AP and MORE Service Options for Gifted Secondary Students

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AP and MORE! Service Options for Gifted
Secondary Students

• Felicia Dixon, Ph.D.
• Ball State University
• October 19, 2007

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Consider the Following Vignettes Kate

• Today my history professor said in class that
  books had changed his life, and when I asked him
  after his lecture which books, he said that was
  private and refused to tell me. That seemed a
  strange attitude for a humanities teacher, but I
  guess its not strange for a Harvard professor,
  sadly.

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Kate Continued

• I havent had time to do much reading outside of
  classes, but I am writing (probably very bad, but
  oh well) fiction of my own, and volunteering in a
  battered womens shelter, which is the part of my
  life here that seems the most real to me. Also I
  go to the art museum to see films which I love.

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Consider Jacob

• I definitely felt prepared when I stepped out of
  the car onto Swarthmore College turf, and there
  has been little evidence to the contrary. This
  institution is renown for its academic rigor,
  teaching quality, and intensity of student
  workloads, but I was prepared well. I also had
  great peer support and felt that I socially
  matured over the years I spent in school.

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Jacob Continued

• As I look back on the row of snapshots I have
  taped to my bookshelf above my desk, my heart
  both softens and feels as if it will break. But
  I am both strong and sensitive at the same time
  from my experiences. I know this is more than
  you asked for, but I think you need to have the
  whole picture.

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Consider Seth

• I discovered J.D. Salinger the other day and in
  the course of a week read all his novels. No
  doubt they are some of the best I have come
  across.
• Ive also been trying to expose myself to a
  number of literary styles, reading Japanese and
  South American novels in translation. You often
  hear about the way in which Japanese wood block
  prints influenced visual artists in Europe but
  rarely of the same in the

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• the literary world. I think it is pretty clear
  these influences did occur, though perhaps much
  later--50s or so. More than likely, Ive just
  never heard it vocalized.

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Consider Jenna

• I just wanted to let you know what has happened
  to me since graduation. I went to DePauw for one
  year and then quit school. I moved in with my
  boyfriend and moved away. I actually began to
  get along with my parents after I moved out of
  their house. I do wish I hadnt quit school.
  But some things have to happen for other things
  to happen. A pretty vague philosophy, huh?

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Jenna Continued

• Now Im working in an office, and its boring. I
  was just thinking the other day, that in Songs
  of Innocence when he talks about the things that
  take away the innocence of childhood, he really
  means things like this dumb job. Tedious is the
  word I am thinking of.

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Consider Sadiyya

• Hello, Dr. Dixon,
• Maybe you dont remember me, but I graduated
  from the Academy in 98 and was lucky enough to
  have taken your literature courses all four
  semesters I was there. I went to IU after that,
  did a journalism BA, and lived in India for a
  year after that. Now I am living in Texas and
  will be married this summer. I have just
  finished my first collection of short
  stories--not yet published

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Sadiyya Continued

• but I am working on that! Basically I am writing
  to you because you were the most inspiring
  professor I have ever had and my book would not
  have been possible without you and the delightful
  insight you gave us in your courses. To this
  day, I base my knowledge and understanding of
  writing on what I learned and read in your
  courses.

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Sadiyya 3

• I especially keep close to my heart Jane Eyre and
  would like to send you a copy of my book, my
  homemade version thus far, and for that I just
  need to get your postal address. Hope you are
  doing well, and itd be wonderful to hear from
  you.
• Sadiyya

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Consider Robert

• At age 13, Robert attended one of the eastern
  summer talent search programs at a major
  university. On entering the class, the
  instructor asked each of the students what he or
  she hoped to accomplish. Robert announced that
  he wished to complete algebra and trigonometry so
  that he could take AP calculus in the fall. The
  instructor

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Robert Continued

• replied that all Robert needed to do was finish
  two math books, whereupon Robert said, Give me
  the books. He finished both algebra and
  trigonometry with a 97 grade average for the
  summer. He then took high school calculus as a
  high school freshman and, because of a tragedy in
  the instructors family, stepped in to teach the
  last 10 weeks of the course. (Van Tassel-Baska,
  1998)

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What Do These Students Have in Common?

