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GIFTED and Talented Education

Blooms Taxonomy Pyramid

Gifted Education Practices

  • Acceleration
    Educational acceleration is one of the cornerstones of exemplary gifted education practices, with more research supporting this intervention than any other in the literature on gifted individuals. The practice of educational acceleration has long been used to match high-level students’ general abilities and specific talents with optimal learning opportunities. 
  • Curriculum Compacting
    This important instructional strategy condenses, modifies, or streamlines the regular curriculum to reduce repetition of previously mastered material. “Compacting” what students already know allows time for acceleration or enrichment beyond the basic curriculum for students who would otherwise be simply practicing what they already know. compacting.
  • Grouping
    The practice of grouping, or placing students with similar abilities and/or performance together for instruction, has been shown to positively impact student learning gains. Grouping gifted children together allows for more appropriate, rapid, and advanced instruction, which matches the rapidly developing skills and capabilities of gifted students. 
  • Identification
    Identification is a critical component of effective gifted education programming. One size does not fit all. In addition to using assessments appropriate to the services provided, different strategies may be needed to ensure students with high potential are identified. 
  • Pull-Out and Other Specialized Programs
    Programming options for gifted and talented students occur in a variety of ways, and research demonstrates the effectiveness of pull-out programs, specialized classes, and other special programs and schools and the curriculum these services use in raising student achievement. 
  • Teacher Training
    Teachers who know how gifted students learn and are well trained in gifted education strategies are critical to high-level gifted programs; however, most gifted students spend their school days in the regular classroom. Providing basic training for all teachers on recognizing and serving advanced students helps identify and more appropriately educate those students in the regular classroom. 

Resources for Parents and Educators

  1. National Association for Gifted Children: The National Association for Gifted Children is one of the best places for parents of gifted children to find resources, reading, help, and advice on raising an exceptional child.
  2. IAGC: The Illinois Association for Gifted Children is just one of many state-centered organizations for gifted kids. Parents can join, find other families, and even attend special events.
  3. Gifted Child Society: The Gifted Child Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering the cause of gifted children. Through their website, parents can find helpful information and learn about seminars and workshops they can attend.
  4. GPGC: The Governor’s Program for Gifted Children is a seven-week residential summer enrichment program for gifted students. Parents can learn more about the program, held at McNeese State University, from their website.
  5. SENG: SENG is short for Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted and is an organization that wants to help ensure that gifted children are understood, accepted, nurtured, and supported by their families, schools, and workplaces.
  6. Mensa for Kids: Mensa embraces younger members through this fun website, offering up monthly themes to get kids reading and learning at an advanced level.
  7. Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration: Find out more about the latest research being done into academic acceleration through this organization’s site.
  8. Center for Talented Youth: Located at Johns Hopkins, this organization engages gifted kids and their families through programs, summer classes, and even a bi-monthly magazine

 

Find quick 140-character-or-less quips and updates about working with, parenting, and helping gifted children from these excellent Twitter feeds.

  1. @DeepWatersCoach: Lisa Lauffer works with the group Gifted Grownups & Parents of Gifted Children, offering support through her Twitter feed and beyond.
  2. @gifted_guru: Head to this feed to hear from Lisa Van Gemert, a gifted youth specialist for Mensa.
  3. @JeffcoGifted: This nonprofit group of parents, teachers, and community leaders tweets about advocacy and resources for gifted kids.
  4. @HoagiesGifted: Head to this feed to get resources and articles aplenty about gifted education and parenting.
  5. @laughingatchaos: Jen is a mom raising gifted kids. She shares her experiences, both the good and the bad, here and on her blog.

Blogs

 

These blogs offer excellent advice and resources to parents, teachers, or anyone working with gifted children.

  1. About.com Gifted Children: Carol Bainbridge, an expert on gifted children, maintains this blog, which is chock full of learning ideas, information, and more.
  2. Parenting Gifted Kids: Head to this blog, written by gifted educator Sarah Robbins, to learn more about how to challenge and help your gifted child.
  3. Gifted Exchange: This blog focuses on gifted kids, touching on issues of schooling, parenting, education, and more, all written by the staff at the Davidson Institute for Talent Development.
  4. The Prufrock Blog: Prufrock is one of the leading publishers of materials for gifted, advanced, and special needs students. On this blog, you’ll find updates on their latest releases.
  5. Unwrapping the Gifted: Head to this Education Week blog to hear from Tamara Fisher, a K-12 gifted education specialist. She gives great insights into gifted and talented education.
  6. Parents of Gifted Children Resource Group: Here, parents can find resources and make connections with other parents of gifted children.
  7. Help Me With My Gifted Child: Not sure how to help your gifted child? Look to this blog for answers, with information about gifted programs, enrollment testing, and parenting.
  8. Gifted Parenting Support: This blog is an excellent place to read more about how to parent and educate children who are gifted and talented.
  9. Gifted Guru: This blogger offers up resources, books, commentary, and more on the subject of gifted education.
  10. Gifted Education Perspectives: Follow this blog to learn more about all things gifted, from what defines it to how to best educate bright students.
  11. Creating Curriculum for Gifted Children: This blog approaches gifted kids from an educator’s perspective, but parents can also learn new ways to challenge and interest their children.
  12. Gifted Education Consultant: Sonia White, author and gifted education specialist, shares her passion for helping gifted children through this blog.
  13. Gifted Phoenix: On this blog, parents can find some insights into giftedness issues, education, and parenting, from a New Zealand perspective.
  14. Byrdseed: Focusing on creativity, accelerated learning, literature, and more, this blog offers resources and inspiration to gifted educators and parents of gifted kids.

