GIEPs and Programming for the Middle School Level

Do not then train youth to learning by force and harshness, but lead them to it by what amuses their minds so that you may discover the peculiar bent of the genius of each. --Plato

Facts 1.Gifted children are as different from average children in their needs as developmentally disabled children 2.Gifted boys and gifted girls have different and distinct needs 3.Gifted children do not benefit from helping less able children, from “socialization,” from cooperative learning, or from minimal pull-out programs (Barbara Kerr, PhD.)

4.Meta-analyses of research studies show that grouping with intellectual peers; acceleration by subject area, domain, and/or grade; and focused mentoring are the treatments of choice for gifted children 5.True potential for extraordinary accomplishment is predicted by not only academic achievement, but by focus, autonomy, and personality characteristics unique to each domain of accomplishment (Barbara Kerr, PhD.)

Facts (cont.) Girls Pressure to be physically attractive Pressure to be popular Pressure to camouflage talents Gifted-friendly schools can provide single sex education and girls’ groups, as well as focusing on achievement norms. Boys Pressure to be athletic Pressure to hide creativity and sensitivity Pressure to withdraw from female friends Gifted-friendly schools can provide a safe haven for creativity, the opportunity to NOT be athletic or to have alternatives to team sports, and small mixed sex groups for social growth. (Barbara Kerr, PhD.)

Asynchronous Development Physical Emotional Social Intellectual

Asynchrony A gifted child may experience asynchrony on several levels A gifted child may experience asynchrony on several levels Between intellectual abilities and physical abilities or affective abilities Between intellectual abilities and physical abilities or affective abilities Between chronological peers and mental age Between chronological peers and mental age Between giftedness in one area as opposed to others (math, music, etc.) Between giftedness in one area as opposed to others (math, music, etc.) Can create social and emotional vulnerabilities Can create social and emotional vulnerabilities The higher the IQ, the more acute the problem The higher the IQ, the more acute the problem Particularly difficult with twice-exceptional children Particularly difficult with twice-exceptional children

How Adults See Them  Adults, expecting social maturity to match high level intellectual development, may label a highly articulate, logical child as a behavior problem when he or she exhibits an age-appropriate tantrum. Gifted children sometimes talk and have interests like adults. They also may behave like an adult one moment and be very childlike the next.

More… Gifted children may be many years above chronological age in intellectual functioning, but depending on the situation and participants, social/emotional maturity may vary. Gifted children may be many years above chronological age in intellectual functioning, but depending on the situation and participants, social/emotional maturity may vary. Knowledge vs. wisdom or life experience: having the ability to reason is not the same as having the ability to make a good decision Knowledge vs. wisdom or life experience: having the ability to reason is not the same as having the ability to make a good decision

Gifted Curriculum Would they do it? Should they do it? Could they do it? The end goal or product can be similar, but how they get there should be appropriately challenging. General Education Students:

GIEP -PLEP (see PDE Sample) Ability and assessment test scores Group and individual achievement scores Grades Progress on goals Instructional levels Aptitudes, interests, specialized skills, products and evidence of effectiveness in other academic areas

Strengths Content AreasCreativityLeadershipSense of Humor Rate of Acquisition Thinking Skills TalentsMotivation ProductsCommuni- cation RelationshipsOther

Interests and Special Abilities Competitions Awards Sports Instruments Theater Books Computer Skills Activities/other

GIEP –Goals and Outcomes Must be related to/aligned with PLEP Must be measurable and actionable Must be individualized Enrichment and acceleration should be considered (include both General Education and Pull-Out or Resource Room, if applicable) The student’s needs should determine the goals, not the district’s programs (IT’S A PLAN, NOT A PROGRAM!) Goals should reflect needs, not wants

GIEP Cautions Do not routinely NORA students out: schools are required to provide services to secondary students (Honors or AP courses are not enough for many gifted students) No cookie-cutter GIEPs! The child’s needs come first, so the district and parents need to work together to develop appropriate and realistic goals (this is one of the reasons why ongoing home-school communication is so important!) Do not ignore child’s input: middle school students should be involved in the GIEP process Teachers: be certain that the district can meet the goals (reason for the LEA Rep.!)

