Professional Development

Essential Educational Components
Professional Development

Key Research Summary Points

As a result of professional development/teacher education regarding high achieving/gifted students, teachers will

more accurately identify giftedness in diverse populations: gender, ethnicity, geography, twice-exceptional, age, socio-economic, and talent area;
be more likely to perceive giftedness and creativity in students previously labeled with anti-social behavior; and
model creative behavior, incorporate creative teaching strategies and encourage creativity in their students.

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SUPPORTING
RESOURCES/TOOLS

Click on a link
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Administrators: A                Educators: E                Families:  F

A E  F

Videos/Power Point Presentations
~TED-Ideas Worth Spreading - Creativity
~ Top 10 Myths in Gifted Education

A E
Documents/Tables
~ Professional Development Overview
~NAGC Position Paper: Teacher Competencies

A E
Articles/Journals/Books
~ Creative Thinking Skills for Life and Education
~ Developing Creativity in Gifted Children: The Central Importance of Motivation and Classroom Climate
~ Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn't Fit All
~ Programs & Services for Gifted Secondary Students

A E F
Websites
~ SENG- Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
~Teacher Preparation Standards in Gifted
and Talented Education

*Professional Development -* *Videos/Power Point Presentations*
Title/URL *Click on a link for more information*	Implementation/Content Description
TED Ideas Worth Spreading	Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson explains how schools could be using creativity to reform education.
Top 10 Myths in Gifted Education	This fun video from the Maryland State Department of Education was produced by the Baltimore County Public Schools Education Channel and features talented and gifted students from the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology.

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*Professional Development -* *Documents/Tables*
Title/URL *Click on a link for more information*	Implementation/Content Description
Professional Development Overview	In order for specially designed instruction to be effective, it is necessary for both gifted education teachers and regular education teachers to be knowledgeable about gifted education, supported with continuing professional development, and involved in the program development.
NAGC Position Paper: Competencies Needed by Teachers of Gifted & Talented Students	The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) periodically issues policy statements dealing with issues, policies, and practices that have an impact on the education of gifted and talented students. Policy statements represent the official convictions of the organization.

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*Professional Development -* *Articles/Journals/Books*
Title/URL *Click on a link for more information*	Implementation/Content Description
Creative Thinking Skills for Life and Education	This article gives a basic understanding of how to develop creative abilities in the regular classroom.

Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn't Fil All (2nd Edition) by G. Gregory & C. Chapman (Corwin Press 2001)	Practical techniques and processes that teachers can use to adjust learning based on individual students' knowledge, skills, experience, preferences, and needs. A variety of curriculum approaches including Centers, Projects, Problem-Based Learning, Inquiry Models and Learning contracts are all featured complete with explanations and examples.
Programs & Services for Gifted Secondary Students Prufrock Press, Inc. 2008	This book presents service and program options for practitioner, administrators, and coordinators of gifted education programs: social/emotional needs of secondary students, programming options and planning for the future.

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*Professional Development -* *Websites*
Title/URL *Click on a link for more information*	Implementation/Content Description
Advocates for High Ability Learners (AHA)	Nonprofit organization providing ongoing training for educators, administrators and parents of high ability students
SENG- Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted	Professional development resources for gifted facilitators including updated standards for educating facilitators on a local, state and national level.
Teacher Preparation Standards in Gifted and Talented Education	The new standards will bring coherence to teacher education programs nationwide as well as help ensure educational quality across school districts and education institutions. There are two guidebooks to accompany the standards: one designed for university professionals to guide them in building a teacher education program that conforms to the standards; and one for P-12 teachers and administrators to help guide them in creating professional development programs to ensure that all teachers, not just those newly certified, will be knowledgeable in gifted identification, assessment and education.

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Page Questions

Kansas Effective Practices Instructional Toolkit

Key Research Summary Points