VAGTC Vision Magazine Vol 34 No.2

The Victorian Association for Gifted and Talented Children

Volume 34, No.2 2023

Enriching Gifted and Talented Minds

• The Schoolwide Enrichment Model

• STEM Education

• Parenting Gifted Children

• Twice-Exceptionality

• Teachers’ Toolbox

Volume 34, No.2 2023

VISION, VOLUME 34 NO.2 2023

© 2023 Victorian Association for Gifted and Talented Children 2/3 Wellington Street, Kew, Victoria, 3101

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VAGTC Committee Members: Karen Glauser-Edwards and Laura Wilcox.

COVER DESIGN

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MANY

THANKS TO THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

The most amazing people volunteered to make this issue what it is. Much gratitude to: Tom, Amelia, Noel, Pranav, Jorja, Fiona, Sia, Giselle, Pantelis, Devon Harris, Eliza Murray, Joseph S. Renzulli, Sally M. Reis, Kathleen Humble, Laila Sarraf, Todd Stanley, Fiona Wise, Peter Wise, Kathy Harrison, and Laura Wilcox

For advertising inquiries and submission guidelines please visit www.VAGTC.org.au/Vision.

VISION Magazine welcomes contributions from members and students and invite student submissions of artwork, photographs, poetry, or short stories. Best-practices, re fl ections and educator-submitted reviews and articles are also welcome.

Copyright. The Victorian Association for Gifted and Talented Children (VAGTC) 2023 All rights reserved. VISION is published by the Victorian Association for Gifted and Talented Children (VAGTC) in two volumes each year and distributed to all VAGTC membership subscribers. All material in VISION is wholly copyright (unless otherwise stated via CC license and reproduction without the written permission of VAGTC is strictly forbidden. Neither this publication nor its contents constitute an explicit endorsement by the VAGTC of the products or services mentioned in advertising or editorial content.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, VAGTC shall not have any liability for errors or omissions. We’ve done our best to acknowledge all images used in this publication. In some instances images have been provided to us by those who appear editorially and we have their permission in each case to use the images.

This publication contains links to websites at domains other than www.VAGTC.org.au. Such sites are controlled or produced by third parties. Except as indicated, we do not control, endorse, sponsor or approve any such websites or any content on them, nor do we provide any warranty or take any responsibility for any aspect of the content of this publication. We apologise if anything appears incorrectly. Please let us know and we will be sure to acknowledge it in the next issue.

VAGTC provides professional development for educators and support to parents through seminar presentations provided online or face to face. Seminar lengths vary from one hour to a full day, and cover a wide variety of topics. We aim to expand our offerings.

Do you have expertise or resources that you would like to share? If you are interested in developing seminars and/or presenting, please send your expression of interest to info@vagtc.org.au. Remuneration is on an hourly basis.

Presenters should have:

• Minimum of 5 years experience in gifted education

• Post graduate qualifications in gifted education and/ or extensive experience working with gifted children

• Experience and ability in presenting at conferences/ seminars

• VIT registration

• ABN

ADVERTISING IN VISION

We are exploring options for advertising in VISION in 2024. If you are interested in advertising in our publication, please contact us at: vision@vagtc.org.au

Blue Portrait - by Tom, Year 9, St Joseph’s College, Ferntree Gully

Welcome

Kathy Harrison From the President, December 2023

A S I PEN THIS, THE SCHOOL YEAR IS FAST COMING TO A CLOSE WITH PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR WELL UNDERWAY It is encouraging to hear from educators and parents laying the groundwork for the coming year, reflecting on what has gone well but also seeking to improve our support of gifted children/students to thrive. In designing learning focusing on student strengths and our strengths, the partnership between teacher and student, and parent and child, underpins many of the ideas expressed in the articles in this edition.

This issue sees a wonderful balance of voice from students, parents, educators, and renowned researchers’ contributions. Parent Devon Harris, shares her insightful realisation that parenting a gifted child requires something different. A growth mindset, along with strategies to engage, motivate and inspire, feed a productive partnership with our children. Devon brings her professional expertise in child behaviour and speaks of enrichment as real-world problem solving. Partnering with our children to explore issues of significance to them, ‘going beyond doing’ to ‘listening, being and becoming’ is crucial. Devon invites us to ask the question “What support do you need from me to have this happen?”. A vital question.

Todd Stanley (the GIFTED GUY) shares elements of his classroom Toolbox – strategies to differentiate and engage all learners but with a focus on gifted learners. If you have heard him speak, you will know the dynamism he brings to his practice, reflected in the practical strategies and ideas he employs in the classroom. Laila Sarraf, a selfprofessed STEM enthusiast argues that due to the creative problem solving involved and collaborative nature of many investigations, STEM naturally lends itself to enrichment. She further advocates for teachers to be given time to devise unique opportunities for creative exploration and innovation.

In her article regarding activities that children from Mensa have been engaged in this year, Eliza Murray describes a range of opportunities designed to meet people (children and parents) at their point of need. Family Games Day, Conundrums Club, Gamer Garage, Battle Bunker, each focus on different interests. Personally, I found the Conundrums Club intriguing and would have loved to have shared such a space in my formative years. Intentional development of leadership amongst the members contributes to an underlying goal: to develop “leaders who will not only understand the complexities of our future world, but also have the heart and wisdom to transform it.”

Enrichment for twice exceptional students, along with support structures that will accommodate a child’s exceptionality are outlined in Kathleen Humble’s article. Her list of potential accommodations along with questions to ask ourselves as we design learning opportunities is very helpful, aiming to avoid overtaxing the teacher or parent. As she indicates, a few basic accommodations can make all the difference.

Joseph Renzulli and Sally Reis have been significant contributors in gifted education for decades. Their models value authentic tasks and real world problems as core to enrichment. They encourage us to widen our repertoire of strategies to cater for gifted and talented, and put the child at the centre. Whole school development with a range of strategies and provisions serves to raise the bar for all learners in the community. Curriculum modification, including compacting and differentiation and a wide range of enrichment opportunities, are essential. The development of an individual portfolio focussed on student strengths, interests and learning styles is fundamental to ensure effective planning. Furthermore, the child is encouraged to be an active partner, and to develop a passion and joy for learning. Their extensive article covers many interrelated insights from their research and experience.

Reflections from students Noel, Pranav, and Pantelis enhance our appreciation of the importance of enrichment to students. Our thanks to Giselle and Amelia for their artworks and Sia for sharing a poem. An interview with Giselle’s parent s gives a glimpse of how creative talent can be fostered and explored through the home environment and support from family and community, along with school. We express our appreciation to all the contributors for their generosity in sharing with us.

– Kathy Harrison VAGTC President

Call for Submissions - VISION Magazine Volume 35, No 1

Submissions are invited for our next edition on the theme of Student Voices. Due date April 7th, 2024.

VISION welcomes contributions on gifted education matters, including academic papers, reports on research, book reviews, perspectives from best practice and reflections. Some issues produced by VAGTC for VISION are thematic in nature. All written material should include a brief biographical note (approximately 30 words). Photographs and images should be original, copyrighted to the author, of suitable quality for print reproduction (no smaller than 300dpi) and emailed in JPEG format. Articles should be between 800-1500 words and be original work. All material submitted will be evaluated by the editors and outside referees where appropriate. The editors reserve the right to edit accepted works in order to fi t the publication formatting and language.

Email to: vision@vagtc.org.au

How Parents Can Provide Enrichment For Their Gifted Children

Devon Harris

I FIRST CAME TO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT MY CHILD NEEDED PARENTING BEYOND THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM WHEN HE WAS 18 MONTHS OLD. Prior to that I had lived in a cloud of self-doubt and worry. By this time, it was apparent to me that I needed to figure it out and that no one was coming to save me. I lived with the deepest sense that I was alone and that, whilst I could see there was understanding ‘out there’, nobody within my reach got it. It was a heavy weight to carry. Life felt like a burden and for several years I continued to struggle alone.

I love the analogy of parenting being like building a plane whilst fl ying it. This concept put me in the extraordinarily uncomfortable position of radical self-responsibility but ultimately had me step into being the empowered parent I adore being today. With this, I stopped looking to others as the authority on my child and moved firmly into ways I could meet his needs, namely his need for enrichment.

A lack of enrichment triggered unwanted behaviours. I could see the way a sense of panic would set in when his gifted brain was left without it. I could see that this was very much a part of the urgency that impacted my ability to parent effectively. His experience of panic, worry or being in a heightened state was not problematic in and of itself, but I knew that being left in it over time could lead to a myriad of mental health symptoms and a pronounced disconnection from his love of learning.

I imagine this collective examination of enrichment will give us a broader understanding and I hope that this article will break down, in a really practical way, how parents can provide the type of enrichment at home which will serve to keep our gifted kids sane, engaged and living on their growth edges.

When I became a parent in 2014, I already had a bachelor’s degree in Youth Studies and well over a decade of experience working directly with young people. When I returned to work, I did so with fresh eyes. I saw that the earliest point of intervention was inside homes. So, I became a certified parenting coach and started supporting parents to cultivate the skills, adopt the mindset and develop the structures necessary to engage, motivate and inspire their own kids. Inside this model, we turn away from behaviourism and the reliance on rewards, punishments, threats and bribes. Preferring instead to start from a place of recognising that all behaviour (wanted and unwanted) is driven by three things: unmet needs (physiological, biological, emotional, psychological, relational etc.), pent up feelings and a lack of age/stage appropriate information or explanation. From this understanding, I now guide parents to utilise strategies that build safety, trust and connection.

At one stage of my career, I was delivering programs in prisons. My role was to enrich the environment for the inmates and, whilst we held a larger perspective of rehabilitation, the real focus was on the core issues of liability. Occupying their time to avoid conflict born of boredom was at the forefront. However, meeting their developmental

needs was ever present in my mind, so I was pleased when we were approached by the Melbourne Zoo to have the inmates help build the enrichment activities for the Zoo’s primate population. The Zoo was more into the idea that enriched environments were necessary if you wanted to maintain health and wellbeing. Perhaps it had something to do with the cost of each animal. That losing them early to a shortened lifespan simply did not make fiscal sense. The Zoo also realised that it was not simply about keeping their animals occupied. They knew that if you want healthy animals, it had to be enrichment in a speciesspecific manner. Merely being occupied spells a slow death, whereas enrichment leads to fulfilment, contentment, and satisfaction. So, how can we, as parents, provide the enrichment opportunities our brilliant, gifted children need? So many of us struggle to do this because we lack the understanding of what enrichment really is. We may also lack the time or the resources to provide it or, when we do, we find ourselves missing the mark with what we offer. Time, resources and networks are important but at the foundational level it’s important to start where you are, use what you have, do what you can. The foundation of enrichment lies beneath all the ‘stuff and things’. Paradoxically, a lack of resources, networks and time can often bring forth an outrageously deeper level of connection, while high demand life situations can actually become fodder for enrichment.

A brief walk through Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration shows us that adversity can turn potentials into probables. When breakdowns are supported with care and compassion, to a degree which matches the pain, we can grow through them. This is a sentiment echoed through the research done in Positive Psychology’s theory of flow state. The idealised life, free from strain and stress, can stay out there, on the horizon line, as the glorious golden beacon. We can look around our immediate environment, accept where we are right now, and get to work on enriching our child’s current experience.

When I first started there were some obvious obstacles. Stumbling blocks that held me back from providing the enrichment my child needed. Firstly, there is a very human tendency to overestimate what can be achieved in the short term and underestimate what can be done in the long term. Redressing this is about setting realistic goals, with the support of gifted experts and in conjunction with accurate testing by experienced and gifted specific professionals. It is worth taking the time to get this right and to keep it updated. They often move faster than we think.

