Programming Strategies and Options

Explanation of Advanced Learning Plan

The Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) is a legal document outlining programming for identified gifted students and is used to guide educational planning and decision-making. The Exceptional Children’s Educational Act (ECEA) [22-20-R-12.00, C.R.S.]  is Colorado’s primary law with requirements for the implementation of specific elements and procedures for ALPs. (Colorado Department of Education, 2023) The MCSD ALPs are stored within the district wide student data system. ALPs stay in the data system year to year so records are not lost.

An ALP is…

• A purposeful document developed for each gifted student, according to the student’s determined area(s) of giftedness, interests, affective and instructional needs.
• A record of possible programming options implemented for overall success and achievement of goals.
• An account of accountability showing short-term and long-term collaborative efforts.
• A flexible document created and reviewed through collaboration with the District AU, student, teachers, and parents. 
• A goal plan based on Colorado Academic Standards and the NAGC Affective Standards

ALP Elements:

• Student Information: student strengths, interest, achievement data, and affective records
• Collaborative Goal Setting: The student, parents, District AU, and teacher give input and/or feedback on the appropriate goals that will motivate the student towards advanced achievement and personal growth
• Interventions/Services: Acceleration, ability/cluster grouping, curriculum compacting, differentiation, flexible pacing, and gifted independent study are the instructional supports that are offered at MCSD per the MCSD Gifted and Talented Handbook, updated August of 2023. (Pg. 24)
• Evidence Driven Decisions: 
  • Student information at annual review guides decisions for implementation of instructional supports and programming
  • Standards-based goals supported by instructional supports and programming are written to be specific and measurable
  • The ALP aligns with the MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) process as it addresses the specific needs of gifted students by utilizing student data, district curriculum, and the learning environment to support student success.

The MCSD recognizes that students’ goal setting needs will differ between educational levels. The goal is to increase independence and self-advocacy as gifted students advance through their education. As the needs of students change with maturity and ability-level, so will the process of writing and evaluating that student’s ALP. Below is an overview of how ALPs are created and utilized at different levels within MCSD.

Elementary 

1. Elementary ALPs are written within 45 school days of a new identification, and within the first semester of returning GT students.
2. Elementary ALPs are one-year plans and will be rewritten each year to accommodate the changing needs and schedule of the student.
3. Elementary students are asked to work collaboratively on their goal with stakeholders to address their academic/affective needs.
4. APLs are stored in Infinite Campus and parent signatures are required in person or electronically. 

Middle School

1. Students become more involved with their goal development.
2. Goals are written annually with an emphasis on High School goals that students may have.
3. Monitoring of these goals are ongoing or as needed and conducted via site based methods.
4. APLs are stored in Infinite Campus and parent signatures are required in person or electronically.

High School

The High School utilizes a tiered, or leveled, system for developing and writing ALPs. An in depth explanation of the levels are explained in the table below. 

Support Structures 

Not all gifted students have emotional problems, and when they do, these problems generally resemble those of their peers. Gifted children usually move through the same developmental stages of typical children, though often at a younger age. This is referred to as asynchronous development in which the child’s intellectual, social and physical development occurs at varying rates.  However, gifted children sometimes have special emotional needs that come simply from being intellectually advanced. Some needs and problems do appear more often among gifted children.  

Morgan County School District believes that “preventative strategies can be used to address the affective needs of gifted and talented students. Teachers can model kindness, caring, and concern for all students, and maintain high standards for positive behavior such as zero tolerance for any acts of unkindness. Teachers can also give positive feedback and recognition for appropriate behavior, and can provide experiences for students to learn problem solving and how to mediate arguments.” (Reis and Renzulli, 2004) Our district practices this in correlation with the Positive Behavior Support program used with all students.

Research shows “some prevention and intervention approaches have been found useful in supporting the healthy social and emotional development of gifted and talented students.  Practices that facilitate positive development include (a) the support and encouragement of accelerative learning experiences; (b) time to learn with others of similar abilities, interests, and motivation; (c) engagement in areas of interest with a variety of peers; (d) mentoring and pragmatic coaching to cope with the stress, criticism, and social milieu associated with high levels of performance in any domain; (e) early presentation of career information; and (f) social-emotional curriculum approaches to help gifted children support one another.” (Reis and Renzulli, 2004)

Any of the following may be used to address these needs as noted above:

Ability grouping/Cluster grouping:  Ability grouping or cluster grouping allows for accelerative learning experiences as well as time to learn with peers of similar ability. Students are able to connect daily with others who can relate and appreciate their gifts. 