• Strong ability to analyze situations
• Synthesis as a hallmark of their comments
• Need to give the big picture
• Admiration for high level challenge and
  assignments that are not busy work
• Ability to create new ideas

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Similarities Continued

• New Perspectives on situations
• Struggles in life
• Sensitivity
• Ability to Solve Problems
• Self-efficacy
• Resiliency

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All of these students would qualify for services

• The Federal Definition as established by Sidney
  Marland in 1972 states
• Gifted and talented children are those identified
  by professionally qualified people who, by virtue
  of outstanding abilities, are capable of high
  performance. These are children who require
  differentiated educational programs and/or
  services beyond those normally provided by the
  regular school program in order to realize their
  contribution to self and society.

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Areas included

• Children (Adolescents) capable of high
  performance include those with demonstrated
  achievement and/or potential ability (added in
  1993) in any of the following areas, singly or in
  combination

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Areas

• General intellectual ability
• Specific academic aptitude
• Creative or productive thinking
• Leadership ability
• Visual or performing arts
• Psychomotor ability
• This definition was restated in 1978 to exclude
  psychomotor giftedness.

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And All Could Attend the Lecture
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What Current Services Are Available to These
Students?

• AP and IB
• Restructuring Efforts in High Schools
• Small Learning Communities (Darling-Hammond et
  al, 2002)
• Competency Based Promotion ((Plucker, Zapf,
  Spradlin, 2004)
• Early College High Schools (Colangelo, Assoline,
  Gross, 2004)

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Current Services

• Career Technical Education and Gifted Education
  for general education and gifted education
  students who are talented in the vocational
  fields (Gentry et al, 2007).
• Highly Qualified Teachers (NAGC Standards, 2006)
• Special Schools (Olszewski-Kubilius, 2007)
• Magnet Schools (Dixon, 2007)

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Current Services

• Honors Classes (VanTassel-Baska, 1998).
• Seminars on Special Topics (Dixon, 1994 Kolloff
  Feldhusen, 1986).
• Early College Entrance Programs
  (Olszewski-Kubilius, 2007).

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Current Services

• Talent Search Options (Olszewski-Kubilius, 2007)
• Dual Enrollment (Plucker, 2005)
• On-Line Virtual High Schools--Stanford
  University, 2006 Kentucky Virtual High School
• Study Abroad (Limburg-Weber, 2007)
• Distance Learning (Adams Cross, 1999
• Olszewski-Kubilius Limburg-Weber, 2002).

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Students Today

• Gifted Students in the 21st Century have never
  known life without technology. They are
  tech-saavy and invent and create on the computer
  as well as in other media. They look at September
  11, 2001, as a touchstone date in their lives,
  and they understand the sobering lesson that date
  gave for all.

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Bill Gates

• In February 2005, Microsoft Corporation chairman,
  Bill Gates said, "Our high schools were designed
  50 years ago to meet the needs of another
  generation. Until we design them to meet the
  needs of this century, we will keep limiting,
  even ruining, the lives of millions of Americans
  each year" (Feller, 2005, .2).

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Trends for the Future

• Research on gifted students at the secondary
  level must inform decision-making.
• An understanding of individual differences in
  abilities must be viewed as informative in
  structuring how high schools are operated. It is
  not unfair to do different things for different
  folks.

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Future Directions in Curriculum

• An optimum curriculum is a curriculum imparted by
  educators proficient in their content areas and
  who are experienced in real-life work that
  relates to their content area. Secondary schools
  need to involve
• Science researchers
• Engineers
• Actuaries
• Authors
• Artists
• International Business Experts

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The Optimum Curriculum is

• A curriculum that focuses less on mastery or a
  specified amount of material and more on in-depth
  work on problems and projects.
• A curriculum that deliberately attempts to
  provide students with tacit knowledge of careers
  and training in specific domains.
• For example, students who desire to be scientists
  must know what the career path of a research
  scientist entails, what kind and level of
  education are required, and what experiences
  other than graduate school are deemed vital for
  success.

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Curricular Trends

• An optimum curriculum must include internships as
  critical components of a secondary level
  education. These cannot be add-ons but must be
  essential parts of the regular school schedule.
  Perhaps one day per week could consist of the
  required internship.

