Introduction

Independent School District 196 is committed to meeting the needs, interests and abilities of each of its students. Our teachers provide a variety of learning opportunities which address the varying ability and achievement level of all students. The Enhanced Learning Program (ELP) offers additional educational opportunities to our intellectually and academically gifted students. The purpose of this handbook is to acquaint parents with information about gifted and talented children and to provide an overview of the Enhanced Learning Program in Independent School District 196. For more information on opportunities for your child, contact the ELP coordinator/resource teacher at your child's elementary or middle school. At the high school level, please contact a member of the counseling staff. District Office Coordinator Michelle Kermes

Definition of Gifted and Talented

The definition of gifted and talented students in Independent School District 196 is as follows:

Children and youth performing or showing the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience or environment. These children and youth exhibit high performance capability in intellectual, creative and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity and/or excel in specific academic areas. They benefit from a differentiated program which provides for individual and special abilities. Outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata and in all areas of human endeavor.

Characteristics of Gifted Students

Gifted students can often be recognized by certain characteristics and behaviors. Gifted students can be found in all ethnic and racial groups. ELP focuses on three ability areas: 1) general intellectual ability, 2) ability in a specific academic subject and 3) creative/productive thinking ability. A child who is unusually able in one or more of these three areas often… Has an unusually good vocabulary. Has quick mastery and recall of factual information. Has lots of information on a variety of topics. Is alert and observant (usually sees more or gets more out of a story, film, etc., than others). Reads a great deal on his/her own. Reasons things out, recognizes relationships, comprehends meanings and makes logical associations. Works persistently on things that interest him/her. Is easily bored with routine tasks. Prefers to work independently; requires little direction from teachers. Strives for perfection; is self-critical. Often is self-assertive, may be stubborn in his/her beliefs. Is curious about many things, asks questions about anything and everything. Reveals originality in written, oral, artistic expression. Offers unusual, unique or clever answers. Is uninhibited in giving opinions. Is often concerned with different ways of doing "things" (will modify, improve or adapt). Displays a keen sense of humor. Is nonconforming; accepts disorder, does not fear being different.                                                -Joseph S. Renzulli, Professor-                                                 University of Connecticut The behaviors cited are general characteristics. Individual gifted children may not possess all the characteristics. In a supportive home/school environment, certain characteristics (such as those associated with creativity and risk taking) may be much more pronounced. Superior ability may be found in specific academic areas such as math, social studies, science or the language arts. Students with a specific academic aptitude may reveal this ability through high performance on standardized tests, high achievement in school subjects, and interest in learning more about topics in that area. These students appear to see relationships and grasp principles more quickly than others. They are able to generalize and synthesize in the content area. Those individuals who are exceptionally creative may or may not be the same students who are academically gifted. The creative student is one who has an adventurous mind, who comes up with many ideas, alternatives and questions. This student is an original thinker, one whose ideas are unique in comparison with the peer group. The creative thinker generally exhibits a sense of humor and is a risk taker. Creative thinkers are sometimes seen as disruptive or as discipline problems because of their uninhibited behavior, their impulsive reactions and their non-conformist tendencies. The purpose of identifying gifted students is to provide differentiated experiences commensurate with their needs. Most of these students are capable of mastering the curriculum more quickly than other students. They benefit from greater breadth in their educational experiences and delight in the opportunity to explore a wide variety of enrichment topics outside the scope of the regular curriculum. In addition, they are able to go much deeper into their areas of special ability and interest than other students. Their needs are such that, when motivated and guided, they can pursue learning on their own. The gifted student needs to be permitted to demonstrate that basic learning has been mastered and go beyond this basic learning. These students need to be encouraged to select alternate learning activities at a higher level or a faster pace. The gifted student needs to be challenged with activities requiring higher level thinking skills and sustained persistence. They need to develop the skills and knowledge to proceed independently in special learning activities. Most important, the gifted student needs the opportunity to work with and interact with other gifted students. ELP is designed to help meet these needs, but it is only a part of a total program for a gifted child. Parents can do many things that will help the gifted child realize his or her full potential.

Philosophy and Mission Statements

for Gifted and Talented Students

Philosophy The Board of Education of Independent School District 196 recognizes in its philosophy of education (April 1991) the need for every learner to be provided with opportunities appropriate to the unique needs and abilities of each individual. District 196 builds upon this foundation by providing gifted, talented and creative students with appropriate and differentiated education from kindergarten through grade 12. Gifted and talented students are a population with special needs. They differ significantly from their chronological peers in abilities, talents, interests and/or psychological maturity. These students must be identified, encouraged and challenged in order to develop their ability to the fullest potential. District 196 Mission Mission - Educating our students to reach their full potential

District 196 Beliefs Set and maintain high academic standards; Meet the needs of all learners; Prepare students to be contributing members of a diverse society; Promote lifelong learning; Provide a safe, respectful, positive learning environment; Work in a partnership with families and the community, and Manage our resources.

