Gifted Learners: Addressing Their Affective Needs 1

Addressing Affective Needs Social and emotional issuesClassroom strategies Affective curriculum/ guidance and counseling plan 2

It is important that affective goals be attended to as well as the cognitive and academic goals. Self concepts, attitudes, motives, values, interests, and emotions are components of positive self actualization and functioning fully in society and the curriculum must contribute to nurturing the affective domain as well as the cognitive domain. —A. Harry Passow (1986)

Characteristics and Interactions 4 Possible issues InteractionAffectiveCognitive

5 Peer pressure Perfectionism Introversion Self- esteem/ identity Social skills Competitiveness Overexcitabilities Possible Issues

6 Responsibility and leadership Family dynamics Study skills College guidance Career exploration

Building a Context to Address Affective Issues Building a Context to Address Affective Issues 7

Fostering a Supportive School Context Psychological safety Flexible programming Being with other gifted students Services that focus on whole child Meaningful interactions with adults Curricular outlets for expression of intensities 8

Strategies for Affective Needs Discussion groups Guided reading/ viewing Role- playing Mode switching Spatial strategies Pair problem solving Journal writing 9

Professional development for teachers and parents Differentiated college and career planning 10

Scope and Sequence Scope refers to the comprehensiveness of the curriculum: – What are the important skills, attitudes, and supports needed to be built into the learning experience? Sequence refers to the organization and order: – When is the student ready for what topics? – How can we transition well from elementary to middle to high school? – What do we want the students to be able to do at particular times? Map out the affective curriculum for your K–12 high- ability students; include social skills, college and career guidance, and attention to social and emotional needs. 11

Meeting social and emotional needs, K–12 A planned set of experiences Differentiated for the gifted child Partnership between the G/T specialist and the counselor Professional development for faculty/staff Parent education 12

Applying Guidance and Counseling Activities With Gifted Students Incorporate guidance and counseling activities into the classroom. Role of teachers Work with coordinators and teachers to create a standards-based guidance and counseling plan that is differentiated for gifted students Role of counselors 13

Logistics When? Homeroom/adv isory/morning circle time Language arts or social studies class Health and wellness class Guidance activity times Lunch By Whom? Homeroom teacher Humanities teachers Counselor G/T resource How? By taking the gifted students separately so the discussion can be differentiated 14

K–8 Affective Curriculum Map SubjectK Academic Development (e.g., learning to be organized, learning to deal with doing well) College and Career Development (e.g., exploring careers and the education needed, visiting college campuses) Citizenship (e.g., understanding how to get along, managing stress, understanding emotions) 15

Grade-Level Curriculum Map Subject First grading period Second grading period Third grading period Fourth grading period Academic Development (e.g., learning to be organized, learning to deal with doing well) College and Career Development (e.g., exploring careers and the education needed, visiting college campuses) Citizenship (e.g., understanding how to get along, managing stress, understanding emotions) 16