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Things that I learned:
1. Not allowing the students to be labeled is doing them a disservice. Coming from elemetary education I did not see how different the instruction was for gifted kids. In secondary I can fully see how having a student who is gifted but not labeled is not letting them live up to their full potential. They aren't given the support and nurturing they need to reach their full potential.

2. Gifted kids aren't just "smart kids". These kids think so differently that they may not fall into the category of being able to tutor other kids. These kids have emotional needs that need to be met that may not lend themselves to this.

What can I do to help better support them social/emotionally?

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The on-going dilemma of effective identification practices in gifted education
2 Things I learned:
1) The topic of identifying GT children is the most cited yet, it is still one of the most controversial topics in the development of gifted programs.
2) The task is not only to identify children that are gifted, but also to identify students that have undeveloped potential.

1 Question I still have:
As technology continues to grow and improve, shouldn't the characteristics of gifted children change as well? If so, why are we so fixated on establishing a set list of characteristics/qualifications for identifying gifted children?

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Melissa Cordero
Title of article:  8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted by Lisa Van Gemert

2 things I learned/agree with:
Reason 4: Giftedness is no guarantee. It’s potential; not promise.
·        Giftedness means that you have ability. Like a seed, it is a potential, but it must be nourished, cared for, fertilized, and have sun in order to grow.

I have thought about the things mentioned in this statement before and even more after watching it all come together in the Edpuzzle.  I gained a better understanding about referring to giftedness as the potential and how it must be care for in order to be developed.
Reason 8: It allows parents to get support, too.
·        Parents of gifted children can feel isolated and even attacked.
·        When we label a child as gifted, we actually identify an entire family as needing support, encouragement, understanding, and resources. When we refuse to identify kids as gifted, we deny not only the child, but also the parents of the services and support they might otherwise receive.

As a parent and teacher to GT children, I don’t think I have ever thought of the fact that the parents need to be supported also.  After reading this, it makes total sense as GT parents need to be able to support their children’s thinking.
1 question I still have:
Reason 6: Gifted doesn’t just mean thinking better; it means thinking differently.
·        To me, this is the number one biggest misconception about gifted kids. People as a whole seem to think that gifted just means “smart” – like you think better than other people.

I wish all students understood this including the on-level student.  There have been so many times when my students will say things like, “oh, that’s why they scored better – they’re GT” or just the simple fact that they always think that just because a student is GT – it means they aren’t as smart as them.  How do we get kids to understand this so they don’t feel poorly about themselves when they try to measure up to the GT student?

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Kelsey Neill (Curtis)- 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Kelsey Neill (Curtis)- 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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As I was reading Janet's comment below on this article, I learned that we have a very similar understanding and take-aways from the article. I have learned that students who are identified as gifted have a higher need for their social and emotional needs to be met. And it makes sense when you think about it. It also is interesting to me that when a student is identified as gifted that it really is the whole family who will need support. What if that parent has no understanding of what it means to be gifted, or how their child's new program will work? We are doing a disservice to that family if we don't explain to them how they can also support their child at home.

My question would be how can we best support families? I feel like we just send packets of paper home that end up in the trash. Can we provide trainings for families or videos with explanations and support?

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Janet DeVlugt- 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

I learned that gifted students have high social and emotional needs and and not just cognitive needs. Prior to learning about GT students, I had a very basic understanding of what 'giftedness' actually was. It is our job as educators, as well as parents, to nurture the potential in the gifted child so that they can use their gift to succeed.
I also learned that when you label a child as gifted, you are also providing support for the family as well. I liked the way it was worded in the article: "When we label a child as gifted, we actually identify an entire family as needing support, encouragement, understanding, and resources."

One question I have is how can we support GT students in the classroom both cognitively and socially/emotionally to make sure their needs are met outside of their GT classes.

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Mallory Smith-- “How to Identify a Gifted Student”

1. One thing I learned is that you cannot identify a student based on how they act in class because many students are misdiagnosed as ADHD when they are actually gifted in some way. It is sad that so many students are on medications when perhaps  they do not actually need it and have been misdiagnosed.