Mission Statement for Gifted and Talented Program District 196 believes that gifted and talented students require a differentiated program which considers individual learning needs and special abilities District 196 will serve gifted and talented students through an established framework which includes the following: Designing, implementing and evaluating the learning opportunities for gifted and talented students. Screening, referring, assessing, and placing gifted and talented students in appropriate educational settings. Support for elementary, middle and high school instructional staff in curriculum and professional development. Delivery of differentiated learning opportunities. Meeting the educational needs of the gifted and talented population is essential. Nurturing the growth of this population provides many benefits. The Schoolwide Enrichment Model increases gifted and talented students' potential contributions in the future, and also leads educators to expand learning opportunities for all students.

Overview of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model

Independent School District 196

Elementary and Middle School Enrichment Model

The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) is a systematic set of strategies for increasing student effort, enjoyment and performance as well as for integrating a broad range of advanced level experiences and higher order thinking skills into any curricular area, course of study or pattern of school organization. The goals of SEM are to develop the talent potentials of young people, to improve the academic performance of all students in all areas of the regular curriculum and to blend activities into the standard curriculum that will engage students in meaningful and enjoyable learning. The school structures within SEM include the following:

Regular Curriculum - The regular curriculum consists of everything that is part of the predetermined goals, schedules, learning goals and delivery systems of the school. The regular curriculum must be differentiated to adjust levels of required learning so that all students are challenged, to increase the number of in-depth learning experiences and to introduce various types of enrichment into regular curricular experiences. Enrichment Clusters - The enrichment clusters are groups of students who share common interests and who come together to pursue these interests. The model for learning in the enrichment clusters is based on an inductive approach to the pursuit of real-world problems. This creates a learning environment emphasizing higher order thinking skills and the authentic application of these skills in creative and productive situations. Continuum of Special Services - A program for total talent development requires a broad range of supplementary services that challenge young people who are capable of working at the highest levels of their special interest areas. These services typically include: the elementary ELP send-out program, direct assistance in facilitating advanced level work, mentorships, and special arrangements made for individual students. -Renzulli and Reis, 1985- University of Connecticut

Enhanced Learning Program: Elementary School Services

The Regular Curriculum The regular curriculum consists of everything that is part of the predetermined district goals for student learning and instructional delivery systems of the school. At the elementary school level, teachers adjust levels of required learning so that all students are challenged.

The Enrichment Clusters Enrichment clusters are groups of students who share common interests or strengths and who work together to pursue these interests. Examples of enrichment clusters may include:

Creativity Festival	Mind Rally
Destination Imagination	Inventors Fair
Junior Great Books	Math Enrichment
Reading Enrichment	Writing Enrichment
Artist in Residence	Summer Programs
Spelling Bee	Geography Bee

The Continuum of Special Services Offers unique experience for the highly capable student. Highly specialized services are available for individual students whose needs cannot be met through differentiation of the regular curriculum or participation in enrichment clusters. Examples of special services include:

Mathematics investigations	Grade advancement
Mentorships	Independent study
University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program(UMTYMP) for intermediate grade levels	Advanced units incorporating critical thinking skills, creative thinking and problem solving

Enhanced Learning Program: Middle School Services

The Regular Curriculum The regular curriculum consists of everything that is part of the predetermined district goals for student learning and instructional delivery systems of the school. At the middle school level, teams of teachers adjust levels of required learning so that all students are challenged. Identified students are clustered into regular language arts and science classes for flexible grouping based on interest and/or need. Differentiated curriculum within the regular classroom may include:

Tiered assignments	Accelerated pacing
Compacting curriculum	Advanced levels of abstraction and complexity
Interdisciplinary/thematic study	Higher order questioning
Modified curriculum	Authentic assessment

The Enrichment Clusters Enrichment clusters are groups of students who share common interests or strengths and who work together to pursue these interests. Examples of enrichment clusters may include:

Mind Works	Literature Circles
Junior Great Books	Young Authors Conference
Knowledge Master Open	Summer programs
Artist in Residence	Science Olympiad
Theater	Geography Bee
School newspapers	Speech Team (Declam)
Musical ensembles	Yearbook
Spelling Bee	Math Masters
History Day

The Continuum of Special Services Highly specialized services are available for individual students whose needs cannot be met through differentiation of the regular curriculum or participation in enrichment clusters. Middle school gifted and talented program teachers do facilitate the highly specialized student services. Examples of special services include:

Mentorships	Advanced course selection
Affective groups	Independent study
Individual learning plan	University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP)

Independent School District 196 Opportunities for

High Potential High School Students

A Parent Guide

to Educational Terms

Ability/Aptitude Testing - Tests that measure capacity for learning, natural ability, talent.(Examples: CogAT - Cognitive Ability Test, OLSAT - Otis-Lennon School Ability Test) Academic Challenges - Opportunities for students to be challenged in a specific talent area. These may involve local, regional, state and/or national competitions, such as International Computer Solving, Math Counts, etc. Acceleration - Any practices designed to move a student more rapidly through curricular material. These could include early admission to school, grade-skipping, advanced placement, credit by examination or going through the required curriculum at a faster pace. Achievement Testing - Instruments that measure convergent thinking and academic achievement. (Examples: ITBS - Iowa Test of Basic Skills, MAT 7 - Minnesota Achievement Test) These tests measure how well the child has learned what has been taught in school. Affective Education - Teaching children to deal with feelings, values and social interactions, and helping them develop positive self-images. Brainstorming - A group activity that stimulates creative thinking. The goal is to come up with as many ideas related to a topic as possible. The main principle is deferred judgment. All ideas are accepted without criticism. After the brainstorming is over, ideas are evaluated. Cluster Classroom - Cluster classrooms are self-contained classes in which small groups of intellectually or academically gifted students make up a part of the class, which includes students of all ability levels. The curriculum is modified, as needed, to address the needs of the approximately five to eight students who make up the cluster. Compacting - In compacting, a student covers material in as efficient a manner as possible. This may include deleting material that a student has already mastered or combining two subject areas into one assignment. Through compacting, a student gains time to pursue topics at a higher level. Content - Content refers to what is taught in the curriculum, i.e. what topics, in what sequence, in how much depth, etc. Convergent Thinking - Systematic reasoning focusing on one correct answer. This includes inductive and deductive reasoning, inquiry and logic. Creative Problem Solving (CPS) - A model for solving problems through a step-by-step process which includes fact finding, problem finding, idea finding, solution finding and implementation. Brainstorming and other strategies for the production of creative ideas are an integral part of the process. Creative Thinking - Open-ended, divergent, imaginative thinking; includes fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. Critical Thinking - Systematic and analytic reasoning; includes convergent and logical thinking and the high levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Curriculum-Based Services - Curricular modifications made in the course content, the instructional strategies used by the teacher and in the products required of the students. Deferred Judgment - Withholding judgment, evaluation, criticism, etc., until after ideas are generated in a brainstorming or listing activity. Judgment is delayed so that the flow of ideas will not be inhibited. Differentiated Curriculum - A curriculum, or course of study, that is adapted in one of three ways for gifted students. First, the content that the students study may be modified. Students may learn some new content or may study the content in a broader, thematic way. Second, the processes used may be different. Higher-level thinking skills will be emphasized and students may learn about a topic in a large variety of ways. Third, the product the student produces may be different. Students will be challenged to document their learning in a more creative, in-depth manner. Divergent Thinking - Thinking of many possibilities. There is no one "right" answer to be found. Elaboration - The ability to add detail; to embellish things, information or ideas. ELP - Enhanced Learning Program - The Independent School District 196 program for gifted and talented students. Enrichment - Activities intended to increase the depth or breadth of a student's learning experiences. Students may learn about topics not normally studied in the regular curriculum or they may expand upon a topic being studied in the classroom. Extensions - Activities which allow students to expand or build upon what they are learning in the classroom. Flexibility - The ability to shift point of view; expressing different categories of ideas and looking at situations in different ways. Flexible Grouping - Students are put into groups to work with other students for a variety of reasons and in many ways. For instance, students may be grouped with other students who are interested in a topic, who are at the same progress level, who are at a different progress level or perhaps randomly. A student is not automatically in one set group for a whole school year. Fluency - The ability to give a number of responses or ideas in a situation; quantity is the goal. Studies show that generating a large quantity of ideas increases the likelihood of producing a useful and/or original idea. G/T - Gifted and talented. Higher-Level Thinking Skills - Thinking skills which require a learner to analyze, synthesize or evaluate what is being learned. Some of these skills include forecasting, logical thinking, planning, decision-making, etc. Identification - The process of selecting children for a specified differentiated program using set criteria. Mentor - A friend, wise advisor and teacher. A mentor is an expert in the community who is willing to act as a teacher with children and give advice in a specific area of interest. Originality - Producing unique ideas. Piggybacking/Hitchhiking - Using the idea of someone else as a springboard to come up with one of your own. This is encouraged in listing and brainstorming. Resource Room - A place in the child's school where special program services are provided. Risk Taker - A person not afraid of failure, willing to take chances in order to learn new things. SCAMPER - A checklist technique used as a strategy for increasing the production of original ideas in creative problem-solving. One learns to Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate and Rearrange ideas in order to create new ideas. Send-Out Program - A program in the school where children leave their regular classrooms to go to differentiated classes taught by a specially trained resource teacher for a specified time. Underachiever - A child whose academic performance is below what one would expect based on age, grade, IQ, achievement test scores and potential. Webbing - A technique for elaborating on an idea. A web begins with an idea as the center, and each new idea expands the web moving outward like the spokes on a bicycle.

