Reflection 4: June 13, 2012

Before class, i read through the file posted on canvas, the one Dr. Abeel asked us to print for class.  Some of the applications and the words used were completely shocking.  The fact that many of them asked for a description of appearance is actually not surprising.  I think back to college applications and how some schools ask for pictures to be submitted with the applications, especially for graduate programs.  people are always judged by appearance first.  but this has no influence on the actual abilities of the person.  during class, Dr. Abeel, you mentioned watching the talent television show and how a young man that appeared to be dark/gothic ended up being a very talented opera singer.  this just goes to show how image can be decieving and how important it is to encourage giftedness no matter what the person looks like.

We discussed the issues with regard to standardized testing and the arbitrary scoring requirements.  I knew the SOL was a poor example of a good measurement for testing standards.  The scoring is especially shocking.  I come from a science background, and I realize the need for good measurements and keeping the range of error as small as possible.  For a test to have a +/- 25 point margin of error is crazy.  how can a test with this much error truly measure a student's knowledge.  that means that anyone with a score within this range belowe 400 points could actually have passed the test.  With a score below 400, they did not pass, and could actualy be held back. 

This also leads to the issue of one test determining the future of a student.  How can one single test tell us as educators whether the student knows and understands the curriculum.  Isn't the testing and work he or she did throughout the year a better instrument?  A portfolio of work would be better, or even using this test as a small part of the procedure. 

Reflection 3: June 6, 2012

This class was so interesting.  I loved going through the different myths and truths about gifted individuals, and i learned a lot from it. 

the ones that stood out to me the most are:

• gifted children are easy to raise and a welcome addition to any classroom
• gifted studetns are a homogeneous group, all high achievers
• gifted students often think abstractly and with such complexity that they may need help with concrete study- and test-taking skills.

Going back to the first one, I keep thinking about a particular student in my classroom during my practicum last fall.  This student was sleeping through class, not turning in assignments, and doodling during class (I believe there were other family issues as well).  When it came to actually answering questions or taking a test/quiz, he knew all the answers.  this child was obviously very bright, but so bored in this classroom (a 7th grade life science class).  How do we help someone like this when the teacher does not know how to address these issues.  I did not understand that this might be the case at the time, but this teacher should have recognized what the problem was.  He needed to be challenged, and his doodling was sometimes actual note-taking.  The other students in the class never took notes because either they did not know how to, or because they knew the information and it was all very repetitive.
I particularly enjoyed the video of the sand artist.  I liked it so much I showed it to my mother.  She enjoyed it, as well, and then began to watch interviews to learn more about the artist.   


for my philosphy of giftedness, I believe Renzulli encapsulates my beliefs.  I agree with his three ring model in that gifted people should possess these three qualities: above average ability, task commitment, and creativity.   I also believe to a certain degree that there are different areas of giftedness and different areas of giftedness as Gardner describes.  I do not think that they are so specifically defined into 7 intelligences, but those are a rough guide for what may be true.  Gifted individuals are not necessarily gifted in all areas.  Students should be placed based on interviews and work samples (and also a small fraction of testing).  The education plan should be individualized to fit the needs of each students, similar to the requirements of IDEA. 

Reflection 2: May 30, 2012

This lesson taught me a lot about the different theorists.  after discussing the different theorists within our groups, i have a greater appreciation for Renzulli and his thoughts on giftedness.  his concept of task committment is very important.  I believe that many gifted people display this type of behavior, and that this is an important thing to look for when identifying students.  While i was in elementary school, I remember one of my classmates was obsessively drawing in the classroom.  She would draw and doodle no matter what the teacher was talking about or teaching at the moment.  This was obviously a very special hobby for her.  during this time, the art teacher was choosing students to be identified for the gifted art program.  Thinking back, i am not sure what criteria she used for her picks, because she chose another girl over this obsessive art lover.  I am not saying that simply drawing all the time makes a person a gifted art student, but rather that she was really good at what she loved to do, and she was not recognized for it.  She was driven and gifted, but the teacher failed to realize this and the girl hid her frustration. 

I believe that this girl was a true example of what Renzulli believes gifted people possess.  This task committment is a recognizable feature and should be developed further.

For this week we were asked to examine the school system websites to compare the gifted site with the special ed. sites.  This was a very interesting project, and I learned a lot about Stafford County's schools.  Neither site actually offered very much information with regard to what actually happens during the process of testing and then potential placement.  Also, I did not realize how the gifted program in high schools are so lacking.  The students are offered upper level courses, but not in every subject, and not necessarily the subjects that the students may want to study.  They are also offered a mentor: a teacher that is tasked with answering any questions/concerns these students may have.  We discussed the issue of guidance and how these students need support in order to succeed in the school system, but how does this situation help?  This issue is compounded by the lack of funding for any such program. 

Reflection 1: May 16, 2012

The thing that struck me most about this particular lesson is that the lack of regulation on gifted programs has led to many different standards all over the country. there is no one standard for any aspect of gifted programs:

• how students are referred
• how students are identified
• how students are taught
• the teachers that are provided to such students

I was a part of a gifted program in Alexandria while in elementary school and middle school.  at the beginning of 7th grade, i was placed in a standard math class.  After a few weeks, the teacher changed my class over to a pre-algebra class because everyone was so bored with the lessons.  i then moved to stafford towards the end of the year, and when I got there, I was placed in a standard math class again.  I finished out the year and then moved on to 8th grade math.  The teacher I spoke to for the algebra 1 class told me that maybe i was put in the standard 7th grade class because i was not smart enough for the algebra class.  I was in complete shock over how this teacher spoke to me and her lack of encouragement for challenging myself.  I had successfully completed my year in pre-algebra in alexandria, but it was not recognized when i transferred school.  while my situation is very limited and did not extend much farther, i have a better understanding of what gifted students may be going through.  how can they not feel frustrated within the standard classroom, and express this frustration in negative ways.

We also discussed the American view of gifted individuals: how crazy is it that we value originality and creativity and success, but then we stifle this in students by putting a stigma on giftedness?  This ambivalence towards giftedness is very irrational.  Also looking back on the history of gifted education, it seems that we may be going through cycles.  With the launch of Sputnik, we were motivated to improve the education system by increasing efforts in math and science, but this has since died off.  We do not hear of any of that anymore and it is surprising.  Today, we have STEM, but I am sure many students do not even know this exists (at the high school level).  This is not to say that English and social studies and other subjects are not important, there should be an emphasis on all subjects, especially if a student truly excels in one or more of these particular subjects.