4J TAG Newsletter
Fall 2022
Jocelyn Mendelssohn - District TAG TOSA
email: mendelssohn_j@4j.lane.edu
Welcome back! The Fall TAG (on-site) testing weeks will roll out a little differently this year due to some scheduling changes. It will begin in our K-5 schools with scheduling starting October 17th for Camas Ridge, Chinese Immersion, Coburg, Edgewood, Edison, Family School,McCornack, Ridgeline, Spring Creek, Twin Oaks, and Village School. Then beginning November 1st, scheduling/testing will begin for the remaining schools: Adams, Buena Vista, Charlemagne, Chávez, Gilham, Holt, Howard, River Road/El Camino del Rio, Willagillespie, and Yujin Gakuen. We should be be wrapped up by November 18th. Building TAG Coordinators will indicate their building's preferred 1st and 2nd choice of weeks and times with our 4J TAG Testing Team now.
Here are some basic, routine protocols we have in place, just as a reminder: Please remember that in the Spring, when we are seeking a Reading or Math TAG identification for a 3rd through 8th grade student, we use the results of the SBAC testing + classroom based evidence to inform that decision, among other pathways. In the Spring, TAG Testing for Reading or Math for grades K-2 will be done by our TAG testing team at school using the TerraNova. Testing for Intellectual Giftedness (IG) is done with the Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability (NNAT) on site, K-5. At the state level, there are new rules that will shape how we identify students as needing to be served by a TAG plan that allows for greater inclusivity and breaks down barriers. ODE will no longer provide us with statewide norms, so we will be using district level norming instead. See below for more information.
Another friendly reminder: If a student is newly identified as needing to be served by a TAG plan, it is district policy that there is a 30 day window to have a TAG plan written, signed by parents and returned. Teachers and building TAG Coordinators can work on this together. Often times this occurs at Parent/Teacher Conferences. Once signed, that TAG plan is to be copied with one copy going back home and the other used by the teacher to support differentiation planning, and then housed in a student's orange TAG folder that lives in their cum. file in the office. And as always, being the dedicated teachers that we are, we serve students to meet their level and rate of learning - TAG identification or no TAG identification. What a great segue to our spotlight topic below: Differentiation! Keep scrolling...
How DO we TAG identify our students in 4J?
Check out our updated flowchart to the left to see how it all works!
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) TAG Specialist, Angela Allen, has provided much needed professional development to our TAG Coordinators recently. There are positive changes coming from state directives, and 4J is working to update our policies, protocols, procedures, and practices... (I love alliteration, don't you?)
Improving our TAG identification practices is an important shift as we learn more about what the research is telling us: there are kids from marginalized populations missing from TAG. By that we mean - it's time to evolve so that we break down barriers to TAG identification for historically underrepresented populations of students. No longer are we receiving state norms for the Spring SBAC test. All districts are to move toward using localized norms, and 4J is making that shift this Fall. 4J district-wide norms were used to identify those that scored a 95th%ile or above in Reading and/or Math on the SBAC. However, that's not the only shift...
When we assess students using the SBAC, the TerraNova, or the NNAT, those scores are important, yes, but no longer "gatekeepers" that shut down the evaluation process in its tracks unless it's at a 95th%ile or above. ODE is instructing all districts to gather a "preponderance of evidence" before making a determination. (ODE Division 22, 581-002-2325, #3). In other words, multiple pieces of evidence need to be collected by the team before making an informed decision, and one test score is not the only determinant. Other pieces of evidence can include: easyCBM, local performance data, research-based rating scales, teacher / parent recommendation, teacher qualitative data/observations, classroom work samples (ideally scored with an ODE rubric,) grade level performance tasks at the "exceeds" level, and evidence of rapid language acquisition, accelerated learning, and advanced vocabulary in any language.
Transitioning to meet these new requirements takes some time, but the process has already begun. We are improving our practices one step at a time.
Click the image above to access a helpful one-pager for 4J TAG created by our own Chávez TAG Coordinator, Kristin Strand. Great for staff meetings! Everyone being on the same page makes the work easier.
Click the image above to access a detailed checklist that helps TAG Coordinators take care of all those necessary Fall TAG tasks. Use this list to ensure it all gets done accurately and on time.
