Introducing… A University of Connecticut Research and Development Company Copyright 2005 Renzulli Learning Systems, LLC. All Rights Reserved The Theoretical & Research Background for Renzulli Learning WHAT MAKES GIFTEDNESS? The 3-Ring Conception of Giftedness Above Average Ability Creativity The Enrichment Triad Model Task Commitment The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) Applying the pedagogy of gifted education to enrichment opportunities for all students. Where did the idea for Renzulli Learning come from? WHAT MAKES GIFTEDNESS? The 3-Ring Conception of Giftedness Above Average Ability Creativity Task Commitment The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) The Enrichment Triad Model Why do we need to explore a way to provide teachers with a new resource for differentiation? … THIS WEEK WE TOOK A TEST TO SEE IF WE’RE READY FOR THE TEST THAT TESTS OUR TEST SKILLS… … Wait until KINDERGARTEN What is Differentiation? Matching appropriately challenging curriculum and instruction with a student’s abilities, interests, and learning styles through a variety of instructional strategies and challenging curriculum. But…………… • Is it happening? • Even with good teachers? • Or is differentiation too hard for most teachers to do well and consistently? Why aren’t you differentiating? Classroom Practices Research Study Findings: In most classes differentiation is not being implemented regularly or well for high potential students Teachers made, occasionally, only minor modifications to meet the needs of talented students in their classrooms. Archambault, F. X., Jr., Westberg, K. L., Brown, S. W., Hallmark, B. W., Emmons, C. L., & Zhang, W. (1993). Regular classroom practices with gifted students: Results of a national survey of classroom teachers (Research Monograph 93102). Storrs, CT: The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut. Classroom Practices Observational Study Students experienced no instructional or curricular differentiation in 84% of the activities in which they participated. Approximately 40-50% of traditional classroom material could be eliminated for targeted students. Westberg, K. L., Archambault, F. X., Jr., Dobyns, S. M., & Salvin, T. J. (1993). An observational study of instructional and curricular practices used with gifted and talented students in regular classroom. Storrs, CT: The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut. Types of Differentiation in Which Targeted Above Average Students Were Involved 100 Reading 80 Mathematics 60 Sci ence Social St udies 40 All Subject Areas I nde p. St udy w/ As s i gned I nde p. St udy w/ Sel f - s el ect e d Other Differentiation Adva nced Pr o duct Indep. Study w/ Self-selected Topic Adva nced Pr o ces s Indep. Study w/ Assigned Topic Adva nced Con t ent Advanced Product No D i f f er ent i at i on Advanced Process 0 Advanced Content 20 No Differentiation Percent Language Arts Ot he r Di f f er ent i at i on The message is very clear… From Get Off My Brain, by Randy McCutcheon, illustrated by Pete Wagner Renzulli Learning System Goals To increase achievement, motivation, and engagement in learning through an enrichment-based approach and to make differentiation easier. Enjoyment Engagement Achievement Enthusiasm Enrichment (Renzulli, 2004) Enrichment Education and Student Achievement • The Schoolwide Enrichment Model and the Enrichment Triad Model have been successfully implemented in schools, producing achievement gains Successful Learning Communities Where Schoolwide Enrichment is Used Charter Oak Academy of Global Studies School Goal: To reduce the achievement gap and effectively address disparity among groups of learners,80% of students who perform below goal will make 1.5 years growth in Mathematics and Reading and will progress 2 points on the holistic scoring scale in Writing. Demonstrated academic growth … Average % at goal on 3 tests 90% 1997 & 2004 Grade 4 Charter Oak Connecticut Mastery Test Results at Goal (Mastery) 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Non F/R Lunch F/R Lunch White Asian Group 1997 2004 Black Hispanic … at all performance levels 1997 & 2004 Grade 4 Charter Oak CMT Results % in Remedial Band Average % at remedial on 3 tests 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Non F/R Lunch F/R Lunch White Asian Group 1997 2004 Black Hispanic P.S. 188 The Island School In different schools and across disciplines P.S. 188 NYC & NYS Standardized Test Scores in Math and Reading/English Language Arts 80 70 % at Goal 60 50 Grade 3 Grade 4 40 Grade 5 Grade 6 30 20 10 0 1999 Math 2004 1999 2004 Reading/Lang. Arts Renzulli Learning is based on the belief that… The Main Theme of Today’s Presentation Is… No Child L eft… Bored! We invite you to a “wedding” between… …30 years of research and development on enrichment learning with … …the most recent advances in technology. Young people have access to and use technology in large numbers Percentage of 8-18 year-olds who live in homes with: In a typical day, percentage of 8-18 year-olds who: • Computer….…....86 • Internet access …74 • High-speed Internet access…....….….31 Use a computer……...54 Go online….…...……47 Read a book…...…….46 One thing is clear. We don’t have the option of turning away from the future. No one gets to vote on whether technology is going to change our lives. Bill Gates, The Road Ahead Research on High Ability Readers Found Students Who: • received little or no reading instruction • spent reading instruction time reading independently, often at levels below their challenge level • surfed the web with no direction • did busy work Their teacher explained: “I try to get to them at least once a week, but I’m not always able to do that. So many of my other students read below grade level that it’s hard to justify not working with them. These lower readers will be retained if they don’t improve. The top group already reads at grade level so I rarely get to them.” We asked… What can be done to provide more interesting material to challenge and engage these students? The idea! Could we spend the time to identify the best web-based resources to help teachers differentiate to meet the needs of all students? The Dream... To bring enriched and differentiated learning experiences to every