Another obstacle is our collective tendency towards pathologising trauma, grief and loss and justifiable outrage at injustices. Getting clear on the underlying causes of behaviour, and meeting developmental needs first, matters. We are problem seekers, scanning our environment for threats. We can choose to focus on our child’s strengths and make a concerted effort to bring them to the forefront. Taking an annual walk through the Values in Action (VIA) inventory is just one way we collect data in our home.

Yet another obstacle is our tendency to misunderstand our child’s invitations, to provide for their needs. What they are needing and what we think they are needing can be worlds apart. How is it that we start to get crystal clear about their real needs and desires? All children, gifted or not, are genius about getting their needs met. Surprisingly to some, this is not manipulative, cunning or conniving. Our job is to see through the drama to the core of the matter and identify the need and meet it.

By establishing a partnership style approach to our child’s development early on, we can ensure that they have a high level of agency and a sense of autonomy. We keep in mind that they are at the centre of this but, whilst they are central and the guiding force, we can’t overlook that we hold extraordinary influence in their lives. With this perspective, re-envisioning our own life goals may become necessary. This doesn’t mean self-sacrifice, as that will only ever lead to resentment and disconnection. Instead, it means adopting the stance of ‘belonging to a family where everyone’s needs are met’. This mantra often requires a high level of creativity but reaps benefi ts, beyond just eliminating the sense of lack and competitive edge that arises in many families.

From here the next foundational piece for enrichment becomes available. That is the capacity for deep listening. Listening for what’s not being said and listening for the most important things that need to be heard. It involves all the usual methods of active listening (paraphrasing, summarising, and clarifying) but goes a step further. When engaged in deep listening we are able to reflect back an even bigger possibility than our child may be able to see for themselves. Effectively propelling their growth in a way that is aligned with their own developmental needs.

After deep listening we’re able to go places with our child we weren’t previously able to. We can challenge in ways that uplift and inspire, we can question assumptions, perceptions, beliefs, values, needs and desires in ways that build connection. This is a generative conversation which encourages self-reflection. There are many examples of powerful questions which guide conversations but historically I believe we have missed out on building the necessary safety and trust first.

Being able to have empowering direct communication, whether it’s with gifted youngsters or gifted teens, is vital. This fuels proper enrichment as we can start to take everyday experiences and assist our child in making empowered meaning. Adopting empowering positive language doesn’t come naturally. Being clear, specific and succinct is a challenge to many of us and often needs to be practised. Sharing our observations, intuitions, thoughts, and ideas in ways that support our children to open up and receive guidance, is an art form. Trusting that our child will take on or reject our offers of advice or perceptions can be hard, but letting go of the attachment to being right is of benefi t to everyone.

New awareness emerges organically from this place and we are called to support them in traversing the liminal space they find themselves in. This liminal space is the transition between the last stage and the next, pockmarked with uncertainty. Not yet having mastered the new level but having clearly outgrown the last.

This can be a time of fumbling and failing but utilising the breakdowns and capitalising on setbacks will highlight the skills which need to be cultivated moving forward. It’s all about engaging the ‘stuck-ness’, without forcing awareness, and clearing the blocks, without promoting learned helplessness. There is rarely a need to ‘fi x’ a problem for our child. The more exploration of the problem or set back we have engaged, the more the invitation is opened for our child to find their own solution. This is enrichment at its best. Problem-solving real-world challenges will trump the manufactured challenges any day. That’s not to say that we can’t partner with them in generating the solutions. Nor is it to say that we won’t be present with them as they move forward. We can, and indeed need to, do both to ensure that they move forward in whatever ways they have now caught a glimpse of. This period is precarious, and our attention and intention cements their resolve, their commitment and their motivation. Accountability is helpful too when offered up as an option and then invited by our child. The question of “what support do you need from me to have this happen?” is gold. Parenting in and of itself is an act of enrichment. When the more complex and nuanced aspects are harnessed, beyond the practical acts of being a taxi or providing meals, the results are profound. Our homes are filled with ever-evolving scenarios, each one an opportunity to provide the elusive enrichment we seek. Each challenge, every set back, every “failure” is an opportunity to lean in and get curious. The result is that we unleash our gifted children’s brilliance, we build harmony in the home and establish remarkable relationships that last a lifetime.

Devon Harris is a child and adolescent behaviour specialist, a certifi ed parenting coach, and mum to one veritable powerhouse.

She is on a mission to elevate children of all ages by disrupting parenting-as-usual conventional wisdom.

Instead of overwhelm and struggle, co-created coaching packages help parents experience the pure joy that comes as a result of allowing children to fully fl ourish into the best humans possible. Devon’s unique application of the Aware Parenting approach is renowned for developing future-conscious leaders and even transforming a few adults along the way.

upsidedowndevi@gmail.com or 0444 506 868

Untitled - by Amelia, Year 4, St Leonard's College, Brighton

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS GIVE HARDER CHALLENGES TO TALENTED STUDENTS WHICH HELPS THEM DEVELOP NEW SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. Enrichment programs are often specialised and can allow students to explore their favourite topics, which increases engagement and motivation. As a student identified as talented, I believe that enrichment is a great idea. It provides opportunities for me to learn beyond the normal curriculum and explore my interests. It helps me to broaden my knowledge and skills in my areas of passion, which enhances my personal and academic development. Overall, enrichment motivates me to strive for excellence and achieve my full potential and be the best possible version of myself.

Albert Einstein once said, “Creativity is just the brain having fun.” Some of my best experiences have been with chess activities, yoyo activities and many more; these were tons of fun which enhanced creativity. Personally, I also believe that enrichment opportunities provide social and academic benefi ts, as well as creativity. This is because when students become a part of an enrichment program, not only do they learn and have plenty of fun, but they also find like-minded people to relate with and to socialise. Programs specialised for children will

Enriching Learning

perfectly suit their interests and motivate them to achieve everything they pursue.

I want to achieve even more through enrichment activities. Expanding my knowledge and abilities outside of what we study in school has always been essential. It would be wonderful to join groups for math and business, compete in contests for prizes, and participate in programs that allow me to pursue my interests like economics and business management. To improve my social and problem-solving abilities, I want to take on leadership responsibilities and participate in volunteer and community services that help children be fi t and look after themselves and their education. I wish to develop a better grasp of social issues and how to make a difference in the world because of these experiences. By taking advant age of these possibilities available to me, I will be able to fulfill my goals and set myself up for future success and achieve my goal to be a well-rounded person with a wide range of experiences, talents and Christian values.

– Noel Harka

Year 7, St John’s College, Preston

A S A YEAR 10 STUDENT, WHO IS FAST APPROACHING HIS TWILIGHT YEARS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION, I HAVE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF EXPERIENCES My formal education began in India, but quickly changed tracks when my family moved to Jersey; a tough move for me, considering the only English word I knew was “no”.

A set of supportive parents, a constant theme in my journey, helped me be the first one in my Reception year to master the 100 magic words. This set the tone for my academic achievements and has allowed me to become an independent student. From a bumbling kindergartner I soon graduated to the stereotypical “four-eyes” – studious, glasses, and few hobbies. This didn’t bother me, however, since my primary focus was on my grades. It took me a while to realise that my definition of an excellent student was somewhat skewed.

At each stage of our lives, we play multiple roles: child, parent, student, worker, sibling etc. How well we execute each of these roles determines our overall success as a human. To be a successful student, we must determine our strengths and inclinations and then align our energies to achieve personal excellence.

I was ten when I discovered my love for music. The gift of an iPad with a piano app on it was my first dalliance with a musical instrument. This year I hope to gain my Grade 6 certification. Music for me is a very personal experience. It recharges me to face the challenge that is VCE. Along the way I have discovered my passion for singing and performing and I ensure I do not miss any opportunity to showcase my talents.

StudentVoice

An Enriched Education

Pranav Khullar

Three years ago, in the midst of COVID, my family relocated to Melbourne. Another tough move. My grades allowed me to be part of the accelerated stream at my school. Being surrounded by students who were ambitious and driven gave me a sense of healthy competition, motivating me to find ways to separate myself from the herd. Here began my tryst with public speaking. My first attempt at it was a fiasco. My next attempt, however, was glorious as I found myself reaching the National Finals of Rostrum ‘Voice of Youth’ Public Speaking. The glory, the recognition propelled me further.

Living in Europe one cannot but be enamoured by football, er, soccer. I joined a community soccer club and captained the under-15 team in my first season. We tied for first that year. My father enrolled me into badminton, and I really hated it at first. However, gradually it became my best sport.

In conclusion, excellence is our birthright, and it is also our duty to ourselves. Once we decide to pursue a certain path, we must give it all our energy and ruthlessly eliminate any mental barriers. We should never be afraid of trying something new. We are more than our grades. We are more than the awards we get. Whatever we choose, we must give it our all, because even if we’re on the right track, we’ll be run over if we just sit there.

– Pranav Khullar

Year 10, Marymede Catholic College, South Morang.

Why Genius Alone Isn’t Enough: How Australian Mensa Is Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders from Today’s Brightest Minds

Eliza Murray

IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE THE BRIGHTEST YOUNG MINDS STRUGGLE - NOT WITH COMPLEX EQUATIONS OR ADVANCED THEORIES, BUT WITH THE VERY ESSENCE OF HUMAN INTERACTION AND LEADERSHIP Don’t need to imagine? You’ve likely raised, worked with or been a gifted child. As the Victorian Gifted Children’s Coordinator at Australian Mensa, I frequently encounter the unique social and interpersonal development challenges that gifted children navigate. Here’s the paradox we face: “It’s boring being around those kids, they’re not interested in anything I am.”

“They won’t get it, there’s no point in explaining.”

“It’s easier to do it by myself, I don’t want to slow down for them.”

Sound familiar? These are the echoes from the world of gifted children, where intellectual brilliance often overshadows essential life skills like teamwork, communication, and cooperation. And the most challenging part of responding to the kids who voice these concerns? They’re often right. Yet, herein lies the crux: Leadership is a mosaic of these very skills - skills that are prone to become a blind spot for many highIQ children. In my role with Mensa, I’ve heard countless stories from parents and children alike about young prodigies who are excelling academically, while trailing far behind their schoolmates in emotional intelligence, collaborative skill, and leadership acumen.

For gifted kids, seeing the benefi t in working as part of a team, when you’re light years ahead in thought, can be a challenge. As can be appreciating and learning from others, when their ideas feel elementary. Without the confidence that their audience will understand what they are saying, some kids never get the opportunity to practice articulating complex thoughts in simple terms. As one of our young geniuses describes elucidating to classmates, “it’s like trying to explain colour to the blind”.

In response to this unique dilemma, the Mensa team in Victoria have been working to help grow a community. One where gifted kids can engage, learn from and, most importantly, have fun with like-minded peers. Our diverse range of programs, spanning both in-person and online activities, is designed to create a nurturing space for these bright young individuals. Here, they find not just intellectual stimulation, but also the invaluable opportunity to belong, connect, and thrive in a setting that celebrates their unique talents and perspectives.

Family Games Day at the Library at the Dock is a monthly fun-filled afternoon that has been running for over a year now. It is designed to give our Young Mensan members the opportunity to connect in-person with other kids on their level. The Mensa Kids team and I facilitate a range of larger group games (like Throw Throw Burrito and One Night Ultimate Werewolf) to help introduce our young geniuses to each other. Once they start having fun and get comfortable, we encourage them to get to know each other better with smaller group games like chess, Uno, Exploding Kittens and Jenga. As children become regulars at

these events, they often take on leadership roles, helping to organise games, and teaching newer members how to play them. We get to see kids be kids - laughing, chasing each other around, inventing new games, and engaging with peers who see the world through a similar lens. For some Young Mensans, these opportunities are preciously rare. One parent shared, in the first session she attended with her son, that “I’ve never seen him laugh with kids his own age before”. Up to 30 kids join us at our Family Games Day events. As much as our young members enjoy getting to play with kids who experience the world the way they do, it’s often just as exciting an opportunity for the parents. At every event you’ll find groups of parents enjoying a coffee, while they get to have a chat and share their unique experiences of raising a high IQ child. Getting to the city for our Family Games Day events can be a challenge for those located outside of inner Melbourne though, and not all gifted kids are comfortable with uninterrupted face-to-face interaction. This is why we’ve also launched a range of online sessions to support young Mensa members connect with each other.

