Advocacy is the “public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.” School Media Centers and Libraries are for EVERYONE! In fact that is what I LOVE so much about this awesome space and the job I get to do. I get to welcome and advocate for what my reluctant reader needs, have available database for my disorganized researcher, provide tools for the panicked teacher, and challenge my academically gifted students with programming to take their problem solving to the next level. I advocate for all my learners by offering them resources and the space they need to meet their needs.
Here are just a few of the things I suggest for gifted students but they are also just good practice to benefit ALL students (and staff) in your school Media Center.
Advocacy is the “public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.” School Media Centers and Libraries are for EVERYONE! In fact that is what I LOVE so much about this awesome space and the job I get to do. I get to welcome and advocate for what my reluctant reader needs, have available database for my disorganized researcher, provide tools for the panicked teacher, and challenge my academically gifted students with programming to take their problem solving to the next level. I advocate for all my learners by offering them resources and the space they need to meet their needs.
Here are just a few of the things I suggest for gifted students but they are also just good practice to benefit ALL students (and staff) in your school Media Center.
- Programming: Develop programming that interests and challenges your readers. Create a student input panel and make sure you reach out to your gifted students to join. Change it up regularly and have it align with the classroom curriculum so students don't feel overworked.
- Coach: Start a Battle of the Books club or an Odyssey of the Mind team. If your plate is full offer your space for their practice sessions. Gifted learners thrive on competition.
- Collaborate: Go regularly to grade level or subject level PLCs and offer ways to enrich the learning of AIG students. You can create independent learning project that allow them to leave the classroom and work independently in the Media Center or offer your assistance in developing differentiated learning opportunities in the Media Center with the teacher for the whole class.
- Makerspace: Have an area in the Media Center where students can MAKE. They can think outside of the box, create, problem solve, fail and try again. This is a valuable tool for everyone. https://www.nsgt.org/4-benefits-of-introducing-the-arts-to-your-gifted-child/
- Collection Development: Make sure your collection is reflective of the areas of interest of your students. Don’t be afraid to purge. More books doesn’t mean better choices. Make sure you have high level reading texts especially in the nonfiction collection. Have students “shop” for you using your Follett catalogs or meet up at a local book store and listen to their input. Student choice is empowering and it guarantees that those books will be checked out.
- Databases: Make sure you have access to databases that offer a variety of lexile/grade level reading passages so that AIG students can be challenged but that all students can benefit from. https://newsela.com/articles/#/rule/latest
- Join: Join a professional organization outside of just your Media Center organizations. In North Carolina you can join http://www.ncagt.org/ and go to their conferences. The National Association for Gifted Children 64th Annual Convention (NAGC17) NAGC17 is the largest gathering devoted to gifted and talented education. Join nearly 3,000 individuals from around the world in Charlotte, NC, from November 9 - 12, 2017. There are more than 300 content-rich sessions, and the opportunity to network with gifted education leaders, parents, teachers and renowned researchers. Or look into organizations that span across the United States. https://www.nsgt.org/about-the-society/
- Host: Offer your space for meetings and parent nights. Your services will be on display generating more support for library programming and to get books and resources into the hands that need them.
- Professional Development: Offer PD to your teachers on the recent trends and technology that can benefit gifted learners. Invite local speakers or your County's AIG director to offer workshops and classes. Helping teachers get the tools and knowledge they need will only help the students in your school.
- Provide Resources for Parents: Keep the most updated links on your website that give parents information on how to get involved and how to support their gifted learners. Share your discoveries with the AIG coordinator in your school or the director in your county. http://www.nagc.org/get-involved/advocate-high-ability-learners http://www.ncagt.org/resources/legislative
Feel Like Re-Writing Curriculum?
Yeah, me neither. So check out my highlights about these three models that you can then share with the teachers in your school (#9 on my advocacy list) . These models focus on how to improve learning for gifted learners and remember you don't always have to buy their program to make a difference. But if you find a model that fits the needs of your students purchase a copy for the professional section of your library/media center. (I have listed them in the order in which I found them most helpful and user friendly.)
Integrated Curriculum Model or ICM is a mash up of rigorous content, with high level processing and products along with interdisciplinary themes. If you haven't heard of William and Mary curriculum then check them out. They are the leaders of the pack in ICM. I find this method and this highly organized and data driven curriculum to be the easiest to apply to what you are already doing. They provide a great PDF on their website called What Works and it is filled with explanations and diagrams about how to implement problem based learning in science classes, advanced reading level literature in your ELA class, and how to connect history to concepts like cause and effect so that students research with a purpose .
