Gifted In Paradise Valley
a quarterly newsletter for the Gifted Community in PVUSD
Welcome!
It’s the beginning of yet another school year and UPC would like to extend a warm welcome to new and returning families. It is my hope that you might avail yourself of the many excellent gifted programs offered at PV Schools and that you might also get involved in the United Parent Council. The UPC gives parents a much-needed voice during a time in Arizona when our legislature continues to refuse to find a way to properly fund education.
It is our mission to collaborate with the Gifted Department by educating parents on a variety of relevant and timely topics affecting our kids. I invite you to join the Gifted Committee to be heard. Our Gifted in Paradise Seminar Series includes internal and external speakers as well as daytime and evening talks. For a list of seminars planned for the 2016/2017 school year go to pvupc.org or the district website pvschools.net (under, the Academics, then Academic Programs and finally Gifted tabs).
Please feel free to email me at marishageraghty@gmail.com.
Starting the School Year on a Positive Note: Five Key Communication Suggestions for Parents
By Dina Brulles, Ph.D. and Karen L. Brown, Paradise Valley USD, AZ
This article was published Sept. 1, 2016 in The High Flyer, a publication of the National Association for Gifted Children. http://tinyurl.com/jjtaj92
The new school year is on the horizon and already you are feeling somewhat
anxious and apprehensive. You know that transitions are a challenge for your gifted child whether it’s a new grade school, a new grade level, a new teacher, or all of the above. You want to make sure your child’s new teacher understands that your gifted child has learning needs that differ from others. You feel that establishing a close and respectful partnership with your child’s teacher early in the year can ease stress and set a structure for a successful year of learning.
In anticipation of meeting your child’s new teacher, you think about the questions
you want to ask, starting with the obvious, “Are you aware that my child is gifted?”
“What is your experience teaching gifted children?” and “How do you plan on
challenging my child this year?” At the same time, you don’t want to come across as one of “those” parents! What’s a parent to do?
In this article we offer advice on building a positive working relationship with the
person who will be guiding your child’s school time for the next nine months or so. The
advice we offer stems from our experiences as parents of gifted children, former gifted
teachers, teacher trainers and school administrators who work with gifted children, their
parents and their teachers every day. With that introduction, know that there is no ideal
method for developing a mutually supportive relationship with your child’s teacher. The
only imperative is to approach the relationship with trust, respect, and enthusiasm for a
productive and enjoyable learning experience for your child.
We have identified five key suggestions for helping you form a strong relationship with your gifted child’s teacher:
Share information about how your child thinks, feels, learns best, and any specifics that will help her understand and support your child’s learning needs at school. Respect the process the teacher has structured for seeking information from all of her parents about all of her students. As a parent of a gifted child you want your child’s teacher to know that you respect the range of learners she has and believe that every student in the class is equally important. This approach will help you couch your expectations that ALL children in the classroom deserve to make academic progress every day, including our advanced learners. Bear in mind that the first weeks of school are hectic for teachers. Providing a quick look into your child’s world goes a long way in helping your new teacher connect with your child. Many teachers send surveys, questionnaires, learner profiles, and so forth, at the start of the school year. Use this tool to inform the teacher about your child. If your teacher does not send home a parent survey or questionnaire to all parents in the class, consider sending her some information directly. Remember that your child’s teacher is working to learn the ins and outs of every student in the classroom; keep your initial information specific and concise. This introduction allows the teacher to get to know your child in an easy and non-confrontational manner. If you have medical information to share be sure to include the school nurse in your communication. Consider preparing a 3 X 5 card for that initial connection.
- Approach the partnership with respect. Know that your child’s teacher wants to be there. Teachers enter the field because they enjoy helping children learn. As parents, this is what we want! Sadly, most teachers enter the field with little to no previous experience with gifted children, as only a few states require this training in teacher preparation programs. Unless a teacher sought out the training or is a parent of a gifted child, it is likely that you (the parent) have more background and understanding of gifted children than the teacher. After introducing your child to your teacher ask her if she would be open to you sharing information, such as an occasional article or event about a topic in gifted education that you feel relevant to the education of your child in her classroom. In brief, appreciate that even if she has little experience working with gifted children she is there to know and teach all of her students.