Bibliotherapy:  A group of invited students read the same book and meeting over the course of several weeks with an adult facilitator to discuss the book. Books may include fictional accounts of gifted people, biographies of famous gifted people, or nonfiction books written for gifted students.

Lunch Bunch: support group for gifted children in which the students meet monthly for discussion about topics that are unique to gifted children.  

Smart Girls/Cool Dudes: Smart Girls and Cool Dudes programs mission is to empower adolescents to make better choices, increase self-esteem, and become more self-reliant. While these programs are not specifically for gifted individuals, many gifted students can benefit from the program‘s curriculum. 

Individual Counseling: Individual counseling services are available for gifted children. The therapeutic nature of school counseling is intended to help students become more aware of themselves and others, learn coping skills, establish goals and plans of action, and ultimately become more effective and efficient learners.

Supporting Your Gifted Child

At home:

• Read aloud routinely as a family, even when children can read themselves.  
• Read the classics.
• Encourage friendships.
• Discover the nonfiction section of your library.
• Select challenging games and play them with your children.
• Encourage your child to start a collection, going beyond just gathering objects.
• Think of extra activities to enhance the collection project.
• Foster an appreciation in the arts. Visit museums and attend concerts. 
• Choose a foreign language to learn as a family.
• Encourage your child to keep a journal or find a pen pal.
• Develop your children’s bodies as well as their minds. Include some family fitness activities.
• Arrange for an internship for your child at a local business.
• Encourage science projects and inventions.
• Become involved in a social cause as a family.
• Encourage your child to be an entrepreneur. (dog-walking service, birdhouse business, etc.)
• Support your child’s interest in construction. (skateboard ramp, dollhouse, fort, dog pen, etc.)
• Study the stock market. Purchase some stock or mutual funds and track the investment.
• Promote environmental awareness by adopting an endangered animal, planting trees, recycling, etc.
• Let your child plan his/her birthday party around a theme.
• Research recipes and have your child prepare a weekly meal. 
• Dream, imagine, and have fun!

In Attitude:

• Model life-long learning.
• Encourage and model good communication with your children.
• Be a good listener.
• Be a facilitator and a guide. Share in the adventure of learning something new.
• Allow childhood to be a part of your gifted child’s life.
• Don’t compare your children with each other.
• Make free time a regular pastime. Don’t over program your child.
• Set clear and consistent expectations and consequences. Follow through.
• Nurture the passion and interests within your child.
• Compliment your child with achievable descriptors only when deserved: kind, good thinker, rather than brilliant, genius, etc. Focus praise on your child’s effort and be specific. 
• Model general respect for educators. Avoid critical conversations of teachers in front of your child.
• Be a role model who reflects the values you demand of others.
• Value hard work and the satisfaction of achievement.
• Discuss effective ways to solve problems and deal with failure.
• Encourage independence through responsible behavior.
• Remember who the student is, who owns the homework, and who needs to do the learning.

Staff Support

Morgan County School District provides in-service, staff development opportunities, and other educational opportunities to assist staff in gaining strategies relative to curriculum compacting, differentiating classroom instruction, and meeting the needs of academically gifted and talented students. 

Professional development is regularly provided by the Gifted Services department, local BOCES, regional and state Gifted Education Services. The options include but are not limited to instruction and support during Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), during district professional development days, via online book studies and/or courses, induction meetings, and individual support.

Occasionally opportunities arise for certified teachers to earn graduate credit through Adams State by participating in professional development addressing gifted students and services. Teachers are also informed annually regarding Master’s degree programs in gifted education provided by local state universities. 

Budget 

The Gifted Services budget is maintained by the Gifted Coordinator, with input from the Director of Special Services. This budget includes components from the state with matching funds from the district. Annually, the Gifted Coordinator submits a proposed budget and an expended budget to the state which reflects state funds and matching district contribution. State funds are used to support one or more of the following: salaries for licensed or endorsed staff that primarily serve gifted students; professional development for gifted education; program options to support ALPs; materials to support gifted programming; administrative costs, technology and equipment not to exceed collectively 20% of state funds. State funds are used to support only those allowable expenditures as outlined by the Colorado Department of Education. In addition to state funds the Gifted Education Department also applies for the Universal Screener/Qualified Personnel (USQP) Grant annually. The finds from this state grant go toward purchasing the CogAT 7^th Ed. Universal Screener and supplementing the AU’s (Qualified Personnel) salary.
 

