POVERTY AND THE GIFTED STUDENT

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter once said… “There’s nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of unequals.”

Question 1: Should We Use Different Measures To Identify Gifted Students Of Poverty? If So, What Should Those Measures Look Like?

Some Characteristics Of Students In Poverty May lack many basic academic skills expected of gifted students Feelings of inadequacy, a lowering of an already low self-image May lack many of the resources needed to meet the academic requirements of a “traditional” gifted program Teachers who don’t understand the “hidden rules” of poverty may not refer/nominate students or spend time removing students from the program Underachievement, low motivation Undeveloped potential, uneven more profile References: NAGC, Ruby Payne, Vanderbilt PTY

Some Of The Contributing Factors Parents’ educational/occupational background Parent/Teacher/Student Attitudes Parents may be unaware of services that are available No access to resources Very little prerequisite basic skills Most schools are middle-class systems that operate from middle class values References: Vanderbilt PTY Website (Dr. Thomerson, Dr. Peters, Dr. Ford, and Dr. Stambaugh)

How Should Measures Look Different For Children Of Poverty? Identification should take place early and often Home environment must be taken into account Teacher Nominations – teachers should be provided training in identification of culturally different students Verbal and Nonverbal Measures of Intelligence Multidimensional/dynamic Assessments Move from nominations to whole-class screenings Move from relying on cutoff scores to looking for evidence RELATIONSHIPS are key with students and parents

Question 2 : What are some solutions and strategies that allow you to create a more equitable program for Gifted students of poverty?

We Must Consider The Environment  Testing  Alternative Measures EOP  Performance Patterns

Utilize The Resources We Already Have To Address Environmental Deficits Students Face  Looping to meet the needs of Gifted students of poverty - Pros/Cons (see board)

Multi-age Grouping To Meet The Needs Of Gifted Students Of Poverty - Pros/Cons (see board)

Additional Curricular Opportunities  After-School  Mentoring Programs  Pro-active Career and Guidance Programs