by Leigh Johnson

Originally published in The Challenge, no. 15, Summer 2005, pp. 10, 12.

The response to my previous article “Why Take Challenging Classes?” suggested to me that perhaps a follow-up article from a different perspective would be beneficial. We already know that studentswho take challenging classes in high school have a better chance of doing well in and graduating from college. Across the U.S., almost half of the students in their first year of college must take remedialclasses in writing, reading, or mathematics, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Think of the wasted tuition and fees as students pay for classes that don’t count toward graduation. Thinkof the wasted time and brain cells! Challenging classes not only prepare students for the future, but they also save money. But in order for students to stretch their minds, challenging classes must be offered.Read on to discover how challenging classes can also change the climate of a school.

What is the difference between a challenging class and an honors or AP class?

By “challenging class” I mean one in which each student must work to the highest level of her ability. Remember, though, that just because a class is titled Honors or AP doesn’t mean it is a challengingclass for every student involved in the class. The teachers must have high expectations for each student. Since all students have different needs, interests, and abilities, these expectations may differfor each person. Similarly, classes that are not labeled Honors or AP can also be challenging when they encourage students to think in new ways and stretch beyond their comfort zones. So a quick answer tothe question can be nothing or everything!

Challenge differs according to individual kids. It is much more rewarding for students to work hard and be challenged in a class than to do well without being challenged. Different subject matter may be more challenging for some students, and individual units may be differentiated to increase the level of challenge for students who have already mastered the material.

How do challenging classes impact the school as a whole?

We talk about a geographical area’s climate. Schools have climates as well-and these climates should be purposefully established. When challenging classes are the norm, students grow to welcome andexpect that their teachers will ask them to work hard. The process of succeeding at a challenging task by working hard raises students’ self-esteem and intrinsic motivation.

Other benefits appear in schools with challenging classes, such as improvement in testing. Statistics that measure schools’ success show that scores rise as more students are learning. This seems so simple, but individual schools, such as San Jose Downtown College Prep, that have created an atmosphere in which students consistently choose to work at high levels even have fewer discipline problems. Graduates may include more National Merit Finalists, Intel Talent Search winners, and Governor’s Scholars.

According to the Detroit Free Press (September 21, 2001) more than “eighty percent of the jobs of the future are going to need some kind of post-secondary training;” this means that schools that prepare their students for the future will have more graduates with more options. Challenging classes are important in every state. Carolyn Witt Jones, executive director of the Partnership for Kentucky Schools, notes that without more rigorous course work in high schools, “We face major, major difficulties for the economy, the workforce and education” (www.cipl.org/releases/july_14.htm).

Who would take challenging classes?

Every person should be challenged. Challenging the brain is like keeping the heart healthy: pumping hard, exercising, eating the right food-all contribute to a lifetime of heart-healthiness. Brain researchshows that the brain, too, benefits from working hard, getting new “food for thought,” and regular exercise. When the brain is not challenged or exercised, the brain slows down when it sends messages. Challenging classes allow students access to more parts of their brains. Each new challenge positively affects the brain’s ability to make connections now and in the future.

When do challenging classes make sense for students?

Challenging classes are important for students at all grade levels, but please don’t equate the level of challenge with the amount of paperwork involved in the class. An article in The Oregonian (January12, 2004) quotes a student who found her International Baccalaureate English class challenging as being “so abstract that it is taking my mind in places I never thought about going.” Challenging classes openour minds to new thoughts; they don’t put our brains to sleep with endless repetition of a simple concept.

Aim for rigorous thinking not paper pushing.

For example, offer two choices for homework-five tough problems for those who are ready to be challenged, or twenty drill practice for those who are challenged by additional drill. Teaching with Love and Logic suggests giving students the option to work until they’ve got it (Fay & Funk, 1995). Some may need four repetitions; others may need thirty or fifty. Providing more guidance in creating an engaging learning experience allows students to connect to a challenging class without being overwhelmed with work.

How do I learn how to make a class challenging?

Some resources include:

Smutny, J. F., Walker, S. Y., & Meckstroth, E. A. (1997). Teaching young gifted children in the regular classroom: Identifying, nurturing, and challenging ages 4-9. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C. (2003). Fulfilling the promise of the differentiated classroom: Strategies and tools for responsive teaching. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Winebrenner, S. (2001). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

REFERENCES:

The Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership. (14 July, 2004). “Prichard Committee to push for high school improvement.” Retrieved May 2, 2005 from www.cipl.org/releases/july_14.htm

Fay, J., & Funk, D., (1995). Teaching with love and logic: Taking control of the classroom. Golden, CO: Love and Logic Press.

Higgins, L. (21 September, 2001). “Students’ blowoff classes a target in new program.”

The Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 2, 2005 from   www.freep.com/news/education/schol21_20020921.htm

The Oregonian. (12 January, 2004). “Challenging classes change student’s life.” Retrieved May 2, 2005 from www.oregonlive.com/special/oregonian/index.ssf?/special/oregonian/series/fix2_classes.html

by Leigh Johnson

Originally published in The Challenge, no. 14, Winter 2005, pp. 2, 4-5.

