Academic Acceleration: LET’S GET REAL Susan Scheibel, M.A. July 2009 President, Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented UNC Doctoral Student

What is Real? Get real 1. Used to indicate strongly that what somebody said or thought is unrealistic or out of touch with the facts (slang) ***2. To begin to take a realistic view of a situation (In) real life In the course of normal life as opposed to imagined or fictional representation of life, e.g. in books and movies (Encarta Dictionary: English, 2009)

Let’s Consider: Now a Real learning activity with age Impact on your life Bicycle Swim Class Impact on your day in school Math/LA/Science/History Music Sports K-12 SCHOOLS? Let’s get real!

Rights of a Gifted Learner: Real “NATIONAL SCANDAL” or “SILENT CRISIS”… Real Gifted Learners… Right to learn something new every day.. Right to have fit for their learning.. Right and need for challenge.. Right to be with academic peers.. Real RESEARCH…Talent Search/AP…

With Foundations in Research: NAGC Position Paper: Acceleration,1992 Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students (Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross, 2004)

Differentiate/Acceleration: “Acceleration is an educational intervention that moves students through and educational program at a faster than usual rate or younger than typical age.” “ONE CHILD, ONE FAMILY, ONE SITUATION” (Colangelo, Assouline, and Gross, 2004) *Instrument: Iowa Acceleration Scale, 2003

Unique Learners: Six Profiles of G/T (Betts & Neihart, 2008) *Successful Boredom/dependent Consumer of knowledge Achieves at high level Conformist/needs challenge Challenging Creative/bored/frustrated Not grade motivated Rebellious Needs connection Underground Denies talent/challenges Unsure/conflicted Seen as average Needs support/freedoms At-Risk Angry/depressed/explosive Critical/afraid/loner Unaccepted/different Needs alternative environment 2X/Multi Exceptional Learned helplessness Frustration/poor academics Lack of self-confidence Needs advocates/understanding *Autonomous Self-confident/achiever Intrinsic motivation Stands up for self Needs opportunities

WHY and HOW to Accelerate? WHY? Matching student readiness and motivation with level, complexity and pace… HOW? Two types of acceleration: Grade-Based Acceleration Subject-Based Acceleration

Academic Acceleration Types: Early Admission to K Early Admission to 1 Grade-Skipping Continuous Progress Self-Paced Instruction Subject-Matter A Combined Classes Curriculum Compacting Telescoping Curriculum Mentoring Extracurricular Programs Correspondence Programs Early Graduation Concurrent/Dual Enrollment AP Credit by Examination Acceleration in College Early Entrance MS, HS, College

Three Essential Questions: Have we done a comprehensive assessment of your child to know his/her readiness? Given the readiness, what is the best type of acceleration we can implement? What can we do, as a school, to maximize the success of your child? (Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross, 2004)

The Gift of Fit/Challenge/Time: Martin Luther King, Jr. graduated from high school at 15… Joshua Lederberg was the youngest recipient of the Nobel Laureate. Sandra Day O’Connor graduated high school at 16… Condoleezza Rice graduated at 19 from college Phi Beta Kappa… T.S. Eliot, Eudora Welty, James Watson,…

Why Not Accelerate? Limited familiarity…and age grouping… Confidence… Personal beliefs and cultural bias… Do nothing is not DO NO HARM… Not pushing…or hurrying Okay social-emotional… Other students and people… Gap in knowledge…penmanship… Must consider Equity & Excellence!!

Nation Deceived States: “Academic acceleration is the most effective curriculum intervention for gifted children.” “For bright students, acceleration has long-term beneficial effects, both academically and socially.” “Educational equity does not mean educational sameness. Equity respects individual differences in readiness to learn and recognizes the value of each student.” “The key question for educators is not whether to accelerate a gifted learner but rather how.” (Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross, 2004)

What Teachers Need to Know… “Parents are the primary advocates for their children, but they must work with their child’s teachers and administrators to implement change” (Dr. Assouline,2004) No Child Left Behind is about meeting minimal skills. Inclusion does not support gifted learners.

What Teachers Can Do… Recognize gifted children Provide new challenges Inform child’s parents about acceleration Minimize teaching students what they already know Make school a positive experience for all students…including our brightest (Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross, 2004)

“Genius without education is like silver in the mine.” Historical Thoughts: “There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal people.” Thomas Jefferson “Genius without education is like silver in the mine.” Benjamin Franklin

Reality Now? Colorado Law What’s real and what have you learned? 2007 HB1244 Requires school districts to ID and plan for gifted learners 2008 K early entrance bill passed 2009 Concurrent enrollment Initiatives globally… What’s real and what have you learned? What will you do differently?

Contemporary Thoughts: “Gifted and talented students, like all students, have the right to a continuity of educational experiences that meets their present and future academic needs.” Dr. Joyce VanTassel-Baska “A rising tide raises all ships.” Dr. Joseph Renzulli