Occasionally, the Gifted Services Department may contract with other districts or BOCES for services to supplement gifted programming. 

Resources

Books Available for Checkout at the District Support Center 

A Love for Learning: Motivation and the Gifted Child – Written by Carol Strip Whitney, Ph.D. and Gretchen Hirsch - Presents concepts and techniques to counteract many de-motivating factors gifted children are susceptible to. These factors can lead to depression and academic underachievement. Also, offers helpful advice to help spark the motivation in your gifted child or student.

Counseling the Gifted and Talented—Edited by Linda Silverman. “The authors discuss specific aspects of counseling gifted students, such as teaching them how to establish positive relationships with peers, cope with their perfectionism,, develop ethical leadership skills, and make appropriate career choices.”

Critical Issues and Practices in Gifted Education: What the Research Says—Edited by Jonathan Plucker and Carolyn Callahan. This text features 50 summaries of important topics in the field of gifted education such as counseling, assessment, parenting, advocacy, and many more. 

Designing A Concept-Based Curriculum for English Language Arts—Written by Lois Lanning. Concept-based curriculum brings a greater level of depth and complexity to the language arts classroom. Includes implementation guidelines and sample units. 

Designing Services and Programs for High-Ability Learners—Edited by Jeanne Purcell and Rebecca Eckert. A comprehensive handbook for developing a gifted education program that address the unique needs of gifted students. Includes improvement strategies, templates, and resources. 

Education of the Gifted and Talented—Edited by Gary Davis, Sylvia Rimm, and Del Siegle. A standard beginning text which addresses the key topics in gifted education such as characteristics and needs, identification, programming, social-emotional needs, creativity, program evaluation, etc. 

Fostering Creativity in Gifted Students – Written by Bonnie Crammond, Ph.D. - Encouraging creative thinking in the classroom is an exciting component of any effective gifted education program. This guide offers basic foundations required for supporting creativity. From establishing the right classroom environment, to using creative teaching strategies, to assessing student outcomes, this book is filled with practical information.

Helping Gifted Children Soar: A Practical Guide for Parents and Teachers - Written By Carol A. Strip, Ph.D. - This book addresses issues involving gifted children such as working with schools, evaluating classroom programs, forming parent support groups, choosing appropriate curricula, and meeting the children’s social and emotional needs. Issues involving gifted minority and gifted disabled children are discussed as well. The book also contains a question and answer section and an extensive appendix for additional research and support.  (Available in Spanish.)

Leadership for Students: A Practical Guide for Ages 8-18 – Written by Frances A. Karnes and Suzanne M. Bean - This book is a fun and practical handbook for learning and developing leadership skills in a variety of areas. Students will find guidance and advice about moving into leadership positions at home, school, and the community in this book.

Learning Outside the Lines – Written by Jonathan Mooney and David Cole - Written by two “academic failures” – that is two academic failures who graduated from Brown University at the top of their class. They teach you how to take control of your education and find true success -- and they offer all the reasons why you should persevere. 

Notes from a Scientist and Activities for Gifted Children – From the College of William and Mary - This document contains recommended activities and key resources that are useful for parents of gifted elementary students. It provides ideas to stress in teaching children science at home or in other informal contexts.

Parent Handbook: A Guide to Your Gifted Child’s Emotional and Academic Success - From the College of William and Mary - This handbook provides information and insights to help parents of gifted children guide their child from elementary school to college and beyond. One portion of the book includes academic activities parents can do with their children to extend learning into the home and community. A resource list also includes books for gifted children, books about gifted children, and Internet sites for both parents and children.

Parenting Gifted Kids: Tips for Raising Happy and Successful Children – Written by James R. Delisle - Delisle puts forward 10 tips to parents of gifted children—ideas that reflect attitude and approach and allow for introspection and change, rather than quick, do-it-tonight solutions. Topics of interest include understanding a child’s giftedness, working with the school system, dealing with perfectionism, and being role models for kids.

Re-Forming Gifted Education—Written by Karen Rogers. The author discusses how teachers and parents can develop programming that fits the needs of the student through a variety of acceleration and enrichment options. 

Social-Emotional Curriculum with Gifted and Talented Students—Edited by Joyce VanTassel-Baska, Tracy Cross, and F. Richard Olenchak. This book features a collection of articles addressing the various social-emotional needs of gifted learners and introduces methods for developing social emotional curricula for use with gifted learners. 

