My Growth as a Professional Differentiator :)

I am pleased to say that my classroom practices have improved since the beginning of the semester. I went back and re-read my first blog posting that discussed my classroom practices at the beginning of the year, and compared it to my current reflection on the inventory and made some positive discoveries.

• First, I am differentiating more often. I am using different grouping formats (hetero- and homogeneous) for instruction based on their learning needs. Conducting my graduate research project has allowed me to see the benefits of these varieties first-hand.


• I continue to use several instructional formats when teaching and have utilized a variety of instructional resources (videos, Internet, hands-on, Powerpoints, inquiry-based learning, as well as traditional formats) to facilitate learning.


• I also make an effort to pre-assess students' knowledge at the beginning (using a large webbing on chart paper), and refer back to the chart several times during the unit. This allows the students visually see how we are building on what they knew and to recognize what they have learned.


• I have realized that my students responded best to the inquiry-based instructional strategies and visual aids, so I've used more of them in my instruction.

I've discovered that I'd like to improve in my ability to match specific learning needs to assess students. I've realized that my instructional methods tend to be paper-pencil, and I want to learn other modalities for evaluating students' learning. Texts such as Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom (Winnebrenner) and Standards Based Learning have been excellent tools to help me differentiate for independent contracts and menus. Another great siteI am looking into resources such as the Layered Curriculum (Kathie Nunley) to help me identify instructional options (http://www.layeredcurriculum.com/).I still haven't attempted curriculum compacting, so it's still on the 'to do' list. I have joined NAGC and have browsed their site and put things on the 'to do' list as well. Another great website, http://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/ contains all types of ready-to-print and easy to modify activities that teachers can use with their students.

My growth definitely been a process. I get excited about different ideas and ways to teach and help students learn, and I want to try it all at once! Then I overwhelm myself, get frustrated, and feel like I am not doing enough :( I've had to really learn to be realistic about what I can do when changing my instruction. I sometimes lose focus when I get that excited, and I need to temper that as well. All in all, I'm proud of how I've developed and will continue do so.

Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom

My experience with gifted kids in my classroom is what inspired me to start my Master's program at Meredith three years ago. I enjoyed having witty and intelligent conversations with these students, and appreciated their individual quirks. They are intriguing, engaging, intuitive, and inquisitive...and tough to teach. I always felt that I was falling short in meeting their academic needs, and I felt very frustrated with that. Everything that needs to be taught about educating children can not be learned in undergraduate courses, so I then realized the necessity for even higher learning.

• What areas do you know you need to improve? As I approach the end of my program, I can honestly say that I am much more capable of differentiating for gifted students. I enjoy the challenge of challenging them, talking with them, providing them with opportunities to grow, pursue interests, and challenge themselves in meaningful ways. However, I want to continue to implement more strategies to meet their needs. I have used independent study projects with greater comfort and expertise, but I would like to do more curriculum compacting - I have yet to try it and it is a goal of mine for next year.
• What are your goals as you continue to grow as an educator of the gifted? I would like to facilitate quarterly curriculum meetings for interested staff that provide resources, strategies, and tips for differentiating for gifted students. Ideally, this would be in collaboration with the current AG teacher. I have received frequent training on how to meet the needs of students that are struggling all the way through my career, but I wish I had received more support in meeting gifted learners. As a classroom teacher I think that offer practical and effective ways for enrichment for these students that many teachers will be able to realistically try in their own classrooms. Sometimes we are given ideas that just aren't plausible, and it makes me feel that much more frustrated.
• How can you use resources around you to assist you in this task? I think that if I begin talking with the current AG teacher now we can begin planning some areas of interest for next year by doing surveys at grade level meetings or via email to see exactly what classroom needs are. We could also get information from the principal regarding this topic to see if there is already an interest in such training.
• How do you continue to meet the needs of gifted students in the regular classroom when the pressure of assessments, end of course tests, low ability students, and students with special needs are prevalent? Just like I provide the accommodations for students with special needs or frequent small group or one-on-one instruction for students that require remedial support, I make sure that I provide my gifted students with the appropriate support as well. I have 3 students that demonstrate strong academic potential, and I used to meet with them as pairs/trios at least once a week. They are on independent study contracts and their work has been staggered, which means that they are at different stages of their projects, so I meet with them individually. One student has finished and presented his project and the other student has lost interest in her topic, making it easy for me to manage the one student. I have a regular meeting schedule with him. I am realistic and do the best that I can; it's definitely a work in progress, but it is work...and I am making progress.