Are you sure you're differentiating your instruction? Watch this short 3 minute video and do a quick self-check. As teachers we are certainly life-long learners. We can all grow our practice and further develop our skills - just like our students!
Skillful Differentiation in the Classroom:
Is it actually "differentiation" or is it merely "different??
Carol Ann Tomlinson is one of our nation's legendary differentiation gurus whose workshops, books, and videos have helped teachers improve their skills when it comes to genuinely meeting the diverse needs of their learners through differentiation. In the video linked to the left, you'll be able to do a self-check as to whether you're genuinely differentiating the learning for your students or not.
An overview of what Differentiation IS and IS NOT is clearly outlined here in this Reading Rockets article written by Carol Ann Tomlinson herself.
It's the current intention to have professional development for 4J teachers in the 22-23 school year that would support growing our differentiation skills in meaningful and effective ways that increase student engagement and -- a love of learning!
Click on the graphic image on the left for a better view of the variety of ways we can differentiate in a meaningful way in the gen. ed. classroom. TeachThought.com is an excellent resource for those looking for innovative ways to reach all learners.
4J TAG Coordinators received Differentiation PD from ODE TAG Specialist, Angela Allen, this Fall. We will be sharing our learning with you soon!
What Role Does Vulnerability Play in our Classrooms?
It's hard to find someone in our field completely unfamiliar with shame researcher & author, Dr. Brene Brown. She's written a good number of books outlining her research on shame, vulnerability, courage, resilience, leadership, and the list goes on. As teachers we know that our students learn best in classrooms where the teacher has created a culture of courage and belonging. Creativity and learning take place when children feel safe to risk and try to learn something new.
Gifted learners are not the only ones who find it especially difficult to appear vulnerable in the classroom, but the truth for all of us is that learning IS inherently vulnerable - by definition. How does our own personal "baggage" effect our teaching? How can we grow as human beings to better serve our learners? Watch this video of Dr. Brene Brown speaking to an audience made up entirely of teachers and see how it makes you feel. Listen to how she describes empathy as the antidote to shame. You just might find yourself inspired and even braver than before.
In this (well worth it!) half-hour video, Dr. Brene Brown, PhD. LMSW, author and shame researcher, addresses an auditorium of teachers and encourages them to create daring classrooms where students are engaged, curious, challenged and thriving.
Tips for parents of gifted kids can also benefit teachers working with students in the classroom...
Check out the National Association of Gifted Children's amazing list of resources and ideas for how to support children identified as gifted as they navigate mental health & social-emotional challenges. It's presented in an easy access list format with direct links. This site is useful for both teachers and parents.
Click HERE for more.
You've seen SENG featured here before, but it's worth another share!
Supporting Emotional Needs of Gifted Children is a much beloved website among those supporting gifted education. One contributor to the stress faced by 2e students is misdiagnosis. It's is a widespread issue for the Gifted/Twice Exceptional community. Proper assessment is essential for applying the right social and emotional support in home, work and school settings. Click HERE for more.
What a clever collection of ideas for both students and teachers AND parents! Boredom be gone!
This website is chockfull of ideas for teachers who have learners who are hungry to learn outside the box. There is a bank of lesson plans for teachers as well as self-guided study projects for students. There is a wide variety of topics to choose from, as well as different modalities. Articles for adults who work with (and parent) gifted learners will illuminate some of the current realities of students who are twice-exceptional, possess intensities, or are navigating a challenging school year. You'll find a page dedicated to games, TED Connections linked, Activity Plans provided, and a Mensa For Kids blog. Click HERE for more.
How do we better support 2e students in the Gen. Ed. classroom?
This article from We Are Teachers has a number of helpful, practical tips for better understanding and supporting our twice exceptional students in our classrooms. There are specific ideas shared that could be applied right away without making huge shifts in your professional practice. As teachers, we all know it's our responsibility to work to meet the learning needs of all our students, and sometimes that can be a challenge with our 2e students. This article may help. Stay tuned for more on this subject in the future!
Fibonacci & his nifty numbers!
Do you have students obsessed with Fibonacci numbers? This 3 part lesson plan from Mensa For Kids is for elementary level teachers to use with either TAG students or the whole class.
Fibonacci numbers are an interesting mathematical idea. Although not normally taught in the school curriculum, particularly in lower grades, the prevalence of their appearance in nature and the ease of understanding them makes them an excellent principle for elementary-age children to study. You'll love this resource for your gifted math kiddos - it might be right up their alley!
