Super Smart book by Stephen S. Young

These challenging thinking activities can be used as material for your gifted student, for RTI activities, brain games, and fillers for that extra classroom time.

We have found this book very beneficial to classroom teachers, RTI teachers, and gifted instructors. The unique variety of material make this a book that should be on every teacher's bookshelf.

This book can be purchased on Amazon for $12.78.
Click on the link below to take you directly to Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Smart-Challenging-Thinking-Activities/dp/1593631553

Tiered Assignments

Tiered Assignments using differentiated instruction

From the website http://www.gstboces.org/iss/hancock/home/Differentiated%20Instruction/Tiered%20Assignments.htm

Tiering allows teachers to "... create multiple paths for learning one key understanding or concept" (Tiered Instruction, 2004). Tiered tasks and instruction can be differentiated according to student interest, readiness, and/or learning profile. Each tier of the task will have more or less scaffolding depending on the individual needs of the students.

What can be Tiered?
Processes, Content, and Products
Assignments
Homework
Learning Stations
Assessments
Writing Prompts
Anchor (Extension) Activities
Materials and Software

When teachers use this strategy, it is helpful to determine the desired key concept and learning outcomes that all students should be able to achieve at the end of the learning. Pre-assessment is integral to help determine needs and grouping. Once assessments are complete, teachers will plan what they will tier:

When Tiering, adjust:
Level of Complexity
Amount of Structure
Number of Steps
Pacing
Materials
Concrete to Abstract
Options based on student interests
Options based on learning styles

How to know when you tier: Examine your curriculum and ask yourself the following questions...
(from Diane Heacox, Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom workshop at the National Conference on Differentiating Instruction in Las Vegas, NV)

1. Do some students need have more time, instruction, and practice with a skill or with content and others have indicated competency? (tier by challenge or tier by complexity)
2. Do your students need differing sources of information?
3. Do some students need more entry based resources and others more advanced, sophisticated or indepth resources based on their prior knowledge? (tier by resources)
4. Could common materials be used with different learning outcomes to work on both basic and more advanced outcomes?
5. Would students benefit from working on the same outcome but doing different kinds of work? (tier by process)
6. Would students benefit form demonstrating what they know or understand by being matched with their preferences? (tier by product)

Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated Instruction for Advanced Learning in the Regular Classroom

By differentiating instruction within the regular classroom, teachers provide all students with various ways to develop their talents. Students who need more advanced opportunities are able to find these options within a differentiated classroom. They are likely to feel more challenged, to encounter both success and growth, to be called upon to develop higher level study and production skills, and to be able to develop their particular interests and talents.

Effective differentiation directly supports the learning needs of advanced students through activities that simulate real world problems, address multiple perspectives, and result in the development and sharing of a variety of authentic products. Differentiation creates engaging and challenging instruction that is:

• inquiry based


• open ended


• multi-faceted


• concept centered


• interdisciplinary


• interest based


• student selected

This information came from this website: www.ascps.org/aacps/boe/instr/CURR/tag/gt/gt2.html

Excellent resources from Carol Tomlinson:

Tomlinson, C. (1998) How can gifted students' needs be met in mixed-ability classrooms? Washington DC: National Association of Gifted Children.

Tomlinson, C. (2001) How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms. VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Department

Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: responding to the needs of all learners. VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Winebrenner, S (2001). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. MN. Free Spirit Press.

Important Gifted News!

Advocacy Assignment: All gifted advocates need to email their representative as well as a few additional individuals with the following message:

1. You are very concerned about gifted education in Ohio. If your school has or is planning to cut/eliminate gifted services or if you have lost or may be losing your gifted position, please let your legislator know.

2. Despite statements to the contrary by some of the education management groups, districts have not cut other programs and services to add to gifted services. In fact, that opposite is true. Services to gifted children have declined almost 25% in the past two years, and this year the decline may be even steeper.

3. Please help us protect the few amount of gifted services that still exist in the state.

4. Add your personal stories and words.