Who are gifted children?

How can we meet their needs?

Presentation by Falisa Beffa

Gifted Characteristics

• Most of us are aware that gifted students are identified because they are highly intelligent.

• We assume this should correlate with high achievement.

• However, sometimes this is not the case.

• Let’s examine why…

With current legislation, school districts and teachers tend to focus on the students who are behind, taking comfort in the fact that the advanced students will be able to make it on their own.

Unfortunately, there are two things wrong with this way of thinking.

Gifted students need guidance just as much as the average and struggling students do. Also, this is a disservice to the gifted student. EVERY student deserves to learn something new EVERY day and to be challenged to achieve his or her full potential.

Gifted Characteristics & Needs

• Extreme Intensity• Need Choice• Disorganization & Sometimes Lack of Motivation• Challenge Authority• Sense of Humor (may be considered odd)• Think Logically• Perfectionism & Fear of Failure• Need to Create• Need to be Challenged• Are All Different

Gifted Characteristics & Needs

They Challenge Authority

They Challenge Authority

They Think Logically

However, they also…..

Think Outside the Box

Think Outside the Box

They Have a Sense of Humor

They Have a Sense of Humor

They Operate at a High Level of Intensity

They Can be Disorganized

Lack of Motivation (If Bored & Unchallenged)

High Incidence of Perfectionism & Fear of Failure

They Need Choice

They Have a Need to Create

The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanely sensitive. To them... a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death.

Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create -- so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, their very breath is cut off...

They must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency they are not really alive unless they are creating. --Pearl Buck

So, how can we help them learn?

Let them create!

Digitally…

Give Them a Choice

Differentiate…

Differentiate• Content

– If a gifted student (or any student for that matter) already knows the content, let them move on

– Pretesting can help determine this

• Process– Tasks for gifted students should be DOK level 3 & 4

(LET THEM CREATE!)– Give them choice– Consider learning styles & multiple intelligences– Gifted students appreciate and relate to real-world

experiences

• Product

Strategies

• Learning Menu

• Tiered Activities

• Learning Contracts

• Cubes

• Tic Tac Toe

Your Task

• Get with your PLC or the other teacher(s) who teach what you do

• Consider what you have learned about the characteristics and needs of the gifted learner

• Use the handouts and examples of differentiation strategies and materials to create an activity to be used in an upcoming unit.

• Focus on DOK levels 3&4• Choose a product gifted students can create• Try to relate it to a real-world topic or task• How can you incorporate technology?