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Parallel
Curriculum
The
overview of National Association for
Gifted Children's new Parallel Curriculum
Model will give participants an
opportunity to preview the newly completed
model and to work with it in a guided
setting. The goal of the workshop is to
begin establishing familiarity with the
model and the capacity to apply facets of
the model to curricular areas of
interest.
The
Parallel Curriculum model is a cumulative
model of past curriculum models rolled
into one. It is multi layered so that the
curriculum can be more adequately altered
to meet the needs of diverse learners. It
is easy to see where standards fit and how
they can be adapted. By looking at the
model you will see possibilities for
constructing quality curriculum with
multiple choices for
implementation.
Differentiated
Instruction
Or --Gifted in the Regular
Classroom
In most
schools and classrooms, the goal is to
provide a program that offers every child
the opportunity to experience intellectual
challenge, accomplishment and delight in
learning. The problem exists when programs
or curricula typically don't respond to
the intellectual needs of the student who
already knows the material.
If we are
to provide students with the same
educational opportunities for growth and
learning as their peers, we must view
their "special needs" and make special
adaptations in programs and activities.
Strategies, techniques and tools that help
teachers meet the diverse needs of
students in their classroom, will be
demonstrated and discussed. "Instead of"
rather than "more of the same" activities
will be given. Sally will address: Why we
need to differentiate, assessing
knowledge, curriculum compacting,
independent study, tiered instruction,
product development, and
assessment.
Classroom
Differentiation for the Young Gifted
Child
Grades pre-k through grade
3
Many
educators believe that young gifted
children cannot or should not be
identified until at least third grade. We
know through experience that these
children exist at younger age. Young
gifted children need a different type of
curriculum if they are to learn anything
new, stretch beyond their already vast
knowledge base, and grow, rather than
stagnate. Their frustration with
one-size-fits-all curriculum may turn into
misbehavior or withdrawal. Ideas and
strategies will be shared and demonstrated
to help classroom teachers and parents
challenge the capable young children they
know.
Gifted
Education Institute Training (Consists of
background, history, myths surrounding
gifted education, program administration,
characteristics, identification of gifted
students, curriculum options, program
delivery models, social-emotional needs of
gifted students, evaluation of students
and program, and advocacy) This course is
required in Illinois to teach gifted
students. Each one of these topics is a
workshop.
Critical
and Creative Thinking Extensions for the
Classroom
Critical
and creative thinking extend the
curriculum beyond the knowledge and
comprehension level. Participants will
have a chance to explore different kinds
of thinking, recognize their preferred way
of learning, recognize different ways
students learn and implement creative and
critical thinking strategies into their
classroom curriculum. Actual hands-on
activities will be shared. Participants
will leave with ideas that they can use
the next day in their classrooms.
Curriculum
Development
What is
curriculum? Is it standards? Textbooks?
District curriculum? State curriculum? We
will look at the components of curriculum.
Come with your curriculum guides, texts
and ideas. Your job will be to:
•
Build and align curriculum to meet your
students'
needs.
•
Identify what you do well and build on
it.
•
Identify areas want to improve upon, and
set goals. Explore
connections.
•
Develop comfort with
differentiation
•
Align curriculum picture with
standards
•
Shop for ideas.
Products
to Stop Copying
Today it
is harder to have students produce work
that is really original. It has become so
easy to copy and paste from the internet
that little processing of information or
originality occurs. We will explore
creative products that can enhance
learning, along with creating criteria and
rubrics for their evaluation.
Program
Evaluation
Why is it
necessary to do a program evaluation? How
do you know if you are on the right track?
Or if you have arrived or still have miles
to go? What is involved? What questions
need to be asked? What makes evaluation
useful?
Effective
program evaluation begins with asking the
right questions. In order to get the
answers you need to build program
improvement, the appropriate questions
need to be asked. In examining program
evaluation planning, we will look at what
is in place that works, and what input is
needed to be to make the program even
better.
Topics
Specifically for Parents
Characteristics
that Drive You Crazy
Or--The Gifted Child: Do You Have
One?
Your
Gifted Child is a unique individual who
shares certain characteristics with other
gifted children. You've probably noticed
that your child learns differently,
behaves differently and reacts differently
from other; yet trying to specify what is
so different about your child seems like
an impossible task. We all can think of
instances when the gifted child does
charming, precocious or embarrassing
things. Their behavior is impressive
and/or unexpected. By looking closely at
the characteristics these youngsters
exhibit, we can more ably identify and
meet their special social and emotional
needs. We will also discuss how the
child's special needs place demands on
you.
You will
discover what you have done right, along
with what you must do to make sure your
child's social and emotional needs
continue to be met. Meet other parents and
teachers who share your joys and concerns.
Surviving
Giftedness
Today it
seems like the message is "Be the best you
can be, as long as you don't stand out."
It's OK to excel in sports, but academics
are another matter. Our society has a
double standard. We want the gifts your
child has, but not the inconvenience of
dealing with giftedness. We will also
discuss how the child's special needs
place demands on you and will look
humorously at continuing to cope with,
live with and experience giftedness.
The
Right Stuff (What You Have Done Right and
What You Can Do To Improve)
It is not
easy to raise a child today. Parents are
often blamed, rather than praised for
doing their best. We will look at
characteristics that promote success and
characteristics that impede success.
Strategies that parents can employ to
strengthen characteristics that promote
success will be explored. We will help
parents to see how kids can soar by
removing the imposed ceiling rather than
forcing them into a prescribed mold and
expecting them to fit.
Why
Gifted Kids Need Support and What You Can
Do
Why is it
that so many educated people believe that
the gifted students do not need anything
different? Are they afraid that by giving
the child who already has more, that we
will widen the learning gap? What do
gifted students need? And how can you
speak up for them?
Parents
need to become advocates rather than
adversaries. An advocate is one who
espouses, defends or pleads the case of
another. Our society seems biased against
bright people; perhaps our democracy fears
that an elitist group will emerge. Parent
advocates are needed, as they have the
knowledge (or ability to find out) and
wisdom it takes to fight for our children.
The children cannot do it by themselves.
They have not lived long enough to have
the experience or wisdom it takes,
regardless of the knowledge they
possess.
If
children are to reach their potential they
need ALL the help that they can get.
Parents and schools and government need to
work together.
This
presentation will focus on what makes the
gifted student different, what needs
result from this difference and how you
can help by speaking up for this student.
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