child in every classroom, both in school, and at home, using the philosophy of SEM and Triad! We created www.renzullilearning.com •A research-based enrichment learning system that uses a computer generated assessment of student strengths (Renzulli Profiler) •an enrichment differentiation search engine that selects high interest materials from a carefully screened “storehouse” of thousands of activities and resources •Renzulli Learning matches students’ interests and learning styles to thousands of enriched, challenging opportunities on-line. •All activities and options are based on The Enrichment Triad Model, one of the most widely used plans for enrichment and talent development in the world. The Total Talent Portfolio Renzulli Profiler • Student and teacher read the Student Profile • Determine accuracy • Choose an area of interest for further exploration Steph is a fifth grade student who has special interests and abilities in school….Her primary interest appears to be in science. She seems to enjoy learning about scientific subjects such as biology, chemistry, environmental protection, animals, or geology and doing something with this knowledge, such as working on an experiment or a science project, or collecting items such as leaves or insects. Open-Ended Questions • Imagine that you have written your first book and you are ready to submit it for publication. What is the title of your book and what is your book about? • Student Response: The title of my book would be “Runaway”. It will be about an Egyptian girl from ancient Egypt who runs away from home because she has a dream that she must find an ancient amulet from Alexandria. The amulet is the key to discovering an important fact about her great-great grandfather. Renzulli Learning-Currently over 10,000 enrichment activities! Some of our favorite Virtual Field Trips! Virtual Field Trips Raise Test Scores A scientifically designed research study returned evidence that web use, carefully designed and integrated into the curriculum, can raise student achievement. Students at two Maryland middle schools who participated in three online field trips scored higher on a national standardized reading comprehension test than those who used traditional learning methods alone. Source: U.S. Newswire http://news.techlearning.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/envL0FKoBI0E2V0DPJk0E3 Creativity Training Activities Downloadable activities for teachers to use in their classrooms! http://www.exploratorium.edu/music/index.html Science of Music Why do some songs get stuck in your head? Do you sing better in the shower? Enjoy many interesting activities and games about music. Be sure to check out the dot mixer!! http://www.myweb3000.com/tangramgame.html Tangrams Print out these tangram shapes and then try to make the different pictures shown below, using the hints provided if you need help. Creativity Training Activities On-Line Activities Guiding the Time Traveler You're walking home after a long day and run into Leonardo da Vinci emerging from a time machine. He wants to bring back information so he can build an invention! How can you help him? www.secretsoftheice.org/index.html Students with an interest in art can explore the history of art, art careers, and learn about art techniques by watching short video clips on this site. They can even create a movie featuring their art. Websites Affective Considerations: Encouraging Children to Use their Talents to Make a Difference Peace Corps Kids World Check out Kids World, brought to you by the Peace Corps. Join their pal, Traveler, as she explores the globe and learns about making a difference. http://whale.wheelock.edu/whalenet-stuff/stop_cover.html#tags Kids who are interested in animals can follow the movements of animals like the white-sided dolphin who was tagged in collaboration with the New England Aquarium and the Cape Cod Stranding Network. Research Plimoth Plantation Online Learning Center Find out firsthand about the first Thanksgiving. Learn how historians decide what is fact and fiction using primary sources. Share what you have learned online for everyone to see. Within These Walls Historians use clues to understand the past. Use the clues in this house to learn about its history just like the professionals do! Real Field Trips McKinley Presidential Library and Museum The McKinley Presidential Library & Museum in Ohio was established to preserve and interpret the history of the 25th President of the United States, William McKinley. The former president is buried there with his wife and a museum, library and planetarium are on the grounds. Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum Explore the hands-on exhibits, take a tour or even try out one of their special programs. The Intrepid Museum in New York Guided tours of the Intrepid help students discover the ship’s role in WWII, the space program and the Vietnam War. Critical Thinking Activities Ancient Egypt Discovery Case Explore ancient Egypt through an interactive discovery case full of materials including an interactive timeline, Egyptian hieroglyphs and a map of ancient Egypt. Learn about the pyramids, burial customs, Gods and Goddesses, and much more. http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/nature/track.htm Students who are interested in nature can study animal tracks and learn how to track certain species. This site presents a mystery which students solve by examining animal tracks. Contests & Competitions •Hundreds of contests & competitions •Based on students’ interests •Using authentic methods of research and inquiry •Writing, Math, Science, History, Technology, Debate, and the list goes on… Young Inventors! The 2005 Young Inventors Awards Program is open to all students in grades 2-8 in the United States. Students must work to conceive and design their tool inventions. Book Resources • Fiction and non-fiction books to match readers’ different interests • E-books can motivate reluctant readers • How-to books are a resource for Type III projects E-books: Books available to read online Little Women by Louisa May Alcott CHAPTER ONE "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. "It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress. "I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all,“ added little Amy, with an injured sniff. Happy readers are engaged readers! Reading Research Results Significant differences favoring the Schoolwide Enrichment Model-R treatment group were found in: Attitudes toward reading Reading comprehension Reading fluency Projects & Independent Study Type III Project ideas • Hundreds to choose from in categories such as: bridges, comics, castles, biographies, animals, culture, journalism, science, botany, creative writing, arts, dance, sculpture … How can Renzulli Learning help to enrich and challenge all of your students? The Wizard Project Maker™ for Individual and Small Group Work “The Wizard Project Maker helps my students see the ‘why’ in using the Internet.” The answer to the question, “What next?” • Students assume roles as first-hand investigators, writers, artists, or other types of practicing professionals. • The teacher acts as the “guide-on-theside,” providing instruction based on a specific, direct need a student has expressed in order to be able to accomplish a task. Basic Characteristics of Enrichment Learning Student and teacher select a topic which may be an off-shoot of the regular curriculum or an independent topic based on the student’s interest Student produces a product, project and/or service that is intended to have an impact on a particular audience Student uses authentic methods, technological resources and advanced level content to produce the product or service Student Project Example • A group of students wanted to start a debate club at school • Renzulli Learning helped them locate the how-to book A Student’s Guide to Social Action • They wrote a proposal and surveyed students to determine interest in a debate club • The group used a web site found in Renzulli Learning that allowed them to develop a questionnaire, input the data and tabulate the results of their survey • They created a PowerPoint presentation and showed it to the Principal and Student Council • High student interest and the persuasive presentation resulted in the creation of a debate club at their school The Wizard Project Maker™ walks students through the research process, provides an organizational system, and stores the information gathered. Student Work I Can’t Write a Poem My Instant Poem Forget it You must be kidding I have no ideas Duh! I can’t pick just one topic Too many choices My mind goes blank I think too hard It’s time for lunch My favorite TV show is on Time’s up? Uh oh! All I have is a dumb list of excuses. You like it? Really? No kidding. Thanks a lot. Would you like to see another one? This is the poem that melts and freezes in the ice cream parlor when it drips onto your paper that soaks it all in because the paper is flat and because it wants to become 2dimensional By Emily By Emily And when a brain freeze takes over your mind this is the poem that helps it unfreeze and makes you think better How do we increase enjoyment, engagement and enthusiasm? Through… O pportunities R esources E ncouragement Always in areas of the students’ interest! Field Test Results Student responses • How much do you like using Renzulli Learning? Completely: 71% Very Much: 29% Somewhat: 0% Not At All: 0% • Did the profile describe you well? Yes: 93% Maybe: 7% • Did you view choices in each of the 14 enrichment categories? Yes: 89% No: 11% Students’ Favorite Enrichment Activity Categories Online Classes & Activities: 32% Virtual Field Trips: 21% Creativity Training: 17% Critical Thinking: 7% Projects & Independent Study: 7% Real Field Trips: 4% Contests & Competitions: 4% Websites: 4% Why did you like Renzulli Learning? • Because it takes you to some awesome websites! • I liked how it had questions and when it was done, it knew all about me. • It was very cool and found all of my interests. • You can watch fish live on virtual webcams. • It was very exciting because they know what you like and they have websites for you. Student Reactions Matt: “I have a lot of things I’m interested in, but I never follow through with my ideas. This will help me pick an idea and follow through with it!” •Students were excited about the topics •Interested and supportive of one another’s interests •Had productive talk about ideas, topics and resources What have we learned about talent development during the last 30 years? When the regular curriculum is adjusted for differences and enrichment opportunities, and resources and encouragement are provided, we see student gains in: Achievement Creativity Engagement in learning Attitudes toward school What Teachers Can Access in Renzulli Learning • Student profiles, questionnaires, activities, sites visited and assessments completed • Reports grouping kids by interest, learning and product styles • Downloadable activities,independent studies, learning maps, and classroom work • Enrichment Activity Search Engine • Online discussion group to share questions, resources, ideas for class activities, etc. Teacher Reactions • Students were excited and self motivated • Good information for beginning of school year • Want to use it with all students, not just Gifted & Talented students • Valuable insight into interests, especially from quiet students • Great way to direct student learning • Supports differentiated instruction The Teacher’s Role The “Guide on the Side” •Consulting •Guiding •Assisting •Providing challenging follow-up •Type III study direction Parent Reactions • Laura – “What was that new program my daughter was using? She came home and was so excited about it. I know she liked it because she told us all about it. Usually she doesn’t tell us anything about what she does in school.” Try Renzulli Learning • Log on to www.renzullilearning.com • Go to Test Drive Renzulli Learning By way of summary… Renzulli Learning is: • an internet-based search-engine and profiler that matches how students learn to thousands of enrichment activities for both students and teachers • a resource to direct student learning and provide challenging, interest-based activities that will engage and motivate students • a “dozen teaching assistants” for teachers, helping with decisions for instruction • focused on student strengths and interests • based on research and developed over 30 years No Child L eft… Bored!