Conundrums Club is a monthly online activity aimed at “cultivating the art of constructive debate”. The program is designed to not only engage bright minds in strategic problem solving, but also to create a collaborative environment which fosters communication, active listening, teamwork and fun. Conundrums involve creative problems such as “If bioengineers figured out how to create a real-life dragon, should they?”, “Which member of a fi ve-astronaut team selected to go on the first mission to Mars would be the best team leader?” and “Would you allow an underground metropolis to be built beneath the largest city in the world?”. For each conundrum, participants are randomly allocated into teams of 3-5 members and given 10 minutes to explore the problem. They weave together their collective wisdom, to come up with solutions. A randomly selected representative from each team is then invited to deliver a compelling one-minute pitch, encapsulating their team’s perspective. The program trains leadership and communication skills, by challenging teams to prepare all their members to present. The presentation order is unknown. So, teams have no way of knowing which ideas will already have been shared by other teams, by the time their representative pitches. Conundrums Club thus motivates participants to listen and learn from the insights of their teammates, so that they have a greater repertoire of insights to share and maximise their chances of impressing peers during the pitch phase.

Gamer Garage is a vibrant online social gaming hub which brings together the excitement of gaming with the magic of community. An algorithm is used to sort participants into groups of 5-10, optimised for shared interests in games and the likelihood of interpersonal harmony. Events are geared towards teens, offering them an exclusive space away from the younger kids and helping to create a cooler, more boisterous vibe than is often possible with younger participants present. Among Us, skribbl.io, Fall Guys and One Night Ultimate Werewolf are

some of the favourite games to play, and participants are invited to present new games that the group may wish to enjoy. Besides being a fun social connection activity, Gamer Garage is also a mentorship program. We recruit and train gifted kids in the 16–18-year-old age range as junior mentors, to lead game rooms under the supervision of adult mentors. Junior mentors are encouraged to support their group in making decisions about what games to play, along with fostering a respectful, cohesive online space for kids to enjoy hanging out in.

Battle Bunker is a favourite of those with a penchant for STEM. Oriented around the competitive programming challenge of Battle Snake, it’s a fusion of coding, strategy, and teamwork. Participants are grouped into teams of 5 and tasked with crafting a Battle Snake bot, while ensuring every member understands and can articulate their strategy. Scores are allocated to teams based upon not only their Battle Snake win rate, but also on the performance of their randomly selected representative in an interview which tests their ability to predict and explain the behaviour of their AI agent. This dual-evaluation system propels the whole cohort forward, intertwining their learning paths. Experienced players find themselves in mentoring roles, guiding newcomers towards the cutting edge of their collective knowledge. Battle Bunker is a balance of optimisation and education, preparing bright minds for real-world scenarios where understanding is just as crucial as performance in generating long-term success.

The response from these programs so far has been overwhelming. Some of my favourite feedback from our young members include:

“I’ve learned new things about myself”

“There’s nowhere else I get to talk like this with people my own age”

“I look forward to this all month. My only criticism is that it’s not on more often”

As entirely volunteer-led initiatives, we’ve been unable to meet the enthusiastic demand for online program participation so far, and currently run off a ‘first in best dressed’ registration system.

As a pathway to grow the capacity of Conundrums Club, Gamer Garage and Battle Bunker sessions, Victorian Mensa is actively developing a Future Leaders Program. The program is designed to recognise, nurture and harness the potential of several long-term Young Mensa members aged 16-18 as these emerging leaders help to facilitate sessions for the younger cohort, and also step into pivotal mentoring roles. As we cultivate the hands-on leadership skills of our mentors in the Future Leaders Program, they, in turn, become living inspirations for our younger members. They offer a relatable blueprint of healthy leadership, more in sync with the younger minds than perhaps we, as adults, could ever provide. We’re hoping that this cycle of growth not only upskills our mentors but also plants the seeds for a new generation of leaders, equipped not just with intelligence, but with the empathy, collaboration, and innovation to truly make a difference. Leaders who will not only understand the complexities of our future world, but also have the heart and wisdom to transform it.

If you’d like to learn more about Australian Mensa, or get involved in our programs, please visit www.mensa.org.au

As the voluntary Gifted Children

Coordinator at Victorian Mensa, Eliza is committed to supporting bright young minds, to thrive and achieve their potential. Understanding firsthand the challenges that gifted children often face, she passionately harnesses her expertise in emotionally intelligent leadership and her background in creating engaging environments to enable young Mensans to learn and connect.

VAGTC PARENT & EDUCATOR SEMINARS

We run seminars on a regular basis for parents and educators of gifted and high ability children. Please check our website for more information: www.vagtc.org.au/seminars/

Mary, the Grieving Mother - by Jorja, Year 8, Santa Maria College, Northcote

Untitled - by Amelia, Year 4, St Leonard's College, Brighton

Inner Universe - by Lisa, Year 9, Nazareth College, Noble Park North

Untitled - by Fiona, Year 10, Genazzano FCJ College, Kew

The Schoolwide Enrichment Model: Developing Creative Productivity In Young People

Joseph S. Renzulli & Sally M. Reis

HOW CAN WE DEVELOP THE CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND INSPIRE IN THEM A SPIRIT OF INNOVATION, INQUIRY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND A SENSE OF POWER TO CHANGE THINGS?

How can we help children learn to think creatively, and to value opportunities for creative work of their choice? The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM), developed from over 20 years of research in programs for talented and gifted students, enables each school flexibility to develop unique programs for talent development and creative productivity based on local resources, student demographics, and school dynamics as well as faculty strengths and creativity. The major goal of SEM is to promote both challenging and enjoyable high-end learning, across a wide range of school types, levels and demographic differences. The idea is to create a repertoire of enrichment opportunities and services that challenge all students. Any individual student does better in a school when all students appreciate creativity and innovation; and therefore the underlying theme of schoolwide enrichment is “a rising tide lifts all ships.” This approach allows schools to develop a collaborative school culture that takes advantage of resources and appropriate decision-making opportunities to create meaningful, high-level and potentially creative opportunities for students to develop their talents.

The SEM suggests that educators examine ways to make schools more inviting, friendly, and enjoyable places that encourage talent development instead of regarding students as repositories for information that will be assessed wi th the next round of standardized tests. Not only has this model been successful in addressing the problem of high potential in all students who have been underchallenged, but it also provides additional learning paths for gifted and talented students who find success in more traditional learning environments.

At the heart of the SEM is the Enrichment Triad Model (Renzulli, 1976) developed in the mid-1970s and initially implemented by school districts primarily in Connecticut in the United States. The model, which was originally field tested in several districts, proved to be quite popular. Requests from all over the United States, for visitations to schools using the model and for information about how to implement the model, increased. A book about the Enrichment Triad Model (Renzulli, 1977) was published, and more and more districts began asking for help in implementing this approach. It was at this point that a clear need was established for research about the effectiveness of the model and for practical procedures that could provide technical assistance for interested educators to help develop programs in their schools. We became fascinated by the wide range of Triad programs developed by different types of teachers in different school districts, some urban, rural and suburban. In some programs, for example, teachers consistently elicited high levels of creative productivity in students while others had few students who engaged in this type of work. In some districts, many enrichment opportunities were regularly offered to students not formally identified for the program,

while in other districts only identified gifted students had access to enrichment experiences.

In the more than two decades, since the Enrichment Triad Model has been used as the basis for many educational programs for gifted and talented students, an unusually large number of examples of creative productivity have occurred on the parts of young people whose educational experiences have been guided by this programming approach. Perhaps, like others involved in the development of theories and generalizations, we did not fully understand at the onset of our work the full implications of the model for encouraging and developing creative productivity in young people. These implications relate most directly to teacher training, resource procurement and management, product evaluation, and other theoretical concerns (e.g. motivation, task commitment, self-efficacy) that probably would have gone unexamined, undeveloped, and unrefined without the favorable results that were reported to us by early implementers of the model. We became increasingly interested in how and why the model was working and how we could further expand the theoretical rationale underlying our work, and the population to which services could be provided. Thus, several years of conceptual analysis, practical experience, and an examination of the work of other theorists brought us to the point of tying together the material in this chapter, which represents approximately four decades of field-testing, research, evolution and dissemination.

An Overview of the Enrichment Triad Model

The Enrichment Triad Model was designed to encourage creative productivity on the part of young people by exposing them to various topics, areas of interest, and fields of study, and to further train them to apply advanced content, process-training skills, and methodology training to self-selected areas of interest. Accordingly,

Figure 1: The enrichment triad model

three types of enrichment are included in the Triad Model (see Fig. 1). Type I enrichment is designed to expose students to a wide variety of disciplines, topics, occupations, hobbies, persons, places, and events that would not ordinarily be covered in the regular curriculum. In schools - that use this model, an enrichment team consisting of parents, teachers, and students often organizes and plans Type I experiences by contacting speakers, arranging minicourses, demonstrations, or performances, or by ordering and distributing films, slides, videotapes, or other print or non-print media.

Type II enrichment consists of materials and methods designed to promote the development of thinking and feeling processes.

Some Type II training is general, and is usually carried out both in classrooms and in enrichment programs. Training activities include the development of. (1) creative thinking and problem solving, critical thinking, and affective processes; (2) a wide variety of specific learning how-to-learn skills; (3) skills in the appropriate use of advanced-level reference materials; and (4) written, oral, and visual communication skills. Other Type II enrichment is specific, as it cannot be planned in advance and usually involves advanced methodological instruction in an interest area selected by the student. For example, students who become interested in botany after a Type I experience might pursue additional training in this area by doing advanced reading in botany; compiling, planning and carrying out plant experiments; and seeking more advanced methods training if they want to go further. Type III enrichment involves students who become interested in pursuing a self-selected area and are willing to commit the time necessary for advanced content acquisition and process training in which they assume the role of a first-hand inquirer.

The goals of Type III enrichment include:

• providing opportunities for applying interests, knowledge, creative ideas and task commitment to a self-selected problem or area of study,

• acquiring advanced level understanding of the knowledge (content) and methodology (process) that are used within particular disciplines, artistic areas of expression and interdisciplinary studies,

• developing authentic products that are primarily directed toward bringing about a desired impact upon a specified audience,

• developing self-directed learning skills in the areas of planning, organization, resource utilization, time management, decision making and self-evaluation,

• developing task commitment, self-confidence, and feelings of creative accomplishment.

Research conducted by Torrance (1962, 1974) had demonstrated that students who were rated highly on creativity measures do well in school and on achievement tests but are often not selected for gifted programs because their scores are often. below the cutoff for admission. Some of our own research (Reis & Renzulli, 1982) indicated that when a broader population of students (15-20% of the general population called the ‘talent pool’) were able to participate in Types I and II enrichment experiences, they produced equally good Type III products as the traditional ‘gifted’ students (the top 3-5%). This research produced the rationale for the Revolving Door Identification Model (RDIM) (Renzulli, Reis, & Smith, 1981) in which a talent pool of students receives regular enrichment experiences and the opportunity to ‘revolve into’ Type III creative productive experiences. In RDIM, we recommend that students be selected for participation in the talent pool on the basis of multiple criteria that include indices of creativity, because we believe that one of the

major purposes of gifted education is to develop creative thinking and creative productivity in students. Once identified and placed in the talent pool through the use of test scores, teacher, parent, or self-nomination, and examples of creative potential or productivity, students are observed in classrooms and enrichment experiences for signs of advanced interests, creativity, or task commitment. We have called this part of the process action information’ and have found it to be an instrumental part of the identification process in assessing students’ interest and motivation to become involved in Type III creative productivity. Further support for expanding identification procedures through the use of these approaches has recently been offered by Kirschenbaum (1983) and Kirschenbaum. and Seigle (1993) who demonstrated that students who are rated or test high on measures of creativity tend to do well in school and on measures of achievement. The development of the RDIM led to the need for a guide dealing with how all of the components of the previous Triad and the new RDIM could be implemented and the resulting work was entitled The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) (Renzulli & Reis, 1985, 1997).

