Benefits of Online Learning for Gifted/2e
Our guest this week was Madeline Goodwin, Director of GHF Online Classes for Gifted Homeschoolers Forum. Our chat centered on the benefits of online learning for gifted and 2e (twice-exceptional) students.
Online learning for gifted students can be a way for these students to study with intellectual peers despite geographical barriers or lack of peers in local area. It has numerous benefits for 2e students who may struggle socially or emotionally to work or study in a regular classroom. The benefit of smaller classes and more individualized learning shouldn’t be overlooked.
Parents should take time to research whether their child would benefit from online learning. Participating in a free online class such as Khan Academy or similar program allows the student to experience online participation. Consideration should be given to the academic needs of the student and what classes are available. Also, it’s important to determine if classes fit in with long-range goals or may simply be taken for enrichment or a student’s passion. A student’s schedule should also be considered; does the student have time to take online classes?
What is the time commitment to take an online course? It is usually based on the program being taken. It may follow a semester format or calendar format. Online courses have evolved over time to include online live sessions, opportunities for study sessions, and ability to meet other students from all over the world.
Online learning is excellent for public, private or homeschool students to work in areas of interests not available to them otherwise. They can be extremely cost-effective for both schools and families.
Resources can be provided to help students connect with other students. Many online classes provide times for online chat sessions for students to meet, ask questions, and study together. GT students work well with intellectual peers, but often don’t have contact with them in real life. When possible and appropriate, students may want to schedule time to meet outside of class or even facetime with classmates or instructors.
Take time to make sure a student wants to engage in online classes and has the requisite skills to complete tasks, stay focused, and time to commit to online learning. Before starting an online class, seriously plan for what to do if things don’t work out. Devise a plan B just in case and hopefully it will never be needed. Parents should be prepared to provide a strong family support system to ensure a successful outcome for their child. We encourage you to read the transcript of this chat for additional information which may be found at Wakelet.
Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 2PM NZST/Noon AEST/1 AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community. Also, checkout our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.
About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com
Resources:
GHF Online Class Schedule Spring 2019
Online Enrichment: Courses from GHF Online (2e Newsletter – pdf)
Distance Education: Where It Started and Where It Stands for Gifted Children and Their Educators (pdf)
Online learning: A Smart Way to Nurture Gifted Kids
For Frustrated Gifted Kids, A World of Online Opportunities
Virtual Schools and Online Learning for K-12 Students is not a Trend or a Fad
Online Learning for Gifted Students: An Idea Whose Time has Come
Is Your Gifted Child Ready for Online Learning?
Meeting the Challenges of Working with Gifted Students (pdf)
“Just What I Need”: Gifted Students’ Perceptions of One Online Learning System (pdf)
Examining the Effectiveness of Using Web-based Learning for Gifted Students: Jordan as Case Study
Science, Creativity and the Real World: Lessons Learned from the U.S. Homeschool Community
Cybraryman’s Blended Learning Page
Cybraryman’s Google Hangout Page
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Photo courtesy of Madeline Goodwin and graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.
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Authentic Learning to Create 21st Century Learners
Authentic learning begins when a student engages because they can see relevance in what they are experiencing in the classroom and beyond. It is participating in meaningful, real-world learning that is in response to active student voice in the process of deciding what they need as an individual to succeed.
Our guest this week was Todd Stanley. Todd is the author (Prufrock Press) of many teacher-education books including Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students: A Handbook for the 21st Century Classroom, When Smart Kids Underachieve in the Classroom: Practical Solutions for Teachers, and his latest, Authentic Learning: Real World Experiences that Build 21st Century Skills. He served as a classroom teacher for 18 years and is currently the gifted services coordinator for Pickerington Local Schools (Ohio) where he lives with his wife and two daughters.
Todd Stanley will also be a speaker at this year’s TAGT Wednesday Institutes prior to their annual conference, giftED18 in Fort Worth, TX, on November 28, 2018. He will present two sessions: Authentic Learning to Create 21st-Century Learners and Project-Based Learning (PBL): A How-To Workshop . Todd will also present three sessions on Thursday, November 29th: Let’s Talk: Project-Based Learning in STEM, The Myths of Gifted Children, and Tired of SMART Goals? Create DUMB Goals to Build 21st-Century Learners. You can register for the giftED18 here.
Authentic learning breaks through the decades of monotonous rote-learning to prepare students to become innovators, critical thinkers and leaders. It benefits all of society by providing future problem solvers who have learned the skills to think, assess, and imagine solutions unknown to us today.