College professors know the difference in their classes when they meet a student who has learned how to work hard, challenge assumptions, and think like a college student while in high school. Challenging, enriching course selection in high school makes a committed, interested student in college. But why not take the easy road; there’s plenty of time to work hard later, right? Not really. Engaging in fast-paced learning now ensures a foundation for continued exploration at the college level. Some of the popular arguments against challenging classes can actually hurt you if you buy into them. Let’s dispel some of these common misconceptions.

MISCONCEPTION 1: I have a great GPA; I won’t have any trouble getting into college.

Congratulations! But you’re going to need more to get into and pay for your dream school. Colleges take a close look at your transcript, not just your GPA. They want to know if you took the most challenging classes your school offered. If your schedule includes study halls, maybe you didn’t take another year of Spanish or challenge yourself with Calculus. Would you contribute to the intellectual environment in college, or go with what is easy? Colleges look for applicants that will actively participate in and improve the campus community.

What kind of extracurricular activities are you involved in? Speech, Community Service, 4-H, FFA, Tennis, Boys and Girls Club, and Science Club can all help a college get to know you better and appreciate your energy. Do you stick with your extracurricular activities? Do you have leadership experience on your team or with your organization? The commitment you make to your activities indicates the commitment you will make to the campus organizations you join. A person who has organized a recycling drive for the Science Club is more impressive than someone who showed up to a few meetings.

MISCONCEPTION 2: If I take a harder class and get a lower grade, there goes my scholarship  money.

Universities are much more concerned that you challenged yourself and engaged in intellectual exploration. Harvard Admissions says, “There is no single academic path we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them. The  Admissions Committee recognizes that schools vary by size, academic program, and grading policies, so we do not have rigid grade requirements. We do seek students who achieve at a high level, and most admitted students rank in the top 10-15% of their graduating classes.” Centre College looks primarily at the “quality of the high school coursework.” Your choice to take a more difficult class improves your chances of getting into the college you choose.

MISCONCEPTION 3: If I get a lower grade in a College Board Advanced Placement class, I won’t get as much Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) money.

KEES money, based on GPA with bonuses based on ACT and SAT scores, will reward you for taking AP courses. KEES requires high schools to weight AP classes on a 5.0 scale. So if you make a B in an AP class, it averages as a 4.0 on your transcript.  AP classes can actually help you get more KEES money.

MISCONCEPTION 4: The university I want to go to won’t accept AP credit.

By law, all Kentucky state-funded universities must give credit for AP scores of 3 or better (Senate Bill 74). Individual school websites will show exactly how much credit a student can earn. A student can get up to 9 credit hours for one test. Private schools in Kentucky will accept a 3, 4, or better for college credit. Vanderbilt, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, and Stanford all accept AP credit. Nationwide, more than 90% of colleges and universities accept AP credit.

“I took AP classes starting with US History my sophomore year. These classes have allowed me to accumulate 27.5 credit hours, which is 2.5 hours shy of sophomore standing. Along with the credit hours, I have gained experience with a course load containing the breadth and depth of college coursework. It has been an invaluable experience.”

-DEBRA CECIL, Western Kentucky University Freshman

MISCONCEPTION 5: I don’t need to take honors or more difficult classes prior to the AP class.

Those foundation classes prepare you for the advanced thinking you will be asked to do in an AP or college class. Every time you challenge yourself in an academic environment, you become more prepared for and more likely to succeed in future scholarly endeavors.

“My AP classes gave me enough credit to graduate a semester early. The money I saved by not going that semester allowed me to study abroad in Romania, something I’ve always wanted to do! I guess you could say, AP opened up another side of the world.”

-LEIGH JOHNSON, Western Kentucky University Graduate Student

MISCONCEPTION 6: The AP tests are too expensive!

The tests seem expensive. Consider though, an AP test costs $82 and can net you 3 hours of college credit. At Western Kentucky University, where a credit hour costs $169, you’ve saved $425! At Transylvania University, you will have saved $5060! AP also offers fee reduction. A student going for the Commonwealth Diploma can be reimbursed by the state of Kentucky for her AP test fees. At these rates, you can’t afford not to take AP classes and tests.

MISCONCEPTION 7: AP might help me get into college, but it won’t help me once I’m already there.

An AP class gives you a chance to “take a college class for free.” Do you know what a syllabus is? You’ll learn in college if not in your AP class. A rigorous AP class will help you learn time management and study planning. The AP test is much like a college final-in some classes a final can be 30-60% of your grade. Most importantly, AP classes teach you how to think and ask questions-essential skills for a university setting. These statistics can make it even more clear:

• College students who have not taken an AP class have a 33% chance of completing a Bachelor’s Degree;
• College students who have completed one AP course have a 59% chance of completing a Bachelor’s Degree; and
• College students who have completed two or more AP courses increase to 76% their chances of attaining a Bachelor’s Degree.

From: Answers in the Tool Box: Academic Intensity, Attendance Patterns, and Bachelor’s Degree Attainment at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/Toolbox/toolbox.html.

AP classes will not only help you in college, but they also substantially improve your chances for successfully completing college.