The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM)

In the SEM, a talent pool of 10-15% of above average ability/ high potential students is identi fied through a variety of measures including: achievement tests, teacher nominations, assessment of potential for creativity and task commitment, as well as alternative pathways of entrance (self-nomination, parent nomination, etc.). High achievement test and IQ test scores automatically include a student in the talent pool, enabling those students who are underachieving in their academic schoolwork to be included. Once students are identified for the talent pool, they are eligible for several kinds of services; first, interest and learning styles assessments are used with talent pool students. Informal and formal methods are used to create or identify students’ interests and to encourage students to further develop and pursue these interests in various ways. Learning style preferences which are assessed include: projects, independent study, teaching games, simulations, peer teaching, programmed instruction, lecture, drill and recitation, and discussion. Second, curriculum compacting is provided to all eligible students for whom the regular curriculum is modified by eliminating portions of previously mastered

Figure 2: The schoolwide enrichment model

content. This elimination or streamlining of curriculum, enables above average students to avoid repetition of previously mastered work and guarantees mastery while simultaneously finding time for more appropriately challenging activities (Reis, Burns, & Renzulli, 1992; Renzulli, Smith, & Reis, 1982). A form, entitled The Compactor (Renzulli & Smith, 1978), is used to document which content areas have been compacted and what alternative work has been substituted. Third, the Enrichment Triad Model, offers three types of enrichment experiences. Type I, II, and III Enrichment are offered to all students; however, Type III enrichment is usually more appropriate for students with higher levels of ability, interest, and task commitment. Separate studies on the SEM demonstrated its effectiveness in schools with widely differing socioeconomic levels and program organization patterns (Olenchak, 1988; Olenchak & Renzulli, 1989). The SEM has been implemented in thousands of school districts across the country (Burns, 1998) and interest in this approach continues to grow.

Newest Directions for the Schoolwide Enrichment Model

The present reform initiatives in general education have created a more receptive atmosphere for more flexible approaches that challenge all students, and accordingly, the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) has been expanded to address three major goals that we believe will accommodate the needs of gifted students, and at the same time, provide challenging learning experiences for all students. These goals are:

• To maintain and expand a continuum of special services that will challenge students with demonstrated superior performance or the potential for superior performance in any and all aspects of the school and extracurricular program.

• To infuse into the general education program a broad range of activities for high-end learning that will: (a) challenge all students to perform at advanced levels, and (b) that will allow teachers to determine which students should be given extended opportunities, resources, and encouragement in particular areas where superior interest and performance are demonstrated.

• To preserve and protect the positions of gifted education specialists and any other specialized personnel necessary for carrying out the first two goals.

School Structures

The Regular Curriculum

The regular curriculum consists of everything that is a part of the predetermined goals, schedules, learning outcomes, and delivery systems of the school. The regular curriculum might be traditional, innovative, or in the process of transition, but its predominant feature is that authoritative forces (i.e. policy makers, school councils, textbook adoption committees, state regulators) have determined that the regular curriculum should be the ‘centerpiece’ of student learning. Application of the SEM influences the regular curriculum in three ways. First, the challenge level of required material is differentiated through processes such as curriculum compacting and textbook content modification procedures. Second, systematic content intensification procedures should be used to replace eliminated content with selected, in-depth learning experiences. Third, the types of enrichment recommended in the Enrichment Triad Model (Renzulli, 1977) are integrated selectively into regular curriculum activities. Although our goal in the SEM is to influence rather than replace the regular curriculum, application of certain SEM components and related staff development activities has resulted in substantial

changes in both the content and instructional processes of the entire regular curriculum.

The Enrichment Clusters

The enrichment clusters, a second component of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, are designed to celebrate creativity and innovation. They are non-graded groups of students who share common interests, and who come together during specially designated time blocks during school to work with an adult who shares their interests and who has some degree of advanced knowledge and expertise in the area. The enrichment clusters usually meet for a block of time weekly during a semester. All students complete an interest inventory developed to assess their interests, and an enrichment team of parents and teachers tally all of the major families of interests. Adults from the faculty, staff, parents, and community are recruited to facilitate enrichment clusters based on these interests, such as creative writing, drawing, sculpting, archeology and other areas. Training is provided to the facilitators who agree to offer the clusters, and a brochure is developed and sent to all parents and students that discusses student interests and select choices of enrichment clusters. A title and description that appeared in a brochure of clusters in a school using the SEM follows:

Invention Convention

Are you an inventive thinker? Would you like to be?

Brainstorm a problem, try to identify many solutions, and design an invention to solve the problem, as an inventor might give birth to a real invention. Create your invention individually or with a partner under the guidance of Bob Erikson and his students, who work at the Connecticut Science Fair. You may decide to share your final product at the Young Inventors’ Fair on March 25th, a statewide daylong celebration of creativity. Students select their top three choices for the clusters and scheduling is completed to place all children into their first, or in some cases, second choice. Like extracurricular activities and programs such as 4-H and Junior Achievement, the main rationale for participation in one or more clusters is that students and teachers want to be there. All teachers (including music, art, physical education, etc.) are involved in teaching the clusters; and their involvement in any particular cluster is based on the same type of interest assessment that is used for students in selecting clusters of choice.

The model for learning used with enrichment clusters is based on an inductive approach to solving real-world problems through the development of authentic products and services. Unlike traditional, didactic modes of teaching, this approach, known as enrichment learning and teaching (described fully in a later section), uses the Enrichment Triad Model to create a learning situation that involves the use of methodology, develops higher order thinking skills, and authentically applies these skills in creative and productive situations. Enrichment clusters promote cooperativeness within the context of real-world problem solving, and they also provide superlative opportunities for promoting self-concept. “A major assumption underlying the use of enrichment clusters is that every child is special if we create conditions in which that child can be a specialist within a specialty group ” (Renzulli, 1994, p. 70).

Enrichment clusters are organized around various characteristics of differentiated programming for gifted students on which the Enrichment Triad Model (Renzulli, 1977) was originally based, including the use of major disciplines, interdisciplinary themes,

or cross-disciplinary topics (e.g. a theatrical/television production group that includes actors, writers, technical specialists, costume designers). The clusters are modeled after the ways in which knowledge utilization, thinking skills, and interpersonal relations take place in the real world. Thus, all work is directed toward the production of a product or service. A detailed set of lesson plans or unit plans are not prepared in advance by the cluster facilitator; rather, direction is provided by three key questions addressed in the cluster by the facilitator and the students:

1. What do people with an interest in this area (e.g. film making) do?

2. What knowledge, materials, and other resources do they need to do it in an excellent and authentic way?

3. In what ways can the product or service be used to have an impact on an intended audience?

Enrichment clusters incorporate the use of advanced content, providing students with information about particular fields of knowledge, such as the structure of a field as well as the basic principles and the functional concepts in a field (Ward, 1960). Ward defined functional concepts as the intellectual instruments or tools with which a subject specialist works, such as the vocabulary of a field and the vehicles by which persons within the field communicate with one another. The methodology used within a field is also considered advanced content by Renzulli (1988a), involving the use of knowledge of the structures and tools of fields, as well as knowledge about the methodology of particular fields. This knowledge about the methodologies of fields exists both for the sake of increased knowledge acquisition, and also for the utility of that know-how as applied to the development of products, even when such products are considered advanced in a relative sense (i.e. age, grade, and

background considerations).

The enrichment clusters are not intended to be the total program for talent development in a school, or to replace existing programs for talented youth. Rather, they are one vehicle for stimulating interests and developing talent potentials across the entire school population. They are also vehicles for staff development in that they provide teachers an opportunity to participate in enrichment teaching, and subsequently to analyze and compare this type of teaching with traditional methods of instruction. In this regard the model promotes a spill-over effect by encouraging teachers to become better talent scouts and talent developers, and to apply enrichment techniques to regular classroom situations.

The Continuum of Special Services

A broad range of special services is the third school structure targeted by the model; a diagram representing these services is presented in Fig. 3. Although the enrichment clusters and the SEM-based modifications of the regular curriculum provide a broad range of services to meet individual needs, a program for total talent development still requires supplementary services that challenge our most academically talented young people who are capable of working at the highest levels of their special interest and ability areas. These services, which cannot ordinarily be provided in enrichment clusters or the regular curriculum, typically include: individual or small group counseling, various types of acceleration, direct assistance in facilitating advanced level work, arranging for mentorships with faculty members or community persons, and making other types of connections between students, their families, and out-of-school persons, resources, and agencies.

Direct assistance also involves setting up and promoting student, faculty and parental involvement in special programs such as Future

Figure 3: The continuum of services for total talent development

Problem Solving, Odyssey of the Mind, the Model United Nations program, and state and national essay competitions, mathematics, art, and history contests. Another type of direct assistance consists of arranging out-of-school involvement for individual students in summer programs, on-campus courses, special schools, theatrical groups, scientific expeditions, and apprenticeships at places where advanced level learning opportunities are available. Provision of these services is one of the responsibilities of the schoolwide enrichment teaching specialist or an enrichment team of teachers and parents who work together to provide options for advanced learning. Most schoolwide enrichment teaching specialists spend two days a week in a resource capacity to the faculty and three days providing direct services to students.

Service Delivery Components

The Total Talent Portfolio

The Schoolwide Enrichment Model targets specific learning characteristics that can serve as a basis for talent development. Our approach to targeting learning characteristics uses both traditional and performance-based assessment to compile information about three dimensions of the learner—abilities, interests, and learning styles. This information, which focuses on strengths rather than deficits, is compiled in a management form called the ‘Total Talent Portfolio’ (see Fig. 5) which is used to make decisions about talent development opportunities in regular classes, enrichment clusters, and in the continuum of special services. The major purposes of the Total Talent Portfolio are:

1. To collect several different types of information that portray a student’s strength areas, and to regularly update this information.

2. To classify this information into the general categories of abilities, interests, and learning styles and related markers of successful learning such as organizational skills, content area preferences, personal and social skills, preferences for creative productivity, and learning-how-to-learn. skills.

3. To periodically review and analyze the information in order to make purposeful decisions about providing opportunities for enrichment experiences in the regular classroom, the enrichment clusters, and the continuum of special services.

4. To negotiate various acceleration and enrichment learning options and opportunities between teacher and student through participation in a shared decision making process.

5. To use the information as a vehicle for educational, personal, and career counseling and for communicating with parents about the school’s talent development opportunities and their child’s involvement in them.

This expanded approach to identifying talent potentials is essential if

we are to make genuine efforts to include more under-represented students in a plan for total talent development. This approach is also consistent with the more flexible conception of developing gifts and talents that has been a cornerstone of our work and our concerns for promoting more equity in special programs.

