Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Session 1-Question 3

Of the three categories that pertain to rural and gifted programs, which one do you think is the most important ? Explain why and include page numbers from chapter four.

22 comments:

  1. Of the categories- Gifted Education in Rural Schools: What Works?, I think that identification was the most important reading, pages 65-67. I think its important because how they consider identifying a student in rural was a its a "depends' response. It is important to identify students of their GT in all areas and the response from the rural. Its interesting that they display their talent in different ways and therefore require multiple assessments and and have a checklist of observable behavior to be sued as on going screening.

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    1. I agree with what you are saying Sarah. I thought it was interesting how they talked about having several ways of identifying them. On page 67 they show a list of ways non-disadvantaged rural students differ from the disadvantaged, rural gifted students. We tend to over look the quiet kids or the ones who don't finish their assignments and those are the ones we should probably be focusing on the most.

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    2. Absolutely Sarah! I think identification is key. I think the measures mentioned should be used to identify "all" gifted; the atypical and typical. Many, if not all kids show their talents in different ways. Multiple assessments are used in our district to identify students.

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    3. I agree with you guys! Pages 65-67 talks about identifying gifted students in rural schools. We do tend to overlook the quiet kids and those who don't finish an assignment. But don't all kids display their talents in different ways? I still think we are missing identifying kids in our own school.

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  2. I think that identification is the most important category when looking at gifted students in rural areas. According to page 66, multiple measures are needed to be used in order to properly identify gifted students. This is especially important in rural area because they show their talents in different ways.
    We are fortutunate enough in our district to use multiple assessments to identify kids. From the Planned Experiences to the Naglieri, we are trying to catch the truly gifted scholar.

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    1. I agree with A Mitch's comments on June 7th at 8:26pm. I think identify them accurately and correctly is important. Many times students get misidentified and they get discouraged when they do not get in the GT program. They wonder what they could have done better on the tests to get in and it shouldn't be about that because "we are trying to catch the truly gifted scholar."

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  3. I think intervention was the most important. "Counselors found it necessary to provide unique program options for first-generation college students and their families." pg.72. SBISD students are fortunate that we have a T-2-4 goal in our district and there is a wealth of information out there for students. I like using technology to provide advanced coursework for students.

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    1. I agree with jchoy's comment on June 8th at 5:13pm that intervention is most important. Intervention is providing the needs for students that do not fall under the 80% regular teaching methods. You service them so they do not fall through and support them. I couldn't agree with you more.

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    2. I agree with Jchoy that SBISD's focus on T-2-4 is helpful. As I have visited different campuses, I admire the variety of ways we are highlighting colleges. I think we need better highlighting (posters, banners, t-shirts) of 2year colleges and technical schools. Maybe we can spur them on to better promote themselves.

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    3. Melanie that's a great idea! Perhaps our new counselor can contact 2 year colleges and technical schools and have them send over a poster, banner, or t-shirt for us to highlight. Students should know there are other options beside a 4-year college.

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    4. I agree with Jchoy that intervention is the answer. Our district is making strides in this with the "T-2-4" and being accepting that not all students are on the "4 year college path". I think it takes a village and if students use the information given to them by teachers and teachers promote higher learning, it can be done!!!

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  4. Under identification, on page 69, is a paragraph about Match the Program to the Child. I think this is most important! If a brilliant math student were sent to HSPVA and asked to do drama all week, he might not feel gifted anymore, and he might be terribly bored. But a student who performs well in performing arts would love it.
    I saw a movie that chronicled a couple who went to rural USA and offered a tailor-made GT year of high school for rural students. The man felt accepted as a teacher in the midst of their community, but his Asian wife felt ostracized. Then the funding ran out, and they still believed in their dream of a project, and they lived on bread and spent no money for a year. The students designed a park for the town. It was very hard to do, and some dropped out. Others kept with it and it made me sob watching the transformation of some. At least one became an engineer, despite his impoverished childhood. I kept thinking how great it would be to bring the couple to Houston! Then they were honest at the end of the movie, saying it was only possible because of the particular gifts these students from farming backgrounds brought to the class.

    So I believe we need to match the program to the child. Even the profoundly gifted students may need a program different from the moderately gifted students. Educational Utopia would be quite a smorgasbord.