What teaching strategies enable authentic learning? It does not lend itself to the old-time adage – ‘sage on the stage’. Authentic learning should be facilitated; not taught. Authentic learning strategies go by many names today … problem-based, cased-based, portfolio driven, etc. The goal should be to use the strategy most responsive to the student’s individual needs.
Authentic learning promotes critical thinking by pushing beyond content and striving to understand why things are the way they are and how they work. It encourages critical thinking by engaging a student’s curiosity because the learning is relevant to them. It gives them a reason to want to learn. It makes a difference in their lives.
Which 21st century skills have been missed by elevating ‘data and measurable goals’? A good friend of #gtchat once said, “Every time a data-driven decision is made, a fairy dies.” Many may disagree, but the point is that children are more than the data collected about them … and they know it! We should learn from them. Folks in the business community were first to realize that our test-obsessed, only by the numbers education system was missing things like creativity, working together for a common purpose, and being able to adapt to new situations.
Capstones are a good choice to show growth with gifted/high ability students. They are a reflection of growth not captured by standardized testing and an excellent choice for both gifted and high ability students. Capstones provide a vehicle to showcase the cumulative experience of students near the end of their educational experience. They are generally long-term in production and investigative in nature which result in a final product, presentation, or performance. A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.
Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 1 PM NZDT/11 AM AEDT/Midnight UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community. Also, check out our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.
About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com
Resources:
Authentic Learning: Real-World Experiences That Build 21st-Century Skills (Prufrock)
Todd Stanley – The Gifted Guy (website)
Todd Stanley’s Blog https://goo.gl/MH1ecq
Higher Level Thinking with Gifted Students with Todd Stanley (YouTube 36:12)
Authentic Learning for the 21st Century: An Overview (pdf 2007)
9 Ways To Make Student Work Authentic
Creating Authentic Learning Experiences in the Literacy Classroom
AUS: “Authentic” Learning Experiences: What Does this Mean and Where is the Literacy Learning? (pdf 2009)
Why Authenticity Matters: 5 Ways Authenticity Impacts Student Learning
10 Ways Authentic Learning Is Disrupting Education
The Futures of Learning 3: What Kind of Pedagogies for the 21st Century (pdf 2015)
21st Century Learning: Research, Innovation and Policy (pdf)
CAN: Technologies that Aid Learning Partnerships on Real-World, Authentic Tasks (pdf 2015)
Allowing Authentic Discovery in the Middle School Classroom
How to Develop an Authentic Enrichment Cluster
Authentic Learning: A Practical Introduction and Guide for Implementation
Image courtesy of Flickr CC BY 2.0
Photo courtesy of Todd Stanley. Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.
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Procrastination and Gifted Students
Procrastination can begin very early for gifted children and be due to multiple reasons; such as, distraction when have already mastered the work presented to them and find it lacks challenge. Gifted children are often faced with high expectations; they may procrastinate because they do not believe they can meet those expectations. Goals for these kids should be within reason and have meaning for them.
According to Dr. Gail Post – gifted children may ‘self-sabotage’ their own work in an attempt to ‘fit in’ socially with peers. Procrastination can be a response to Impostor Syndrome; lacking self-confidence. It is often seen with perfectionism; delaying tasks because they may not be good enough. Being disorganized or distracted may also lead to procrastination. Gifted children with Executive Functioning issues may lack the skills to complete assignments despite motivation.
What are some consequences of procrastination? Failure to complete tasks at school or home can lead to behavioral problems such as meltdowns or refusal to work at all. Unidentified causes of procrastination do not go away at the end of the school day and may lead to conflicts at home when parental expectations replace classroom expectations. When gifted kids grow up, chronic procrastination can have devastating effects on their ability to complete work assignments; eventually affecting their career status.
Procrastination can play a major role in ‘perfectionism’ for gifted children. It can become a coping mechanism for dealing with perfectionism. When worried about the quality of their work, gifted children may simply not do the work. Too, too many times adults expect perfection; especially with identified GT kids. Don’t do it. Be honest and realistic with the child. Consider ‘less than best’ as a path to learning.
It’s important for adults to see the signs of procrastination which may be indicated by meltdowns, arguing or power struggles. Parents and teachers can work with gifted children to realistically assess their abilities, set reasonable goals, develop planning strategies and teach organizational skills.
What signs indicate that procrastination may affect a child’s well-being? Procrastination in and of itself should not be cause for worry about a child’s well-being. When in response to specific situations, it is something we all experience at times. When procrastination is combined with other factors such as changes in eating or sleeping habits, withdrawing from friends, expressing overwhelming sadness … then it may be wise to consult a professional for guidance. A transcript of this chat may be found at Wakelet.
Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 1PM NZST/11 AM AEST/1 AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community. Also, checkout our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.
About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com
Resources:
Perfectionism and Procrastination in Gifted Students (YouTube :36)
Procrastination and the Gifted Child
Bust Your BUTS: Tips for Teens Who Procrastinate (GPP)
Not Now Maybe Later: Helping Children Overcome Procrastination (GPP)
Ten Ways to Help Kids Who Procrastinate (poster) (GPP)
Ten Reasons Why Your Gifted Child Procrastinates
The Real Causes of Procrastination
Perfectionism and Procrastination in Gifted Children
Procrastination—A Cry for Help
Giftedness and Procrastination
A Side Effect of Giftedness: Procrastination
Helping Kids Overcome Procrastination: Why Wait?
Moving Past Perfectionism and Procrastination (online course) via #TAGT on Demand
Procrastination…Wait, There’s a Squirrel!
Sprite’s Site: Sprite on the subject of Homework!
Sprite’s Site: White Poodle, Black Poodle
GHF: Perfectionism and Other Gifted/2E Quirks (Blog Hop)
Image courtesy of Pixabay CC0 Creative Commons
Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.
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Gifted Education Coordinator: Stakeholder or Gatekeeper?
The role of the gifted education coordinator is highly dependent on how a school district is organized. Their role may be strictly administrative or a blended role such as teacher, student advisor, and program coordinator. Administrative duties generally include producing student IEPs (where required), providing PD to district teachers and staff, meeting state mandates, and resolving parent/teacher or student/teacher issues.
Should the GT coordinator be seen as a stakeholder or gatekeeper? Whether seen as a stakeholder or gatekeeper, the reality is often in the eye of the beholder (parents or other teachers) rather than as they see themselves. Parents who are happy with their child’s gifted program will most likely see a stakeholder. The manner in which a GT coordinator approaches their job and views gifted education in general often influences who they are viewed by teachers and parents. Gatekeepers may restrict access to programs for various reasons.
There are some ways GT coordinators can interact with teachers and staff to build consensus around the gifted program to benefit students. Professional development for teachers and staff trainings are seen as key consensus builders in gifted education. Few teachers have any exposure to gifted education courses at the undergraduate level. GT coordinators can model best practices in their approach to developing the gifted program in their school. They should seek certification or an advanced degree in gifted education if possible.
Positive interactions with other educators responsible for educating GT students is a good first step in recognizing the need for a strong gifted program. Attending conferences and workshops dealing with gifted education can have a profound effect on how a GT coordinator views gifted education.
What are some justifications GT coordinators can use for providing gifted education services when they are not valued by the local community? A local community will not support a program it does not understand or for which it sees no value being provided or returned to it. GT coordinators should develop outreach programs to educate the local community about gifted education. GT coordinators can periodically bring together the local community, teachers, and parents to serve together on gifted advisory boards. By involving community members in decision making, they can see benefits of the programs.
“If a student is operating at one-and-a-half or more standard deviations below average, we provide services in the form of Special Education. If a student operates at one-and-a-half standard deviations ABOVE average, shouldn’t we do the same?” ~ Jeffrey Farley
State and national gifted organizations such as the NAGC, SENG and TAGT are a good place for GT coordinators to find resources to inform their decisions about the administration of gifted programs in their schools. Also, most state departments of education have information on their websites about gifted education programming.
On a personal note: I would like to thank Mr. Jeffrey Farley, M.Ed., former District Special Programs Coordinator, Beaumont ISD, for taking over the moderator’s role this week so that I could take a few days off to visit family! ~ Lisa
Please check out the resources below about the role of gifted coordinators as well as resources for them.
Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 1 PM NZDT/11 AM AEDT/1 AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community. Also, checkout our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.
About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com
Resources:
Stakeholder or Gatekeeper: The Role of the Principal in Gifted Education (pdf)
Ten Things All Administrators Should Know about Gifted Children
Shaping School Culture: The Heart of Leadership (bn)
TEMPO: Positive Ripple Effects of Professional Development for Gifted Programs (pdf)
Programs and Services for Gifted Secondary Students: A Guide to Recommended Practices (Prufrock)
Giving Our Gifted Students a Voice (pdf)
Administrator Quick Guide to Gifted Education (pdf)
Texas G/T Program Implementation Resource: G/T Coordinator-Teacher-Counselor Documents
How Leadership Influences Student Learning (pdf)
Pre-K to Grade 12 Gifted Programming Standards
Snapshot Survey of PK-Grade 12 Gifted Education Programming Effectiveness Factors (pdf)
Image courtesy of Pixabay CC0 Creative Commons
Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Farley. Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.
