1. Designing Comprehensive Gifted Programming Session 1 December 17, 2015 http://aea11gt.pbworks.com

2. Wireless Connection  Network: Boulders  No password

3. Look with favor upon a bold beginning. --Virgil, Roman poet

4. Agenda  Welcome and Introductions  Goals  Norms  Iowa Code  Foundation  Home Play  Closure

5. Tools  Wiki Wiki –Visit http://aea11gt.pbworks.comhttp://aea11gt.pbworks.com  Google site –Visit http://sites.google.comhttp://sites.google.com –Create site –Share with me at mschmidt@heartlandaea.org  Padlet

6. Introductions  Identify 2-3 words that capture the essence of your gifted program  Choose a spokesperson who will share –District –Names –Words

7. Why this class?  A common philosophy  A comprehensive K-12 program plan to guide programming  Teamwork  Establish importance of leadership  It will benefit kids  Sharpening focus

8. Outcomes  To deepen understanding of the components of comprehensive gifted and talented programming  To construct and/or improve a written comprehensive gifted and talented program plan  To identify and use data necessary to provide, drive, and improve gifted and talented programming  To network with other teachers of gifted in NWAEA - and beyond

9. Expectations  100% attendance  Active participation  Completion of all assigned work  Grading Rubric (see Wiki)  Graduate credit and LR requirements are the same

11. Team Role  Honor commitment to complete work between sessions  Everyone contributes  Dedication to learning  Advocacy  Promote learning of others  Be open to change

12. Administrator Role  Provide and protect time for team to meet  Provide access to data  Provide access to staff  Encourage and guide  Learn with teachers  Be open to change

13. Group Norms, Processes and Needs  Talk freely - think out loud  Support one another in the learning  Use technology responsibly  Freedom to change your mind  Remember Iowa Core and Iowa Code  Make connections  Commit to intercession work

14. Iowa Code and Gifted Standards  Iowa Code provides requirements in law for minimum compliance (Chs. 12 & 59)  NAGC PK-12 Gifted Programming Standards provide guidance toward best practices  Teacher Preparation Standards in Gifted Education identify essential knowledge and skills for teachers of gifted

15. Comprehensive Gifted and Talented Programming  Comprehensive: –Including many things –Having a wide scope or full view –Extensive; wide; large; full; compendious (dictionary.com)

16. So what is it? Work with your team to list the components/characteristics of comprehensive gifted and talented programming. Think: comprehensive physical, comprehensive exam

17. Comprehensive Gifted and Talented Programming  Includes and integrates multiple domains of giftedness  Provides multiple programming options matched to student need  Addresses both cognitive and affective needs  Is articulated K-12  Is evolutionary in nature  Is essential to and embedded in an effective educational program  Is based on student need  Identifies children with unmet educational needs

19. CONSENSU S

20. Managing Complex Change = Change Confusion = = = = = ++++ VisionSkillsIncentivesResources Action Plan Adapted from Knoster, T., Villa R., & Thousand, J. (2000). A framework for thinking about systems change. In R. villa & J. Thousand (Eds.), Restructuring for caring and effective education: Piecing the puzzle together (pp. 93-128). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Anxiety Resistance False Starts Frustration ++++ SkillsIncentivesResources Action Plan ++++ VisionIncentivesResources Action Plan ++++ VisionSkillsResources Action Plan ++++ VisionSkillsIncentives Action Plan ++++ VisionSkillsIncentivesResources

21. Consensus-Building Tool #3 Managing Complex Change + VisionSkills IncentivesResources Action Plans CONFUSION ++ +

22. Consensus-Building Tool #3 Managing Complex Change Vision Skills IncentivesResources Action Plans ANXIETY ++ ++

23. Consensus-Building Tool #3 Managing Complex Change VisionSkills IncentivesResources Action Plans Resistance ++ ++

24. Consensus-Building Tool #3 Managing Complex Change VisionSkills IncentivesResources Action Plans FRUSTRATION + + ++

25. Consensus-Building Tool #3 Managing Complex Change VisionSkills IncentivesResources Action Plans FALSE STARTS ++ ++

26. Talk in Your Team  With regard to g/t programming –which areas are strengths? –which areas need attention/work?

27. Survey Results  Results tabulation sheet –Hard copy or Excel sheet  Transfer numbers –A lot like my school = 3 –Somewhat like = 2 –A little like = 1 –Not like my school = 0  Totals and percentages