Some of My Best Friends Are Books – Written by Judith Halsted -  Because gifted readers often intensely identify with characters, good books can provide bridges to new insights and better communication of feelings, values, and decision making, while also fostering intellectual and creative development.

Systems & Models for Developing Programs for the Gifted and Talented—Edited by Joseph Renzulli, etal. This resource features examples of theoretical, organizational, curriculum, and comprehensive models for the delivery of gifted services. 

Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs of the Gifted and Talented – Written by Susan Winebrenner - This book is a guide for meeting the learning needs of gifted students in the mixed-abilities classroom without losing control, causing resentment, or spending hours preparing extra materials.

Teaching Young Gifted Children in the Regular Classroom: Identifying, Nurturing, Challenging Ages 4-9 – Written by Joan Franklin Smutny, Sally Yahnke Walker and Elizabeth A. Meckstroth,- Written for educators and parents who believe that all children deserve the best education possible, this guide encourages and enables the viewer to identify gifted children as early as age 4 and to create a learning environment that supports all students.

The Gifted Kids’ Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook – Written by Galbraith, J. & Delisle, J. - For many gifted students, The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide is their first chance to explore who they are and what being gifted means. For some, it will be their first exposure to the fact that they're not alone and that they're not "weird.”  Written with help from hundreds of gifted teenagers, this is the ultimate guide to surviving and thriving in a world that doesn't always value, support, or understands high ability.  This book gives you the tools your students need to understand their giftedness, accept it as an asset (if they haven't already), and use it to make the most of who they are.  This revised edition covers topics such as dealing with the label gifted, managing perfectionism, managing unreasonable expectations, dealing with challenges at school with peers and teachers, handling complex social issues, and much more.

The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know? – Edited by Maureen Neihart, Sally M. Reis, Nancy M. Robinson, Sidney M. Moon - An examination of the essential topics teachers, parents, and researchers need to know about the social and emotional development of gifted children. The book includes chapters on peer pressure and social acceptance, resilience, delinquency, and underachievement. It is concise, comprehensive, and wide-ranging in its coverage. 

The Talent Development Planning Handbook—Written by Donald Treffinger, Grover Young, Carole Nassab, Edwin Selby, and Carol Wittig. This handbook offers a six stage framework for developing and improving gifted education programs. Includes CD-ROM with reproducibles, presentations, and templates.

Transitioning to Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction: How to bring content and process together—Written by H. Lynn Erickson and Lois Lanning. The authors demonstrate how concept-based curriculum brings depth, complexity, and rigor to all subjects and grade levels. Includes multiple examples and templates. 

When Gifted Kids Don’t Have All the Answers: How to Meet Their Social and Emotional Needs – Written by Delisle, J & Galbraith, J - Jim Delisle and Judy Galbraith explain what giftedness means, how gifted kids are identified, and how we might improve the identification process. Then they take a close-up look at gifted kids from the inside out—their social and emotional needs. Topics include self-image and self-esteem, perfectionism, multipotential, depression, feelings of “differentness,” and stress. The authors suggest ways to help gifted underachievers and those who are bored in school, and ways to encourage healthy relationships with friends, family, and other adults. The final chapter explains how teachers can make it safe to be smart by creating the gifted-friendly classroom.

Other Recommended Readings

Adderholdt, Miriam, and Jan Goldberg. Perfectionism: What’s Bad about Being Too Good?. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing, 1999.

Ford, Donna, and J. John Harris. Multicultural Gifted Education. New York: Teachers College Press, 1999.

Galbraith, Judy. The Gifted Kids’ Survival Guide: For ages 10 & Under. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing, 1999.

Greene, Rebecca. The Teenagers’ Guide to School outside the Box. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing, 2000.

Greespon, Thomas S. Freeing Our Families from Perfectionism. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing, 2001.

Kerr, Barbara. Smart Girls: A New Psychology of Girls, Women and Giftedness. Scottsdale: Great Potential Press, 1997.

Kerr, Barbara and Sandford Cohn. Smart Boys: Talent, Manhood, and the Search for Meaning. Scottsdale: Great Potential Press, 2001.

Rimm, Sylvia. Why Bright Kids Get Poor Grades – And What You Can Do About It. Scottsdale: Great Potential Press, 1996.

Web Sites

Colorado Department of Education: Gifted and Talented Homepage

http://www.cde.state.co.us/gt

Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented

http://www.coloradogifted.org/

Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page

    http://www.hoagiesgifted.org

National Association for Gifted Children

http://www.nagc.org

SENG: Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted

http://www.sengifted.org/