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An optimum curriculum is

• A curriculum that demands a senior project that
  showcases creative productivity. For example
• Intel Science Competition Submission
• Submission of a literary piece for publication
• Creation of a musical score
• Submission of art to a juried show

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An optimum curriculum is

• A curriculum that incorporates technology as an
  integral part both in curriculum and in
  instruction. Such curriculum must focus on
• Programming
• Gaming
• Applications to all the content areas
• Instruction must enable students to conduct
  research, tap into internet resources and tools,
  and create peer networks that connect students
  globally with other students with similar
  interests to facilitate collaborative projects
  (i.e., across schools).

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An optimum curriculum

• Includes a requirement for graduation of the
  completion of a distance learning course.
• Allows for the specialization of a major talent
  area while in high school. Not all students
  would have to do this, but the option would be
  available.

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Programming for Gifted Secondary Students

• School within a School could be an option with
  programs designed to meet talent areas (Jarvin
  Subotniks model, 2006).
• Partnerships with other institutions in order to
  access working professionals as mentors or to
  provide internship opportunities.
• Flexible entrance and exit requirements for
  gifted students. Some say that 8th and 12th
  grades must be flexible options.

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What Else?

• AP must be a viable option but it must fit the
  guidelines for gifted education. To this end,
  instructors in AP must take a course in the
  characteristics of gifted adolescents so they
  know their classes may consist of two different
  types of students gifted students and high
  achieving students. Advanced Placement is more
  aptly named Appropriate Placement for a gifted
  adolescent. What else is there in the school for
  them by junior year?

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And

• Career counseling must be provided systematically
  and early.
• Service Learning must be an option in the
  secondary options.
• Intellectual Activities must be a focus of the
  school in the same way as athletic competitions
  are.

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To Dixon, Felicia A. Subject
Hello!!! Dear Dr. Dixon, I suppose Mr.
Willis probably told you a bit about the
scholarship I got, because he seemed so excited
he was telling everyone. I really do miss having
teachers who cared so much, although Duke has
it's share of good professors (whew). The best
part of the scholarship is a 6 week course at
Oxford and I am leaving in one week and taking
Victorian Literature at New College! Since there
is only one lecture and tutorial per week, I
figure I will have time to travel and hit up
all those great Arthurian places I have always
dreamed of seeing. However, I want to avoid huge
tourist attractions and don't know where
to begin. What are your favorite places in
Britain? I know you have been there numerous
times and may even be there right now. Oh,
and you might be interested to know that I'm
going to teaching a sort-of class in the fall
called Arthurian legends! Duke has these things
called housecourses that are worth half the
credit of an official course, and any student can
write up a syllabus and apply to teach. I'm
including a lot of the stuff we read together as
well as some contemporary fiction. Aside from
the housecourse, I'm editing a fantasy/sci fi
magazine and writing for the humor magazine,
which is much harder than I anticipated. I'm
trying to make a comic story about Supernerd man
and his sister Miss Know it all, but I keep
lapsing into stereotypic storylines and I might
just give up and stick to making parodies of
fairy tales instead. A few weeks ago, I was
reading the ARthurian Encyclopedia and
came across the name of the author of this great
merlin anthology, so I looked up his e-mail and
wrote to him! Professor Peter Goodrich
wrote back and I was so psyched, AND he told me
about a new Merlin casebook coming out as part of
the entire Routledge collection of
Arthurian casebooks that I have never heard of!
We could have spent another entire semester
looking through those! I hope that you have
had a good year! I will be sure to write again
after I get to Oxford and tell you about any neat
adventures, especially Merlin-related one Mimi.
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In Conclusion

• Nelson (1989) cautioned that excessive time
  spent in low level curriculum actively builds a
  wall of habits that blocks the path to higher
  level reasoning. Even rapid acceleration can have
  this damaging effect, if students are only
  accelerated into new low-level content. To
  provide a climate ready for higher order
  thinking, educators must present content that is
  accelerated vertically as well as horizontally
  (in Gallagher, 2007).

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And Finally

• The absence of a quality differentiated secondary
  program for gifted students is not a neutral
  position it is a choice that will result in
  deficit skill development and student apathy. At
  worst, it will result in the disillusionment of
  some of the best minds in the country.
• We Cannot let this happen!