Gifted Support
Program
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Teacher of Gifted Students K-12
Author
Gifted Curriculum Coordinator
Instructor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Instructor at Waynesburg University
Instructor and Gifted Education Specialist at
Duquesne University
Past President—PAGE (Pennsylvania Association for
Gifted Education)
Vitae and Publications on line at
www.learnerslink.com
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Review of Southmoreland’s self-assessment
document
Facilitate focus groups with randomly selected
participants including administrators, parents
of gifted students, teachers of the gifted,
classroom teachers, and students (middle and
high school)
Observations in gifted support classroom
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Program design
Program administration and management
Student Identification
Curriculum and instruction
Socio-emotional guidance and counseling
Professional Development
Program Evaluation
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Professionalism, enthusiasm, and trust is
exemplary.
Collegiality, lead management style, flexibility.
Ready and willing to improve the program.
Recognition of need to change the program due to
retirements of outstanding teachers (teacher
became the program, and program became the
teacher).
Generally positive focus from parents, teachers,
students, and administrators.
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Recommendations are comprehensive.
Based on district self-assessment.
Based on focus group discussions.
Based on administrator and teacher interviews.
7 primary recommendations.
Recommendations should be analyzed,
prioritized, and put into place over a period of
three years.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Curriculum and instruction program
development at Southmoreland High School.
Curriculum and instruction program
development at Southmoreland Middle School.
Professional development—differentiating
instruction for all learners with a focus on gifted
students.
Curriculum and instruction –GIEP writing process
including curricular modifications based on
students’ individual strengths and interests.
5.
Program development—philosophy and a
continuum of service options K-12.
6.
Time student spends in gifted support
program.
7.
Communication and public/parent awareness.
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Parents and community want more.
At the time of review, there were two teachers
of the gifted—one full time K-8 teacher and one
for grades 9-12 for two periods per day.
The district has a list of available activities at
each level such as KMO, Creative Problem
Solving, Quiz Bowl, etc.
All involved are eager to have a more dynamic
and connected program.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Update the district’s gifted philosophy to
include:
The district’s gifted education policy,
including philosophy.
Written continuum of gifted programming
options.
Professional development plan including
training in the teaching of the gifted for all
faculty and administration.
Use of current research supporting gifted
education programming priorities.
5.
Co-teaching and integration of gifted
education programming into regular
education.
6.
Flexible groupings of students to facilitate
gifted education programming and
differentiated curriculum (Karen Rogers’
research).
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Change the interaction between gifted
instructors and classroom instructors to
provide a more blended experience for the
students (parent).
The gifted program provides an environment
where “smart” kids can feel “safe” and don’t
feel the need to “dumb themselves down”
(parent).
Needs to be more dynamic. It’s too much of a
typical classroom feel—more fun, higher
energy…(parent).
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Acceleration in the elementary school
coordinated with regular education (staff).
Team time built in for gifted teacher to meet
with staff at the secondary level (staff).
Co-teaching to extend regular curriculum
(staff).
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Outstanding professionalism, enthusiasm, and
respect.
Administration and faculty open to, and
looking for change.
The district has a goal to be in compliance with
new Chapter 16 regulations when they become
available.
Teachers of the gifted are participating in “best
practice” staff development.
There is a focus on structure and consistency.
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Information dissemination to parents and
community needs to be developed including
public awareness of program offerings and
links from the SSD website to the Department
of Education, gifted parent handbook, and
various gifted resources.
Communication with parents needs to be
strengthened and systematic.
A gifted parent advisory group or a local
chapter of PAGE should be formed.
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The district website should be used to
communicate gifted news and information
Consideration of individual student strengths,
interests, and needs in the development of the
GIEP.
Curriculum guides should be used by gifted
facilitators as a basis for acceleration.
Middle school students need additional time in the
pull-out program.
Setting a schedule and adhering to it shows
support and respect. Parents and students have
reported frequent scheduling changes and event
cancellations.
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High school students have little, if any time in
their schedules to meet with the gifted
facilitator.
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Expand gifted facilitation from two periods per day
to six or more periods per day.
Preplan the GIEP and the GIEP conference to include
students and student input.
Increase connections between gifted support and
regular education.
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Students suggested three class periods per week of
pull-out gifted instruction on a rotating basis so
the same class is not missed each week. Missed
class work does not have to be made up based on
GIEP (middle school student).
See the gifted program as important to the
students’ education (parent).
I would like the Administration to send the
message to the regular teachers that they should
support the students and gifted teachers in the
gifted program (parent).
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The school psychologist has a long history in the
district and has expertise in the field of gifted
education.
The GWR includes ability and achievement scores
using generally accepted reliable and valid
psychometric instruments.
GIEPs are developed using district activities at the
secondary level.
When the pull-out structure is used GIEP
objectives reflect student strengths and interests
such as applying research skills (American Dream
Speech) or reaching logical conclusions
(Mindbenders).
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When the new gifted guidelines are released,
use them to reconsider the current
identification process using such instruments
as the Renzulli-Hartman Scale.
Consider the use of a multiple criteria matrix
including teacher and parent checklists.
Continue to focus on student strengths and
needs by adopting a district-wide resource
such as Renzulli’s Interestilizer or My
Learningprint.
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Consider expanding GIEP objectives to include
connections to regular education in areas of
student strength.
Make regular classroom teachers more aware
of, and more involved in writing the GIEP and
progress monitoring.