2.  Another thing I learned is that the majority of gifted students are bored or underchallenged in class due to the focus of the teacher being directed to the underachieving students, which causes their advanced students to take a back seat in their learning.

Question: What is the criteria for placing gifted students in classes since some struggle due to not turning in work, lack of work ethic, etc.? Is this taken into consideration when placement is determined?

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Jason Spooner re: “The Ongoing Dilemma....”

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Jason Spooner re: “The Ongoing Dilemma....”

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I learned that the past descriptors of GT kids was not necessarily appropriate, since a lot of kids were rated on an absolute scale of ability, rather than a flexible and personal definition.

I also learned that our district seems to have embraced the best suggestions that were written in this article, which was published way back in the turn of the century.

I really wonder how many other districts in Texas are not capable of the services that are necessary for GT kids, whether it is a poor district, rural, etc?

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See all the wonderful things arowell@nisdtx.org has made

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8 Reasons You Should label kids as gifted
2 Learnings:
1. Gifted according to the author is humility inducing and not arrogance inducing.
2. I liked the personal testimony of the author where they spoke about when they took the test and noticed the look evaporator's eyes when they recorded their response.
Question
1. I didn't think about the position of labeling students as gifted and talented as being a good thing the way the author describes. They make a valid point.

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Patricia Villarreal
Article - How to Identify a Gifted Student
2 Learnings
1. I am very shocked by the statistics of this article and I agree. As 22 year veteran, the focus is normally on the lower achievement students. The higher level students need just as much help and nurturing as a low achieving student.
2. ADHD medication is not the end all be all answer. Gifted children need that energy to allow their minds to flourish. Some gifted students are ADHD but as a whole they are students who are full of ideas and have nowhere to express them.
1 Question
1.  Identifying gifted students is a difficult process. Why isn’t there a “test” that is universal so that all students will be treated equally and be transferred to another school and not be considered gifted?

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Article: How To Identify a Gifted Student

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Article: How To Identify a Gifted Student

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Janice Nicholas

Article: How To Identify a Gifted Student

2 Learnings:

1. I learned that sometimes when a students is acting out, failing, or causing a distraction, it may just be because they are not being challenged by the content being given to them. I have to look at the whole child and not just that one incident.

2. I did not realize that many Gifted children are being misdiagnosed and given ADHD medication instead of looking at the child as a whole and running tests to determine the main cause. It is sad that many children are on medications and classes that they do not belong in.

1 Question:

1. One question I still have is why is there not one specific class dedicated to Gifted students and students who are almost gifted but missed by a few points?

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Jennifer Posey - 8 Reasons you Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Jennifer Posey - 8 Reasons you Should Label Kids as Gifted

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1.  Gifted is a service model not an identity.  I think that's an important idea that often gets overlooked.  Students recognize others leaving class for our pullout model and determine they are the "smart" kids, they are simply in need of a different model for their learning.

2. Giftedness is no guarantee. It's potential; not a promise. At the first middle school I taught at the GT math teacher had a HUGE banner that read "Hard Work Beats Talent When Talent Fails to Work Hard"  It always seemed so fitting for her students.  No matter the gifts you have, you have to work hard to reach your full potential.

3.  I wonder what we can do to encourage a better understanding of the label as a service model rather than an identity?

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Tabatha Williamson-8 Reasons you Should label kids as gifted.

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Tabatha Williamson-8 Reasons you Should label kids as gifted.

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1. One thing I learned is that not wanting your child labeled as gifted is like saying you don't want your child to have hair color. The first sentence really stuck with me, "Everyone is labeled." Once I realized that, we do need to ensure our kids are "labeled" correctly. It is the world we live in, but she also went on to explain how your child should not just be labeled one thing.

2. I love the section on Giftedness is not a guarantee, it is potential. I have always thought the word gifted is a little too loaded, but it was a Ah-ha moment for me when she stated "You misunderstood, and in your misunderstanding, you hurt your child." She put it back on the parent that it is their due diligence to ensure their child understands their label. Parents need to help instill that, yes, you child has potential, but they have to do the work if they want to succeed in this world.