Cooperative Learning (CL) Groups

The more experience that I garner as a classroom teacher, the more convinced that I am regarding the effectiveness of cooperative learning groups. Though cooperative learning groups serve many different purposes - share ideas, generate new ones, clarify understandings, problem solving, enhance leadership and social skills, etc - using the appropriate structure is what makes cooperative learning groups effective. To identify the structure, the teacher must first decide what the desired outcome of the lesson is, and then decide which format will provide the optimum learning for all students in achieving these outcomes. As stated in Karnes and Bean, building flexibility, choice, and challenge into all of these cooperative activities increases the likelihood that students will learn during these student-centered scenarios.

My Strengths when implementing CL:

• I've learned to use both homogeneous and heterogeneous groupings in my classroom. Homogeneous groupings can often be found during reading instruction (in the form of guided reading) as well as during mathematics instruction. Heterogeneous groupings are often found during writing as well as during science. Of course, these groupings vary across subject areas based on the purpose of the activity.
• As an educator of gifted students, I've learned that it is important to provide opportunities for gifted students to work together to problem solve with like-minded peers so that they can evaluate the thinking of their peers and reflect upon their own as they learn something new. Students also benefit from being in the helper role, learning empathy, patience, leadership, and creative ways to articulate their understanding (as a peer helper or tutor).
• As stated in the text, CL grouping is also used in my classroom as an observational opportunity. I've often discovered that I get a better idea about the capabilities of my students by closely monitoring their social interactions. My graduate research project focuses on gifted peers as tutors and their experiences during these interactions. I've been able to observe compassion, patience, pride, and high level of student engagement during these interactions, and this appears to be the most functional and effective way of instilling these traits.
• I often differentiate the cooperative learning activities based on ability across the curriculum.

The last two points are essential to remember but often forgotten... I admit that I used to forget them before starting my program. As stated in the text, it is important that gifted students do not feel exploited in which they feel like the are carrying the burden of others, annoyed about being asked for answers, and they they are not learning. By allowing opportunities for gifted students to work with similar-abled peers, they feel confident, motivated, and will learn more.

My Goals/Areas of Improvement:

• I need to make sure that I am allowing enough 'talk time.' Karnes and Bean stated that was the one area that many gifted students felt their needs were not being met. This can be a challenge; gifted students work at a faster pace so they finish earlier than everyone else. However, the more I use these groupings, the better able I am at anticipating and preparing for such an event and I am able to keep them engaged.
• I would like to make more cooperative learning projects. Often times, it is one isolated lesson (or short series of lessons) when the students are working together, but I would like generate more project-based activities for students to complete. Maybe I need to try the jigsaw format...
• I would like to use technology to enhance cooperative learning groups. I often use technology during my instruction, but I haven't figured out how to use it as part a cooperative learning activity.

One thing that makes cooperative learning groups appealing to me is that they are student-centered. The role of the teacher is the planning, and it really does require a lot of work for the teacher upfront. But this gives me the chance fade into the background and hear conversations, clarifications, confidence, and excitement from the students which keeps them engaged and facilitates ownership of their learning.

Process Skills and Product Development (K&B, Ch. 5 & 6)

“A key position in curriculum design for gifted learners is that modifications must be made on content, process, product, and environment to differentiate appropriately for these students” (133).

