence are different abilities that involve different areas of the brain while solving problems. By tapping into one's creative side as well as their intelligence side, problem solving may be more effective.
3. I learned that students with learning disabilities can also be gifted.
What I'd like to know:
1.  I'd like to know more about co-teaching and how using that model will best serve our student population.
2.  More strategies for ensuring students are working with intent while completing independent work. (so it isn't just "busy work".
Clarifying Question:
Our district is moving toward a co-taught classroom filled with all ability levels.  Gifted students mixed with regular students and students with  learning disabilities, and cognitive delays. Need ideas on how this can be done effectively for all learners and keeping learning for all authentic.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. I learned that I need to offer more support to my gifted students not reaching their potential.
2. I learned that I need to offer more like-ability grouping for my gifted students.
3.  I learned that gifted students can also have learning disabilities.
What I'd like to know:
1. Where I can find more resources to differentiate instruction in my middle school, science classroom?
2. Is a student identified as gifted in 3rd grade Social Studies always considered gifted in Social Studies?

Clarifying Question:
How can I differentiate my classroom without "dividing" my classroom? I put a lot of work into creating differentiated lessons, or projects, then feel bad when students compare the types of work given. My students recognize quickly how they are grouped, which defeats the purpose of the inclusion classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. How intelligence is tied and related to the brain structure and genes. I have always "known" this, but after reading the book I feel like I can explain that to someone (or myself) much easier and comprehensively.
2. Much more are the myths related to giftedness and what those can mean to a child's learning if not dealt with appropriately and efficiently.
3. A ton of strategies to address various things related to this topic, such as working with ELL gifted students, being more comprehensive with my artistic gifted students, and strategies for my gifted population in general. I have sticky notes on so many pages of this book, but most are on the applications.

What I'd like to know:
1. How to help my gifted students better, in cooperation with their gifted (pull-out) teacher. What I mean by this is I have kids who get pulled out for math and ELA, but I would like to know how and what I can do better to enrich their work while they are here with me. We are not given time to work with this teacher to plan or collaborate, and there isn't much communication between the two parties as to what expectations are across the board.
2. About working with and enriching students with artistic giftedness in terms of the gen. ed. setting. While there were some great ideas and applications in the book, but I would love to talk with someone who has had success with that in their teaching and see what that looks like. I think this could really apply to a lot of kids I have this year, and I plan to try

Clarifying Question:
If there is so much research to support pull-out programs for gifted learners over in-class differentiation and action plans, why don't more districts have a more solid plan in place for this. I understand money and budgets as I studied them in my graduate work, but to me, after reading this book, this is something that should be a non-negotiable from the state level (with certain and well-defined guidelines of course).

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1. We are indeed brain changers.
2. Gifted students do not have intellectual powers that make them gifted in all areas.
3. Some suggestions for managing the classroom environment for children with Aspergers are keeping routines predictable, avoiding escalating power struggles, and not to take misbehavior personally.

What I'd Like to Know:
1. How to effectively integrate both children with special needs with gifted students and meet all needs effectively.
2. Are their multiple ways to act

Clarifying Question:
As an Intervention Specialist I modify my curriculum to fit the needs of my students. I have had students who are gifted in one area or the other and I need to make that I am challenging them in the most appropriate way possible while still concentrating on their areas of weakness and incorporating it all together. What are  some tips and strategies to accomplish this effectively?

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1.  Minority students are underrepresented in gifted education, however the gap is closing
2. 37% of elementary students are either not identified or not enrolled in gifted programs when they should be.
3. Giftedness can be measured in intellectual ability, academic ability, leadership ability, creative ability, psychomotor ability, and visual and performing arts

What I'd Like to Know:
1. What can we do as teachers when they claim budget constraints are why there are not opportunities for gifted students?
2. Is it my job to identify gifted students in my classroom in high school?

Clarifying Question:
When does it benefit students to have a full time class for gifted?

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:
1.
2.
3.

What I'd Like to Know:
1.
2.

Clarifying Question:
How do I address the needs of all my students at the same time? Especially when the kids are not self-sufficient, there is a limited amount of intervention time and it is imperative that

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  I learned that students who whole grade advance are typically very successful, academically, socially and emotionally.
2.  I learned that many gifted students are underachievers for a large variety of reasons.
3.  I learned that school counselors could play a big part in assisting gifted students achieve success.

What I'd like to know:
1.  How other school counselors have assisted gifted students and their parents in the school setting.
2.  Where I can find resources for school counselors to use when working with gifted students and families.

Clarifying Question:
How can I implement small groups for gifted students to assist with social/emotional development and what is the best way to advocate for students who are gifted yet underachievers?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned
1. I learned that gifted students can be identified in many ways, and that other students can provide input about students who may be gifted.
2. Teachers can plan activities that focus on particular interests of gifted students, encouraging engagement and creativity from students.
3. We need to take a look at how we service gifted students, utilizing the resources we have, and consider restructuring to include grade skipping, advanced classes, and gifted clusters.