Yeah, me neither. So check out my highlights about these three models that you can then share with the teachers in your school (#9 on my advocacy list) . These models focus on how to improve learning for gifted learners and remember you don't always have to buy their program to make a difference. But if you find a model that fits the needs of your students purchase a copy for the professional section of your library/media center. (I have listed them in the order in which I found them most helpful and user friendly.)
Integrated Curriculum Model or ICM is a mash up of rigorous content, with high level processing and products along with interdisciplinary themes. If you haven't heard of William and Mary curriculum then check them out. They are the leaders of the pack in ICM. I find this method and this highly organized and data driven curriculum to be the easiest to apply to what you are already doing. They provide a great PDF on their website called What Works and it is filled with explanations and diagrams about how to implement problem based learning in science classes, advanced reading level literature in your ELA class, and how to connect history to concepts like cause and effect so that students research with a purpose .
Multiple Menu Model: Good ole Renzulli
People love choices. Restaurants know this, nail salons know this, and teachers know this. Gifted learners (dare I say all learners) want to be able to have a say so in the path their learning follows. They want to be able to really dig into the areas of interest that strengthening their knowledge base and grow those dendrites.
Renzulli refers to his areas of learning as a planning guide for knowledge, instructional objectives, and student activities.
Even if you have never used his menu ideas for your planning and behind the scenes work almost ever teacher has made a Bingo Board of activities for students to show master of the content. And if you haven't now is the time. Let go of the idea that every student needs to make a power point or a brochure and create authentic assignment choices that challenge their application of knowledge.
Multiple Menu Model: Good ole Renzulli
People love choices. Restaurants know this, nail salons know this, and teachers know this. Gifted learners (dare I say all learners) want to be able to have a say so in the path their learning follows. They want to be able to really dig into the areas of interest that strengthening their knowledge base and grow those dendrites.
Renzulli refers to his areas of learning as a planning guide for knowledge, instructional objectives, and student activities.
Even if you have never used his menu ideas for your planning and behind the scenes work almost ever teacher has made a Bingo Board of activities for students to show master of the content. And if you haven't now is the time. Let go of the idea that every student needs to make a power point or a brochure and create authentic assignment choices that challenge their application of knowledge.
Parallel Curriculum Model
This model has developed PD and curriculum to help teachers stop teaching the bits and pieces but instead focus more on the big picture. The founding principals ensure that all learners understand 1) CORE the nature of knowledge, 2) CONNECTIONS among knowledge, 3) PRACTICE or the method behind those who create knowledge, and 4) IDENTITY where the learner "fits" his/her goals and values amongst all this knowledge.
In other words, giving kids the big picture instead of spoon feeding them parts and pieces that never make a full connection for their thirsty minds. A "why am I learning this approach" versus sit and get this information because it will be on the test.
This model has developed PD and curriculum to help teachers stop teaching the bits and pieces but instead focus more on the big picture. The founding principals ensure that all learners understand 1) CORE the nature of knowledge, 2) CONNECTIONS among knowledge, 3) PRACTICE or the method behind those who create knowledge, and 4) IDENTITY where the learner "fits" his/her goals and values amongst all this knowledge.
In other words, giving kids the big picture instead of spoon feeding them parts and pieces that never make a full connection for their thirsty minds. A "why am I learning this approach" versus sit and get this information because it will be on the test.
Do Media Coordinators need to assess
gifted learners or
is that the classroom teacher’s job?
The word Assessment often conjures up the painful hours spent reading countless passages with directions to fill in the circle heavy and dark, but assessments can be so much more than that in the Media Center. If you are a flex schedule Media Coordinator, like I am, your learning space can offer growth mind set opportunities as well as meaningful assessments for gifted learners.
“Assessment is the process of gathering evidence of student learning to inform instructional decisions. Assessment is an ongoing process that occurs daily…” .[1] My natural role as a Media Coordinator is to not tell them the correct answer but guide them in finding it themselves. I am proud to say formative assessments happen in my Media Center regularly and it is a genuine measures of learning for all my students, but particularly important for my gifted learners. Formative assessments give me instant feedback and allow me to redirect instruction in order to accomplish my goals of creating meaningful connections within the common core curriculum. When teaching gifted students my delivery of information differs so that problem solving, group work, time to practice/rehearse can all take place before grades are given by their classroom teacher. Students’ have the floor to share connections and interpretations whether it is during a lesson or while finding a book. Their feedback lets me know if we are all on the right track together. During my collaborative lessons with core teacher’s students give feedback within the whole group, with talking partners, or in personal reflections. Now I don’t have to grade the summative assessment, like a research paper, but I am able to monitor if students are grasping the research process so that they can feel successful when turning something in for a grade. Checking for understanding before and after a lesson helps the classroom teacher, and myself, “summarize student performance” [2] something I feel the “standardized tests” are unable to do. Too often standardized tests only measure the comprehension of a “typical” student and don’t allow for the level of complexity a gifted learner needs and can demonstrate. Media Coordinators provide guidance and the necessary “feedback related to how to do a task more effectively” [3] our goal as Media Coordinators aren’t just giving answers to solve that instant informational need but rather supporting students in developing a plan of action on how to find relevant and factual information so they can help themselves with future academic dilemmas. If you need more proof of authentic learning that shows gifted learners (and all students) finding their “sweet spot” [4] just take a look at the gallery of photos and learning experiences I offer in the Media Center on my homepage. If you don’t know where to start, join a professional community like Future Ready Librarians so that you are always on the cutting edge of media and tech services for your patrons. Professional learning communities can offer up inspiration, support, and feedback on what you can do to help gifted patrons. You can also try incorporating one of these many lesson planning techniques listed below, designed to support and grow gifted learners. So yes, it is our job to assess gifted learners in the Media Center in order for them to reach full academic success.