PROCESS SKILLS (Ch. 5). Gifted students must learn to use the knowledge they consume to product new knowledge. To do so, students must learn process skills so that they are better able to manage advanced content, these skills must be explicitly taught.

1. Purpose: Emphasis on higher level thinking such as Bloom’s Taxonomy leads to independent thinking and transfer of skills into other situations. Critical thinking and decision making should be embedded components to develop judgment skills. A constructivist perspective to student learning will be provided with a question in which they must tackle. Curriculum is adapted to consider student viewpoints and learning so that their understanding is the center of instruction.

2. Must be (1) well-defined, (2) consistently addressed over time, (3) taught within content domains with intensity, (4) organized by scope and sequence, and (5) developed by the teacher in the classroom, and (6) used as questioning techniques by the teacher (136).

3. Modifications:

a. Higher levels of thinking – focus on using information through application, analysis & evaluation

b. Open-endedness – use of teacher questioning techniques to elicit complete, complex, and diverse responses, as well as facilitate interactions between classmates *

c. Discovery learning – students learn to make meaning of what they already know to draw conclusions *

d. Evidence of reasoning – explain reasoning process to see how others analyze and evaluate personal responses/rationale to revise them and understand the ideas of others *

e. Freedom of choice – students need to choose topics, methods, products, and context of what they are learning and provided the opportunity to manage and benefit from their independence.

f. Group interactions – builds group effectiveness, social and leadership skills *

g. Pacing – speed at which instruction is being presented; gifted students benefit from accelerated pacing

h. Variety of processes – types of presentation and interaction strategies provided by the teacher *

4. * Communication skills (internal and external) are a means for thinking, processing, exploring, transforming, presenting, and reflecting. “It is important for gifted learners to realize that the greatest ideas and solutions in the world are not worth anything unless they can be communicated effectively” (139).

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (Ch. 6). “The transformation of knowledge into creative products is a critical goal for gifted students (152). They should present an application, analysis, and synthesis of knowledge acquired through research. Student learning styles can influence the type of product, but the teacher should also encourage students to try a variety of mediums for presentation.

1. Examples of Product Types:

a. Written – letter, poem, research paper, report, advertisement, questionnaire, survey, song, glossary, script, story

b. Visual – drawing, poster, story map, graph, mobile, map, model, video, costume, multimedia, collage, web

c. Performance – dance, puppet show, demonstration, skit, experiment, play

d. Oral - debate, speech, discussion, mock interview, show and tell, reading to the class

e. Multicategorical – uses two or more of the above products; also includes exhibit, game, video, website, lesson

2. Design Process assists students for developing and creating a product.

a. Formulate a topic – brainstorm topics, narrow them down, identify areas of interest (questions) and resources

b. Organization – timeline of completion, student logs, determine audience, product selection, and material gathering

c. Transforming content – research, idea generation, reflection, manipulation, and production of new knowledge

d. Communication – learning opportunity for presenter and audience by sharing of knowledge, enhancing speaking skills, showcasing products, and discussions

e. Evaluation – multi-dimensional, from self, student, and peers. Established criteria for product organized through rubrics

f. Celebration – praise accomplishments and work through parties and product fair

g. Reflection – debriefing or the project; what could have been done differently, what went well and what didn’t

Product development is an excellent and essential component to meet the complex and advanced needs of gifted students as they become tomorrow’s creative problem solvers and thinkers (174).

Higher Order Thinking Skills Q & A

Q: What skills do your students need to be critical thinkers?

A: The ability to think critically requires a great deal of practice and it is a goal of mine for all students. This practice includes being able to defend a position with logical and relevant answers, analyze, compare and contrast, draw conclusions, identify patterns and make predictions based on patterns, ask and be able to respond to open-ended questions, summarize and synthesis information - the list goes on and on. Some students are more prepared to demonstrate a range of skills independently while others need scaffolding to do so. This is what I call 'Mentalympics.' I've mentioned this word throughout the year to my students to help them understand that their brains requires training and conditioning so that it can work to its optimum level. It's hard. It's challenging. It's what teaching is all about

Q: What does "HOTS" look like in your classroom and lessons?