Appreciate teachers’ attempts to meet the needs of all of their students. Offer support in whatever way you can. Often teachers feel frustrated that their schools have limited resources or services for their advanced learners. Teachers can rarely impact the programs offered in their schools or district. They do, however, greatly influence what occurs in their classrooms. This understanding means that whether your school is cluster grouping, has pull-out gifted services, or relies solely on the classroom teacher, it is the classroom teacher who has the biggest impact on your child’s education. Knowing one has the support of her gifted students’ parents helps build a collaborative and respectful relationship between the family and school.
Clear communication is critical, but time is a premium for teachers as they also have responsibilities beyond those in the classroom. Understand that teachers do not have a great deal of time for one-on- one meetings, particularly at the beginning of school and at the end of the grading periods. If a meeting is needed, prepare your notes in advance to keep focused on the issue and use the time to your best advantage. Ask your child’s teacher for her preferred contact method. Take advantage of whatever means of communication the teacher has set up: email, phone, classroom website, etc. Attend “Back to School Night,” “Curriculum Night,” and any other opportunity provided to learn about the structures in your child’s learning environment.
Please don’t fuel a fire! Be very careful not to spread misinformation. Far too often parents become distressed or anxious based on inaccurate information passed along by other well intentioned parents. If you question the validity of news you hear, go to the source that should be sharing that information, such as the teacher, your school principal, or your school or district’s gifted coordinator.
As stated above, clear communication is critical.
Meet our Gifted Cluster Coach, Cheryl Gehres
I have been greeted often with a hearty, “Welcome to Paradise!” since arriving here from Central Ohio this summer and I must say, this district is living up to the name! This is my 23rd year as an educator. I have served in a variety of roles, most recently coordinating elementary curriculum and gifted services in the 9th largest district in Ohio. I led a gifted task force there with the intent of learning how to improve gifted services. That work led me to Paradise Valley! Gifted Services in this district are nationally recognized as exemplary, so naturally, I was curious!
Email: cgehres@pvschools.net
Phone: 602-449-4121
Twitter: @CherylGehres
Gifted Cluster Teaching in the 602
- Fostering a Growth Mindset
- Teaching and Parenting the Child with Emotional Sensitivities
- Service Learning: how to join Stanford's Protein Folding Project
- Parallel Tasks in Elementary Mathematics
You may have seen these weekly briefs or portions of them in classroom e-blasts or newsletters. You can also find them on Twitter. I tweet them out weekly @CherylGehres
View the most recent issue https://twitter.com/CherylGehres/status/775356245930676224
Your feedback is always appreciated.
I look forward to the opportunities to learn and contribute here in Paradise Valley!
Meet our Gifted Mentor, Karen Brown
Email: karbrown@pvschools.net
Phone: 602-449-4119
Our Learning Never Stops
Professional development is a dynamic part of the success of the educational programs found in PV Schools. Learning is a process that never stops and teachers throughout the district are continually engaged in learning opportunities to better serve the needs of the students they work with. In support of these efforts the Gifted Department offers a number of workshops both face-to-face and online. Topics vary and are selected based on teacher and administrative feedback. Over the summer teachers had the opportunity to participate in a number of workshops. Titles included… here are just a few.
Grammar and Poetry a PERFECT combination…
Math Talks, Everyday in so Many Ways
Applying Differentiation with Math Projects
What Do They Do When They’re Through: Learning Centers for the Intermediate
Grades
Revive & Renew: Bundle your reading content & instruction with new resources and ideas.
The fall semester brings cooler weather, well we hope, and more opportunities for teachers to hone their skill sets. Listed are a few of the more than 30 workshops offered.
Khan Academy isn’t just for math anymore!
Making Meaning: Engaging the Visual-Spatial Learner in the ELA Classroom K-8
4 Level Grammar in the Intermediate Classroom
Teaching Reading with Paired Texts & Document Based Questions (DBQ's)
Teaching in the Cluster Classroom: Strategies to Accelerate and Enrich!
We are blessed with amazingly talented teachers that care deeply about the students they work with. Their dedication shows in the time they are willing to spend to learn new strategies and enhance the opportunities students are provided.