Participating in a challenging learning environment prepares students for the academic curiosity and commitment necessary to succeed in a university setting. Colleges recognize that students who actively pursue intellectual opportunities in high school are more likely to be the kind of students that do well on  an interactive college campus-even if they didn’t get the highest grades in their challenging classes. If you’ve ever climbed a hill you didn’t think you could climb, or written an essay you couldn’t even figure out how to start, then you can imagine the satisfaction of completing a challenging class with a new definition of “your best effort.”

by Tracy Inman

Originally published in The Challenge, no. 18, Winter 2007, pp. 17-19.

If during the first five or six years of school, a child earns good grades and high praise without having to make much effort, what are all the things he doesn’t learn that most children learn by third grade?

Susan Assouline, co-author of A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students (2004)

Take a moment to answer this ques­tion yourself. Or have your child’s educators and administrators answer it. What isn’t learned? As you skim over your answers, you may be surprised at the sheer volume. But on closer look, you may be astounded by the depth and weight of those answers – and the impact they make on your child’s life.

WHAT ISN’T LEARNED?

Work Ethic

The World is Flat and China, Inc. remind us how readily Asians are bypassing us technologically, educa­tionally, and economically. One main reason for this lies in their work ethic. They aspire to the middle class life­style. They know that education and sacrifice are the paths for getting that. They look at education as a privilege – and it is.

In America (and aren’t we proud!), everyone has the right to an education. Sometimes it seems, though, that our young people would argue that ev­eryone has the right to a Nintendo DS with unlimited playing time, a cell phone by 5th grade, and a car by 16. They may also argue they are entitled to an allowance and that days off from school are for relaxation and play and not chores. Experts argue that this will be the first generation whose standard of living will not surpass (or even match) their parents’ socio-economic level. This is an entitled generation – or so they think.

Ben Franklin once said, “Genius without education is like silver in the mine.” We could alter that a bit for the 21st century American young person: “Genius without work ethic is like silver in the mine.” No matter how bright, our children will not succeed personally or professionally without a strong work ethic. Working hard at intellectually stimulating tasks early in their lives helps to develop that ethic.

Responsibility

Responsibility is conscience driven. We make the choices we do because it is the right thing to do. Dishes must be washed in order to be ready for the next meal. The research paper must be done well and on time if we want that top grade. Punctuality helps us keep our jobs, so even though we choose to stay up until 3:00 am to finish a novel,  when the alarm sounds a very short two hours later, we’re up. Each day’s responsibilities must be met to be a productive family member, employee, and citizen.

Early in life, we should learn the or­chestrating role responsibility plays in our lives. And we also should realisti­cally learn the outcomes when respon­sibilities are not met. It’s all about cause and effect. If children do not live up to their responsibilities and if natural consequences are not enforced, we are not equipping children with this vital virtue.

Coping with Disappointment
Often our greatest lessons in life stem from falling flat on our faces! Through disappointment or failure, we learn how to pick ourselves up and continue. We learn perseverance and resilience. We learn that we’re not al­ways right and that we don’t need to be – that we may discover more through our failures than we ever imagined we could through our accomplishments!

When we face obstacles early on, we discover how to separate our identi­ties from the task itself – that means the failure of meeting the goal or accomplishing the task does not equal failure of us as people. Young people, especially those who are gifted and talented, must learn to take academic risks. They must learn to celebrate the outcome and be able to learn from the failure!

Self-Worth Stemming from the Accomplishment of a Challenging Task

We have all faced obstacles that seemed overwhelming, tasks that ap­peared too challenging. Giving up was never an option, so we worked and struggled and toiled until finally we overcame that obstacle or completed the task. The intrinsic rewards far outweighed the praise or even the pay earned at the end. We felt good about ourselves, our work ethic, our manage­ment skills, our persistence, and our ability. And even if the tangible out­come wasn’t the promotion or “A” we wanted, that was secondary to the inner sense of accomplishment and pride we felt.

When students never work hard at challenging tasks, they can’t experi­ence those intrinsic rewards. Natu­rally, then, they focus on the extrinsic rewards. By giving them good grades for little effort, we’re depriving them of this life-driving tool.

Time-Management Skills

Adults constantly juggle roles: par­ent, spouse, child, person, employee/employer, volunteer, neighbor, friend, etc. With each role come demands on our time and energy. Often these demands conflict with each other requiring us to budget our time very carefully. Through experience, we have gained time-management skills by keeping track of the responsibili­ties of each role, estimating the time needed to meet that responsibility, and then following through. We adjust and readjust based on our experiences.

We know how difficult we make our lives when we procrastinate; likewise, we know the sweetness of free time that comes from managing our time well. Young people who don’t have to put effort into their work to earn high grades won’t understand the time needed in order to do a job that would be acceptable in the work environment. Instead of gradually learning these lessons in schools, they may very well have crash (and burn) courses in the real world.

Study Skills

Self-discipline, time-management, goal setting – all of these are embed­ded in study skills. When children don’t need to study (because they already know the information or they have the ability to absorb it as they listen in class), they never learn vital study skills. So when they are present­ed with challenging material, whether that be in their first honors class or, even worse, in college, they simply don’t know how to study! How do you attack a lengthy reading assignment? How do you take notes in an organized fashion? How do you prepare for an exam that covers the entire semester’s material? Yes, study skills can be learned, but like most things in life, the earlier we acquire those skills, the better.