A: It can look a variety of ways in my classroom, and the 'appearance' of HOTS continues to expand. One of the most obvious ways is through questioning. There are questions posted in my classroom such as "how is this skill useful to you as a reader? How can we use this skill in our everyday life?" Students are given the opportunity to question themselves and each other by evaluating their work through self-created and teacher-made rubrics. My favorite question: WHY? They need to be able to explain and rationalize their decisions. Many students are not used to having to explain their thinking, so at first when I question them they think they are wrong. It takes time for them to realize that I am going to 'push' them a step further in articulating their thoughts. I never take their answers at face value but always encourage them to provide evidence for their thinking. You may also see open-ended or extended response questions on assessments and well as multiple solution strategies, and problem-based activities (such as "Get It Together" activities). I am a huge advocate for letting the students think for themselves in everything that they do.

Q: How can you most assist them?

A: To assist them, I continue to provide opportunities for the students to make good decisions with sound reasoning, whether it be in response to an answer or how to spend their time when they finish early. I try and walk that fine line between rescuing and scaffolding. Rescuing means that I haven't given the child an opportunity to take a risk and make a mistake, but have snatched the chance from them by giving them the answer or finishing their responses for them. Scaffolding is giving the student just enough 'line' to go out on a limb with the possibility of success. This gives the students the chance to build confidence and affirm or revise their thinking. By rescuing the child, the teacher does the work and learning can not occur.

Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills

Why do you think analytical and critical thinking skills have been neglected in the curriculum? What is your strategy for changing this?

Here are a few factors that I believe have influenced this shortfall:

Time. Just as analytical and critical thinking requires more time for our students, it requires more time on the teachers behalf to design. Generating relevant, thought-provoking questions and activities isn't easy. We have to have an idea in mind about the type and topic of thinking that we want to occur, and then make an educated guess about the type of responses that may be given by the students. They also require time for discussion and/or reflection to be meaningful and beneficial for the students.

Expertise/Experience. To create and identify activities that cater to thinking skills, teachers must be knowledgeable about the content and also knowledgeable about what is appropriate for their students.

Comfort. Analytical and critical thinking activities require 'open-endedness' and some flexibility from the teacher. The teacher must be willing to be a facilitator to allow thinking to happen naturally and mutually. Because of this, teachers can't always predict where things may lead. This may provide anxiety for someone that is new or may not be accustomed to a more student-centered approach.

What I am doing in my classroom to facilitate analytical and critical thinking skills is...

- providing opportunities for students to discuss and reflect individually, in small groups, and whole class in all subject areas.

- serving as a model by reflecting with the students and being transparent about my goals for them.

- maintaining high expectations for instruction and behavior.

- inviting students to be a part of the decision-making process for rules, schedules, classroom management, and academic expectations whenever possible.

- asking 'why' a lot (they know this is my favorite question, and they want to make it a t-shirt for me!).

- encouraging them to analyze and question 'the professionals' as well as each other (ex. sharing math solutions and allowing them to question each other, looking for figurative language in mentor writing texts).

- provide opportunities for cooperative learning.

- being deliberate about providing 'wait time'.

- differentiating instruction based on student needs.

One thing that I have stressed to my students is that my job is to teach them to think. I say it all the time. I think it is important for them to become effective problem solvers, not matter how small or large the problem may be. It is very evident at the beginning of the year that they are not used to do this. They are very used to having things solved for them, and though some decisions needs to be made for them, third grade tends to be the year where they need to develop some independence. Being able to problem solving and think critically is essential to being self-directed learners.

Problem-Based Learning

What kind of advanced planing do you think you would need to do before teaching a PBL unit? What kind(s) would you need and from whom?