28. Survey Results  Section 1 – Vision  Section 2 – Skills  Section 3 – Incentives  Section 4 – Resources  Section 5 – Action Plan

29. It All Starts With…

30. Vision  What we aspire to  Requires “stretch” Example: ITAG envisions a time when all students, including the gifted and talented, are given an appropriate educational experience that matches their abilities and potential, where they have abundant opportunities for their intellectual and creative challenge and growth, and those who work with them are effectively trained to appreciate, understand, and nurture their unique talents and needs.

31. Mission/Philosophy Answers the questions  What is our purpose?  Why does the program(ming) exist? What it does  Creates cohesiveness, commitment, and understanding  Gives meaning to our work –Choosing how we’ll work –What work we choose to do --Conzemius & O’Neill, 2002

32. Belief Statements & Commitments to Action Beliefs: an expression of what we believe to be true Commitments to Action: absolute commitments that translate into behaviors Example: Belief: gifted kids learn best in the company of intellectual peers Commitment to Action: to provide grouping arrangements that promote new learning for gifted kids

33. Sample M/V/B  Waukee Waukee  Perry Perry  What is important for your work?  Critical to connect GT m/v/b to larger district view

34. Victory Circle  Three years from now, the DE awards your district the “Outstanding GT Program” distinction for the state.  What would we see, hear, experience, etc. that would give credence to the award?

35. Creating Stretch  What aspects of your victory are worthy of achieving but would require significant stretch?  Consider these ideas to help you write a statement of vision.

36. S-W-O-R Analysis  What are the strengths in our school that would help us achieve our victory?  What weaknesses do we need to overcome?  What opportunities exist if we achieve our victory?  What risks do we face along the way?

37. Assumptions  What assumptions do you hold about gifted children? (+ or -)  What assumptions do classroom teachers, administrators, and parents in your district/building hold?

38. Putting It All Together… Consider  desired state (victory)  components requiring stretch  current state (S-W-O-R)  assumptions which drive beliefs Create a draft of your vision, mission/philosophy, and beliefs.

39. Sample Vision  Waukee – “New learning all day every day for each identified gifted child.” Consider: In what ways will vision impact programming?

40. Sample Mission/Philosophy The mission of the Iowa Talented and Gifted Association is to recognize, support, and respect the unique and diverse needs of talented and gifted learners through ADVOCACY: by encouraging informed educational professionals, parents, policy makers, and all other stakeholders to take appropriate action for the benefit of talented and gifted learners. EDUCATION: by strengthening and encouraging the recognition and implementation of practices that support identification of talented and gifted learners and accommodation of the social, emotional, and intellectual levels. NETWORKING: by increasing opportunities for collaboration and cooperation among all stakeholders with the goal of advancing the abilities and developing the potential of talented and gifted learners.

41. Traits  Comprehensiveness  Rationale  Consistency  Clarity --Purcell & Eckert, 2006

42. Evaluating Your Mission/Philosophy Rate your mission/philosophy with regard to  Comprehensiveness  Rationale  Consistency  Clarity

43. Building Consensus Determine  With whom you will share  How you will determine/build consensus Reflect on  How the message was received  Further work needed

44. Program Evaluation  Baseline data –Complete Self-Audit/Reflection section(s)Self-Audit/Reflection  Identification  Program Goals –Bring results to next session  Basis for program goals  Means to improve programming

45. Home Play  Complete two sections of SA/RT –Program Goals –Identification  Share draft of Mission/Philosophy with GT Advisory, Administrative Team, and/or School Board –Get input –Get mission/philosophy approved –Reflect on results

46. Home Play  Read Chapters 1, 5, & 6 and journal about chapters  Read Identifying Gifted and Talented English Language Learners and complete organizer  Finish draft of GT Vision/Mission/Beliefs/Commitments to Action and share with GT Advisory and/or Administrative Team for feedback

47. Next Meeting  February 8, 2016  8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

48. Memory Mingle 1.How has the information you’ve engaged with so far “pushed” your thinking? 2.Share in triads 3.Identify connections and/or conclusions 4.Share with large group