Goal setting

We can’t reach goals if we never set them nor can we reach goals if they are unrealistic. We also can’t reach goals if we don’t have a strategy in place that incrementally encourages us to meet that end goal. Students must have practice in goal setting and goal achievement. Those skills will impact their personal lives, their professional lives, their social lives, and even their spiritual lives!

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills

Weighing pros and cons. Predicting outcomes of possible choices. Sys­tematically breaking down issues as to importance. Ranking possibilities and importance of criteria. All of these skills come into play when making a decision. All of these skills come into play when problem-solving. If children don’t ever have experience with this early on in their learning, then when it is time to make decisions about learn­ing and life, when it is time to solve professional and personal problems, they are ill equipped to do so.

Sacrifice

Yes, I would rather curl up with a wonderful read than dig into my taxes. But if my taxes aren’t complete by April 15, I am in trouble. Period. I would rather catch the latest Academy Award winning fi lm than bulldoze the dirty clothes into the laundry room and lose myself for the rest of the day. But wrinkled, dirty clothes don’t go very well with a professional image nor do they encourage lunch mates. As responsible adults, we well under­stand sacrifice. Sometimes we sacrifice our free time for our responsibilities. Sometimes we sacrifice what we want to do because others wish to do some­thing else. We fully understand that we must “pay our dues” in life.

But if young people procrastinate on assignments because they really want to finish the Xbox game or IM their friends while their shoddy work earns A’s, they’re not learning about real life. Excellence requires sacrifice. The IRS won’t care that the reason your taxes were late (and incorrect in just a couple of places) was because you’d rather spend time reading a novel. Your potential employer doesn’t even want to hear the excuse of choos­ing to watch a movie over the prepara­tion of your clothing for the interview. Life’s not always about fun or about what you want and when you want it. It’s about sacrifice and work ethic. It’s about working your hardest at chal­lenging tasks.

This list is only partial, and yours may well include values that this one didn’t. What’s particularly frightening with this one is that these are the ingre­dients for a successful life. What does a child not learn? He doesn’t learn the values and skills needed in order to be a productive and caring person who contributes to our world.

Sobering, isn’t it?

Yesterday, I worked on linear algebra research that I will present at a conference in Banff, Canada this summer. Last week, I received a recruiting call from the army corps of engineers about a scholarship that would cover my entire college education. Last year, I was just another gifted and talented student beginning my time at the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Math and Science in Kentucky. Little did I know what I was getting into, or the impact that it would have on my life. Little did I know that it would be the hardest thing I had ever done, but also the best thing I would ever do for myself.

Gifted education is something that often gets overlooked in the average school system. For most students, the high school atmosphere provides ample academic challenge. For others it is simply not enough. Being a gifted student in a traditional school can at times be tedious, uninteresting, and unfulfilling. It is nothing that the instructors cause; it just simply isn’t fair for a teacher to maintain a pace that is past the comprehension level of the majority of the students. It isn’t the fault of the gifted student either, just a simple learning gap, but one that can cause major problems. Unfortunately, the gifted student that is now bored and uninterested is the same gifted student that could be preparing to cure cancer, solve the energy crisis, or become a world leader. That same student who is sitting in a classroom waiting for school to end could be improving the world, and improving Kentucky.

While educators use several methods to best serve students at all levels, there are those rare individuals who are truly ready for something more-more challenging, more diverse, and more in-depth. For one hundred and twenty students across Kentucky, that something more is the Gatton Academy, a program created to serve their best interest and Kentucky’s as well.

I am one of those one hundred and twenty. As an academy ambassador, I often give tours of Western’s campus, and our residence hall, and tell prospective families, educators, and state leaders about the program. Despite the thousands of wonderful experiences I’ve had at the academy, I always find myself a little short on words. The most accurate thing I can say is this: for once in my life, I am the only one defining my personal limits. No one tells me I can’t, that I am not capable, that it is too much for me. Every semester, I make my own schedule, define my own task. In a normal academic situation, there are limits placed on the amount of enrichment you can receive. There have been many days I have even doubted my abilities, that I’ve been unsure of my personal expectations. The strange thing is this: I find that when I set those higher goals for myself, I achieve them. Sure, I fail sometimes, but each failure is a learning experience and gives me motivation to try again. Everyday, I find myself doing things that amaze even myself. Not only have I become competitive in a high school setting, I am even viable as a college student at the age of seventeen.

And at the academy, I am constantly surrounded by people who assure me that I can reach this highest potential. There is much to be said for our staff, who are supportive not only academically, but mentally and emotionally as well. The student body is the same way; it is important for all youth to feel accepted, and for gifted children this doesn’t always happen in the traditional school setting. By living and working in an environment where everyone wants to learn, it enables us to enrich our studies that much more.

I’m sure the big question you have is this: you are funding this program, but what has it actually done? How are we as academy students going to give back to our state? In all honesty, I believe that we already have. Read your local papers, check with your county’s academy students. I guarantee that they are already giving back. Whether it’s being involved in big brothers big sisters, helping promote healthy eating on campus, or doing research that has global impact, academy students are giving back.