3. We keep talking about the emotional needs of GT students, one big question I have is what specifically can we do. Perhaps some scenarios, or examples, or just something more concrete than we need to address their emotional development?

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Karley WEstman - 8 Reasons you SHOULD label kids as gifted 

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Karley WEstman - 8 Reasons you SHOULD label kids as gifted 

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1.       One thing I learned is that you can be considered GT in one district but not in another. Though this may be common sense to some, this is actually pretty surprising to me. I was under the impression that the state had the same definition of gifted and students throughout the state would be considered GT no matter where they go.

2.       An interesting point she made was that just because a child is labeled gifted does not mean they are going to succeed. They have to be supported properly or else they will not grow. They may have natural superior capabilities but cannot these cannot grow if not cultivated correctly. I think this is a good reminder to have because many times we expect things out of our GT kids without giving them the proper support for it.

3.       Lisa talks about the social and emotional needs of gifted students and they need to be met as well as their cognitive needs. I am wondering what specific things I can do as a GT teacher to meet some of the social and emotional needs and truly support my GT kids as a whole person (not just academically).

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Andrea Schlepphorst - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Andrea Schlepphorst - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Lisa Van Gemert's article/blog made me think about why we label kids, and how we, as an educational whole, use those labels. There are so many labels in education, and I understand the need for them--especially for all of the reasons Van Gemert has given here. However, we also need to make sure that the labels we assign our students are correct and are used to help the student receive services he or she needs to help him or her educationally and socially. In discussing this article, and others, today at the Nature and Needs training, my tablemates and I realized how similar Giftedness is to Asperger's Disorder. As I read through the article again, reflecting on our talk today and the needs we discussed in class, I needed to see what research says about the potential for misdiagnosis of the two. I found a great article here that goes into detail about the similarities or Asperger's and Giftedness. There's even a chart that is used by psychologists to help in determining how to best "label" a child so that he or she is being helped correctly. This chart, and the case study discussed in the article, backed up all the information I've learned about the gifted child in these GT trainings, and it eased my mind about the idea of labeling a student.
In her blog, Van Gemert gives some very practical reasons why we should label children to give them all the support they deserve, but she also says something that was less obvious to me, and that is her Reason #7: Gifted Children Deserve All the Information About Themselves. As adults (and yes, this is a generalization, but go with it), I think we forget a little bit that we didn't know who we were or why our minds worked the way they did when we were young--why would we expect that of our students? They just know that they're different than their peers, but they have no idea why or how to put those differences into words. This "label" of giftedness, hopefully, will give them a little insight into who they are and how they function so that they don't feel so alien in a classroom full of "normies".

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Annie Seversike - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Annie Seversike - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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This article poses 8 reasons why the author supports labeling kids as gifted. I agree with the author on several points. First, I have always believed that children are different with different needs. As educators and parents, we desire that the needs of our children be met. Labeling kids does open doors to services they may otherwise not receive (Reason #1). This is true not just for GT students, but for English Language Learners, children with behavioral concerns, and students with academic needs. I do also agree that the term label has gotten a bad rap and is a loaded term (Reason #2). Labels are how we identify people, objects, and ideas. It's how we organize and make sense of our world. So, labeling a child as gifted simply is a recognition that a child learns differently and has different learning needs.
The author's reason #3 does not make a lot of sense to me practically speaking. I have encountered many a student who have developed an arrogant attitude of superiority once he/she has been identified as gifted. I do believe that gifted CAN be humbling, but only if it is presented as such. Too often, parents pass on the attitude that their gifted child is better than the other "regular" children. Unfortunately, too many of these children do believe they are superior. But to say "gifted" is humility inducing is a gross over simplification. Which makes me wonder, why the over simplification?

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Kirby Riedel--8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Kirby Riedel--8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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I read the article, 8 Reasons You Should Label a Kid as Gifted. I learned that gifted students think differently and it is important for teachers and adults to recognize this and learn ways to encourage their creativity. I also learned that it is important to get these students labeled as gifted. Getting students labeled will get them the support and resources they need in order to be successful.