To start, a teacher must start planning a PBL with a great deal of time in advance. The amount of prep-work for a PBL is very similar to that of a regular unit, however, it appears to offer a more enriching experience for students. In addition, a teacher must have goals in mind, perhaps by using a backward design in order to know what s/he wants the students to learn and how the students will be assessed. From there, the teacher has to carefully plan lessons and learning activities that will meet the learning objectives.

This time component is an important factor when deciding how and when the PBL activities will be carried out. Much of the PBL requires that students 'struggle' with a question or problem in an effort to find a solution. Knowing that students have varying learning abilities and needs, it's possible to predict exactly how much time will be need to complete each activity (though it can be roughly estimated). There needs to be some room for natural discussion and/or teachable moments as well as time for students to process what is being asked. They also should be given the time to reflect about what they've learned with others as well as independently.

The materials and resources (human and experiential) must be researched and gathered along the way. The teacher will need to collaborate with other professionals in their local community and beyond to gather relevant resources. This can be in the form of working with specialists in the building, networking with a colleague who may be familiar with the topic, making contact within the local community to see if experts can come and speak or perform demonstrations, or visiting a location for an interactive, real-world experience. Collaboration is essential and takes a great deal of time to effectively sift out resources that will be beneficial for students as they complete this unit.

A problem-based unit is far from spontaneous. It takes carefully, specific planning on behalf of the teacher. It seems like a lot of up-front work in preparation of the lesson, however, the students will do majority of the work in the long run.

Backward Design

The Backward Design keeps the 'light bulb' moment in mind.

One of the things that I love most about teaching is the 'a-ha' moment, the instance when an idea or concept finally 'clicks' and the light bulb switches on in a child's mind. It's energizing and motivating to me as a teacher and I always try and thinks of ways to generate light bulb moments in my classroom. The backward design makes me think about how make those light bulbs turn on. The brain is the light bulb, but how do I make the light bulb work? Follow me through the light bulb analogy.

I need a source of electricity (battery). The resources and materials will be used to provide the instruction. This makes the teacher seek out what is available and be creative in generating a plan. What types of electric sources can be used - batteries, solar powered, outlets, a lemon? The resources operationalize curriculum objectives and brings them to life by providing evidence of what they've learned through assessments (formal and informal), discussions, projects, etc.

I need a circuit board (or copper wire) to conduct the electricity. The teacher is the conductor; s/he provides the paths necessary to achieve the desired objective - understanding. There may be several pathways to facilitates learning, and the strongest pathways overlap. Overlapping subjects, or integration, is very powerful for student learning in that it helps students make connections between subjects, thus, strengthening understanding.

Backward design makes teaching purposeful. With a goal in mind, teachers can think about what steps need to be taken in order to reach that goal.

Identify desired outcomes --> Determine acceptable evidence --> Plan learning experiences and instruction.

How does it compare to traditional design?

The traditional design often focuses on the teaching rather than the learning, input as opposed to output (15). In the backward design model, the function table is reversed; output or end result is given and the teacher must figure out what to input in order to research the desired outcome. Traditional teaching often has a content-focused design, while the backward design is results-focused.

WHY does it feel unnatural? Or is this always the way you’ve planned?

This format forces teachers to think about the end result - what essential skills and concepts do you want the students to have after completing the lesson(s)? It helps me to better design lessons as units of instruction as opposed to isolated activities. It lends itself well to integration because it is multi-faceted; you start with the big ideas and essential questions and you work your way backward by adding layers of skills from related subjects to better help students see the big picture.

"Though considerations about what to teach and how to teach it may dominate our thinking as a matter of habit, the challenge is to focus first on the desired learnings from which appropriate teaching will logically follow" (14). It makes teachers shift our thinking from instruction that leads to desired understanding to the desired understanding that informs instruction (instruction --> understanding to understanding --> instruction). Before starting my graduate coursework, I was guilty of thinking about what I will teach and how I will teach it. The resources I was given helped to define what I would teach. I was very much involved in the creative aspects of teaching Now, with the help of my graduate studies, professional development, and teaching experiences, I can honestly say that I start with the objectives in mind and then identify the resources and experiences that would help the students understand the objectives. I am better able to craft, identify, and implement lessons that help students understand the NCSCOS. This is especially important because with the implementation of CMAPP (Wake County's instructional map that all educators are required to utilize to plan instruction), it makes me justify why I may choose to deviate from the specific lesson listed and instead implement a lesson that may be better suited for my students in understanding the objective.