What I'd like to know:
1. What resources can I use in mathematics that are easily accessible and would work in the structure of my class for my gifted students? (ex. assignments with choices)
2. What would be the most fitting model for gifted services in my grade level?

Clarifying Question:
How can I manage planning for so many different levels of students in my classroom? How can I get help from others, as well as my gifted interventionist?How do different assessments affect grades ?

# data[].attributes.body
What I Learned:

1.  I learned that students can be gifted in one area, but not in others.
2.  I learned that gifted students benefit most by working with peers having similar abilities as opposed to age mates differing in ability.
3.  Identifying students as gifted can be challenging because some lack motivation, some are twice exceptional, and some have ADHD.  The previously mentioned can sometimes make a student that is gifted not appear to be.

What I'd Like to Know:

1.  Is there any resource that breaks content down by grade level and then into differing levels?  I feel that would be extremely helpful for all levels of students.
2. Is there a class structure that is more beneficial when it comes to whole group instruction vs. small group instruction vs. individual work? I feel a combination is best but what percent of each would be most appropriate for a student that is gifted?

Clarifying Question: Since no child should be left behind and no child should be held back, should ALL instruction be self paced based on each individual student? If so, how would we start to go about achieving this? Would this even be possible?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. I learned that gifted students need just as much support as other students, including differentiation and accommodations.
2. Teachers need to work hard to nurture emotional development in gifted students due to choices they make and trying to fit in with their peers.
3. Students can be both gifted and learning disabled, and teachers must use strategies to reach these students, such as using a variety of classroom materials, visual and tactile activities, and strengthening students' self-concept.

What I'd Like to Know:
1. I need more strategies to help the gifted learners that I teach.
2. I also need more training with teaching gifted students and creating their WEPS.

Clarifying Question:
How can I meet the needs of my gifted students and create challenging lessons for them individually? I understand this concept, but still would like more help in this area.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1) I learned that students DO learn best when they are matched with their academic level peers.
2) Curriculum compacting is a way to make sure gifted students aren't being taught what they already know. Enrichment/replacement activities can be given if the general content is already mastered.
3) Gifted students can sometimes show the same characteristics of ADHD.

What I'd Like to Know:
1) Where can I find more Gifted resources so I am not creating my own?
2) What do I tell a parent whose child is VERY smart, but does not qualify for gifted?

Clarifying questions:
How am I going to implement all of these things and make it so that Non Gifted students aren't overly aware of the curriculum change, which in turn leads to other issues in the room?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.) Students can be gifted in one area and have a disability in another area.
2.)  Gifted students learn better when working with gifted peers and when provided with choice.
3.)Minority students are underrepresented in gifted programs and need to be identified in different ways.

What I'd Like to Know:
1.) With more students being identified as gifted and schools putting so much emphasis on these programs, I find it challenging to limit these labels in the classroom.  How do I keep students from looking and feeling overconfident?  How do I keep students from feeling less intelligent than identified students?
2.   Many gifted students struggle with making mistakes and asking for help with material they don't understand.  What are some strategies to help them cope or deal with their imperfections?
Clarifying question:
1.) How do I meet the needs of all learners by creating challenging lessons at different levels with choices of ways to learn and not spend hours upon hours planning?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1). Gifted students can benefit from assignments that provide choices for completion allowing them to showcase a creative way to prove their knowledge.

2). Gifted students can also show learning disabilities as well.

3). Gifted students excel with they are grouped with other TaG students as well to push and challenge each other.

What I would like to know:
1). More differentiation strategies on how to reach all levels of learners at the same time. Lesson examples, manipulatives, plans, etc.

2).   What are the best responses to a parent who feels their child is gifted or not being challenged when you do not see the same thing in your classroom or from other teachers.

Clarifying question:
What are the best ways to differentiate in the classroom and reach multiple levels of students without making it obvious to the students as to who belongs to which group of learners?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1.  While students can be identified as cognitive or academically gifted, we should not be beholden to a number to be able to enrich and support any students who are divergent thinkers.
2.  Differentiation is often a matter or trial and error.  There is not a one size fits all solution.  It requires time and patience to clarify a students unique learning styles.
3.  We cannot take for granted that gifted students perform above typical peers in all aspects of development.

What I'd like to know:
1.  How can we deliver the best "bang for our buck?"  Given our constraints of time and curriculum, how can we inspire the most students with the best quality instructional practices?
2.  How can we reach out to students from unrepresented communities?  Sometimes students are discouraged from taking part in gifted programs, given cultural practices.

Clarifying question: How can we continue to optimize instruction for students who are visual-spatial learner? Often, they seem to be dismissed as they are not eligible by traditional methods.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Gifted and talented learns need daily challenges in their specific areas of talent, and opportunities should be provided on a regular basis for gifted students to work independently.
2.  For specific curriculum areas, instructional delivery must be differentiated in pace, amount of review and practice, and some form of of regrouping or clustering of the highest ability learners is necessary.
3.   We must take great care to ensure that while we leave no child behind, we do not prevent a child from moving ahead.