[2] Ryser, G. & Rambo-Hernandez, K. E. (2014, January). Using growth models to measure school performance: Implications for gifted learners. Gifted Child Today, 37(1), 17-23 [3] Or WWWI trench warfare I am constantly having students give feedback within the whole group, with talking partners, or in personal reflections. [4] Ryser, G. & Rambo-Hernandez, K. E. (2014, January). Using growth models to measure school performance: Implications for gifted learners. Gifted Child Today, 37(1), 17-23 |
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS/MODELS to be used by Media Coordinators
My input is geared towards flex schedule Middle School Media Coordinators. * are placed by the methods I feel are most relevant to the work Media Coordinator do and the environment we are creating as Future Ready Librarians. The list provides a brief description of the method, some benefits and limitations. Taba’s Concept development
*Socratic Method
Questioning (levels of inquiry)
*Problem-Based Learning
Bruner’s Structure of the Intellect
Service Learning
*Visual Thinking Strategies
Kohlberg’s Moral Dilemmas
Simulations
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Programming for Gifted Learners in your School Media Center
Want to put into practice programing that gets gifted learners excited about the Media Center? This handbook is designed for Media Center Specialists/School Librarians who want to create programing that challenges, enhances, excites, and educates the gifted learners in your school.
This digital handbook will address topics such as:
This digital handbook will address topics such as:
- Collaborating with classroom teachers (both AIG Licensed and Non- Licensed)
- Creating Programs Before /After School or during elective courses for AIG Identified and Nurtured Students
- Engaging and Including the Family of Gifted Learner’s
- Suggestions for Enhancing the Library Collection with Professional Materials & Patron Materials
Characteristics of Gifted LearnersGifted Learners are as diverse as a library’s book collection. Some display his/her giftedness through a veracious need to read while other gifted students don’t have the focus or desire to be “bookworms”. Just by engaging students in conversations can show his/her ability to problem solve or demonstrate an extensive vocabulary or verbal ability. But no matter a student’s specific area of giftedness (Intellectual, Academic, Creative, Leadership, or Social-Emotional) a school library/media center is a great place to grow and support gifted learners by providing:
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Identification Process As a Media Center Specialist I see students all day. Some are my frequent visitors and I can count on seeing them every morning so I get a sense of what books interest them and if they really are reading or they just like the vibe my space offers.
I strike up conversations about the connections they’ve made with the text or what they appreciate about the author’s writing style and some students blow me away with insight and personal connections. I have the gift of seeing students when they are most authentic because the library doesn’t give a grade or make them take a test, it really is a place to be yourself. So, what does this have to do with identifying gifted learners? I get to have conversations and see behaviors that classroom teachers sometimes miss. And this year I have seen some truly gifted students who are not currently identified. The great thing about identifying gifted learners in North Carolina is I, the school librarian, can contact my AIG coordinator and share my observations and get the process started. So don’t assume that ever brilliant mind you talk to in the library is part of the gifted program –take the time to follow through. You might be that child’s only advocate. Most students in DPS take part in a third grade sweep screen but if you feel a child was overlooked or missed this screening process you can contact Beth Cross the AIG Coordinator for DPS or access more information about the AIG process here. The new DPS AIG Plan was just approved for the 2016-2019 time frame. The Parent Hand Bill is a great place to get information and it is also available in Spanish. |
NC State Laws North Carolina recognizes that special services, beyond the normal classroom instruction, should be given to students who are identified as gifted. That means Media Specialist can be part of making a gifted learners experience at school richer and more personal.
The state also recognizes that giftedness can occur in multiple areas of a student’s life (academics, visual and performing arts, leadership, and intellect) and that this giftedness should be identified and cultivated in every cultural group. You can read more on the NCDPI. website. |