Middle Schools and Gifted Education Shared Beliefs Regarding Appropriate Early Adolescent Education (Tomlinson, 1995): 1. Theme based 2. Interdisciplinary 3. Fosters student self-direction and independence 4. Promotes self-understanding 5. Incorporates basic skills 6. Is relevant to the learner 7. Is student-centered 8. Promotes student discovery 9. Values group interaction 10. Is built upon student interest 11. Encourages critical and creative exploration of ideas 12. Promotes student self-evaluation

Middle Schools and Gifted Education Issues and Tensions (Tomlinson, 1995): 1. Excellence vs. Equity 2. Emphasis on heterogeneity in middle schools (bias against ability grouping) 3. Use of labels 4. Ambiguity about appropriate middle school curricula 5. Use of cooperative learning as an instructional strategy 6. Affective needs of early adolescents 7. Reflection of larger societal bias against intellectualism

A Call To Action District and School Leaders Should: 1.Provide leadership in creating a school climate that vigorously supports both equity and excellence 2.Ensure that teachers have meaningful knowledge and understanding about the needs of gifted adolescents, including training in differentiated instruction so that the needs of all students, including those with advanced performance or potential, are appropriately addressed 3.Develop and implement an appropriate and flexible system for identifying high-ability learners from diverse populations (need to seek out under-resourced students)

A Call To Action (cont.) District and School Leaders Should (cont.): 4.Encourage consistent collaboration among all teachers and support personnel in the school to ensure appropriate services for high-ability learners 5.Ensure a continuum of services including options such as differentiation, advanced classes, acceleration, compaction, in- lieu of regular ed. content, short-term seminars, independent studies, mentorships, and other learning opportunities matched to the varied needs of high-potential and high-ability learners

A Call To Action (cont.) District and School Leaders Should (cont.): 6. Provide counseling-related services for students with advanced academic performance or potential 7.Develop and maintain a written plan to guide educational planning for advanced learners and to inform the community of those plans 8.Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of curricula, instruction, resources, and other services in supporting the development of high-ability learners

A Call To Action (cont.) Teachers, Gifted Ed. Specialists, and Support Personnel Should: 1.Be knowledgeable about students with advanced academic abilities and those who have the potential to work at advanced levels 2.Meet regularly to discuss the needs of all students, including those with high ability 3.Provide curricula, instruction, and other opportunities to meet the needs of students with high ability

A Call To Action (cont.) Teachers, Gifted Ed. Specialists, and Support Personnel Should (cont.): 4.Use a variety of developmentally appropriate instructional practices to enable each student to experience a high degree of personal excellence 5.Collaborate with colleagues at elementary and high school levels to ensure a smooth transition as students progress through the grades 6.Keep parents informed about their children’s growth and invite parent participation in educational planning for their children

A Call To Action (cont.) Parents Should: 1.Strengthen family connections with young adolescents 2.Be knowledgeable about the needs and concerns of young, gifted adolescents 3.Understand and contribute to the district’s plan for identifying and serving high-ability learners

A Call To Action (cont.) Parents Should (cont.): 4.Help their children take appropriate responsibility for their own learning and develop related skills and attitudes of responsible independence 5.Collaborate with the school to ensure that their children’s needs are being met 6.Be their children’s best advocates (Rakow, 2005)

One of the main tasks of adolescence is to achieve an identity –not necessarily a knowledge of who we are, but a clarification of the range of what we are to become. -Terri Apter

Academic Competitions Destination ImagiNation FIRST LEGO League Robotics Future Problem Solving Program Knowledge Master Open MATHCOUNTS National Engineers Week Future City Competition National Geographic Bee

Academic Competitions (cont.) Model United Nations National Spelling Bee Odyssey of the Mind Quiz Bowl Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Science Olympiad WordMasters Challenge

Final Thoughts Gifted middle school students are kids first They are experiencing many new feelings and ideas They desire structure and support They need caring and understanding adults in their lives They are trying to figure out who they are Their heightened sensitivities make them more likely to experience stress Middle school might be the first time that they are challenged academically Social-emotional issues frequently reflect the interaction between an ill-fitting environment and a child’s individual personal characteristics

Education would be so much more effective if its purpose were to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they don't know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it. -- Sir William Haley

References Kerr, B. (?). Smart Girls, Smart Boys: Milestones and Danger Zones. PowerPoint Presentation. Rakow, S. (2005). Educating Gifted Students in Middle School. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press. Tomlinson, C. (1995). Helpful Resources: Hoagies Gifted, Middle School: PAGE Website:

Charlton Wolfgang April 24, 2010 PAGE Conference