Presentation for Professional Development Created by Falisa Beffa

1. Who are gifted children?
How can we meet their
needs?
Presentation by Falisa Beffa

3. Gifted Characteristics
• Most of us are aware that gifted students are
identified because they are highly intelligent.
• We assume this should correlate with high
achievement.
• However, sometimes this is not the case.
• Let’s examine why…

4. With current legislation, school districts and
teachers tend to focus on the students who are
behind, taking comfort in the fact that the advanced
students will be able to make it on their own.
Unfortunately, there are two things wrong with this
way of thinking.
Gifted students need guidance just as much as the
average and struggling students do. Also, this is a
disservice to the gifted student. EVERY student
deserves to learn something new EVERY day and to
be challenged to achieve his or her full potential.

5. Gifted Characteristics & Needs

6. Gifted Characteristics & Needs
• Extreme Intensity
• Need Choice
• Disorganization & Sometimes Lack of Motivation
• Challenge Authority
• Sense of Humor (may be considered odd)
• Think Logically
• Perfectionism & Fear of Failure
• Need to Create
• Need to be Challenged
• Are All Different

7. They Challenge Authority

8. They Challenge Authority

9. They Think Logically
However, they also…..

10. Think Outside the Box

11. Think Outside the Box

13. They Have a Sense of Humor

14. They Have a Sense of Humor

15. They Operate at a High Level of
Intensity

16. They Can be Disorganized

17. Lack of Motivation
(If Bored & Unchallenged)
High Incidence of Perfectionism &
Fear of Failure

18. They Need Choice

19. They Have a Need to Create

20. The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A
human creature born abnormally, inhumanely sensitive. To
them... a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a
tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god,
and failure is death.
Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering
necessity to create, create, create -- so that without the
creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something
of meaning, their very breath is cut off...
They must create, must pour out creation. By some strange,
unknown, inward urgency they are not really alive unless they
are creating. --Pearl Buck

21. So, how can we help them learn?

22. Let them create!

23. Digitally…

25. Give Them a Choice

26. Differentiate…

27. Differentiate
• Content
– If a gifted student (or any student for that matter)
already knows the content, let them move on
– Pretesting can help determine this
• Process
– Tasks for gifted students should be DOK level 3 & 4
(LET THEM CREATE!)
– Give them choice
– Consider learning styles & multiple intelligences
– Gifted students appreciate and relate to real-world
experiences
• Product

28. Strategies
• Learning Menu
• Tiered Activities
• Learning Contracts
• Cubes
• Tic Tac Toe

29. Your Task
• Get with your PLC or the other teacher(s) who teach
what you do
• Consider what you have learned about the
characteristics and needs of the gifted learner
• Use the handouts and examples of differentiation
strategies and materials to create an activity to be used
in an upcoming unit.
• Focus on DOK levels 3&4
• Choose a product gifted students can create
• Try to relate it to a real-world topic or task
• How can you incorporate technology?