And in the long run? The impact will be just as great. Look at the statistics, a whopping 80% of graduating academy students remained in state for college last year. Why? By getting a feel for college life early, the students learned that they could have faith in our commonwealth’s university system. By the end of their academic career, these students will find that there are jobs for them here, and will stay. For those that go out of state, the life experience is good for them, and after seeing the world, they too will return. Personally, because I have been given so much from the academy, I in turn can equally contribute, allowing more people to have the same enriching experience that I did. I know many academy students feel the same way.

Other students will make a global impact. I want to be a chemical engineer and help solve the energy crisis. We have students that quite literally do research everyday trying to cure cancer. Others are monitoring our water supply, ensuring its safety. Every scientist, mathematician, and engineer we pump into society will benefit not only Kentucky but also the nation. This is something that cannot be gained by any other type of program.

But, more than anything, you have done the best thing imaginable for gifted students by supporting the academy: you have given them hope. Many of us felt like we could never truly get the education we needed here. Now this sentiment has changed; not only do we see that we can get an outstanding education here, but know it is one of the best. Sure, there are math and science schools all over the country, but not many of them put 16 year olds in college. It allows not only for an academic growing process, but an emotional one. It’s a risky proposition, but in the end, it has paid off. It will continue to pay off. So, thank you. Thank you for giving us hope, and thank you for the opportunity of a life time. You are changing lives every day, and providing Kentucky with a new generation of mathematicians, scientists, and engineers.

by Tracy Inman

1. Gifted children thrive with more work.

FALSE: Gifted children do not need more work; they need different work. No one wants to do all the odd numbers of an assignment quickly just to be burdened with the even ones on top of it. No one wants to write a paper in addition to the project when everyone else just does the project. Soon no one will want to be gifted!

2. Allowing a gifted child to tutor another child is usually a very effective service option. You really learn something when you teach it.

FALSE: The belief that it never hurts students to review what they have learned “has led to the practices of using gifted students as tutors for slower students in the classroom and having them do more work at the same level. Such activities have been used to fill the time of the student who finishes assigned work quickly, relieving the teacher of additional planning for such a student and simultaneously providing help to students who require extra support. This situation has been especially noticeable since Cooperative Learning groups have become an integral part of classroom organization. Too often, in an effort to maintain the standards they require of themselves, gifted students who are placed in a heterogeneous Cooperative Learning group will take on the major part of the research, writing, and presentation tasks, while also trying to tutor other members of the group, so that the group result will not be unacceptably low to these gifted students. Although sharing with classmates is an important social experience for gifted students, the overuse of group projects and the use of such students as tutors will prevent them from engaging in their own educational challenges. The increasing number of gifted students writing articles on their frustration with experiences in inappropriately constituted Cooperative Learning groups adequately validates the idea that there is a limit to the educational value of repeatedly reviewing materials and concepts that have already been mastered” (Clark, 2008, p. 23).

3. Just because a child is gifted in one area does not mean he is gifted in all areas.

TRUE: Students may be exceptional in one or more areas. Just because a child is three grade levels ahead in math does not mean he is three grade levels ahead in reading. He may be right at grade level or even reading below grade level.
Kentucky identifies children in five areas of giftedness: General Intellectual, Specific Academic, Leadership, Creativity, and Visual and Performing Arts. (704 KAR3:285 Programs for the gifted and talented)

4. Do not expect gifted students to be model students.

TRUE: Many gifted children have not been challenged in the classroom. For some of them, their characteristics have been misunderstood as behavioral issues. Therefore, they have learned coping skills: boredom, sleep, disruption, being off task (e.g., reading a novel in math class), daydreaming, etc. Many have become underachievers. See Rimm (2008) for specific strategies to reverse underachievement.

5. Gifted students are not at risk. If they are actually gifted, they can get by on their own.

FALSE: “This would be true only if intelligence was solely inherited, and, therefore, did not change. The well-documented fact is that intelligence is developed from an interaction between genetic patterns and environmental opportunities. It is dynamic rather than fixed, which puts children who are not stimulated at the level of their growth at risk. They do not progress; rather, they regress. Additionally, the growth of intelligence is less limited than was once supposed, and the level to which any child can achieve, when given appropriate stimulation, is unknown. This possibility alone makes this belief that these children can get by on their own very problematic. Gifted students, like all students, need challenges presented to them by their educational experience at the level congruent with their ability and development. The problem for the gifted learner is that schools often do not present curriculum aimed at higher levels of thought” (Clark, 2008, pp. 21-22).

All children need guidance in their learning. Yes, gifted children seem to absorb information. Yes, they make connections others don’t. Yes, they can readily comprehend materials. But in order to thrive and develop their talents, they need explanation, discussion, questioning.