Question: Is there a negative stigma for students labeled as gifted? If so, why?

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Amy Finn

How To Identify a Gifted Student

What I Learned:

1.       Children are commonly misdiagnosed and medicated for things like ADHD, depression, and bipolar when in reality they are highly gifted. Also, students that are identified tend to spend time in a classroom not equip to help them be successful.

2.      73% of teachers say their highest achieving students are not being challenged, they are bored, and they are not given the opportunities they deserve, also 32% of teachers say that high achievers and gifted students are not a high priority.

One question I have:  Why is there such a negative implication on gifted students? Why has society made this into a ‘bad’ thing?

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Morgan Rhine
8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

1.   Giftedness means that you have ability. Like a seed, it is a potential, but it must be nourished, cared for, fertilized, and have sun in order to grow. It is the responsibility of parents and educators of gifted kids to explain that being identified as gifted is not a “get out of working hard free” card.

2.  Parents of gifted children can feel isolated and even attacked. It is not uncommon to find defensive parents of GT kids – that’s a natural response to being marginalized for long periods of time. When we label a child as gifted, we actually identify an entire family as needing support, encouragement, understanding, and resources. When we refuse to identify kids as gifted, we deny not only the child, but also the parents of the services and support they might otherwise receive.

Question: Why isn’t every district held to the same expectation across the board for GT students?

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Jessica Alexander "Assessing Gifted Children"

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Jessica Alexander "Assessing Gifted Children"

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1. One standard way to identify G/T students out of other children is the speed and ease to master an academic skill. This requires high ceilings in the tests which is usually not available to students until they are in the 3rd or 4th grade. Also, testing may take 1 1/2 to 2 times as long as average children because the students have more correct answers and have more elaborate answers.

2.  Clinical judgment is based on the nonverbal communication skills. Best way to assess the nonverbal communication is to make the child comfortable and allowing them to make choices gives students the sense that their opinions and needs are valued. A lot of this portion of the assessment is spontaneous and cannot be planned. Especially with more shy children, focusing on discussing with the adults in the room will allow the children to get comfortable and jump into the conversation when they are ready.

Question:  Will we have this type of testing for students in the elementary level? Seeing how students interact and what they contribute to conversations is important, but how would we do that on a larger scale? Is this where teachers recommending G/T come in?

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What I learned from reading "8 Reasons" article

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What I learned from reading "8 Reasons" article

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1. I learned that the writer feels strongly that being labeled gifted can be an important part of student's success. Although I don't necessarily agree that the term "gifted" is the perfect label, I definitely understand her argument that being given a label allows parents and children to better understand how the student thinks, what they might need in the classroom and why - sometimes- they feel differently than other students.
2. The writer articulated many things that I already know from teaching and raising three very different children of my own. A student can be "gifted" but still struggle to succeed. I actually believe (and this has been confirmed to me over the years) that every child is gifted in some way. Through district assessments the term "gifted" is given to students who qualify in ONE category. Students and teachers use that label as a tool to target better understand what might work best for that child-just as they would use the label a child with ADD or dyslexia.
3. I learned (really, I already knew this) that parents can use the label in ways that hurt their children. If they think of the label as guaranteeing success (which, sorry, but I have met many parents who feel this way over the years) or proof that their child is "smarter" than other children,
it is not a positive for their child. However, if they use it as ONE tool to help their child navigate their educational - and emotional life - it can be a very positive thing.
Question: How do counselors at the high school level use the Gifted assessment when it comes to placement for student classes. In other words, if a student is gifted but struggles (low grades due to not turning in work, etc.) do they still place them in AP level classes? What is the criteria?

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Karri McGovern, How to Identify Gifted ChildrenTwo things learned:1. Part of the difficulty in identifying gifted children is that often they have behavior issues that mimic ADD. It is very easy for a teacher to get locked in to a nonproductive habit with unrecognized gifted children who although exceptionally perceptive may constantly speak out of turn, offer joking remarks, or respond to a question with another question.2. Many gifted children are misdiagnosed. Often they are labeled as ADD, bipolar, or depressed when in fact they are slowly withering from boredom. Additionally, according to the article, 77% of surveyed teachers feel their brightest students are not appropriately challenged.Question I still have: what steps or procedures are in place for teachers to advocate for students they feel have been misdiagnosed.?