Resources

 

If you’re looking for resources to help you parent, choose a school, or just support your child, these sites are great places to start.

  1. Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page: On this site, you’ll find a bit of everything, from conference listings to tips on understanding your gifted child, making it an excellent resource for any parent.
  2. Gifted Development Center: Looking for information about giftedness and how to raise a gifted child? Dr. Linda Silverman provides both on this helpful site.
  3. Gifted Child Today: This open-access journal is a great read for parents who want to learn more about how to cater to the needs of their gifted child.
  4. Gifted Child Quarterly: Another open-access journal, this journal is a bit more scholarly, publishing research done on giftedness and talent development.
  5. Summer Camps for Gifted Children: Looking for a great way to keep your child busy and learning over the summer? These summer camps could be a great choice.
  6. Exquisite Minds: Parents and teachers who work with gifted children can find resources, online games, tips, tools, and more on this social site.
  7. Royal Fireworks Press: Head to this publisher’s website to find great reads for both you and your gifted child, especially if you’re homeschooling.
  8. BrightKids: BrightKids is a discussion group for parents of gifted children and is maintained through MENSA. You can join here and get tips and advice from other parents of bright kids.
  9. Schools for the Gifted Child: Wondering where to send your gifted child? This site lists schools in six countries.
  10. KidSource Gifted and Talented: KidSource has collected a number of great resources and articles on gifted kids that can be a big help to parents.
  11. Educational Resources for Parents and Teachers of Gifted Youth: Mensa is a great place to look for help with a gifted child. Here, they offer up a collection of resources for parents and teachers that ranges from lesson places to fun activities.
  12. Gifted Homeschoolers Forum: Even if you’re not homeschooling your child, this site offers a chance to get resources and talk to parents who are also working to raise gifted children.
  13. Genius Denied: This is the website for the book Genius Denied, an expose of the ways in which the American education system often ignores its brightest students.
  14. Gifted Children’s Bill of Rights: This resource will help you learn how to stand up for your kids and make sure that his or her rights are being respected.
  15. Gifted Journey: This site is a great resource for learning about giftedness, touching on everything from bullying to IQ tests.
  16. teachfine on gifted and ed tech: This site collects resources that combine gifted education and technology, creating a great list of articles and sites that parents and kids can use to learn.

Articles

 

These articles will help you stay informed and educated about issues relevant to your gifted child.

  1. Gifted Students Go Dumb to Fit In: Is your child lowering his or her potential in order to fit in with peers? This article explores the stigma of being smart.
  2. Gifted Children Need Help, Too: Many teachers and parents believe that smart kids don’t need help; they’ll do well on their own. This just isn’t the case, as you’ll learn here.
  3. The Drama of the Gifted Child: Being a gifted child isn’t easy, as you’ll learn from this Psychology Today article.
  4. Hey, Teacher, Get Help Somewhere Else: Make sure your child isn’t working as a teacher’s aide in his or her classroom, a common occurrence as this article explains.
  5. Top 10 Myths in Gifted Education: Learn some of the biggest myths about teaching gifted kids from this great YouTube video.
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Parent Information

For information visit:
https://achieve.lausd.net/gate
 
flier apps and websites for gifted students
 
Gifted Education 101 Slides
Education Para Dotados 101
 

National Association for Gifted Children

https://nagc.org/

 

Choices School Fairs

 

gifted and talented

Our Philosophy:

 

      We understand that your child comes to us with  unique experiences, interests, and learning styles.  Our goal is to truly know your child well and use this knowledge to guide, support, and motivate him or her.  We believe that good teaching requires continual professional development, personal reflection, and collaboration.  We value parent involvement at every level and encourage you to partner with us to give your child the most powerful and joyous learning experience possible.  

 

row of 10 cartoon kids holding hands

 

Differentiated Instruction Provides Students: 

  • Accelerated or advanced content and more complex understandings of the content area
  • Level and type of resources used to obtain information
  • Transfer of learning to new/different disciplines , situations
  • Development of personal growth and sophistication in attitudes and appreciations
  • Independence of thought and study
  • Clustering in classes by grade level to allow for interaction with other gifted students per policy
 
GATE Categories image
 

Gifted Categories

  • Intellectual
  • High Achievement
  • Specific Academic Ability
 
Identification Process

Identification Process

  • Search and Referral:  Students are referred by teachers, and an LAUSD generated computer list.
  • Screening:  Documentation including standardized test scores and grades are collected for three years.
  • Committee Review:  A school committee reviews and recommends district verification through the referral application, with parent approval.  
  • District Verification:  An LAUSD psychologist reviews each file and notifies the school and parents. 
 
Renzulli Model
 

Things you can do at home to challenge your child:

  • They key to raising gifted children is respect:  respect for their uniqueness, their opinions, ideas, and dreams
  • At home, children need to know that their uniqueness is cherished and that they are appreciated as persons just for being themselves.  
  • Read all you can on giftedness.  The needs of gifted young people are often misunderstood.
  • Spend time as a family visiting museums, libraries, science centers, and other places of interest.
  • Discuss current events, engage in discussions, and ask thoughtful questions.