6. Giftedness can easily be measured by intelligence tests and tests of achievement.

FALSE: “Brain research has indicated that the brain has at least four major areas of function: physical/sensing, affective, cognitive (both linear, rational and spatial, gestalt), and intuitive. The function of these areas integrate to form a person’s intelligence, and the brain seems to be nearly unlimited in its potential for development. Any of these areas of function or a combination of them can be involved in expressing intelligence, making the concept of intelligence quite complex. Intelligence tests generally measure only a sample of the linear, rational ability of a person, and because intelligence can be expressed in many other ways, such a small sample cannot be viewed as an adequate measure of the universe of intelligence or the potential of any person. Although current intelligence tests give valuable estimates of abilities in the area of intelligence that can be predictive of success on school-related tasks, these tests cannot identify giftedness in many areas of intelligence or suggest an individual’s potential. Identification of giftedness is a complex task and requires a variety of samples of a person’s ability from many areas of function” (Clark, 2008, p. 22).

7. A good teacher can teach any student, because good teaching is all that is needed.

FALSE: “Although good teaching practices must be the basis for all teaching excellence, the appropriate education of gifted students does not end with these important concepts and strategies. In addition to using exemplary educational techniques that support the learning of all students, teachers of gifted and talented students need some special skills. They must know how to change the pace of instruction, provide in-depth learning, and advance the level of content because these are common needs of gifted students. Teachers must know how to develop high degrees of complexity and interrelationships in the content, as well as develop and provide novelty and enrichment. They must accept intensity and divergence, and they must encourage creative solutions. These are but some of the added teaching skills that teachers of gifted and talented students need because these students have specific needs, require additional challenges, and produce differently in terms of both quantity and quality” (Clark, 2008, p. 22).

8. Even if the curriculum is accelerated for all students, services are still needed for gifted learners.

TRUE: “All students must be given opportunities to have challenging learning experiences. However, those challenges will not be the same, either in content or pace of instruction,  for every student. One of the commonly accepted characteristics found as the brain becomes more efficient and expresses higher levels of intelligence is the increased speed of thought processing. Gifted students learn faster and process information more quickly. It would be unfair to ask a gifted student to slow down this process as it would be to require a slower learner to think more quickly; neither student can do what is being asked. With the ‘dumbing down’ that admittedly is occurring within the curriculum in many schools, some acceleration of content and pace might be positive; however, to speed up the learning process to the pace of the gifted learner would be inappropriate for other learners in the regular classroom and would inhibit their chances for success. In National Excellence (Ross, 1993), this vision of schools of excellence was offered; ‘All children progress through challenging material at their own pace. Students are grouped and regrouped based on their interests and needs. Achieving success for all students is not equated with achieving the same results for all students [italics added] (p. 29)'” (Clark, 2008, pp. 22-23).

Kentucky mandates multiple services for each identified gifted child. The Gifted Student Service Plan is an individual education plan outlining services, people responsible, and time frames so that the child has continuous progress in his learning.

9. All children are gifted.

FALSE: “All children are valuable, all students are important, and all children should be allowed to develop to their highest potential; however, all children are not gifted. The term gifted designates the students ‘who require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop such capabilities’ (Javits Act P. L. 100-297, reauthorized in 1994 through 2006). The capabilities to which the Javits Act refers include high levels of intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership, or academic abilities. Obviously not all children have high levels of development that create needs for modification of the curriculum, and yet, in a misguided effort to assert the value of all children, a statement such as ‘all children are gifted’ is mistakenly made. The problem is that such a statement can cause the unique educational  provisions needed by gifted students to seem unnecessary, and, therefore, they will not be provided” (Clark, 2008, p. 21).

10. Most children suffer emotionally and socially when grade accelerated.

FALSE: The Templeton National Report on Acceleration, A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students (2004), is a seminal study on acceleration. While the popular perception is that a child who skips a grade will be socially stunted, fifty years of research shows that moving bright students ahead (whether that be through grade skipping, early entrance to school, or any other of the many types of acceleration) has strongly positive results, both academically and socially.

11. The brightest students tend to make the lowest achievement gains in school.

TRUE: “In a pioneering study of the effects of teachers and schools on student learning, William Sanders and his staff at the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System put it this way: ‘Student achievement level was the second most important predictor of student learning. The higher the achievement level, the less growth a student was likely to have.'”

“Mr. Sanders found this problem in schools throughout the state, and with different levels of poverty and of minority enrollments. He speculated that the problem was due to a ‘lack of opportunity for high-scoring students to proceed at their own pace, lack of challenging materials, lack of accelerated course offerings, and concentration of instruction on the average or below-average student. While less effective teachers produced gains for lower-achieving students, Mr. Sanders found, only the top one-fifth of teachers were effective with high-achieving students. These problems have been confirmed in other states. There is overwhelming evidence that gifted students simply do not succeed on their own” (DeLacy, 2004, p. 40).

The Fordham Institute released their report High-achieving Students in the Era of NCLB (2008) examining the status of high achieving students. In their foreword, Finn and Petrilli summarize the findings: “No Child Left Behind appears to be meeting its objectives: narrowing achievement gaps from the bottom up. Some may declare this to be a wonderful accomplishment: the performance of low-achieving students is rising, while those at the top aren’t losing ground. But is that outcome good enough for a great nation? If we want to compete in a global economy, don’t we need all our young people – including our highest achievers – to make steady progress too?” (p. 8).

12. Gifted students are needed in all classes so that students do not lack positive role models for academic and social leadership.