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Karri McGovern, How to Identify Gifted ChildrenTwo things learned:1. Part of the difficulty in identifying gifted children is that often they have behavior issues that mimic ADD. It is very easy for a teacher to get locked in to a nonproductive habit with unrecognized gifted children who although exceptionally perceptive may constantly speak out of turn, offer joking remarks, or respond to a question with another question.2. Many gifted children are misdiagnosed. Often they are labeled as ADD, bipolar, or depressed when in fact they are slowly withering from boredom. Additionally, according to the article, 77% of surveyed teachers feel their brightest students are not appropriately challenged.Question I still have: what steps or procedures are in place for teachers to advocate for students they feel have been misdiagnosed.?

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What I learned:
1. Gifted students are often not assessed at first due to behavior issues being seen as negative. Some physicians are quick to diagnose ADHD and other disorders as a result of the misconduct in class rather than recognize a students potential GT qualities that are going unmet in the classroom. Therefore, it is important for teachers to be skilled and willing to recognize the difference between a student who is seeking a challenge with their behavior and a student who needs behavioral supports.

2. High academic achievement does not always mean a student is gifted. Gifted students can present behaviors that help identify them in a variety of ways. Some positive signs include independent thinking, expressing opinions, problem solving skills and being curious and motivated. However, sometimes their behavior can also be taken as negative when unaddressed, such as frequently being off task due to boredom, not working well in groups, and being critical of themselves and others.

Question: Although I will have a better idea of what to look for in a gifted student in my classroom, how do I ensure that I am making the correct judgments between behavior issues and an unchallenged gifted student? And does that behavior stop when the student is being challenged in the appropriate manner?

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What I learned:
1 - The child's development should be the first area of assessment. Each gifted child has different ways of thinking, processing patterns, and types of intelligence. The collection of individualized data on the way the child has developed will give the professional the best starting point to assess the gifted student.

2 - Julia Osborn uses different assessments to measure different areas of giftedness because one test or assessment may not be as useful as another based on the type of intelligence of the child.

Question: How early are NISD students assessed for GT services? Can a student ever phase out of services as they age even if they stay in our district?

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8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Alisa Leaf

Learned:
1. "Labeling" is natural and doesn't necessarily have to have a negative connotation. We all do it, and as the article said, it is " simply the reticular activating system sending you a message."
2. The "label" is not to blame for GT students who act with an air of superiority or think they don't have to work hard (something I see a TON of in my AP English course). The parents and educators of the GT program are to blame. As the article said, it is a "gift," an ability that has the POTENTIAL to grow into something amazing. It doesn't necessarily mean that one is already amazing just because they have been "labeled" as gifted. More so, it means that the label identifies that student as specially designated to have more poured into him or her to perfect their abilities.

Question:
As a district, I wonder if our GT only classes on the secondary level (I'm speaking specifically of AP English, actually) do not perpetuate an attitude of superiority or lack of work ethic? If they do not actually have to work and develop skills with "regular" students, why would they not feel like they are better than them? I mentioned this in the Homework Part 2 as well, but I've had several conversations with other AP English teachers (both of GT only sections, mixed sections, and "regular" only) and we are all in agreement - it seems to do a disservice to both groups of kids to separate them: the "regular" kids don't see the divergent, insightful thinking modeled for them, and the GT students really struggle to improve because many have an attitude of "I got it right the first time." This is especially true of their writing. It's always an eye-opener when a GT student, who thinks they did an amazing job on their paper, sees that another non-GT student actually did much better than them - immediately they want to look at the other student's paper and compare it. This mix helps BOTH groups of students identify the areas they should be improving, not to mention teaching them invaluable social skills they would need as they graduate high school and enter a world where not everyone is as bright as them!