Curriculum Modification and Differentiation Techniques

The second service delivery component of the SEM is a series of curriculum modification techniques designed to: (1) adjust levels of required learning so that all students are challenged, (2) increase the number of in-depth learning experiences, and (3) introduce various types of enrichment into regular curricular experiences. The procedures used to carry out curriculum modification are curriculum compacting, textbook analysis and surgical removal of repetitious material from textbooks, and a planned approach for introducing greater depth into regular curricular material. Due to space restrictions, curriculum compacting is described in depth here and other modification techniques are described in detail in other publications (see, for example, RenzuIli, 1994; Reis et al., 1993).

How to Use the Compacting Process

• Defining goals and outcomes

The first of three phases of the compacting process consists of defining the goals and outcomes of a given unit or segment of instruction. This information is readily available in most subjects because specific goals and outcomes can usually be found in teachers’ manuals, curriculum guides, scope-and-sequence charts, and some of the new curricular frameworks that are emerging in connection with outcome based education models. Teachers should examine these objectives to determine which represent the acquisition of new content or thinking skills as opposed to reviews or practice of material that has previously been taught. The scope and sequence charts prepared by publishers, or a simple comparison of the table of contents of a basal series will provide a quick overview of new vs. repeated material. A major goal of this phase of the compacting process is to help teachers make individual programming decisions; a larger professional development goal is to help teachers be better analysts of the material they are teaching and better consumers of textbooks and prescribed curricular material.

• Identifying Students for Compacting

The second phase of curriculum compacting is identifying students who have already mastered the objectives or outcomes of a unit or segment of instruction that is about to be taught. This first step of this phase consists of estimating which students have the potential to master new material at a faster than normal pace; knowing one’s students is, of course, the best way to begin the assessment process. Scores on previous tests, completed assignments, and classroom participation are the best ways of identifying highly likely candidates for compacting. Standardized achievement tests can serve as a good

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Figure 5: The Compactor

Figure 4: The total talent portfolio

general screen for this step because they allow us to list the names of all students who are scoring one or more years above grade level in particular subject areas.

Being a candidate for compacting does not necessarily mean that a student knows the material under consideration. Therefore, the second step of identifying candidates consists of finding or developing appropriate tests or other assessment techniques that can be used to evaluate specific learning outcomes. Unit pretests, or end-of-unit tests that can be administered as pretests are appropriate for this task, especially when it comes to the assessment of basic skills.

An analysis of pretest results enables the teacher to document proficiency in specific skills, and to select instructional activities or practice material necessary to bring the student up to a high level on any skill that may need some additional reinforcement.

The process is slightly modified for compacting content areas that are not as easily assessed as basic skills, and for students who have not mastered the material, but are judged to be candidates for more rapid coverage. First, students should have a thorough understanding of the goals and procedures of compacting, including the nature of the replacement process. A given segment of material should be discussed with the student (e.g. a unit that includes a series of chapters in a social studies text), and the procedures for verifying mastery at a high level should be specified. These procedures might consist of answering questions based on the chapters, writing an essay, or taking the standard end-of-unit test. The amount of time for completion of the unit should be specified, and procedures such as periodic progress reports or log entries for teacher review should be agreed upon. Of course, an examination of potential acceleration and/or enrichment replacement activities should be a part of this discussion. Another alternative is to assess or pretest all students in a class when a new unit or topic is introduced; although this may seem like more work for the teacher, it provides the opportunity for all students to demonstrate their strengths or previous mastery in a given area. Using a matrix of learning objectives, teachers can fill in test results and establish small, flexible, and temporary groups for skill instruction and replacement activities.

• Providing Acceleration and Enrichment Options.

The final phase of the compacting process can be one of the most exciting aspects of teaching because it is based on cooperative decision-making and creativity on the parts of both teachers and students. Efforts can be made to gather enrichment materials from classroom teachers, librarians, media specialists, and content area or gifted education specialists. These materials may include self-directed learning activities, instructional materials that focus on particular thinking skills, and a variety of individual and group project oriented activities that are designed to promote hands-on research and investigative skills. The time made available through compacting provides opportunities for exciting learning experiences such as small group, special topic seminars that might be directed by students or community resource persons, community based apprenticeships or opportunities to work with a mentor, peer tutoring situations, involvement in community service activities, and opportunities to rotate through a series of self-selected mini-courses. The time saved through curriculum compacting can be used by the teacher to provide a variety of enrichment or acceleration opportunities for the student. Enrichment strategies might include a variety of Type I, II, or III or a number of options included on the continuum of services. Acceleration might include the use of material from the next unit or chapter, the use of the next chronological grade level textbook or the completion of even more advanced work. Alternative activities

should reflect an appropriate level of challenge and rigor that is commensurate with the student’s abilities and interests. Decisions about which replacement activities to use are always guided by factors such as time, space, and the availability of resource persons and materials. Although practical concerns must be considered, the ultimate criteria for replacement activities should be the degree to which they increase academic challenge and the extent to which they meet individual needs. Great care should be taken to select activities and experiences that represent individual strengths and interests rather than the assignment of more-of-the-same worksheets or randomly selected kits, games, and puzzles! This aspect of the compacting process should also be viewed as a creative opportunity for an entire faculty to work cooperatively to organize and institute a broad array of enrichment experiences. A favorite mini-course that a faculty member has always wanted to teach, or serving as a mentor to one or two students who are extremely invested in a teacher’s beloved topic are just a few of the ways that replacement activities can add excitement to the teachers’ part in this process as well as the obvious benefi ts for students. We have also observed another interesting occurrence that has resulted from the availability of curriculum compacting. When some previously bright but underachieving students realized that they could both economize on regularly assigned material and ‘earn time’ to pursue self-selected interests, their motivation to complete regular assignments increased; as one student put it, “Everyone understands a good deal!”

The best way to get an overview of the curriculum compacting process is to examine an actual example of how the management form that guides this process is used. This form, ‘The Compactor,’ presented in Fig. 5, serves as both an organizational and record keeping tool. Teachers should fill out one form per student, or one form for a group of students with similar curricular strengths. Completed Compactors should be kept in students’ academic files, and updated on a regular basis. The form can also be used for small groups of students who are working at approximately the same level (e.g. a reading or math group). The Compactor is divided into three sections:

• The first column should include information on learning objectives and student strengths in those areas. Teachers should list the objectives for a particular unit of study, followed by data on students’ proficiency in those objectives, including test scores, behavioral profiles and past academic records.

• In the second column, teachers should detail the pretest vehicles they select, along with test results. The pretest instruments can be formal measures, such as pencil and paper tests, or informal measures, such as performance assessments based on observations of class participation and written assignments.

• Column three is used to record information about acceleration or enrichment options; in determining these options, teachers must be fully aware of. students’ individual interests and learning styles. We should never replace compacted regular curriculum work with harder, more advanced material that is solely determined by the teacher; instead, students’ interests should be taken into account. If for example, a student loves working on science fair projects, that option may be used to replace material that has been compacted from the regular curriculum. We should also be careful to help monitor the challenge level of the material that is being substituted. We want students to understand the nature of effort and challenge and we should ensure that students are not simply replacing the compacted material with basic reading or work that is not advanced.

• Rosa: A Case Study in Curriculum Compacting

Rosa is a fi fth grader in a self-contained heterogeneous classroom; her school is located in a lower socio-economic urban school district. While Rosa’s reading and language scores range between four or fi ve years above grade level, most of her 29 classmates are reading one to two years below grade level. This presented Rosa’s teacher with a common problem: what was the best way to instruct Rosa? He agreed to compact her curriculum. Taking the easiest approach possible, he administered all of the appropriate unit tests for the grade level in the Basal Language Arts program, and excused Rosa from completing the activities and worksheets in the units where she showed proficiency (80% and above). When Rosa missed one or two questions, the teacher checked for trends in those items and provided instruction and practice materials to ensure concept mastery.

Rosa usually took part in language arts lessons one or two days a week; the balance of the time she spent with alternative projects, some of which she selected. This strategy spared Rosa up to six or eight hours a week with language arts skills that were simply beneath her level. She joined the class instruction only when her pretests indicated she had not fully acquired the skills or to take part in a discussion that her teacher thought she would enjoy. In the time saved through compacting, Rosa engaged in a number of enrichment activities. First, she spent as many as fi ve hours a week in a resource room for high ability students. This time was usually scheduled during her language arts class, benefi ting both Rosa and her teacher, since he didn’t have to search for all of the enrichment options himself. The best part of the process for Rosa was she didn’t have makeup regular classroom assignments because she was not missing essential work.

Rosa also visited a regional science center with other students who had expressed a high interest and aptitude for science. Science was a second strength area for Rosa, and based on the results of her Interest-A-Lyzer, a decision was made for Rosa to proceed with a science fair project on growing plants under various conditions.

Rosa’s Compactor, which covered an entire semester, was updated in January. Her teacher remarked that compacting her curriculum had actually saved him time—time he would have spent correcting papers needlessly assigned! The value of compacting for Rosa convinced him that he should continue the process. The Compactor was also used as a vehicle for explaining to Rosa’s parents how specific modifications were being made to accommodate her advanced language arts achievement level and her interest in science. A copy of The Compactor was also passed on to Rosa’s sixth grade teacher, and a conference between the fi fth and sixth grade teachers and the resource teacher helped to ensure continuity in dealing with Rosa’s

special needs.

The many changes that are taking place in our schools require all educators to examine a broad range of techniques for providing equitably for all students. Curriculum compacting is one such process. It is not tied to a specific content area or grade level, nor is it aligned with a particular approach to school or curricular reform. Rather, the process is adaptable to any school configuration or curricular framework, and it is flexible enough to be used within the context of rapidly changing approaches to general education. The research study described above, and practical experience gained through several years of field testing and refining the compacting process have demonstrated that many positive benefi ts can result from this process for both students and teachers.

Enrichment Learning and Teaching

The third service delivery component of the SEM, which is based on the Enrichment Triad Model, is enrichment learning and teaching that has roots in the ideas of a small but influential number of philosophers, theorists, and researchers such as Jean Piaget (1975), Jerome Bruner (1960, 1966), and John Dewey (1913, 1916). The work of these theorists coupled with our own research and program development activities, has given rise to the concept we call enrichment learning and teaching. The best way to define this concept is in terms of the following four principles:

1. Each learner is unique, and therefore, all learning experiences must be examined in ways that take into account the abilities, interests, and learning styles of the individual.

2. Learning is more effective when students enjoy what they are doing, and therefore, learning experiences should be constructed and assessed with as much concern for enjoyment as for other goals.

3. Learning is more meaningful and enjoyable when content (i.e. knowledge) and process (i.e. thinking skills, methods of inquiry) are learned within the context of a real and present problem; and therefore, attention should be given to opportunities to personalize student choice in problem selection, the relevance of the problem for individual students at the time the problem is being addressed, and authentic strategies for addressing the problem.

4. Some formal instruction may be used in enrichment learning and teaching, but a major goal of this approach to learning is to enhance knowledge and thinking sk ill acquisition that is gained through formal instruction with applications of knowledge and skills that result from students’ own construction of meaning (Renzulli, 1994, p. 204).

The ultimate goal of learning that is guided by these principles is to replace dependent and passive learning with independence and engaged learning. Although all but the most conservative educators will agree with these principles, much controversy exists about how these (or similar) principles might be applied in everyday school situations. A danger also exists that these principles might be viewed as yet another idealized list of glit tering generalities that cannot be manifested easily in schools that are entrenched in the deductive model of learning; developing a school program based on these principles is not an easy task. Over the years, however, we have achieved success by gaining faculty, administrative, and parental consensus on a small number of easy-to-understand concepts and related services, and by providing resources and training related to each concept and service delivery procedure. Numerous research studies and field tests in schools with widely varying demographics have been carried out (Renzulli & Reis, 1994). These studies and field tests provided opportunities for the development of large amounts of practical know-how that are readily available for schools that would like to implement the SEM. They also have shown that the SEM can be implemented in a wide variety of settings and used with various populations of students including high ability students with learning disabilities and high ability students who underachieve in school.