This 10 page document shares various strategies that teachers can use to create their own Choice Menus that meet kids where they are, provide challenge and enrichment, and provide other ways for students to show what they know. Menus can be tailored to the unit you are teaching and also provide extension opportunities. The document linked HERE also helps teachers evaluate the quality of their own menu creations or those of others. There are also samples in this free resource.
Want to learn more about how to incorporate more depth and complexity? This book is an excellent, enjoyable resource.
This website is the homepage for the amazing Lisa Gemmert, a leader in the gifted education world, with a focus on depth and complexity. She co-wrote the book to the left and has much more to say when you watch her video on the landing page. I highly recommend learning from Lisa. You'll enjoy her friendly and engaging style as well.
If you teach primary and are curious how to bring more rigor into your teaching, this site has ideas from real teachers. There are ideas for other grade bands as well. On the landing page, you'll see they also reference the book on the left Gifted Guild's Guide to Depth And Complexity. There's so much to learn, and there are people who inspire us to do so. Many generous teachers offer up excellent ideas on this site.
Looking for something deeper for an inquisitive intermediate reader that addresses mental health topics?
Here are three middle grade level books (see below) that tackle mental health in a story format. These reviews were found at ReadBrightly.com which is the brainchild of Keri Ness Riedel. The summaries include quick quotes by kids who have read the book. The selection of novels is specifically aiming to support kids who are experiencing mental health issues in their families and/or within themselves. Perhaps connecting to book characters can help our kids cope and grow empathy along the way. Some of the content can be considered worthy of a trigger warning, depending on one's lived experience. The site has even more beautiful books to learn about - check it out!
Fans of “sad” books will adore this touching story about tragedy and healing that centers on 11-year-old Naomi (aka “Chirp”), a bird expert and nature lover living on Cape Cod in 1972. An accident forces her mom to stop dancing, and she now suffers from depression. Chirp must navigate her emotions and relationships with her sister, parents, and classmates while watching her mom struggle. When she makes a new friend named Joey, they go on a life-changing adventure together. Olivia, 11, loves this book and recommends it to anyone looking for a fantastic read, “Adventure and a good emotional book like this one can really get you on the couch, getting comfy, and reading!”
This book might be a great fit for a student who is identified TAG and who faces pressure both internally and externally. How to move through anxiety and perfectionism would be considered themes here ......Being struck by lightning left Lucy with genius-level math skills and OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). At age 12, she is academically ready for college, but her grandmother insists she attends middle school. Can she make friends? Will she have to hide her OCD, or can she be true to herself? This funny and tender story reminds readers to appreciate diversity and embrace change. Sophia says, “This is my favorite book ever...it is dramatic and heart-warming.”
Here we have a novel that addresses grief in gifted children (or any child!) in such a way that they want to keep reading, even though it's tough content..... 12-year-old Willow Chance has a brilliant mind and a unique way of approaching situations. Her life gets turned upside down when her adoptive parents get killed in a tragic accident, and she becomes an orphan. The book chronicles her journey to overcome grief by connecting with an unlikely group of strangers who become family to her. Kristy, a youth reviewer says, “It’s a touching book that will reach down into your heart and make you want to cry. This book has changed my life and how I think.”
Lane County Behavioral Health outlines their Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health services on their website. Click HERE to learn more.
Jocelyn Mendelssohn
K-5 Health TOSA + District TAG Coordinator
text or voicemail:
541-913-8738
I'm excited to serve the students, teachers, and families of 4J as the new K-5 Health/TAG TOSA. For 18 years I taught 5th grade in a general education classroom, but learned very quickly that differentiation for the WIDE range of learning levels was a top priority, and that I had a lot to learn as a newbie. I've learned from my mistakes and celebrated a good number of successes as a teacher. It's all very humbling, right? Every year with a new group of students teaches us more about ourselves and more about the rich, complex work of being a teacher.
I would love to support you as you grow your practice and I look forward to getting into schools and think-partnering with teachers who would like that kind of support. My wish for everyone is a healthy, sane, successful school year filled with tons of love for learning. Thank you for all that you do for our children in our community. As exhausting as it can be, remember that you are doing the most important work - empowering a love of learning in our youth and helping them believe in themselves.