FALSE: “Research on role modeling (Schunk, 1987) indicates that to be effective, role models cannot be drastically discrepant in ability from those who would be motivated by them. Teachers overwhelmingly report that new leadership ‘rises to the top’ in the noncluster classes. There are many students, other than identified gifted students, who welcome opportunities to become the new leaders in groups that no longer include the top 5% of a grade level group” (Winebrenner & Devlin, 1996, p. 1).

REFERENCES

Clark, B. (2008). Growing up gifted (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Colangelo, N., Assouline, S. G., & Gross, M. U. M. (2004). A nation deceived: How schoolshold back America’s brightest students (Vol. 1). The Templeton national report onacceleration. Iowa City: University of Iowa.

DeLacy, M. (2004, June 23). The ‘No Child’ law’s biggest victims? An answer may surprise. Education Week, 23(41), 40.

Rimm, S. B. (2008). Why bright kids get poor grades. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.

Finn, C.E., & Petrilli, M. J. (2008). Foreward. In T. Loveless, S. Farkas, & A. Duffett, Highachieving students in the era of NCLB. Washington, DC: Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

Ross, P. O. (1993). National excellence: A case for developing America’s talent. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Schunk, D.H. (1987). Peer models and children’s behavioral change. Review of Educational Research, 57, 149-174.

Winebrenner, S., & Devlin, B. (1996, August). Cluster grouping of gifted students: How to provide full-time services on a part-time budget. Reston, VA: Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. (ERIC Digest No. EDO-EC-95-1).

The following ideas for celebrating Gifted Education Week in Kentucky have been prepared by the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education.  The original document may be found by clicking here.

1. Offer to write an article on gifted education for the school board or district publication or for posting on the website. Students who have a gifted in writing could do so as well.

2. Have students complete one of these statements, “Gifted Education is __________.” Or “Giftedness is like __________.” Make the statements into posters.

3. Prepare a report of successes of the gifted education services in your school district. Ask to be placed on the March or April board of education agenda and/or school council agenda for presenting the report.

4. Prepare a scrapbook focusing on gifted education. Include newspaper clippings about the services provided to gifted students. Let administrators, teachers, and parents check out the scrapbook. Display it in the local public library.

5. Conduct a Gifted Education slogan contest. Choose a slogan that describes gifted education in your district during Gifted Education Week. Use the slogan to decorate bulletin boards, classroom doors, newsletters, posters, store windows, etc.

6. Conduct a contest for posters that represent some aspect of gifted education. Display posters around school and in local stores. Award prizes, if feasible.

7. Describe services for gifted children in a poem. Set the poem to music using an original score or favorite tune. Save the song on tape or videotape a group of students reciting the poem.

8. Write essays on such topics as “Why gifted education is important,” “Why I like being a part of our gifted program,” etc. Submit the essays to magazines for publication.

9. Collect questions students and teachers have about gifted students and services. Afterwards, answer the questions and publish your responses.

10. Prepare and distribute an agenda to parents, teachers and administrators for special events related to Gifted Education Week.

11. Prepare a brochure titled “What is gifted education?” or “This is gifted education in the School District.” Distribute to community leaders.

12. Submit articles and pictures about gifted education, gifted students, and KAGE to the local newspaper and/or school paper for each day during Gifted Education Week. Articles might include explaining what Gifted Education Week is, your experience in the gifted program, activities for gifted students, etc.

13. Design a button, T-shirt, or flag about developing talents.

14. Each day of Gifted Education Week, display a quotation by a famous gifted person.

15. Create puppets, props and script to inform your audience about gifted education. Offer to PTA, Rotary, Lions Club, etc., as a program.

16. Contact your local library or other community facility to request permission to create a display case of projects.

17. Study famous gifted people. Select a favorite. Depict that person in a vignette. Share interesting anecdotes with others. Dress up in period costume to be that person for a day.

18. Wear your costume as you walk through town distributing brochures about services for gifted children, about special Gifted Education Week events, etc.

19. Plan an open-class day for your gifted classroom. Prepare a slide show or other presentation to portray your program. Write invitations to attend the “showing” to businesses, school board members, school council members, local press, etc.

20. Kick off Gifted Education Week with a continental breakfast for school personnel who are supportive of appropriate services for gifted children.

21. Invite members of the board of education and school council to visit your classroom during Gifted Education Week to see developing talents in action.

22. Sponsor a school-wide activity such as Career Day, International Day, etc.

23. Prepare “Question of the Day” for each day of Gifted Education Week. Display the questions so all students may participate by doing research and handing in their answers. If feasible, offer prizes.

24. Create brainteaser trivia games to distribute to other classes.

25. Have students write predictions about themselves and for their gifted classmates. Have them describe where they will be and what they will be doing in the year 2027. They should also respond to the questions: How did your gifted classes prepare you for the future? What more could have been done?

26. Conduct a “hats off” contest. Invent hats that represent outstanding gifted individuals by showing their characteristics, accomplishments, interests, etc.

27. Prepare a debate or panel discussion about a controversial aspect of gifted education.

28. Draw the ideal gifted classroom. Pretend you are not limited by space or money.

29. Design thought-provoking notebook stickers (instead of bumper stickers). Attach them with clear contact paper.

30. Write similes and metaphors about gifted education.

31. Write help wanted ads for creative thinkers, problem solvers, and mentors. Write job descriptions for parents of the gifted, teachers of the gifted, etc.