Concluding Thoughts

The many changes taking place in general education have resulted in some unusual reactions to the SEM that might best be described as the good news/bad news phenomenon. The good news is that many schools are expanding their conception of giftedness and they are more willing than ever to extend a broader continuum of services to larger proportions of the school population. The bad news is that the motivation for these changes is often based on mistaken beliefs (1) that we can adequately serve high potential students without some forms of grouping, (2) that we don’t need special program teachers, or (3) that special program teachers are best utilized by going from classroom to classroom with a “shopping cart” of thinking skill lessons and activities. We have received many letters and telephone calls that usually begin with, “Is it true that you said we don’t need a talent pool...” or, “Is it true you said that we don’t need a gifted program any longer because we use Schoolwide Enrichment.” We are pleased to conclude this chapter with some non-negotiables about the SEM. Before continuing, however, it is important to say that the material that follows is based on the assumption that the reader is familiar with the model and has reviewed the work in this chapter that summarizes our more recent book entitled The Schoolwide Enrichment Model: A Comprehensive Plan for Educational Excellence (Renzulli & Reis, 1997).

First, although we have advocated a larger talent pool than traditionally has been the practice in gifted education, and a talent pool that includes students who gain entrance on both test and nontest criteria (Renzulli, 1988), we firmly maintain that the concentration of services necessary for the development of high level potentials cannot take place without targeting and documenting individual student abilities. Targeting and documenting does not mean that we will simply play the same old game of classifying students as “gifted” or “not gifted,” and let it go at that. Rather, targeting and documenting are part of an ongoing process that produces a comprehensive and always evolving “Total Talent Portfolio” about student abilities, interests, and learning styles. The most important thing to keep in mind about this approach is that all information should be used to make individual programming decisions about present and future activities, and about ways in which we can enhance and build upon documented strengths. Documented information will enable us (1)

to recommend enrollment in advanced courses or special programs (e.g., summer programs, college courses, etc.), and (2) it will provide direction in taking extraordinary steps to develop specific interests and resulting projects within topics or subject matter areas of advanced learning potential.

Enrichment specialists must devote a majority of their time to working directly with talent pool students, and this time should mainly be devoted to facilitating individual and small group investigations (i.e., Type IIIs). Some of their time with talent pool students can be devoted to stimulating interest in potential Type IIIs through advanced Type I experiences and advanced Type II training that focuses on learning research skills necessary to carry out investigations in various disciplines. To do this, we must encourage more classroom teachers to become involved in talent development through both enrichment opportunities and in curriculum modi fication and differentiation within their classrooms. We must also encourage more classroom teachers to participate in enrichment teams who work together to provide talent development opportunities for all students in the school, enabling the enrichment specialists to work with more advanced students.

A second non-negotiable is that SEM programs must have specialized personnel to work directly with talent pool students, to teach advanced courses and to coordinate enrichment services in cooperation with a Schoolwide enrichment team. The old cliché, “Something that is the responsibility of everyone ends up being the responsibility of no one,” has never been more applicable than when it comes to Enrichment Specialists. The demands made upon regular classroom teachers, especially during these times of mainstreaming and heterogeneous grouping, leave precious little time to challenge our most able learners and to accommodate interests that clearly are above and beyond the regular curriculum. In a study recently completed by The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (Westberg, 1991), it was found that in 84% of regular classroom activities, no differentiation was provided for identified high ability students. Accordingly, time spent in enrichment programs with specialized teachers is even more important for high potential students. Related to this non-negotiable are the issues of teacher selection and training, and the scheduling of special program teachers. Providing unusually high levels of challenge requires advanced training in the discipline(s) that one is teaching, in the application of process skills, and in the management and facilitation of individual and small group investigations. It is these characteristics of enrichment specialists rather than the mere grouping of students that have resulted in achievement gains and high levels of creative productivity on the parts of special program students.

Every profession is defined in part by its identifiable specializations, according to the task(s) to be accomplished. But specialization means more than the acquisition of particular skills. It also means affiliation with others who share common goals; the promotion of one’s field; participation in professional activities, organizations, and research; and contributions to the advancement of the field. It also means the kinds of continued study and growth that make a difference between a job and a career. Now, more than ever, it is essential to fight for the special program positions that are falling prey to budget cuts and the “heterogenization” of education. All professionals in the field should work for the establishment of standards and specialized certification for enrichment specialists. They should also help parents organize a task force that will be ready at a moments notice to call in the support of every parent (past as well as present) whose child has been served in a special program.

Summary

The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) creates a repertoire of services that can be integrated in such a way to create “a rising tide lifts all ships” approach. The model includes a continuum of services, enrichment opportunitie s and three distinct services: curriculum modification and differentiation, enrichment opportunities of various types, and opportunities for the development of individual portfolio including interests, learning styles, product styles and other information about student strengths. Not only has this model been successful in addressing the problem of high potential students who have been under-challenged but it also provides additional important learning paths for gifted and talented students who find success in more traditional learning environments. The absence of opportunities to develop creativity in all young people, and especially in talented students, is troubling. In the SEM, students are encouraged to become responsible partners in their own education and to develop a passion and joy for learning. As students pursue creative enrichment opportunities, they learn to acquire communication skills and to enjoy creative challenges. The SEM provides the opportunity for students to develop their gifts and talents and to begin the process of life-long learning, culminating, we hope, in creative productive work of their own selection as adults.

Sally M. Reis is the Letitia Neag Morgan Chair of Educational Psychology and a Board of Trustees Professor in the Educational Psychology Department of the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut where she also served as Principal Investigator of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. She was a classroom teacher in public education as well as an administrator before beginning her work at the University of Connecticut. She has authored and co-authored more than 250 articles, books, book chapters, and monographs

and technical reports, and worked in a research team that has generated over 50 million dollars in grants and contracts in the last few decades. Her research interests are related to talent development in all children as well as special populations of gifted and talented students, including: students with learning disabilities, gifted females and diverse groups of talented students who are often underserved. She is the co-author, with Joseph Renzulli, of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, the most widely used enrichment and gifted education approach in the world for educating both gifted and talented students and as a way to expand o ff erings and provide general enrichment to identify talent and potential in students.

Joseph S. Renzulli is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Connecticut. His research has focused on the identifi cation and development of creative/productive giftedness and total school improvement by using student strengths and interests to promote increased achievement and high levels of enjoyment, engagement, and creativity in school and learning. The former Director of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented in the United States, his books and articles have been translated into several languages and his work is widely used around the world. He was recently ranked third among the top 30 most influentially educators in the world.

His most recent work is an online personalized learning program that provides individual pro fi les of each student’s academic strengths, interests, learning styles, and preferred modes of expression. This unique program also has a search engine that matches multiply coded resources with each student’s pro fi le. Teachers also use the program to select and infuse high engagement enrichment activities into any and all standardized curriculum topics (www.renzullilearning.com).

What a delightful gift I am

Giving life

Fun to play with

Never letting you down

I always give

Never ask

Except that you keep me safe

Only then will you be safe

StudentVoice Sia

You hunt for me

On Moon and Mars

A foolish dream you chase

Save me in your home I say

I am the most precious thing of all I ask you nothing but to keep me safe For if I am gone Who will remain?

– Sia K, Year 7, Marymede Catholic College, South Morang.

Water

Untitled - by Giselle, Year 4, Apollo Parkways Primary School, Greensborough.

Gold Tree - by Giselle, Year 4, Apollo Parkways Primary School, Greensborough.

Parenting A Gifted Artist

An interview with Fiona and Peter Wise

VISION: HI FIONA AND PETER. We’d love to know more about your daughter Giselle, and her ability across the arts. Can you tell us about her?

Fiona Wise: Giselle has just turned ten and is about to enter Grade 5 in 2024. Her greatest talents are in the area of performing arts, especially calisthenics, and visual arts. Onstage she really shines, both with her talent and her ability to work within a team and independently on solo performances.

Peter Wise: Another great part of calisthenics is the team aspect. We try to emphasise that with her abilities, she should be a leader and mentor to her teammates, and not focus solely on developing her own talent. She does like to coach others and guide the youngest students as well.

Fiona Wise: Since I’m a calisthenics coach at the club, and occasionally have been her coach, she grew up watching the girls and there has never been a day she hasn’t wanted to go to class. She has practised constantly, and we have a real bond which is wonderful.

Vision: We’ve also seen some of her beautiful artwork. What can you tell us about her ability in visual arts?

Peter Wise: Ever since she was around four or fi ve years old, she has loved art, especially painting. She’s painted in various styles, and we used to put on YouTube documentaries for her to see what kind of art and artists she was interested in. As a result, she doesn’t have one style of painting, but rather mimics whatever artist she is in the mood for!

Vision: The COVID lockdowns caused some disruptions to children’s learning habits. How did Giselle adapt to the new situation?

Peter Wise: Actually, we found that she thrived on the new potential for creative expression. We began chalk art on the driveway and soon the house became famous for the street art! Of course, it was difficult learning from home, but once lessons were over, she was free to do what she liked with all her spare time. Luckily for us, that involved her painting and craft.

Fiona Wise: She also became more involved in fashion then as well, taking extra time to co-ordinate her clothing and accounting for the weather and occasion as well as the design. Modelling too, since we were home, asking us for our opinion. Allowing her this freedom really grew her confidence to try new artistic styles.

Vision: Does Giselle herself have any artistic ambitions when she is older?

Fiona Wise: The very first job she announced she wanted at age fi ve was to run her own art gallery, but not work weekends! Now, since she’s growing up, she’s become interested in fashion design and modelling as well.

Vision: The fashion design and creating her own clothes and accessories shows real dedication on Giselle’s part. How does Giselle prefer to learn new skills? For example, one-on-one, or in a group situation?

Peter Wise: A bit of both, depending on the context. Fiona’s mother has taken her to sewing classes, which has been a great chance for the two of them to bond, as well as for her to learn new skills. Her grandmother is obviously a talented seamstress and they can work closely together, but having a class to follow at Giselle’s age we thought would be more helpful and provide more inspiration.

Vision: How does Giselle respond when she encounters any difficulties?

Fiona Wise: It depends on the situation. When she initially comes across a roadblock, she does struggle emotionally and become frustrated with herself, but a one-on-one chat and demonstration of how to go about the task from one of us sets her back on track.

Vision: Have you encountered any challenges in striking a balance between Giselle’s academic responsibilities and her art?

Peter Wise: None at all. Her downtime play always involves creating something and there’s a table full of art and craft material waiting for her. Any time she wants to, there’s something there she can make or do. We also fi t that in around tennis, calisthenics, and swimming, and of course any school homework.

Fiona Wise: Her school, Apollo Parkways, also has an excellent art program and holds an art show every year, where Giselle has an opportunity to showcase her art to a wider audience. I really value how the school offers a platform like this since Giselle can see that the whole community, including her family and friends, appreciates her art.

Peter Wise: We’ve also enrolled her in tennis, which she enjoys. We want to ensure that she’s well-rounded athletically as well.

Vision: Absolutely. Is there any reason in particular you chose tennis?

Peter Wise: My brother and I both played when we were younger, and I knew from experience that the team structure and type of athletic skills would be good for her.

Vision: Very best wishes to Giselle in the future, and thanks for speaking with us.

KeynoteResource

Enriching

Twice-Exceptional Minds

Kathleen Humble

FINDING WAYS TO HELP TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL (2E) CHILDREN LEARN CAN BE A CHALLENGE – BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM AND AT HOME. It can often feel overwhelming but, with a little effort, 2e learners can be accommodated and challenged in a safe, welcoming environment. And with a little bit of ‘work-smarter’, it can be done in a way that doesn’t burn everyone out either.