Books for Parenting the Gifted

This annotated book list for parents was compiled from recommendations from the National Parent Committee, The Association for the Gifted and Council for Exceptional Children. These books may be available from the gifted coordinator at your child's school or in the school or local library.

Books on the Move. Susan and Margaret Knorr, Free Spirit Press Publishing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1993. (pre-k-12) This book is designed to make learning easy before you travel or when you return. Recommends books related to specific travel destinations. Bringing Out the Best: A Resource Guide for Parents of Young Gifted Children. Jaqulyn Saunders with Pamela Espeland, Free Spirit Press Publishing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1991. An attractive guide that suggests ways for parents to provide a healthful, enriching home environment; and secure challenging preschool and school experiences. Packed with useful information on everything from stimulating brain development to avoiding parent burnout. College Planning for Gifted Students. Sandra Berger, Prufrock Press, Waco, Texas, 1995. (grades 9-12) A comprehensive guide offering a rich array of self-discovery activities and sound college preparation. While intended for teachers and counselors, it is useful for parents and students. Coping for Capable Kids. LeoNora M. Cohen, Ph.D. and Erica Feydenberg, Ph.D., Prufrock Press, Waco, Texas, 1995. Strategies for students as well as parents and teachers to keep gifted students happy and successfully involved in solving problems that face them. They suggest ways to deal with perfectionism, time management, and mastering goals. Fighting Invisible Tigers: A Student Guide to Life in "The Jungle". Earl Hipp, Free Spirit Press Publishing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1985. Provides a look at the pressures felt by young people today and suggests strategies for surviving and thriving in the "jungle of life." The Gifted Kids Survival Guide (for ages 6-10). Judith Galbraith and Jim Delisle, Free Spirit Publication Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1997. An introduction to growing up gifted. This upbeat, informative book answers bright kids' questions about why they think and learn the way they do, what "gifted" and IQ really mean, how to make friends and how to make school more challenging. The Gifted Kids Survival Guide II (for ages 11-18). Judith Galbraith and Jim Delisle, Free Spirit Publication Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1997. This is the sequel to the original Gifted Kid's Survival Guide, addressing the needs and questions of the older gifted child. Guiding the Gifted Child. James Webb, et.al., Psychology Publishing Company, 1982. An easy to understand, insightful book based on other parents' experiences in helping gifted children cope, and how to cope with the gifted child. Leadership for Students: A Practical Guide for Ages 8-18. Frances Karnes, Ph.D., and Susan Bean, Ph.D., Prufrock Press, Waco, Texas, 1995. Positive activities to stimulate exploration of ideas and encourage critical thinking about leadership. Parent's Guide to Raising a Gifted Child: Recognizing and Developing Your Child's Potential. Edited by James Alvin, Little, Brown and Company, 1984. A comprehensive and readable, practical source book for raising and educating gifted children. Everything from tips on books, games and special programs to how to enhance creativity, intelligence and leadership abilities. Perfectionism. Miriam Adderhold-Elliott, Free Spirit Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1987. (pre-k-12+) This thought-provoking book explores the differences between healthy ambition and unhealthy perfectionism, gives strategies for getting out of the perfectionist's trap, explains why people become perfectionists and why girls are especially prone to perfectionism. Smart Girls Two. Barbara A. Kerr, Ph.D., Ohio Publishing Company, 1995. The biographical studies of eminent women and scientific studies of gifted girls shed light not only on what happened to those post-Sputnik bright girls, but also on processes that affect the development of all gifted girls and women in American society today. Very important reading for parents of gifted girls. Some of My Best Friends are Books. Judith Wynn-Halstad, Ohio Psychology Press, Dayton, Ohio, 1995. An annotated bibliography of over 300 books carefully selected for their usefulness and appeal to high ability readers. Also includes information on the emotional and intellectual developmental needs of high ability children. The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids. Sally Walker, Free Spirit Publication Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1991. (pre-k-12+) Information about giftedness, gifted education, problems and personality traits by an educator of gifted kids and their parents. Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Susan Winebrenner, Judith Galbraith, Free Spirit Publication Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1992. A teaching guide to help teachers meet the needs of the gifted within the regular classroom setting. Each chapter presents a specific strategy, from compacting the curriculum to creating challenging tasks from regular content. Step-by-step instructions explain how to implement each strategy. They Say My Kid's Gifted…Now What? F. Richard Olenchak, Prufrock Press, Waco, Texas, 1997. A quick, easy-to-use guide for parents of gifted kids. Underachievement Syndrome - Causes and Cures. Sylvia B. Rimm, Ph.D., Apple Publishing Company, 1986. Describes the symptoms and causes of underachievement, as well as practical techniques for both underachieving personality types. Up from Underachievement. Diane Heacox, Free Spirit Press Publishing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1991. Strategies for helping underachievers, and their parents and teachers.

