There are lots of very common theories about education that you've likely heard. For example, you may have heard that creative people use the right side of their brain, or that some people learn better when they see the material and others learn better when hearing it. But is any of that true? TIP's researchers are here to answer. … [Read more...] about Correcting the Myths of Gifted Education
differentiation
Personalized Learning: The Next Big Thing in Gifted Education?
Two of the biggest names in technology and education philanthropy – Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg – are jointly funding a $12 million initiative to support “personalized learning” in schools across the country. When any new educational strategy receives money and attention, questions arise. What is “personalized learning,” and why could this approach matter to your gifted student? Personalized learning (“PL”) is a specific type of instruction that creates a learning environment that responds to … [Read more...] about Personalized Learning: The Next Big Thing in Gifted Education?
Ask the Experts — Homework: What’s Best?
Dear Dr. Courtright, I’ll keep this short and sweet. This email comes to you from a small independent school. As a gifted educator of forty years, I have long admired and appreciated Duke’s work on behalf of gifted learners. At my school, we pride ourselves on a differentiated curriculum that strives to provide instruction that is both appropriate and respectful of our student population. This philosophy also applies to homework assignments. … [Read more...] about Ask the Experts — Homework: What’s Best?
How Many Ability Levels Can One Teacher Juggle? The Case for Differentiated Differentiation
One of the first steps of advocating for academically talented students is identifying that their educational needs aren’t being met in the classroom. Obviously, there are numerous ways this can be done. One compelling way was recently reported in a recent Gifted Child Quarterly article that showed the range of reading scores of elementary school students. The study measured the number of words students could read in a minute (commonly referred to as oral reading fluency). For example, some … [Read more...] about How Many Ability Levels Can One Teacher Juggle? The Case for Differentiated Differentiation
Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent
Is there a meaningful difference between the student who excels with no apparent effort and one who excels through persistent diligence? Their performance and outcomes may be the same, but their paths vastly differ. Francois Gagné’s differentiated model of giftedness and talent considers behaviors that appear spontaneously easy different from those that require mastery through extensive training. … [Read more...] about Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent
Looking for Appropriate Services for Gifted English Language Learners
What should an effective gifted program look like? This question may be difficult for any parent to answer, and it can be especially difficult for parents who have moved to the U.S. as adults. This is not only because there may be a language barrier, but also because our schools often are very different from schools in other countries. Gifted programming varies so widely in the U.S. that the closest we come to a description are explanations of service delivery models. These may involve: … [Read more...] about Looking for Appropriate Services for Gifted English Language Learners
What Every Parent Should Know About Differentiated Instruction
It’s the first week of school, and you receive the following note from your child’s teacher: Dear Parents, This summer I attended a workshop on differentiated instruction, and I’m excited about using it in my classes. My goal with differentiating is to meet the needs of all of my students, so I’ll be using many different teaching and learning strategies over the course of the year. I hope that you’ll see your child learning and enjoying school. Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail with your … [Read more...] about What Every Parent Should Know About Differentiated Instruction
Changing Views on Educating Gifted Students
More than a half century ago I began my first serious venture in studying gifted students. We identified students with Stanford Binet IQ test scores over 150 in the elementary schools of a university-town school system. The goal was to discover if the elementary teacher could, with some outside help from counselors and psychologists, provide an effective educational experience for a youngster with such advanced cognitive abilities ( one in 1,000). To our astonishment, instead of the four or … [Read more...] about Changing Views on Educating Gifted Students
Training Highly Qualified Teachers
Teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities across the United States abound, but are pre-service teachers being provided with the knowledge and skills needed to recognize and nurture gifts and talents in the children they will serve? … [Read more...] about Training Highly Qualified Teachers
The Renzulli Learning System: Assessing and Developing Children’s Interests
Every parent has had the satisfaction of seeing their child “turn on” to a topic or school experience that demonstrates the true joy and excitement of both learning and teaching. Parents are also painfully aware of the boredom and lack of interest that their child may express about so much of the work they do in school. … [Read more...] about The Renzulli Learning System: Assessing and Developing Children’s Interests