Challenges faced in schools by twice-exceptional (2e) families

Twice-exceptional children face many problems finding a good educational fi t. This is because their ability profile is very skewed compared to their age-peers. They struggle to fi t into the pedagogic structure of most learning, both inside and outside school. Why?

Because most resources are designed around children developing abilities, such as mathematics, language learning and motor skills, in parallel at a certain rate. This is rarely a match for the spiky profile of twice-exceptional children. For twice-exceptional children, each disability is going to impact on them in unique ways. Then there are the variations within the gifted profile of each child, as well and their need to understand ideas in depth. This won’t necessarily match the spiral nature of most curricula. That makes it hard to create a plan for how to help them learn.

Here are a couple of examples just to illustrate the issues:

• Motor skills may be impaired from physical disabilities, such as dyspraxia or cerebral palsy.

• Or it could be more brain-based, such as motor planning challenges with Autistic children.

• Executive functioning (EF) issues (planning, time-management etc.) are always going to be an issue for children with ADHD and will follow them through to adulthood.

It is very common to feel that it may be better to ‘hold kids back’ until their motor/organisational/etc. skills match the curriculum requirements, but this may never happen – nor is it fair on them. Frustrated and bored, they will most likely disengage and create trouble in the classroom (or at home). It can also impair their learning, not only in their strength areas, but in their challenge areas as well. But there are ways to help these children learn, and it doesn’t have to be as hard or daunting as it might first appear.

So how do we accommodate these differences in learning?

First, think about ways to decouple learning areas that were combined due to the convenience of average development profiles. Think about:

• Do we need reading skills to do maths?

• Do we need writing skills to create stories?

• Do we need textural analysis to create 3D worlds of depth and complexity?

• Do we need audio-processing skills to understand ideas?

• Do we need motor skills to do science or art?

Often the answer is no. With a little creativity, and using resources already available (and often free), these things can be decoupled giving children the ability to extend themselves in their passion area, while accommodating their challenges.

Different adaptation needs of 2e learners

There will be many small things we can do to support 2e learners. Think of these examples as the low-hanging fruit for adaptations:

• Electronic calendars work wonders for children with ADHD. Get them and yourself in the habit of adding in all the information they need, right at the beginning (as you announce an activity). Have default timed reminders, pre-set in the system for due dates (I personally use one week, one day and 3-hour reminders for all events).

• The pomodoro technique is an excellent technique for shortburst work. It involves getting a visible analogue timer, often in the shape of a pomodoro tomato, and setting a time-limit for a task. This gives a visual feedback of time passage – which can be a struggle for some 2e children with ADHD.

• Break things down into smaller chunks for children with executive functioning (EF) issues (generally Autistic and ADHD). Set small achievable goals. Be aware that you might have to break things down into very specific instructions, such as the use of materials, how to find stuff, what order things need to be done in.

• Accommodate for motor skills with adaptive tech. Using typing instead of handwriting, software like Dragon Naturally Speaking, setting up word-processors with inbuilt math functions (easy to do in Microsoft Word) so that it appears at the top of documents (or use LaTeX variants). Allow for submission of assignments by audio or video instead of written output.

• Allow rest or stretch breaks in exams for motor skills and fatigue issues.

• Allow time for children to ask questions, in order to clarify what they need to do. They will often not be able to figure that out on the spot, but will need you to drop in on them at regular intervals. Let them talk about what they are doing in smaller pieces. Communication challenges might mean they may not reach out at all without extra encouragement, even if they want to. Communication may be the hard step, not the work itself. None of the above adaptions need a change in curriculum planning and, whilst they can be a struggle to get approved in high school settings, they are standard in university courses. Have a chat with the children and their parents/carers. They will often already be implementing easy adaptations at home, which can save a lot of trial and error in the classroom.

Extension options beyond the basics … but still easy!

When maths ability is accelerating faster than reading/writing comprehension, find ways to decouple motor skills from learning:

• Apps can do this exceptionally well, such as the DragonBox series for primary and lower-high school children.

• Geometry problems (Polya or Maths society) can be a good extension here as well.

• Other options include coding (Scratch) and eventually programs like Khan Academy.

• Look to YouTube channels, like Mat Parker’s Stand-Up Maths channel, which often presents problems at the cutting edge of maths and beyond the current curriculum, whilst still being accessible for most learners. Parker even encourages people to submit improvements to his code. Other channels include Numberphile, Tom Rocks Maths and many more.

• Another option is the TEDed animated problems series, which poses problems for children to solve before supplying the answers.

• Geogebra is a wonderful program, for the visual mathematical learner, and there is a wealth of information online on how to use it for Escher-style maths images. See the work by Vincent Pantaloni, John Golden, and many more at geogebra.org.

If there is a facility for non-fiction reading over fiction in maths, consider books by Adam Spencer, Matt Parker or XKCD’s series. Any science book aimed at lay-people can be a good enrichment opportunity as well, including those by Dr Becky Smethurst, Simon Singh or Dr Karl.

It can also go the other way, where a child may be a language learner, but not mathematically gifted, with or without motor skills deficits. This is where a combination of resources can help, such as:

• Curated YouTube channels, or similar services with a documentary focus like Nebula, or ABC iView, which have resources for history learning such as Extra History, Real Time History.

• In-depth current affairs shows, which are designed for young adults with background sections, such as TLDR , Real Life Lore, Wendover Productions, BTN.

• Analysis of seemingly inane ideas, which break down essay-style arguments into mini-videos, such as The Game Theorists & other associated channels, Extra Credits, A Closer Look. They can be a fabulous introduction on how to structure an argument for later essay-writing skills.

If motor skills are an issue, create guided discussion groups, where children can discuss or argue different issues with each other.

Toastmasters is a great potential resource here, as are debating clubs. Encourage children to create their own mini-videos or podcasts, to discuss and explain issues as well. Think 6 News for an Australian example.

If there is a faculty for creative abilities, there are a host of things you can use for enrichment. Using Pokemon as an example, this could be:

• Using resources on Japanese Mythology, such as YouTube and/ or local library resources.

• Using entomology resources, such as CSIRO’s wonderful display in Canberra and apps which help scientists catalogue distributions of insects Australia-wide.

• If they are more interested in drawing and art, then using Manga drawing and learning techniques with different mediums such as pencil, watercolours, oil pastels. Most libraries have how-to books on these.

• For design, having them think about creating their own Pokemon, where they have to balance skills or abilities and tie that into the complex world system and their biome - which can include geography as well.

This process can also be adapted to any area of interest.

Structure for Creative Adaptation of Interests

Any interest area can be easily expanded to cover Key Learning Areas (KLA), from Squishmallows to Minecraft, or even horror games like Five Nights at Freddies or Phasmaphobia. For any focus, think:

• How does this fi t into a wider culture?

• What resources could be tapped into, to expand their knowledge. Think Marvel movies to Norse Mythology, Squishmallows to Biology or sewing/fashion design.

• Is there already a resource online/in-print which can be tapped into? Probably yes, and children may have additional ideas on extra focus areas. Think YouTube explainers or library resources, or educational apps.

• Does the interest have an underlying structure, and can they map it out? Think Phasmaphopia for types of ghosts.

• Can they create their own version of the creatures, environment or structure, and what does that look like? This could be written, drawn, spoken, or taped. Let the creative medium match the child’s abilities here. Unsure what that might look like, then look at Monster Sheets in Dungeons and Dragons for a more formulized creation structure.

C O N S U L T A N C Y

The VAGTC offers expert advice to educators and parents in the areas of gifted and talented education and advocacy. Consultancy is available on the wellbeing and education of gifted and high ability children.

e: consult@vagtc.org.au

If the child is older, they can cover (and often already have) many of these steps themselves. Giving them a place to show what they have learned is often all that is needed. No matter the interest, even if it appears silly, there will be an underlying current that taps into our wider culture. Those links are cat-nip for gifted and 2e learners.

Adaptations and enrichment for 2e learners is possible

No matter the mix of challenges and abilities, finding a good educational fi t for twice-exceptional children is not about working them (or yourself!) harder, but working smarter. Instead of creating extra work around current curricula models, think about:

• What challenges does the child have?

• What are their above grade-level abilities?

• What areas are they passionate about?

From that, figure out a starting structure for extension, which can include:

• Simple adaptations to make everyone’s life easier. Ask their parents about what they are doing already.

• Easy-to-access enrichment activities using already available resources. Ask the child what they already access.

• Think about (sometimes unconventional) ways they can communicate their knowledge, to show their learning, such as drawing, video, audio-podcast, game and/or mods for existing games.

• Using their passion area to find simple ways to tie those into Key Learning Areas. Does the passion area have a geography? Elements of mathematics? History or geopolitics? Science? Art and design? Are their apps available already covering these areas?

StudentVoice

Remember that you don’t have to create these links yourself. Point them in the direction with simple questions and see what they come back with. You will probably be surprised at where they go with it. Trying to do it yourself is like recreating the wheel. Chances are they are already ahead of you and have been there, done that.

As evidenced here, enrichment for twice-exceptional (2e) learners is indeed possible, with a few basic accommodations. By doing so, we can create happy, creative children who have a passion for learning, without burning anyone out in the process. Hopefully some of these ideas will be useful for your classroom or home environment with your own 2e learner/s.

Kathleen Humble is an ADHD mum and author in Melbourne, Australia. She has a book with GHF Press, ‘Gifted Myths: An Easy-to-Read Guide to Myths on the Gifted and Twice-Exceptional’. She is a contributor to ‘Perspectives on Giftedness, Sound Advice from Parents and Professionals, A Collection of Essays from GHF Authors’. She has been published in Victorian Writer, The Mighty and Otherways, and was recipient of 2018 Writers Victoria Write-Ability Fellowship. She also writes at yellowreadis.com, about gifted/2e homeschooling. In between writing and homeschooling her kids, she loves reading, sewing and big cups of tea.

Pantelis Stefanidis Advice For Future Students

Throughout my entire schooling life, I have been involved in enrichment opportunities which range across various areas of my studies. The activities offered by my school are a great prospect for high-achieving students to develop knowledge and experience in areas they may not be focussing on, given their time constraints and commitments outside school, and push them beyond the boundaries they set for themselves. I have been fortunate enough to have been supported in participating in Greek public speaking competitions as part of my own and the school’s cultural heritage, as well as interschool debating. My academic interests have always been drawn towards STEM subjects, so involvement in the Australian Maths Competition further developed my love for learning, and, because of opportunities such as visits to the Victorian Space Science Centre, I very early decided my tertiary education journey and career path: aeronautical engineering.

While the academic advantages of enrichment opportunities are readily apparent, the social benefi ts are equally prevalent. In my personal experience, the Duke of Edinburgh Program (being an

internationally recognised award) most helped me expand my problem-solving skills and enhanced my ability to communicate and lead others. These skills have assisted me both at and beyond school, particularly as I take up the role of College Captain in 2024. These enrichment activities have played an incredibly important role in shaping me into the person I am today.

For any younger student who can relate to my experiences, I would like to offer my advice as a student close to graduation, reflecting on the past fi ve years. Actively participate in and explore every enrichment activity available to you. At the very least, you should sign up and give them a try. Your teachers and educators want you to succeed, so listen and take their advice where it is offered. While I cannot guarantee that you will enjoy everything you take part in, you will always gain knowledge that will prove useful at some stage in your life.

– Pantelis Stefanidis Year 11, St John’s College, Preston

Nurturing Potential: The Imperative Of STEM Education For Gifted And Talented Students

IN THE QUEST FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO RECOGNISE AND ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF GIFTED AND TALENTED CHILDREN These students possess an exceptional ability to think critically, solve complex problems, and exhibit an insatiable curiosity that propels them beyond traditional grade-level expectations. To truly unlock their potential, it is essential to provide an enriched learning environment tailored to their capabilities. I wish to delve into the crucial role of STEM education in nurturing the talents of these extraordinary individuals.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education offers a dynamic platform perfectly suited for gifted and talented students. Research consistently shows that a STEM-focused curriculum not only cultivates a deep understanding of these core subjects but also fosters critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration – essential skills for thriving in the modern world.

