Shelagh A. Gallagher, Linda P. Robinson, Richard Courtright, Sneha Shah-Coltrane http://www.rfwp.com

Teaching the Gifted Child: James Gallagher’s Contributions to Curriculum and Instruction

Teaching the Gifted Child

Era 1: 1964

Table of Contents 1 - Definition of Gifted Children

2 - Characteristics of Gifted Children

3 – Low Producers Among Gifted Children

4 – The Changing School Program for the Gifted

5 – Arithmetic for the Gifted

6 – Science for the Gifted

7 - Social Studies for the Gifted

8 – Creativity and Gifted Children

9 – Discovery and Inquiry – Tools for Teaching the Gifted

10 – Programming for Low-Producing Gifted Children

11 – Administrative Changes for the Gifted

12 – Personnel for Work with the Gifted

Four Profiles of Gifted Learners

Cranshaw

Zelda

Joe

Juan Classroom

Conversations

Gallagher Speech Presented at NAGC, April, 1965

“Theoretically the curriculum should be based on these fundamental characteristics which set the gifted child apart from the average child. In my opinion this has not been effective because it presented the teacher with a literally impossible task.”

“It is as though we would ask a perfectly good general practitioner to not only treat his clients effectively but also to do basic research in biochemistry, initiate a whole new family of antibiotics, test and evaluate them, then apply them appropriately.” “Then when these bewildered individuals fail, as they must inevitably fail, we would then throw up our hands at their bewildering incompetency.”

Chapter 5: Arithmetic for the

Gifted “One obligation of teachers of gifted children is to allow them the opportunity of seeing such a structure, and not to be so concerned with the solution of an individual problem as to neglect the over-all pattern, structure and order” (p.104).

Chapter 6:

Science for the Gifted

“For gifted children, the approach should stress a

deep and prolonged emphasis on one topic, rather than a

superficial bee-flitting approach to many topics….

The particular area of study…is probably not terribly

important. What is important is that the

student experience the excitement of inquiry, of

striving to solve a difficult problem and, finally, of

understanding, in depth, the topic under study.” (p. 130).

Chapter 7: Social

Studies for the Gifted

How to make SS boring: “Holiday Curriculum” and “Europe in 3 Days”

“In a world tearing itself apart through the inability of one man to communicate with another, where many leaders of our society often are economic and psychological illiterates, it is a gross disservice to the growing generation not to give some better portrait of man and his problems to those who will be keystones of the next generation”

(p. 153).

•  Advanced Conceptualization •  Teaching for Generalizations •  Dramatizing the Human

Element •  The Importance of

Methodology •  The Right to Inquire

QUESTIONING STUDIES “Preliminary Report on Analyses of

Classroom Interaction”

(1963)

James J. Gallagher and Mary Jane Aschner

!  Investigated productive thought processes in gifted children.

!  Five consecutive classroom sessions in 12 classrooms of intellectually superior junior high children in SS, math, science and English.

“Three Studies of the Classroom”

James J. Gallagher

Study 1 – Productive Thinking Study

118 boys; 117 girls

Jr. high and high school

Study 2 - Topic Classification Across Content Areas with the Same Training

Study 3 – Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS, 1959)

OVER

ALL

! Productive Thinking

! Topics Related to Generalization

! Relationship to Teacher Questions and Study Talk and Questions

! Variation

! Summarizing

Era 2: 1975

Collaboration

http://www.texaspsp.org/resources/PrinciplesDiffCurriculum.pdf

Content !  Present content that is related to broad-

based issues, themes, or problems

!  Integrate multiple disciplines into area of study

!  Present comprehensive, related, and mutually reinforcing experiences within an area of study

!  Allow for in-depth learning of a self-selected topic within the area of study

Process !  Develop independent or self-directed study skills

!  Develop productive, complex, abstract, and higher-level thinking skills

!  Focus on open-ended tasks

!  Develop research skills and methods

!  Integrate basic skills and higher-level thinking skills into the curriculum

Product !  Encourage the development of products that

challenge existing ideas and produce “new” ideas

!  Encourage the development of products that use new techniques, materials, and items

Affect !  Encourage the development of self-understanding,

i.e., recognizing and using one’s abilities, becoming self-directed, appreciating likenesses and differences between oneself and others

!  Evaluate student outcomes by using appreciate and specific criteria through self-appraisal, criterion references, and/or standardized instruments

Ethics

The Martian Expedition 5th grade

! Crashed on Mars for 11 months ! 4 month food supply ! The negligent artist ! Valuable resource ! On holy ground of the natives

!  (avoidance) ! Dying Crewman ! Food? !  Yes, doctor error

The Kids

Juan Sam

Era 3:

Curriculum Development

The Challenge of Curriculum Development

!  To design and develop such curriculum, the K-12 teacher requires an impressive variety of skills and knowledge.