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Stefanie Dailey

1.  I learned that you need to look at the whole child when assessing them.  Often times children who are gifted have other talents outside of academics like music, art, creative writing, scientific thinking, and/or group leadership.
2.  I also learned the importance of parent involvement during the assessment process.  It's not only important to collect information from parents using report forms and checklists, but it's most important to directly interview parents to gather enough information about the child.

While reading the article, Julia Osborn wrote about how she uses a different test to assess students who may be gifted but have a learning disability.  I was wondering if we have the same system for our students.  Are there different tests and what does the test assess the children on?
I would actually really like to see an example of a test that is given to a child to see what all is on it.

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Learned:
1. Medication is not always the answer. Many Gifted Students exhibit characteristics of ADHD, Autism, and Bipolar tendencies.  Physicians receive minimal education on how to identify the gifted student.

2. Identifying a GT student is tricky but can benefit the student in many ways. Here are some positive and negative traits of a GT learner:
*Positive: curious, retains info, original opinions, higher-level thinking, strong sense of justice.
*Negative: off topic, bored, impatient, talks too much, critical, does notn work well in groups.

Question:
As educators, we see so may characteristics the the classroom. In the elementary self-contained classroom, how can we provide rigorous instruction for all learners when the gaps are so large in one room?

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8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted:

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8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted:

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Learnings:
1. Growing up and even through learning about GT in college I always thought of being "gifted" as better. I thought of those kids as better thinkers and more successful. As I am reading about what truly makes up these gifted learners I am learning it is not better, but different. GT kids are different thinkers and I think this is important to remember as a teacher.
2. I also had never thought about how gifted students get extra support and specialization. This is a great point in thinking about why kids should get labeled as gifted. These students are getting the help they need to encourage their thinking.

Question:
1. When schools/districts have different criteria for assessment in their gifted programs, how do you handle parents getting upset if their child doesn't qualify in NISD?

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Janice NicholasArticle: How To Identify a Gifted Student

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Janice NicholasArticle: How To Identify a Gifted Student

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2 Learnings:

1. I learned that sometimes when a students is acting out, failing, or causing a distraction, it may just be because they are not being challenged by the content being given to them. I have to look at the whole child and not just that one incident.

2. I did not realize that many Gifted children are being misdiagnosed and given ADHD medication instead of looking at the child as a whole and running tests to determine the main cause. It is sad that many children are on medications and classes that they do not belong in.

1 Question:

1. One question I still have is why is there not one specific class dedicated to Gifted students and students who are almost gifted but missed by a few points?

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8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted
Learned/Take Aways:
1. Gifted is an ability or potential..not a promise.  Having the label of 'gifted' is not an excuse for students to not study or wait to the last minute because it will be 'easy', and students/parents need to understand that.
2. The dangers of believing that gifted just means smart could lead to them becoming tutors to other students in the classroom.  It is not the job of a gifted student to always help struggling students through their classwork.

Question:
What can we do to ensure that gifted students understand exactly what being gifted means and that not all gifted students are the same?

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Marvin Harris
How to identify a Gifted Student
Learned: 1) There are some behavioral traits that can be used to identify GT students; they can be positive and/or negative behavioral traits. 2) There's difficulty identifying GT, even from medical professionals. Question: Given the difficulty in identify GT, how can we be certain we are accurately identifying those students who are GT?

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8 Reasons You Should Label Kids As Gifted

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8 Reasons You Should Label Kids As Gifted

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Article: 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids As Gifted by Lisa Van Gemert

Take Aways/Learned:

1. I particularly enjoyed Van Gemert’s idea that gifted is potential, not promise. There is a need to fertilize the seed, and we as parents and educators are responsible for nurturing the seed and ensuring it grows. So much depends on how we can foster their giftedness and ensure they know that hard work is paved on this road to see its full potential.

2. I also enjoyed learning about the hardships of parents of a gifted learner. You sometimes forget that it takes a village. Van Gemert points out the struggles that go along with parenting a gifted student; feeling isolated, attacked or needing encouragement. I feel this will help me as a teacher to identify with their struggles as we navigate and nurture the student together to their success.