Of course, I still have plenty of room for growth in this area; now that I have objectives at the forefront, my challenge is to think of the assessment more often before designing instruction. As a grade level, my third grade team is working to establish more common assessments as the level of understanding maybe different within each classroom. But this is delicate when it comes to standardized tests such as EOGs; it doesn't benefit students to teach to the test.

References: Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Online Classes: The Good and the Bad

Meredith College has done a great job of keeping up with the times and is gradually shedding that traditional 'old school' feel. It has had the opportunity to be a trendsetter in a few areas, but it never lags far behind when it comes to staying up-to-date. Online classes are quite a common place for many people and in many areas. I think it is definitely a natural option for Meredith to offer and I am proud that we are able to keep with and maintain such a structure.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to online courses.

ADVANTAGES:

1. It's convenient. You are given units and due dates for these units, but for the most part you decide when and where you complete the coursework. You don't have to travel to class and can save money on gas and travel time.
2. You learn about new online resources. I've been forced to step outside my comfort zone and try different Internet resources such as digital locker, Google docs, virtual classroom, Skype - just to name a few. It is a 21st century skill that we all should learn this day in age.

DISADVANTAGES:

1. Making a connection to the course is challenging. Assignments in online courses are just that, assignments. I've noticed that I don't internalize what I've read unless I have a chance to discuss it in person. Call me old fashioned, but it's hard for me to connect to a course if I don't know who's in it. It also helps me to get a 'feel' for teacher by meeting in person.

2. Out of sight, out of mind. The classes that I have on campus take a bit more priority than those that are online because I will never show up to class unprepared. Online classes are just as important, however, it is easy for to forget an assignment for my online courses. You would definitely have to enhance your time management skills to be successful :)

3. The text can become your teacher. You have to be willing to do a quite a bit of 'self teaching.' Meredith professors are easy to contact, so you can always email with questions or set up an appointment. But I've realized that I will often make my best guess about what to do because making an appointment isn't always convenient and/or I can't convey my question correctly in an email. If I know that have class with that teacher next week, I can mark in the text where the question is and will remember to ask during that time. I've recognized that I am more likely to ask questions in person.

4. Online collaboration is challenging because schedules are so different. If you have to meet in person, there is an understanding that you will need to be ready by a set time and day. Online collaboration makes it a bit of a challenge because days and times that are more convenient for one person may not be convenient for next. Plus, you want to make sure that everyone has an equal investment in the project, but that's hard to do online as well; someone has to take the initiative to start a working draft, but there maybe several 'drafts' behind the scenes. Also, there is a possibility that someone does little to no work at all.

Yes, there seems that I've discovered more cons that pros to fully online classes, so it may seem obvious that online classes don't work as well for me. I enjoy the traditional 'brick and mortar,' the in-person interaction with fellow students and my professor, and even just being in a classroom (maybe that's why I'm a teacher:) But, there is a compromise. I have felt great success with hybrid courses. It's like having the best of both worlds. I've taken two hybrid courses and have enjoyed and done well with them. You will have scheduled in-person meetings with your teacher (class sessions) but you will also have those weeks that are more flexible and do some self-pacing for a smaller chunk of time (as opposed to a fully online course). I do a much better job of planning ahead and it feeds my need to interact with my peers.

