Facilitators: Anna Curtis, House 300 Principal Shelly Holmes, Advanced Academics Coordinator Angela Leigh, Phoenix English Teacher Suzanne Cunningham, Phoenix English Teacher Lowery Freshman Center

 Introductions  Purpose of the meeting  Misconceptions  GT students: Will be successful because they are gifted Will always make an A Need fewer supports Have the same social and emotional needs as other students Will deliberately procrastinate out of laziness Shouldn’t struggle academically

Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally. The Columbus Group, 1991

 Launch of Sputnik; renewed interest in talent development in math & science, connected education with national security  ›1958- National Defense Education Act  ›1968- White House Task Force on the Education of Gifted Persons (LBJ)  ›Recommended federal, state, and local research/ identification/nurturing of the gifted  ›Mandate for research to determine how schools meet the needs of gifted children

National attention to the recognition and development of gifted persons is intermittent, unevenly distributed, and inadequate in amount. The White House Task Force on the Education of Gifted Persons (1968)

 First national definition of giftedness; specified 6 areas:  General intellectual ability  Specific academic aptitude  Creative or productive thinking  Leadership ability  Visual and performing arts  Psychomotor ability  States provided funding for goal-setting and GT programs, as well as teacher training

 Each state defines, identifies, and serves gifted students differently  Texas State Plan for the Gifted (r. 2009)  Some states serve gifted students through their Special Education department  Giftedness is largely misunderstood  The gifted remain underidentified and underserved  Allen ISD: CogAT testing in Kindergarten, AIM in grades K-6, Humanities in grades 7-8, GT Phoenix English in grades 9-12, IB GT HL English in grades 11-12

Place your child in an appropriately rigorous academic environment, and allow him/her to struggle.

Top Five:  School  Family Issues  Relationships  Time Management  Expectations Also Making the List:  Peer Pressure  Popularity  Money  Responsibilities  Competition  Self-Doubt  Safety and Violence Nicols,H.,& Baum,S. (2003). A toolkit for teens: A guide for helping adolescents manage stress. Washington, DC: Office of Overseas Schools, United States Department of State.

 Procrastination  Overexcitabilities  Asynchrony  Higher Expectations of Themselves  Higher Expectations of Others  Lack of Academic Challenge  Overscheduling  Perfectionism  Difficulty Finding Friends  Extreme Concerns about Justice and Fairness Nicols,H.,& Baum,S. (2003). A toolkit for teens: A guide for helping adolescents manage stress. Washington, DC: Office of Overseas Schools, United States Department of State.

 Be positive  Think about the good things in life  Look on the bright side in a difficult situation  Nurture healthy relationships  Say positive things to others Shaunessy, E., Suldo, S. M., Hardesty, R. B., & Shaffer, E. S. (2006). School functioning and psychological well-being of International Baccalaureate and general education students: A preliminary examination. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 17,

 Time and Task Management  Understand the ebb and flow of the school year  Done is better than perfect  Plan, Prioritize, Pace  Organize in a highly-individualized fashion  Take short breaks  Use down time wisely  Celebrate completion of tasks Shaunessy, E., Suldo, S. M., Hardesty, R. B., & Shaffer, E. S. (2006). School functioning and psychological well-being of International Baccalaureate and general education students: A preliminary examination. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 17,

 Take Action  Talk to someone (parents, teachers, counselors, trusted adults)  Spend time with family  Remember future benefits  Breathe deeply or meditate  Do something for fun Shaunessy, E., Suldo, S. M., Hardesty, R. B., & Shaffer, E. S. (2006). School functioning and psychological well-being of International Baccalaureate and general education students: A preliminary examination. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 17,

 Emotional OE – heightened, intense feelings; complex emotions; identification with others’ feelings; physical response  Intellectual OE – independent thought; impatience; keen observation; love of theory; concerns about moral/ethical issues  Imaginational OE – facility for invention and fantasy; use of image and metaphor; mix of truth and fiction; detailed visuals  Sensual OE – increased appreciation of music, language, and art; delight/discomfort from tastes, smells, sounds, textures  Psychomotor OE – surplus of energy; rapid speech; need for action; intense drive - workaholic; enthusiasm/competition  Strategies include respecting and accepting one’s OEs and planning to honor, not overwhelm, self and others

 Existential Depression  Dr. James T. Webb  Book: Searching for Meaning: Idealism, Bright Minds, Disillusionment, and Hope  Article: “Existential Depression in Gifted Individuals” sengifted.org

Many helpful websites and blogs discuss giftedness:  SENG - sengifted.org  Davidson Institute - davidsongifted.org  Hoagies - hoagiesgifted.org  Gifted Development Center - gifteddevelopment.com  Talent Development Resources/ Resources for Creative People - talentdevelop.com  Gifted Guru (Lisa VanGemert) – giftedguru.com