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Provide time for gifted programming,
planning, writing, and implementing GIEPs,
small group instruction, large group seminars.
Provide a continuum of service options.
Pre-assessment before teaching a unit to
facilitate individualization of instruction.
Better communication among all stakeholders
including administrators, teachers, gifted
facilitators, parents, and students.
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Communication via the district webpage—
updated monthly report.
Communication by students on the district
webpage—display student work electronically
on the teacher’ webpage.
Include more stakeholders in GIEP
development—gifted facilitator, administrator,
parent, student, regular ed. teacher. This can
be accomplished via pre-conference
questionnaire, checklist, etc.
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Celebrate student achievement and work at the
GIEP meeting.
Gifted facilitators should review existing
records to develop the GIEP.
Conferencing with parents twice per year
Expand the number and content focus of
activity options.
Group students of like abilities and interest for
seminars and activities.
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Administrators, teachers, and parents want to
work together for program improvement.
There is a designated teacher of the gifted.
The district is ahead of PA compliance caseload of
60.
Parents are pleased with activities such as, Future
Problem Solving, Fun with Physics, DAR History
Essay, Believe it or Not Boxes, etc.
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Development of consistency in program delivery,
including designated pull-out time and curriculum
modification in areas of student strength.
Instruction should include large group interdisciplinary seminars, small group content-specific
studies, and individual in-depth investigations
(Renzulli and Rogers).
Development of a policy about missed class time,
homework, and make-up work including
eliminating missing recess time as a result of
participation in the gifted program.
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Teacher and students have a positive
connection.
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A list of enrichment activities is available.
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GIEPs are written based on student strength.
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Creative Problem Solving is something that
should be kept.
We get to do things together, instead of
individually.
Our gifted program is small, but we get to do a
lot of fun activities and field trips.
I like field trips and KMO.
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Physical relocation of the K-8 gifted resource
room to provide easy access for all grade levels.
Co-teaching between regular and gifted ed.
teachers focusing on content-based acceleration
or enrichment, such as tiered assignments.
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Students requested more hands-on activities,
labs, small group units, and creative problem
solving experiences
Expansion of the number and content focus of
activity options—perhaps add math to middle
school menu of offerings
More creative classroom environment with
clock, computer, projector, digital camera,
buzzer response system.
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A teacher is assigned for two periods per day
to work with gifted students. However,
students are not always available when the
teacher is.
Activities include Future Problem Solving,
KMO, Academic Quiz League, Reading
Competition.
Dual enrollment at Penn State Fayette
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Increase participation in the program.
Expand availability of gifted facilitator to at
lease 6 periods per day.
Expand number of gifted facilitators to include
other content areas.
Develop a college prep course especially for
gifted learners because they need to be together
for a portion of the school day.
Incorporate seminar themes, small group
investigations, and individual real life projects.
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High school students requested thought
provoking discussions, open-ended writing
topics, peer interaction, leadership studies,
Future Problem Solving, and Mock Trial.
Establish gifted resource room where teachers
and students can meet and students can work
independently.
Connect gifted students with a teacher who has
expertise in each student’s area of
interest/strength
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Co-teaching between regular and gifted
education teachers focused on content based
acceleration or enrichment such as tiered
assignments.
Implement real-life investigation project
related to student’s passion. May be a multiyear project.
Parents have requested additional AP classes.
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The school psychologist is available for consult
upon request.
The counselors provide support services for
gifted students.
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Social and emotional needs of gifted students offer
unique opportunities for Socratic or Six Hats
seminars.
The Gifted Kid’s Survival Guide for Ages 10 &
Under (Galbraith, Espeland, Molnar) –not related!!
The Gifted Kid’s Survival Guide: A Teen
Handbook Galbraith, DeLisle, Espeland).
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
(www.SENGifted.org) .
Look at gifted underachievers.
(www.SENGifted.org) .
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The district recognized the need for program
improvement and initiated a study of the gifted
program.
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Gifted facilitators, teachers, and administrators
need to discuss and determine an appropriate
continuum of gifted programming K-12.
Observations in regular classrooms should be
ongoing so gifted teachers can see what
students are learning in regular education, and
how they are learning it.
Teachers of the gifted should visit other
programs.
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Gifted facilitators should be involved in
professional development in the following
areas:
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Differentiating content
Process
Product
Creativity
Problem solving
Ascending levels of difficulty
 PAGE Conference April 2010, Mars, PA
 On-line or On-site coursework
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All teachers need ongoing professional
development to understand the characteristics
of gifted students, programming options,
meeting the needs of gifted students in the
regular ed. program, and their role in the GIEP
process.
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Program evaluation in 2008-2009 school year
has been a cooperative model involving
administrators, parents, teachers, and students.
The report from each focus group shows
interest and enthusiasm for the study and
support for change. The on site program study
was completed on May 13 and 14, 2009 with
recommendations included in this report.
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The program review was initiated by the
administrative assistant to the superintendent
who was completely open to the structure of
the on-site study. He attended each focus
group session, listened with an open mind, and
responded positively to suggestions. In one
instance two middle school girls talked about
the facility and a need for a trash can, so they
could clean up after making a creative project.
He immediately called maintenance for one.
The young ladies were impressed that their
ideas mattered.
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Each focus group offered suggestions from
their observations and experiences. The
parents and students appreciate this initiative
and are very positive about the administrators,
teachers and the program.