!  The range of knowledge and skills that address sophisticated content in a variety of areas will rarely be found in a single human being.

To address this problem, James Gallagher implemented the Content Specialist model in developing curriculum, based on the idea that...

The sophisticated knowledge of the content areas is in the possession of scholars and academicians who are often found in university settings…

A Solution to the Challenge

“…whereas the special knowledge of how to design experiences and programs for specific gifted youngsters is most likely in the possession of experienced and capable special [gifted] education teachers.

The physical and psychological distance between persons with these attributes has been inhibiting sophisticated program development during the past several decades.”

A Solution to the Challenge

Combining problem-based learning with the content

specialist model: !  Helps students make connections between classroom

learning and the real world; !  Fosters an inventive spirit in students so they recognize

the world’s problems and needs and think of how to design, test, redesign, and implement practical solutions;

!  Provides high level content specific knowledge of a field for the rigor gifted students require; and,

!  Allows educators to focus on the development of the problem-based, interdisciplinary project.

Era 4 (1990s):

The student drives implications for gifted education

curriculum & instruction

•  4th version Last version and still current

•  With Dr. Shelagh Gallagher

•  New Student Profile, Stephanie, representing the artistically gifted child

•  Still guides all of our work today, regarding curriculum and instruction for students who need advanced learning

NC’s Nine Model Sites !  9 LEAs selected/volunteered to “de-centralize” state process

for ID, C & I, Teacher Preparation, Evaluation (1993-96). Agreed to financial commitment.

!  Needs assessment & recommendations to local school boards, facilitated by S.T.A.G.E. (Javits and NCDPI funding)

!  “Designing, building, and flying the airplane at the same time.”

!  Outcome: State Legislation, Article 9B (1996). !  Continues mandate to identify and serve AIG students but

focuses on local and student needs, not just a one-size fits all model.

!  Every LEA develops a three year gifted local plan with its own identification and programming components (among others) to be approved by Local School Boards and reviewed by State Board of Education.

Continued Impact in NC Today Continued Era 4 (2000s)

All focused on the student !  Article 9B still growing strong.

!  NC AIG Program Standards: Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction Standard, Total School Programming

!  Regional Support Structure

!  Student Data to guide programming and policies

!  Variety of services for our AIG students – DEPs – program based on student needs. !  Credit by Demonstrated Mastery, Early Graduation, Early

Entry to K, Differentiation Expectations K-12, NCSSM, NCSOA, Career and College Promise, CIHS, AP/IB, U-STARS~PLUS

Using Problem-based Learning to Explore Unseen Academic Potential Shelagh A. Gallagher Engaged Education, sgallagher5@carolina.rr.com James J. Gallagher University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, james.gallagher@unc.edu

Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1322

Middle School students’ study Challenge or Boredom?

(1994-96) ! 871 students from 9 model/pilot sites (E, MS,

HS) ! Student views on their schooling ! Survey Questionnaire ! Results:

! Challenge (AG and math) ! Pacing (E,M, H)

! Educational context: Teacher effectiveness

!  Identity: OK to be smart

Student Quotes

•  Climate & Instructional Issues : I understand that the teachers are responsible to other students other than myself, but many times our needs are addressed collectively instead of individually

•  Pacing: I learn the day’s lesson quickly, do my work once I’m assigned it, and sit bored during class. No challenges are there to-not being redundant-challenge me.

•  Being “gifted”: People respect you and ask for your help. People look up to you and acknowledge you (MS). Much of the student body looks down on “gifted” or “exceptional” students. Many times, creativity is criticized, and possibly, stifled (HS)

Middle School & Gifted Ed: Educators’ Perceptive

!  400 participants

!  Random selection from 4 national advocacy associations (NAGC, NMSA, ASCD, TA)

!  84% response rate

!  Effect size was used to calibrate responses

!  Grouping: 1.76

!  Curriculum: 1.07

!  Program delivery: .89

Specialized Settings

!  Full time placement for gifted students provides for: !  Cognitive/Academic needs met through accelerative

content, sophisticated assignments/tasks, research endeavors, competitions

!  Affective needs met through a “community of learners”

!  Highly trained teachers: content knowledge (PhD, MD, Law, Masters in content area) and teachers “like” gifted students and other specialized support personnel (eg counselors)

When given appropriate education opportunities, children who are gifted will become increasingly

knowledgeable; therefore, their need for differentiation increases as well, as compared to others of their age, experience, and environment.

-James J. Gallagher