NAGC Pre-K - Grade 12 Programming Standards

1: Learning and Development

Description: Educators, recognizing the learning and developmental differences of students with gifts and talents, promote ongoing self-understanding, awareness of their needs, and cognitive and affective growth of these students in school, home, and community settings to ensure specific student outcomes.

Evidence: Students at Springville engage in open discussions about being gifted and how that can impact daily life and relationships with others. We work on activities from Bertie Kingore to start the conversation as well as discuss the Renzulli Scales to better identify who we are and how giftedness impacts our lives.

At a small school like Springville, there are only 1, 2, 3, or maybe 4 TAG participants in one classroom. In order for students to identify with others in interest and skill level, we needed to create opportunities for gifted students outside of school. Currently, students can participate in Tech Club and/or Lego League. Tech Club is a time for elementary students to explore STEAM activities and manipulatives as well as work with robotics and technology.

During professional development, teachers have been and will be exposed to the advantages and disadvantages of being gifted. Though each gifted student is an individual, there are common ties that can be identified and common problems that can be worked through. By understanding giftedness, Springville teachers can better serve their gifted students.

Standard 1: Learning and Development

1.1. Self-Understanding. Students with gifts and talents demonstrate self-knowledge with respect to their interests, strengths, identities, and needs in socio-emotional development and in intellectual, academic, creative, leadership, and artistic domains.

1.1.1. Educators engage students with gifts and talents in identifying interests, strengths, and gifts.

1.1.2. Educators assist students with gifts and talents in developing identities supportive of achievement.

1.2. Self-Understanding. Students with gifts and talents possess a developmentally appropriate understanding of how they learn and grow; they recognize the influences of their beliefs, traditions, and values on their learning and behavior.

1.2.1. Educators develop activities that match each student’s developmental level and culture-based learning needs.

1.3. Self-Understanding. Students with gifts and talents demonstrate understanding of and respect for similarities and differences between themselves and their peer group and others in the general population.

1.3.1. Educators provide a variety of research-based grouping practices for students with gifts and talents that allow them to interact with individuals of various gifts, talents, abilities, and strengths.

1.3.2. Educators model respect for individuals with diverse abilities, strengths, and goals.

1.4. Awareness of Needs. Students with gifts and talents access resources from the community to support cognitive and affective needs, including social interactions with others having similar interests and abilities or experiences, including same-age peers and mentors or experts.

1.4.1. Educators provide role models (e.g., through mentors, bibliotherapy) for students with gifts and talents that match their abilities and interests.

1.4.2. Educators identify out-of-school learning opportunities that match students' abilities and interests.

1.5. Awareness of Needs. Students’ families and communities understand similarities and differences with respect to the development and characteristics of advanced and typical learners and support students with gifts and talents’ needs.

1.5.1. Educators collaborate with families in accessing resources to develop their child’s talents.

1.6. Cognitive and Affective Growth. Students with gifts and talents benefit from meaningful and challenging learning activities addressing their unique characteristics and needs.

1.6.1. Educators design interventions for students to develop cognitive and affective growth that is based on research of effective practices.

1.6.2. Educators develop specialized intervention services for students with gifts and talents who are underachieving and are now learning and developing their talents.

1.7. Cognitive and Affective Growth. Students with gifts and talents recognize their preferred approaches to learning and expand their repertoire.

1.7.1. Teachers enable students to identify their preferred approaches to learning, accommodate these preferences, and expand them.

1.8. Cognitive and Affective Growth. Students with gifts and talents identify future career goals that match their talents and abilities and resources needed to meet those goals (e.g., higher education opportunities, mentors, financial support).

1.8.1. Educators provide students with college and career guidance that is consistent with their strengths.

1.8.2. Teachers and counselors implement a curriculum scope and sequence that contains person/social awareness and adjustment, academic planning, and vocational and career awareness.