Supporting Gifted and High-Potential Learners In an Oklahoma Academic Standards Environment

Donna WalkerDirector of GT, AP, and AVID Programs

Norman Public Schools

You know you’re an Oklahoma Educational Leader IF…

Welcome Oklahoma Educational Leaders!

Takeaways• Identify how Oklahoma Academic

Standards will impact students and teachers. • Dispel myths about Academic

Standards and gifted/talented students. • Provide resources and examples for professional development.

Why Oklahoma C3 Standards?

• Global status• Mobility and alignment• College and work expectations • Thinking, problem-solving,

collaboration, and communication

Myths About New Standardsand GT Students

• Standards replace the need for GT services.• All standards are all at high levels. • Assessments are differentiated for

GT students.

Oklahoma’s C3 StandardsCollege, Career, and Citizenship

http://ok.gov/sde/oklahoma-c3-standards • Use of citations and examples from text• Compare, contrast, generate patterns• Describe relationships between patterns

C3 is the New Ground Level

• Impacts teacher preparation programs• Professional development for current

teachers• C3 is HERE!

Professional Development Plans

• Identify needs and goals of staff• Focus on school and individual data • Focus on student growth/gaps• Plan presentations/collaboration

Gifted/Talented Students

• Tend to be very curious• Tend to learn quickly• Tend to know obscure facts or trivia• May be underachieving or

underperforming• May or may not be “teacher-

pleasers”

Rationale for Differentiation

• Students learn in different ways.• Students learn at different rates.• Students have different interests and

strengths.

Differentiated Instruction•Content•Process•Products•Learning Environment

Pre-Assessment

• Determine what students need to know

• Determine how students will be assessed

• Assess to determine what students already know

• Plan for student’s learning needs

Differentiated Content

• Materials at a variety of reading levels• Vocabulary lists at different levels of

student readiness• Presenting information through a

variety of means (auditory, visual, etc.)

Differentiated Process

• Different levels of support, challenge, or complexity• Varied lengths of time that students

work within a unit• Agendas or contracts for students to

follow

Differentiated Products

• Options for expression of learning• Rubrics match with and extend readiness• Set expectations and encourage students

to create their own assignments for demonstrating mastery of content.

Research-Based Instructional Models

• Inquiry (shared, project-based)• Critical thinking • Creative thinking (CPS)• Problem-solving (scientific method, PBL)• Research

GT Student Learning Plans

• Teacher, parent, or student completes a form• School staff gathers student ‘s data• Parent and staff meet to discuss needs• Follow-up meeting to discuss program options

or to develop a learning plan• Meeting(s) to evaluate learning plan

What Can Principals Do?

• Support teachers by providing planning time.• Organize vertical teams for resources

and scope and sequence.• Commit to flexible options for

teaching gifted learners.

Making a Difference

• Plans for changes–Oklahoma C3 Standards and GT

students–Myths –Differentiation or Learning Plans for GT

students

Plan for Changes

• Resources and support for change• Research and information to share• Identification of barriers • Plan for overcoming or removal of

barriers

Resources• http://www.corestandards.org/

• http://ok.gov/sde/oklahoma-c3-standards

• http://www.nagc.org/

• http://www.oagct.org/

Contact Information:

Donna WalkerDirector of GT, AP, and AVID Programs

Norman Public Schools(405)366-5837

donnaw@norman.k12.ok.us