I think that freshmen and sophomores should be allowed to do hybrid courses, but not online courses. This gives them the opportunity to get the hang of being in college and the rigor of the courses. A hybrid will allow them to get a taste of what it's like to take course online without feeling completely left on her/his own. By junior year, a student has a better idea about what instructional formats work best and is able to make a decision about whether or not to try a fully online course. I think gen. ed. courses should be offered in all formats.

Honestly, I wonder how a professor feels about online courses? I can't imagine the amount of screen time that is spent grading assignments, blogs, discussion boards, emails - it makes my eyes hurt just thinking about it! As a teacher, I think I would also have a hard time getting to know my students which makes the courses less personable, but that could be because I'm used to being very 'hands on' at the elementary level :) I've never had to teach a course that way, and I imagine that it takes someone who is very tech savvy to manage a course online by providing assignments, instruction, and feedback online as well as the ability to find resources via the Internet.

Classroom Practices Reflection: I'm my toughest critic.

When reflecting about my professional practice, it is always easy for me to think about what isn't working and how it can be improved. Like most educators, I want to be sure that I am doing the best that I can to teach the students that I work with. With so many requirements, standards, and pressures that are frequently put on the shoulders of educators, it is easy to feel frustrated, ineffective, and hopeless because there is always something that can be improved. I am my toughest critic.

When I first completed this inventory, I was dreading my 'results' because I thought it would bring to light areas in which I was 'falling short.' I consider myself one that welcomes and accepts constructive feedback. Teaching is one of the few professions where you are constantly changing, learning, and growing, and it truly encompasses the idea of being a 'lifelong learner.' That's what makes teaching exciting, authentic, and organic. But I've also realized that constructive feedback can be hard to accept when it seems that all of the feedback that you get is 'constructive.' There comes a point where the feedback goes from being constructive and becomes destructive and there is a very fine line between the two.

After completing this inventory, I've noticed that I often overlook the good things that are happening in my classroom ... and there are good things happening: I base my teaching on the needs of my students, emphasize critical and creative thinking in all subject areas, provide several instructional formats, provide students opportunities to choose activities whenever possible, and offer enrichment and remediation as needed. My students enjoy coming to school and feel safe in their classroom and I feel that I've created an environment that is nurturing, open, and respectful for them (I got this information from a few of their surveys). My classroom is fairly differentiated and offers the students an opportunity to take ownership and demands that they become active in their learning.

But, there is always room for growth. I would like to become more familiar (and comfortable) with compacting and accelerating content. I've realized it is sometimes hard for me to figure out what is essential and what isn't in some subjects. I also would like use pre-assessments more often than I currently do and offer more ways for students to demonstrate their learning.

Upon further reflection, I think that I will need to make more of an effort to reflect on the good and the 'bad.' I will give myself permission to make deposits in my 'teaching bank' before I can make any withdrawals. It will leave me in a positive and motivated mood as opposed to feeling negative and depleted.

FAQ about Gifted Education

A reporter for “The Smith Scholarly” created a frequently asked questions' post in response to several questions that were received regarding gifted education.

'What is your current process for identifying gifted and talented students at your school?

Our current process includes two standardized tests, the Cogntive Abilities Test or CogAT, and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills or ITBS. Third grade students are given the CogAT in late winter/early spring and based on these results, students scoring in the top percentile are then administered the ITBS. In addition to these assessments, a teacher observation checklist and parental feedback is also part of identifying gifted and talented students. Only fourth and fifth grade students may be identified to receive gifted and talented services, however, third grade students may be a part of the Explorers group based on teacher recommendation and classroom performance but are not technically identified as 'gifted'.

What areas do the standardized tests, checklists, and recommendations measure?

The CogAT measures students' abilities in reasoning and problem solving using verbal, quantitative, and spatial symbols. The ITBS assesses students ability to think critically in the areas of reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The ITBS is intended to be more comprehensive than the CogAT. The teacher checklist is more like a rating scale in that there are a list of factors such as motivation, independence, work habits, as well as academics and the teacher must rate the high-performing students on a scale to determine the level of enrichment that would best meet his/her needs. This is also used to determine the delivery method – whether the student's academic needs are best met through differentiated instruction in the regular classroom or if the student needs to be pulled out of the classroom to work with the AG teacher. This documentation is then presented to the school-based committee (SBC) for review and the students receive services starting the first semester of fourth grade. Once identified, students are re-evaluated and new students are evaluated for eligibility at the end of each year.

