Topical Teaching

Courtesy of celebratingourgifts.com:

1. LET THEM SHOW YOU WHAT THEY KNOW/COMPACT THE CURRICULUM –  Generally, the work that we plan for our students is really “our work,” according to Dr. Joseph Renzulli. It doesn’t become “their work” until it represents true learning for them. Give all students the opportunity to write a pretest- if they do not get an “A” it does not count (some will choose not to – give them small group instruction while the others are writing the pretest). Students who get an above 83% choose to do a higher level thinking activity that represents meaningful learning to them (can or cannot be related to the topic).
2. MOST DIFFICULT FIRST – Gifted students can learn new concepts more quickly than their age peers. They need much less practice than your average students. Allow students complete about 5 of the most difficult problems or exercises first before doing rest of assignment. If they understand it they are free to choose activities that interest them (ongoing project, reading, enrichment or anything that doesn’t disturb others). Evaluation: when they meet the criteria set by you, their “A” for that work becomes their letter grade for entire assignment.
3. DIFFERENT, NOT MORE – Research shows that 40% to 50% of the content might be adapted for gifted students. It is important for educators to provide alternative challenging activities for them to do instead of grade level work. Discover what their interests are and build projects around those interests. Encourage them to self select topics on a conceptual rather than a factual basis.
4. OFFER THEM CHOICES BASED ON THEIR INTERESTS AND TALENTS – Thrill them with choices, choices and more choices. When you’re establishing learning opportunities, provide more than one choice for them to demonstrate understanding. Let them write a brochure or create a dramatization if they find that more interesting. Trust them to learn in non-traditional ways.

Gifted students are passionate about topics that are not connected to the curriculum, which is one reason why school can be frustrating for them. Once they have shown you they understand the concepts, allow them the opportunity to learn something they are interested in.

5. CHANGE YOUR APPROACH – Become “the facilitator.” Rather than just “giving” them information, help them to discover it! Let go of the idea of normal. Think outside the box.
Drill and practice may cause boredom which escalates into unacceptable behaviours. Keep them challenged. Provide ongoing challenging activities with a problem solving focus. For instance, instead of saying, “What is the perimeter of this 4 x 3 rectangle?” Pose it this way: “How many different rectangles can you make with a perimeter of 14 units?” Give them dot paper or geoboards to discover the solutions. Ask if they’ve found all of the rectangles and do they know if the have.

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