Teaching+Strategies+for+Gifted+Education

The key to teaching gifted kids in a classroom is to provide a holistic educational experience related to students needs. The key word is differentiated. There are curriculum models to help with this.


 * Key Points **
 * Compacting and Individual Study can often be enhanced when it involves a student suggested area of interest relevant to the educational goals.
 * It is important to provide opportunities for children to develop the skills of research, observation, communication and thinking in a meaningful context. (Renulli 1977)
 * Gifted education programs should not be merely a collection of exercises taught in isolation.
 * Instructional strategies such as brainstorming, creativity, and critical thinking should be used with quality content that is interesting and complex.
 * Bloom’s can be used to check for complexity but it shouldn’t be used to structure activities to the point that it fractures meaningful learning.
 * Depth of content can be attained by studying or researching concepts in natural and authentic situations (Le Sueur, 1986) An example of this would be that instead of studying general environmental issues, students study and research issues with local landfill. An in-depth study of ants through a classroom terrarium with students observing, recording, predicting ant behavior, environment, diet and movement.
 * Relating content to a conceptual theme allows for in depth study (Riley, 1997). Some ideas for conceptual themes are change, adventure, mystery, power, survival. This helps promote curiosity and allows students to see relationships.
 * Students need time, guidance and opportunity to reflect and asses their progress.
 * Opportunities to foster emotional, social and ethical development and put learning into the context of human experience is a way to go. One way to do this is for students to share a common interest with a more experienced person that can help guide the student in his/her research. Students can practice politeness and etiquette when asking for help or working in a group.
 * Using the classroom as a base is important but it is also important to take the study beyond the classroom walls (Clark, 1992). This extension makes for natural and integrated learning. Genuine issues, problems, and people in the local community are valuable and are often underutilized resource for gifted children. An audience for student’s products can be shared with the wider community rather than just the classroom peers, whom may not be an appropriated audience (Renzulli & Smith, 1979)
 * Journaling and conferencing are ways to assess and promote learning.


 * Resources**

[|Ideas for Gifted] [|Classroom Ideas] [| Simulations] [|Prufrock Press for Gifted Materials] [|Broderbund]


 * Just for Funny**
 * How to Fail a Test with Dignity:**