Do you think it would be potentially discriminatory to use a list of characteristics to identify the gifted and talented students in a large school district?

Yes, I do. The standardized tests and lists of characteristics are based on what researchers in the field have identified to be the most common traits of gifted students such as advanced verbal ability, advanced processing and problem solving skills, and learning information faster than their agemates, among many others (10). A larger population of students means that there will be a larger spectrum of diversity and 'each of these characteristics may be manifested in different ways by students from different cultural groups and educators must be especially careful in attempting to identify these characteristics in students from diverse backgrounds' (10). Students from various backgrounds may express a variety of attributes of giftedness but it may not be recognized by a teacher because the student does not fit a given profile. Giftedness is multifaceted and can not always be measured by cognitive ability. Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences and Renzulli's three-ring definition allow for a more encompassing definition of what gifted and talented is. Standardized tests and checklists may not accurately measure creativity and may not account for students that demonstrate low academic performance and/or have learning disabilities (24, 28). This could cause students to be misidentified or not identified at all.

How would you improve the process?

I think the process should include some form of assessment that can measure non-academic ability. The Evaluation of Potential Creativity or EPoC is a standardized test that measures creativity. For many students, especially those from diverse backgrounds, the use of a standardized test may not be valid and other methods must be identified and implemented to measure non-academic giftedness and talent. Teachers are able to compile a portfolio of student work samples that they believe demonstrate high ability but, again, this is solely academic. In addition, a broader list of characteristics should also include examples of how culturally diverse students might demonstrate their giftedness (19). This way, we can value the gifts and talents of students that go to school in our diverse community.

In addition, many teachers of gifted students are also expected to differentiate their instruction. This means that they modify the content, process, or product of instruction. Adapting these areas help to ensure that the academic needs of gifted and talented students are being met. Through this differentiation, teachers can provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding through multiple intelligences and catering to their strengths.

Differentiation is quite a buzz word among educators, however, it seems that there may be some discrepancy about how to effectively provide differentiation. What factors need to be considered by curriculum designers to construct a differentiated curriculum for gifted students?

There are quite a few factors that need to be considered. These factors include, but are not limited to the following:

• Student population. Students bring a range of talents, gifts, values, and cultural background that affect the content and method of instruction.

• Interests of students. Educators want to ensure that students are engaged in their learning, so considering the interests of the students will enable them to be active participants in their learning.

• Strengths and weaknesses of students. The abilities of the students determines what areas need to be improved and which areas require further enrichment.

• Assessment tools. Tools used to measure performance must be correctly matched in order to ensure that the results are valid and reliable. They should match the students' interests and/or optimal method of performance.

• Purpose and Goals. A clear goal and purpose is needed to serve as the guiding force of the construction and implementation of instruction.

  One factor that is often overlooked are the socio-emotional needs of gifted students. Researchers had once thought that the focus of school needed to be on academic instruction, and that by meeting students' instructional needs that their affective needs would be met as well. That is not the case. The primary needs of all students must be met so that their attention can be focused on learning. Furthermore, gifted students experience the same emotions as their agemates but they may do so at an earlier or faster rate (417). Their unique characteristics, such as a highly developed sense of humor, perfectionism, and high expectations of self and others, may prevent them from 'fitting in' with their peers which may make it difficult to make friends. Research has shown that there is a connection between cognitive and affective functioning so socio-emotional components must be included as a part of any program (418).

One way to include affective components into instruction is by including open-ended discussion that requires honest and respectful discourse, including art into content as a form of expression, and providing opportunities for real-world application and reflection (420-421).