Question:

1. Do we offer or require some counseling for students/parents in the GT services in NISD? The social and emotional needs of these students I feel are overlooked alot, and perhaps talking with someone about these things every semester/six weeks/as needed could help them navigate those needs.

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Patrick Tobin - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Patrick Tobin - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Learned:
1. I did not know that students had access to more support if they were labeled as gifted and that by denying that label students miss out on opportunities to grow academically.

2. The way in which you think separates you from others. It does not make you more likely to succeed. Students who are gifted have to be stimulated or the potential is wasted.

Question:
Despite the fact that these students just happen to learn differently, how can we work to make both GT and non GT students understand that they are not more special or less because of the label?

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Sandy Wright - Ongoing Dilemma of Effective Identification Practices in Gifted Education

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Sandy Wright - Ongoing Dilemma of Effective Identification Practices in Gifted Education

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Learned:
1. The rubberband effect of human potential...that a student can stretch themselves within a range based on the genetic potential they possess.
2. GT students may vary among themselves by as much as 3 standard deviations in respect to mental functioning in one or more areas.

Question:
What would be an example of a domain-specific checklist to assess GT behavior?

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Rich Kleckner--8 reasons you should label kids as gifted

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Rich Kleckner--8 reasons you should label kids as gifted

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Learned:
1.  Never thought about the struggle of a GT family as a whole.  We need to support not only the student but the family as well.  When GT students aren't labeled, we deny the student and the parents of services and support.

2.  when you are gifted, it’s not just that your brain is efficient. Your brain is divergent.

Question:
How can we ensure the success of the GT student once they finish school?  What strategies can we give them to be successful?  Lisa talks about her struggles as an adult with being gifted.  Are the strategies we implement in K-12 just helping them in school?  Are the strategies useful as adults?

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Megan Warren - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Megan Warren - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Learned:
1. Students should wear their GT label with pride. Being labeled as gifted is a way for them to receive services that will foster their abilities and allow them to mingle with others of similar abilities.

2. I really liked the point about the GT label really being the potential and not a guarantee. It is a way to show students support of their unique learning abilities rather than an means to an end.

uestion that I still have:

1. How can teachers best prepare these gifted students for life after high school when there is not a slew of services to foster their way of thinking?

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something wrong with recognizing it.


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Steve Speer - How to Identify a Gifted Student

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Steve Speer - How to Identify a Gifted Student

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The article starts with description of discipline issues. The author didn't want to do busy work, so they put her in AP.

I found a later section to be alarming: According to a March 2013 article in Psychology Today, Dr. Marianne Kuzujanakis, a pediatrician and a director of Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) says, “Highly gifted children are a particular diagnostic challenge … when pediatric diagnoses are carelessly applied, gifted children are frequently mislabeled with ADHD, autistic, depressive, or bipolar disorders.”

The article claims that gifted students may not work well in groups, and that as many as 1 in 5 dropouts may be gifted students.

If a student claims that my assignments are boring and busy work, do they get a pass because they are labeled Gifted/Talented? How should teachers deal with gifted students who do not want to work in groups? Do counselors who are working with potential drop out students evaluate them for potential giftedness?

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Lauren Randall- Assessing Gifted Children

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Lauren Randall- Assessing Gifted Children

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1.  I learned how important it is to talk to the parents before an evaluation to get their developmental and behavior history.
2.  Assessing gifted children is similar to assessing other types of children but for gifted children the assessment techniques and test require special characteristics.
Question: What special characteristics should these assessments contain? Is there an informal assessment that can be used in the classroom with these characteristics to help identify a gifted child?

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Mandi Rivers - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Mandi Rivers - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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1.  Label means recognized as.  It is important for students to be labeled to receive the services they need.  Labeling doesn't mean that is the only quality a student has, it's just one of many qualities.
2.  Gifted simply means potential or ability.  It doesn't guarantee greatness or a life of everything coming easy.  Gifted students feel and think differently and need to be given the tools and guidance to foster that and be successful in their own way.
Question: Is there a negative stigma associated with being labeled gifted? It is something I had not thought about until I read this article.

