The start to the new school year is a great time to reassess what worked well in the past and the changes that can be made. However, most importantly, it is a time to connect with formally identified students and classroom teachers so that assessment and support can be started immediately.
Supporting teachers through looking at the individual student needs in the classroom can be done through meetings as well as collaborative planning.
Gifted students may need their own IEPs and this will then assist the teacher in tweaking their program so that they can challenge and support these students.
The beginning of the year is also a time to revisit the characteristics of different gifted children so that students who may not have been identified previously, will be this year!
Here is a checklist I have developed to help any school with their beginning of the year plans
- Revisit any gifted profiles from the previous year & meet with current classroom teacher
- Develop current IEP for identified gifted student to support and challenge them for current year.
- Engage and educate teachers about who gifted students are so they can continue to look for any students who have not been identified. (Underachievers profile, Betts & Neihart profiles, Excitabilities, Twice exceptional students)
- Revise assessment schedule, keeping in mind which assessments are relevant and helpful.
- Make time to inform parents of identified gifted students how their child will be supported this year.
- Schedule in PD sessions for the whole staff to engage with their teaching programs in order to make meaningful and practical changes.
- Contact Educate Empower Gifted – Vanessaryanrendall@gmail.com for in school & online support.
Gifted Education Musings 