32. Purchase newspapers. Have a local paper and a major paper. Highlight all articles that deal with education, giftedness, and gifted people.

33. Have students write and pre-record 30-second public service announcements for broadcast on local radio stations.

34. Set up an interview on a local radio or TV station to discuss gifted issues, to describe the local services for gifted students, to explain how schools identify and encourage gifted students, and/or to describe local and state efforts of KAGE.

35. Ask local banks / businesses to advertise Gifted Education Week on their marquee or computerized signs.

36. Present the superintendent, president of the board of education, and/or building principal(s) with framed certificates of appreciation to hang in their offices or in the central office.

37. Prepare a packet of creative ideas for use in the regular classroom.

38. Write letters to the editor thanking school board members and/or school council members for their support of gifted education.

39. Contact the advertising sales department of the local newspaper in advance about reserving a whole page for a special Gifted Education Week ad. Approach local merchants about purchasing a portion of the page for their own message saluting gifted education.

40. Contact the Mayor to get a proclamation signed about Gifted Education Week. Call the Mayor’s office to find out the necessary procedure. Make a ceremony out of the signing and have photographs taken. County judges will also sign proclamations. Make a publicity event of the signing. Call the local media to cover or take your own photographs. Make photographs available to local newspapers along with an article on gifted education.

41. Inform your local newspaper, radio and TV about Gifted Education Week. Ask them to feature what’s happening in your district to meet the needs of gifted students.

42. Arrange an appointment with an administrator, school board member, or school council member to share outstanding aspects of gifted education.

43. Plan a workshop about a relevant aspect of gifted education for teachers, administrators, school board members, and school council members.

44. Create a newsletter for parents and community groups describing gifted education in your district. Have information about KAGE and an agenda for Gifted Education Week.

45. Invite a panel of gifted graduates to discuss pros and cons of their program experiences.

46. Hold an “open house” for parents, administrators, teachers, school board members, school council members, and community leaders. This would be a great forum for students’ speeches, skits, demonstrations, etc. Information about KAGE and special student programs such as Super Saturday Programs, Governor Scholar’s Program, and Governor’s School for the Arts, etc. could also be available. A carry-in supper or snack would complement the evening.

47. Arrange to speak to parent groups (PTA, PTO) and other community groups such as the Lion’s Club or other service clubs about the purpose of gifted education. Include a slide presentation or videotaped presentation, if appropriate.

48. Teach a six to ten week class on a topic or book you enjoy (e.g., Guiding the Gifted Child by James Webb). Begin or end the class during Gifted Education Week.

49. Write a letter to someone who inspired you to teach gifted students. Say, “Thanks!”

50. Write your legislators. Urge them to continue supporting Kentucky gifted education.

51. Prepare crates or folders of materials on various topics of interest to parents of the gifted (e.g., sibling relationships, underachievement, and summer opportunities). Be sure the materials are all checked out during Gifted Education Week.

52. Check the public library for current books on “gifted” or “gifted education.” Talk with the librarian about purchasing books on the topics (be prepared with a list of suggested books). Make a request to a parent group to purchase a book(s) on “gifted” or “gifted education” for the public library. Make a public presentation of the book(s) to the librarian.

53. Call the local media to cover your special activities or take your own photographs and do a write up. Make available to local newspapers along with an article on gifted education.

54. Divide a classroom into groups. Challenge each group to plan a bulletin board for gifted education week. Emphasize that this is a planning session only. Let it evolve naturally. Allow the students 15 minutes to plan and prepare an oral presentation of their ideas to the class. At the end of 15 minutes, have the groups share ideas. Let the class select one for implementation. (This activity could be a lead in to a study of leadership in relation to a task.)

Are the following statements true or false?  Check back tomorrow for answers to the questions.

1. Gifted children thrive with more work.

2. Allowing a gifted child to tutor another child is usually a very effective service option. You really learn something when you teach it.

3. Just because a child is gifted in one area does not mean he is gifted in all areas.

4. Do not expect gifted students to be model students.

5. Gifted students are not at risk. If they are actually gifted, they can get by on their own.

6. Giftedness can easily be measured by intelligence tests and tests of achievement.

7. A good teacher can teach any student, because good teaching is all that is needed.

8. Even if the curriculum is accelerated for all students, services are still needed for gifted learners.

9. All children are gifted.

10. Most children suffer emotionally and socially when grade accelerated.

11. The brightest students tend to make the lowest achievement gains in school.

12. Gifted students are needed in all classes so that students do not lack positive role models for academic and social leadership.

The Center for Gifted Studies has partnered with Kentucky’s State Advisory Council for Gifted Education to produce a video and a public service announcement advocating for young people who are gifted and talented.

Gifted Education: Let’s Do It features Kentucky decision-makers, superintendents, educators, and concerned citizens discussing the importance of gifted education to children and to the Commonwealth.  An ideal program for civic clubs, professional development for educators, and discussion prompt for parents, this nine-minute video is available from The Center for Gifted Studies.  The message is critical!