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Brandy Morrissey - The On-Going Dilemma of Effective Identification Practices in Gifted Education

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Brandy Morrissey - The On-Going Dilemma of Effective Identification Practices in Gifted Education

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1.  " identification processes may need to be sensitive to students whose ability threshold may be slightly lower but whose capacity and zeal to do work in a given domain may be very high. Tapping into these non-intellectual strengths can best be accomplished through performance and portfolio-based assessment protocols coupled with careful observation of performance over time. "  Instead of utilizing more tests, we should look at an overall picture of students, their capacity for learning and their work over time.

2.  "At secondary level, based on different organizational contexts, identification procedures need to be distinctive in respect to protocols for finding students in a broader range of talent areas and for considering domain-specific approaches based on departmental courses of study. "  Students should be identified as gifted in specific areas and given opportunities for advanced self-study in those areas.

3.  Question:  If a student has never been identified until high school(due perhaps to differing criteria between districts and/or even states), how can being identified at this point enhance the student's learning?  Do we have anything beyond AP courses to even help these students?  I know AP Seminar/Research has been added.

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Amber Haynes - The on-going dilemma of effective identification practices in gifted education

Learned:
1. "Highly gifted students frequently idle without extensive and intensive enough services because programs are far more likely to focus resources on the mildly gifted group which may be larger and demand more attention."  It sounds like every teachers classroom problem....trying to reach all, but mostly aims for the middle learner.
2.  Identifying gifted learners is an ongoing struggle without a clear cut answer currently. We must continue as teachers to individualize instruction for all, label or no label.

Question:
I also am interested in knowing how NISD identifies GT learners?

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Jeremy Jordan - The on-going dilemma of effective identification practices in gifted education

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Jeremy Jordan - The on-going dilemma of effective identification practices in gifted education

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Learned:

1:  Students are not identified as gifted for the rest of their lives. They may need to only be identified as Gifted only during a specific developmental stage and then reevaluated at a later date.
2: It is more useful to determine who is classified as gifted by using a more holistic approach rather then a numerical cutoff.

Question:

1: How does NISD identify Gifted students? With testing or with a less formal method?

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Taranjeet Nanda-8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted.

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Taranjeet Nanda-8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted.

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1)Kids should be labeled as gifted as it allows them to receive support and services they need. Gifted is a service model and it varies between various school districts. Identifying gifted students provide them with appropriate educational placements.

2)Giftedness means that the child has ability and potential that should be nourished and cared. Gifted students need to work diligently and responsibly to achieve great result.

Question- What kind of support is needed by parents of a gifted student?

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Stephanie Frazier- 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted:
Learned:
Giftedness means that a child has an ability or great potential, but kids have to work hard to reach that potential/full ability and need a teacher to help them get to that level of excellence. It is not guaranteed.

Learned:
Being "gifted" doesn't just mean a student is "smart". They have creative ways of seeing things and solving problems that may be very different from other students. It may be frustrating for gifted students to work with other students in the class who do not see things in the same way they do.

Question:
Why are there not consistent criteria to determine whether a child is "gifted" or not? It just doesn't make sense that one district may identify a student as being gifted while another could say the opposite about the same child. Either the child is gifted or he isn't. It shouldn't depend on what school the child goes to. That could be very upsetting for the student and families.

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Gifted Guru - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Gifted Guru - 8 Reasons You Should Label Kids as Gifted

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Darren Wilson - Byron Nelson

1 - In the associated link by Ian Byrd it is stated that being labeled "Smart" is a burden.  Students feel pressure to live up to that label.  Today, our students have "coping issues".  They do not know how to handle real struggle.  Too often struggle results in negative or destructive behaviors or actions.

2 - The emotional needs aspect of the article sounds very similar to the Special Education accommodations or support.

Questions - Does identifying these students at such an early age add to the already existing social and emotional pitfalls associated with adolescence? Labeling, Grouping, Singling out.........doesn't this contradict what Ian Byrd is saying