WHERE ARE YOUR TALENTED AT-RISK

STUDENTS? DROWNING?

Barb Hahn, GPAEASandy Morrison, GPAEALaurie Noll, Burlington Alternative High School

U.S. schools spend $8 billion on the mentally

retarded and just 10% of that on

the gifted(TIME 8/27/07)

Between 2-5 percent of all students are both gifted

and talented and learning disabled

(Dix & Schafer, 1996)

Of the 62 million school-age kids in the U.S., 62, 000 have IQs

of 145 or higher(TIME 8/28/07)

High-IQ kids who skip at least three grades are the happiest and

most successful(TIMES 8/27/2007)

40% of the top 5% of graduates fail to finish

college(Times 8/27/07)

Underachievement is made up of a complex web of behaviors, but it can be reversed by parents and

educators who consider the many strengths and talents possessed by

the students who may wear this label

(Delisle & Berger, 1990)

Questions to Ask• How many talented and gifted

students do you have identified?

• Who are your TAG students?

• How can you identify them?

• What is the attendance rate of your TAG students?

• How is their behavior in school?

• Are they making the grades?

It's all about standing out...

STUDENT

STUDENT

STUDENT

STUDENT TALENTED AT RISK STUDENT

STUDENT

STUDENT

Areas of Giftedness• General Intellectual

• Specific Academic

• Leadership

• Visual and Performing

Arts

• Creativity

Multiple criteria for identification must be used including potential, achievement, leadership, creativity, product, evaluations, and nomination. A pupil may be identified in more than one category.

Twice Exceptional

• Attention Deficit

• Health Problems

• Learning Disabled

• Gifted does not protect you from a disability or life experiences.

•Adult responsibilities

•Unstable home life

•Health & Learning Disabilities

•Mental Health Issues

•Lower SES

•High mobility

•Homeless

•Absenteeism

•Childbirth/sick child

•Cultural attitude about

achievement

•Environment

•Interpersonal attitudes about

giftedness

Minimize the barriers; Maximize the child ~ Colangelo

Rejection and failing grades become the norm

Gradual Release of Responsibility

Teacher Responsibility

Student Responsibility

Focus Lesson “I do it”

Guided Instruction “We do it”

Collaborative “You do it together”

Independent “You do it alone”

Ask students:

What is your passion?

What do you want to learn?

Listen and Brainstorm for best results

Every young person needs and deserves:

1. A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult

2. A safe place to learn and grow

3. A healthy start and a healthy future

4. A marketable skill to use upon graduation

5. A chance to give back to peers and community

Milliken, 2007

Focus on what we can do!

When we focus we do make a difference!

Relevance

A LESSON WITH RELEVANCEASKS STUDENTS TO:

USE THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO TACKLE REAL-WORLD

PROBLEMS THAT HAVE MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION.

A LESSON WITH RIGOR ASKS

STUDENTS TO:

EXAMINE PRODUCE

CLASSIFY DEDUCE

GENERATE ASSESS

CREATE PRIORITIZE

SCRUTINIZE DECIDE

What can you do?• Find teachers that motivate students

• Give up complacency

• Find your gifted students

“Convince me that you love children.”~ Frank Schargel

Encourage Every Star To Shine

You have these gifted studentsThey do not need to be perfect in all areas

They may be impacted by at-risk factorsand disabilities

TAG students need to be recognized so we do not lose our treasures.

Your Challenge

Find underserved gifted students by using a broad definition of giftedness and a multiple criteria approach with unique and appropriate identification

strategies

TALENTED AT RISK STUDENT

http://try.alot.com/tb/videos/videos_viral_boyle.php?aff_id=google&camp_id=956&gclid=CLD135mDx50CFRwhDQod1CpfqA

We have the privilege to help students achieve their dreams and

open their treasures.

Goals for all students: Success for their Future

http://tagatriskstudents.blogspot.com

Questions