Organizations For and About Gifted

American Association for Gifted Children (AAGC) 1121 W. Main St., Suite 100 Durham, NC 27701 (919) 683-1400 or (919) 783-6152 http://www.jayi.com/jayi/aagc

The Association for the Gifted (TAG) a special interest group of the Council for Exceptional Children The Association for the Gifted (TAG) Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 1920 Association Drive Reston, VA 22091

Center for Talent Development (CTD) Northwestern University 617 Dartmouth Place Evanston, IL 60208 (847) 491-3782 http://ctdnet.acns.nwu.edu

The Gifted Child Society 1920 Rock Road Glen Rock, New Jersey 07452 An advocacy group to promote public school education for all gifted and talented children, provide for educator training and raise public awareness.

Hoagies' Gifted Education Page Here you can find the latest research on parenting and educating gifted children. The website displays Internet and print resources. http://www.hoagiesgifted.org

Intermediate District 287 1820 North Xenium Lane Plymouth, MN 55441-3790 (612) 550-7166 A consortium of 13 school districts offering services to teachers and children within the member district. Sponsors West Suburban Summer School for gifted and talented students.

Metro Educational Cooperative Service Unit (Metro ESCU) 3499 Lexington Avenue North St. Paul, MN 55126 (651) 490-0058 A consortium of school districts, including ISD 196, offering special resources for gifted education and educators.

Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation (MAEP) 971 Capitol Square Building 550 Cedar Street St. Paul, MN 55101 (651) 297-1875 A public-private partnership recognizing and promoting academic excellence in elementary and secondary education.

Minnesota Gifted and Talented Development Center Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Mary Pfeifer, Manager, Teaching and Learning 1500 Highway 36 West Roseville, MN 55113-4266 (651) 582-8700 mary.pfeifer@state.mn.us http://cfl.state.mn.us/gifted

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Suite 550 1707 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 (202) 785-4268 http://www.nagc.org/ Advocacy organization; offers a wide range of publications and services including, Parenting for High Potential, a quarterly publication for parents.

National Foundation for Gifted and Creative Children 396 Diamond Hill Road Warwick, RI 02886 Telephone: (401) 738-0937 This is a non-profit organization focusing on the problems of over-prescription of drugs to gifted and creative children. Incorporated in 1969. They will send free information to anyone who writes to ask for it.

The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented The University of Connecticut 362 Fairfield Road, U-7 Storrs, CT 06269-2007 (203) 486-4826 http://www.gifted.uconn.edu

National/State Leadership Training Institute for Gifted and Talented (N/SLTI-G/T) Hilton Center 900 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1142 Los Angeles, Ca 90017 (213) 489-7470 Professional and teacher training; publications

Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted, Inc. (SENG) Dr. James Delisle SENG College of Education 405 White Hall Kent State University Kent, OH 44242-0001 (330) 672-4450 email: seng@amethyst.educ.kent.edu http://monster.educ.kent.edu/

TAG Family Network A national association for parents started in Oregon in 1990 and continuing nationwide. Information is available by email from rkaltwas@teleport.com or by http://www.teleport.com/~rkaltwas/tag/ There is also a TAG Hotline: (503) 378-7851

University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP) 115 Vincent Hall 206 Church Street Minneapolis, MN 55455-0487 (612) 625-2861 A program for exceptional mathematics students.

World Council for Gifted and Talented Children 18401 Hiawatha Street Northridge, CA 91326 Telephone: (818) 368-2163 Fax: (818) 368-2163 email: worldgt@earthlink.net http://www.WorldGifted.org An international organization that includes 40 member countries. The goals include support for multicultural, collaborative research and improving worldwide communication.