According to a seminal study by Robinson and Shore (2017), gifted students who engage in STEM activities demonstrate higher levels of creativity, problem-solving ability, and overall academic achievement. These benefi ts extend far beyond the classroom, influencing lifelong learning and career success.

One of the fundamental principles in educating gifted and talented students is recognising that their learning trajectory may not align with traditional grade-level expectations. The concept of “stage, not age” emphasises the importance of individualised, student-centred learning experiences. This is a practice that more and more schools across Australia are adopting.

As echoed by Dr. Carol Ann Tomlinson, a prominent figure in the field of gifted education, “Gifted education is not about accelerating kids through the curriculum; it’s about tailoring the curriculum to fi t kids.” This approach allows students to delve deeper into their areas of interest, explore advanced concepts, and engage in authentic, challenging tasks.

For gifted students, mere exposure to standard classroom material may not be sufficient. They thrive when presented with enrichment tasks that stimulate their intellectual curiosity and provide opportunities for in-depth exploration.

Research conducted by VanTassel-Baska et al. (2019) highlights that appropriately challenging enrichment activities significantly contribute to the intellectual, emotional, and social growth of gifted students. These tasks can encompass hands-on experiments, independent

research projects, coding challenges, and collaborative problemsolving endeavours, all of which align seamlessly with the tenets of STEM education.

To implement effective enrichment tasks, it is crucial for school leaders to prioritise and allocate time for teachers to create and organise tailored learning experiences. This requires a shift away from administrative burdens towards a model that encourages and supports teacher creativity and innovation. As a leader of the Mathematics and Science faculties at various schools over the past decade, that has always been a key driver of mine.

Dr. Linda Silverman, a leading expert in gifted education, emphasises that the best professional growth for a teacher is to enable a student to grow exponentially. When teachers are granted the freedom and resources to craft enriching experiences, they not only witness the flourishing of their students but also experience profound professional fulfillment.

In nurturing the potential of gifted and talented children, a STEMfocused education, coupled with the principle of “stage, not age,” offers a transformative approach. Enrichment tasks tailored to individual students’ interests and abilities serve as the cornerstone of this educational paradigm. By empowering teachers to create these dynamic learning experiences, school leaders pave the way for not only the academic success of their students but also the professional growth of their educators. Together, we can unlock the full potential of gifted and talented children, ensuring a brighter future for all.

Laila Sarraf is a STEM enthusiast and has over 17 years’ experience as an educator. Having completed her Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Science Education and Master of Education degrees, she is now undertaking a Mini MBA through the Australian Institute of Management. Laila is a member of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders, the Mathematical Association of Victoria, and the Science Teachers Association of Victoria, presenting at two national conferences. Her previous leadership roles include Head of Science at Marymede Catholic College and Head of Mathematics at both Assumption College and Hume Anglican Grammar. Laila is currently Head of Mathematics and Science at St. John’s College, Preston.

KeynoteReference

Todd Stanley - The Gifted Guy Having A Toolbox Of Choices For Gifted Students

ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS YOU CAN HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE IS A BOX OF AN ASSORTMENT OF TOOLS. Why is this so valuable?

Because you never know what problems are going to crop up - ranging from a leaky faucet, to a picture that needs hanging, to a door that won’t shut properly. Whenever a problem arises, you simply go to the toolbox, find the proper tool for the job, and use it to fi x it. But you are severely limited if you only possess a few tools. If your toolbox consists of only a hammer, you will be able to fi x problems that require a hammer. But if you need something screwed in, something cut, or a hole drilled, you are out of luck.

Same thing goes for the classroom. As a teacher you are going to run across all sorts of problems. That is what makes teaching such an interesting profession. New problems are cropping up all of the time and you have to figure out how best to solve them. It is very beneficial to have multiple tools in your teacher’s toolbox. It might be questioning the ability to lecture, lead a discussion, or manage students to work independently on projects. If you only have one tool in your toolbox, you will only be able to handle one type of problem, one type of learning, and usually one type of student.

I have been working in gifted education for the past 25 years and the question I get asked the most, besides what the heck does a gifted coordinator actually do, is what is the secret to teaching gifted students?

There is no secret way to teach gifted students, no magic dust you can find in the teacher’s supply closet, no perfect on-line program that gets the most out of students. But there are good teaching strategies that challenge these students. The secret is having a lot of different tools to work with this unique and varied population.

These strategies/tools are not just reserved for gifted students. These strategies work with all children, special education included. That is why, when I lead a workshop for teachers on giftedness, I make sure that they know they will be able to use these tools with all of their students, should they choose. This is not an either/or situation. The strategies should be incorporated into your classroom as you see fi t. In my experience, there are some strategies that work particularly well with gifted students. This is because they are designed to engage the thinking of students. The 20 strategies I have found that serve me well with my gifted students are:

1. Bulletin board options: having brain teasers, puzzles, sudoku, and other thought-provoking activities scattered about the room on your bulletin boards. Students can go to these when they are finished with their work.

2. Enrichment clubs/National Programs: celebrating intelligence through competition. This could be something as simple as a chess or creative writing club, to participating in national competitions such as Speech and Debate or Destination Imagination. These clubs let students know that learning and thinking doesn’t just have to happen in the classroom.

3. Higher-level questioning: are you asking the right questions? Different sorts of questions evoke different levels of thinking.

If you ask a student a lower-level question, 9 times out of 10 you will get a lower-level response. But if you want them to say something insightful, your questions need to ask for insight. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, lower-level questions ask students to remember, understand, and apply. Higher-level questions look for students to analyze, evaluate, or create.

4. Performance/alternative assessments: students have all sorts of different talents and yet often we are asking everyone to use the same method to demonstrate what they have learned. What if, instead of ever yone taking the multiple-choice assessment, students have the option of writing a paper, giving a presentation, or using their knowledge of technology in an interesting way? These performance assessments not only allow them to show off their skills, but they allow for much more creativity.

5. Pre-Assessment: how much do students know beforehand? One easy way to find out is to provide a pre-assessment. But the effectiveness of this strategy comes in what you do with that information. Ideally you want to st art the student in their learning path right where they are at, rather than making them come backwards on the path and learn things they already know.

6. Independent Projects: as an extension, could students work on a project independently that allows them to dig deeper into something they already have a basic understanding of? There just needs to be a clear structure in place and occasional checkins.

7. MakerSpace: although these can become very expensive you can create a low-cost one, where you provide materials for students that allows them to be creative. You can provide ideas for students or just let them use their own imagination to use the materials to express their creative side.

8. Students as teachers: given that some of your students have a vast amount of knowledge, are you giving them the opportunity to share this with the class? This does a few things including providing students with voice and allowing them to make an authentic performance. They retain the material better because they really have to understand it in order to be able to teach it.

9. Four Corners: these are high-interest projects, one in each corner of the classroom, that students can go to when finishing their regular classwork. The projects are designed to be worked on intermittently, 15 minutes here, 30 minutes there. They can be left for several weeks and then picked back up again. They can be abandoned all together, as these should not be used for a grade. But curious students tend to flock to these projects and enjoy exploring their ideas.

10. Project-Based Learning: this is students learning while working on projects. These typically have an authentic product, as well as choice in the product and process. It teaches valuable executive functioning skills as well.

11. STEM design challenges: using the engineering design process, students are given a problem and asked to solve it. They have to employ creative thinking in order to have success, although success is not the ultimate goal. Students see ways they can improve and make their solutions better.

12. Bonus opportunities: do you provide opportunities for students to challenge themselves on your assignments, activities, and assessments? These opportunities might be an additional step in a project, taking the abstract into something more concrete, or maybe an extension question on a test. You offer these to students as an extension, not as a requirement.

13. Student choice: this is not just letting students do whatever it is they want. Student choice is allowing students to make choices within a learning structure. The structure is there much as a frame of a house is there. You can build on anything you want, but the frame is underneath holding it all together and keeping it from collapsing.

14. Inquiry learning: students are innately curious. And yet how much exploring do we allow them to do in the classroom? Inquiry learning lets the students take a question and decide how they are going to answer it. They are making the decisions on where the learning will go and how they will demonstrate what was learned.

15. Differentiated centers: these are centers where there are options for what level of understanding the student wants to start at. There would be a beginner activity where students seek to understand, a middle activity to take what they know and apply it, and an advanced activity that gets students to analyze, evaluate, or create.

16. Deliberately teaching creative thinking: in schools we offer lots of classes which meet the needs of the high achiever, and some schools offer specific classes to meet the needs of gifted students. Very rarely are educators focused on the way that creative thinkers learn. This is why it is important to be purposeful about teaching creative thinking in your classroom and to recognize that you have a classroom with many creative thinkers who need to have their unique capabilities addressed.

17. Choice boards: this is giving your students guided choice? This might be in content, process, or product. When you provide students with choice, which allows them to use the skills they are good at, be creative, or pursue things they are really interested in, the results are going to be so much richer.

18. 20 Time/Genius Hour: allowing students to pursue their passions while at the same time learning valuable executive functioning skills, such as planning, organization, time management, and initiation. Students are less focused on the grade and more on the learning because this is something they care about.

19. Using board games to teach cognitive thinking: by simply having board games which require students to think can

be a good way to get them thinking. This could be about understanding the rules, how to work with others, or strategy. These board games should be able to be played in shorter periods of time, so that students can play them when they finish work early.

20. Mentors/Internships: many times teachers are expected to be experts on everything. We know this is nearly impossible, so it is nice to be able to turn to others who have more experience or knowledge. This might be a parent, a community member, or a university professor. Students can learn from these people, who have an expertise, and have their questions answered. You should not try to employ all these strategies. Some will fi t you, some will not. Most will feel uncomfortable at first, but it is this discomfort where the most learning takes place. I would choose some that maybe aren’t exactly in your wheelhouse but could be with a little bit of work.

All the strategies I have shared here are ones that have been fieldtested in my own classroom. I have taught everything from 2nd graders to juniors and seniors in high school, worked in pull-out, magnet, push-in (co-teaching), and cluster grouping models of gifted education, and taught all four core subject areas as well as gym and technology. Because of this, I have needed to use all sorts of tools depending on the age of my students, how long I was going to have them for, and what I was teaching them. Even though I am now a gifted coordinator, I still try to teach children rather than just working with adults. Children are more fun and enjoyable. My work has included advising enrichment clubs, co-teaching with other teachers, guest teaching for some classes, running a class at gifted summer camps, and working with gifted students from China in a virtual setting. I know these strategies work because I have used them firsthand. Hopefully, you will find similar success with them.

I would love to talk about each of these more in-depth, but in a 2000word article, this is not going to happen. So, I am going to pull out one of my tools I have developed for working with teachers. I have made video tutorials known as Todd Talks outlining each strategy. These show examples of what a strategy can look like and gives further explanation. It is also good for visual learners or if someone just needs to review. These are all free and located on my website under Gifted Tool Box www.thegiftedguy.com/toddtalks.

Todd Stanley is the author of many teacher-education books including Teachers’ Toolbox for Gifted Education, Promoting Rigor Through Higher Level Questioning, and How the Hell Do We Motivate These Kids? He served as a classroom teacher for 18 years, teaching everything from 3rd graders to seniors in high school. He is currently the gifted services coordinator for Pickerington Local Schools. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati. You can follow him on Twitter @ the_gifted_guy or visit his website at thegiftedguy.com where you can access blogs, resources, and view presentations he has given.

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