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    1. I agree with Melanie Marshall on June 10 about Match The Program to the Child. I have found that most GT students do not like to write even though they may have a great ability in it. As I am reading this book, this "writing disdain" is a common thread to most gifted students. I read about Blair in this book and that her strong ability was reading and writing but really hates to write.
      What can we do to Match the Program to the Child as far as writing?

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    2. Because of the internet's "browsing" feature and use of numerous icons/links, students are reading and writing less (Dr. Kylene Beers - query her articles). But, I think to encourage kids to read and write, we need to use symbols, trademarks, icons, urls, links, pictures of apps, etc., in their writing and reading. It encourages higher level thinking. To be dead on, the picture has to convey the meaning of the word, paragraph, etc. it is replacing. Otherwise the story or essay will not make sense. Also, the reader of the product will to have move to the next level by thinking critically.

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    3. I agree with Marshall and Annie on this. I wish we could match the program to the child. I have read and heard that many times that a GT students who loves to read doesn't like to write. Their issue with writing comes from the fact that their thoughts are working faster than their hand. I would like to use more recording and Ipad uses to maybe help them on this.

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  5. Of all the categories in Ch. 4, I thought the identification section was the most important reading. On pages 65-68. I think its important because how they consider identifying a student in rural was a its a "depends" response. This means there are many factors that go into identifying students in poverty achieve gifted status. It is interesting that the writers say the rural students display their talent in different ways and therefore require multiple assessments, so that the students are not only identified by ability, but also by visual and performing arts as well. The educators have a checklist of observable behaviors to be used which identifies rural gifted students who differ from other gifted students..

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  6. I found one of the most important things they talked about was curriculum and how we need to scaffold it for all students. I found it interesting on page 74 how they talked about scaffolding through the use of critical thinking to help the rural students of poverty. This closes the gap in their speaking and even everyday behavior. Things we take for granted that these students don't get on an everyday basis. They need to have an appropriate conversation modeled for them and to see it happen in order to understand and be able to follow. On page 75 they talk about modeling and how important it is for these students to hear and see the conversations and lessons on a high and low level. Challenge them with higher level curriculum, but give them the tools to conquer it.

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  7. I agree with most of you, I think the identification process is the most important category when considering "Gifted Education in Rural Schools". According to page 66, multiple measures are needed to be used in order to properly identify gifted students. This is especially important in rural area because they show their talents in different ways and I believe it is necessary to use multiple measures to assess and identify.

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  8. While I found the section on identification of gifted rural students interesting as it what our district uses to identify students, I was really intrigued to discover that the definition of a rural school has changed pp 59-60. I did not know the population constraint had been removed. The new definition places school communities into the following three categories: fringe, distant and remote. A rural school district closest to Houston is Richards ISD-Distant. We also have urban (part of a principal city-Houston) and suburban (part of a smaller incorporated city) school districts. While Spring Branch is designated a major suburban school district. It's urban and suburban elements make it special. For example, Nottingham is an urban school. It is within the Houston city limits. Bunker Hill is a suburban school. It is part of Bunker Hill Village. Terrace is an urban school because it is within Houston's city limits.

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    1. Responding to Screen Saver on July 19:
      I too found this chapter to be fascinating because I didn't realize how a rural setting effect gift and talented identification.
      This summer I was talking with a SpEd teacher from a rural place in Kansas. He stated that of his 100 student K-12 that 32 were in SpEd. I thought about how that number of SpEd students was staggering and thought that the students were not identified properly. Now think about how that applies to their Gifted population? Over or under identified?

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  9. Given the unique challenges faced by rural schools (identified on page 60), I believe reform to be the most important. The four components needed to support change (listed on page 78), coupled with the ongoing lack of research data, may help keep any real reform for rural school districts in the distant future.
    Also, I read several times in the chapter that teachers and parents may not see a need for any changes and are hesitant to want or request different services for their students...why is this and when is it taken into consideration?

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  10. WoW! Reform for sure!!! Very disappointing on the rural schools when it comes to high expectations and pushing for higher level learning. Page 61 points out that a lot of that boils down to funding. Teachers are paid lower salaries, less funding for higher education and training.... the list goes on. I am only guessing that the rural school districts are looking at funding and what they feel is most important. Sadly, the GT students don't get the instruction they need.

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