What I'd like to know:
1. Where can I find  more strategies that will cover a wider range of abilities levels.
2. How do I get identified underachievers to see their true potential and thrive in the classroom.

Clarifying Question:
How do I engage and lift the  gifted learners while not giving up to much time so that the lower level students can still achieve, while trying not to be obvious to either group.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Gifted students learn and excel best when surrounded by other gifted students so that they can push each other.
2. Students who are identified as gifted can also be identified as having a disability of some kind.
3. Gifted students thrive off of assignments based on choice and this helps to differentiate things for all learners.

What I'd like to know:
1. How can more assignments be differentiated without spending a ton of time developing different activities?
2. How to motivate gifted students to continue to thrive in their talents without becoming over confident.

Clarifying question:
At what point is there a balance between meeting the needs of all students? To clarify, when do you decide to move on to accommodate the gifted higher ability students from getting bored, without leaving too many students behind who may be of lower ability that do not still understand the material fully?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Grouping gifted students with their peers will help them learn better.
2. Using formative assessments correctly will help accelerate gifted students.
3.  Minority students need to be assessed differently when looking for gifted identification.

What I'd like to know:
1. More strategies for teaching all students in my classroom, gifted as well as struggling learners.
2.  How to help gifted students become more independent and confident in their abilities.

Clarifying question:
1. How can I reach all students in my classroom most effectively, while leaving no child behind and moving all of them forward as necessary?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Gifted students learn better when grouped with their peers.
2. Gifted students can be identified as twice-exceptional.  Identified as gifted, but also learning disabled.
3. The percentage of Black and Hispanic students remains less than half that of White students and American Indian/Alaska Native is three-fourths.

What I'd like to know:
1. Best practice when working in a gen ed classroom where you have students of special needs combined with gifted students.
2. How to handle students,keep them focused and engaged and not give up,  who strive for those honors classes, but are just not making it by a very slim margin.

Clarifying Question:
How do you not draw so much attention to students who are on the higher end, without having the other students always feel like they aren't as good because they "aren't as smart as student x"? I guess differentiate work in the room where everyone doesn't feel like singled out by what they know or don't know.

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
Gifted students can be misdiagnosed as having psychological disorders as a result of the very as a result of having the same behaviors that make them gifted.
Gifted students benefit more from learning with other students who share their same intellectual ability-they can take their learning farther together.
Minority students are underrepresented in gifted programs.

What I'd like to know:
How can I manage my time in order to meet with my gifted students so I can guide them through their higher level learning activities (I have young students)
What practical things can I do to motivate my gifted learners who just want to "coast through" easily and don't want to tackle challenging work?

Clarifying question:             How do I differentiate the work in my classroom and praise those who are gifted without drawing too much attention to them and making the average and below average student feel like they're "not as good?"

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
1. Identified gifted in one area does not mean they are gifted in all areas.
2. Gifted students can be impatient.
3. Gifted students can show the same type of behaviors that are often associated with ADHD and are thus, sometimes misdiagnosed.

What I'd like to know:
1. How can I tier independent, self-guided math stations for kindergarten students that are gifted in math, but not in reading?
2. How to respond to parents when they want to accelerate their child (due to academics), but are not ready socially/emotionally?

Clarifying question:
How can I adjust my assignments/lessons to help all of my students while not spending so much time looking for ideas or prepping material?

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
In grouping the gifted students in homerooms, it's better to have them all together in one, instead of spreading them throughout different homerooms.  This has been the subject of many conversations in our district.
Teaching underachieving gifted students is challenging.  I have a few this school year.  I learned to limit rote memorization and drill and practice.  I will try to design activities that involve more inquiry and self-directed learning.
Understanding that students may be identified 'gifted' in many areas, effective teaching should include an array of activities to foster growth in all students.

What I'd like to know:
How do I effectively assess the gifted students in my classroom.  Also, besides what was shared in this class, where do I find the most practical resources for my gifted ELA students?

Clarifying Question:
How do I give my gifted students the guidance and support they need and be available for support to the rest of my class?  There is only one of me!

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
Being extremely talented at something is different than being "gifted."
Gifted learners can feel insecure when given open-ended questions that do not provide set procedures.
Giftedness can be misdiagnosed as ADHD due to characteristics both display in the classroom.
What I still want to know:
How class sizes statistically affect student achievement with gifted learners.
How to better use formative assessments and pre-tests to understand what gifted students do and do not know.
Clarifying question:
How do I differentiate in a way that challenges gifted learners without feeling like I am leaving other students "behind."

# data[].attributes.body
What I learned:
Gifted children do better when working in a group with gifted peers. Gifted students work better when what is taught is connected to his/her personal interests.  A student can still be gifted despite having learning disabilities.
What I'd like to know:
How can I accurately assess my young students' learning styles? In the past, any learning style questionnaires have come back to me with EVERYTHING circled.
How do I help my perfectionists cope when they feel they are unsuccessful?
Clarifying question:
How do I manage the time it takes to address the needs of my gifted students along with the needs of my struggling kids and my typical kids?