Make your Worrier a Warrior. A Guide to Conquering Your Child's Fears
A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children
When Gifted Kids Don't Have All The Answers
Recommended Reading for Parents of Gifted Children
When Gifted Kids Don't Have All The Answers. How to Meet their Social and Emotional Needs
By Jim Delisle and Judy Galbraith
When Gifted Kids Don't Have All The Answers by Jim Delisle and Judy Galbraith explains 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.
A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children
By Jim Webb, Janet Gore, Edward Amend, and Arlene DeVries
Raising a gifted child is both a joy and a challenge, yet parents of gifted children have few resources for reliable parenting information. The authors of this book are nationally known experts in giftedness, as well as parents themselves. From their decades of professional experience working with gifted children and their families, they provide practical guidance in key areas of concern for parents, such as the characteristics commonly seen in gifted children, peer relations, sibling issues, motivation and underachievement, discipline issues, intensity and stress, depression and unhappiness, education planning, parenting concerns, finding professional help, and much more. This is a book that parents will turn to again and again. Distinguished as an iParenting Media Award-Winner, USA Books News Award-Winner, and GLYPH Award-Winner!
Make your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering your Child’s Fears
By Dan Peters, Ph.D.
With this book, parents can team up with their children or teens to help them do the most courageous thing they will ever have to do: conquer their Worry Monster. Make Your Worrier a Warrior provides useful and comforting methods that parents can use to help their children create an anxiety-reducing “toolbox” to carry with them wherever they go. In building this foundation for their children, parents will find that these strategies will work just as effectively to manage their own anxieties.
Be sure to check out From Worrier to Warrior, which is the companion book for children, tweens, and teens.
Parent Communication
Whether you are new to PV Gifted or have had children in our programs in the past, you may have questions about the flow of parent information from the Gifted Department. We are constantly sending information for teachers to share with the parents of their gifted students.
Here is the method we use:
The Gifted Education Department sends parent information to the elementary schools’ Gifted Specialists. Gifted Specialists forward this information to their parents and also to the cluster teachers at their schools.
Gifted Cluster Teachers are requested to create a group email for the parents of their gifted students so that they can forward the information directly to them.
The Gifted Education Department sends parent information to the middle schools and high schools’ Gifted Liaisons to forward to their Honors teachers.
We update the Gifted Education website every week promoting upcoming events and sharing news. We strongly encourage parents to check the site periodically for newly posted information.
AAGT's Parent Institute 2016 Registration Still Open!
AAGT's Parents Institute is a one day event geared towards the needs of Arizona's parents of gifted and talented children. Our goal is to advocate, educate, and communication on behalf of gifted learners in the state of Arizona!
Our keynote speaker is Paul Beljan of Beljan Psychological Services.
Adult Registration:
$25 for Members/$35 for Non-Members. Lunch is included for adults.
The K-8 Student Enrichment Program is still open for registration as well!
$25 per child. Students must bring a bag lunch.
Register Here!
https://aagt.wildapricot.org/event-2269432
OR
Register to be a vendor for your school or organization!
UPC Gifted Connections
UPC and the Gifted Department will collaborate again to provide an informative series of parent seminars this year. The topics and speakers are listed below:
Seminar 1: Wednesday, August 31, 2016
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Community Resource Center - Critical Thinking Room
Presenters: Dina Brulles
They Say My Child Is Gifted… How does this impact her education in PVSchools?
Join Gifted Ed. Director Dr. Dina Brulles as she provides an overview of the continuum of gifted services available in PVschools, Preschool through High School. Parents will gain insights into the continuum of services offered in the district to determine which is the best fit their children’s distinctive learning needs. In addition to describing the gifted services offered in the district, Dr. Brulles will discuss academic needs, such as when to provide acceleration, how teachers differentiate curriculum and instruction, and how they incorporate depth and complexity into lessons. Dr. Brulles will also describe the professional development offered to teachers to best meet the needs of our high ability students.
Seminar 2: Wednesday, September 28, 2016
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
District Administrative Center - Governing Board Room
Presenter: Dr. Kimberly Lansdowne
Topic: When is Acceleration the Best Decision?
Is acceleration right for gifted students? What resources are available to help parents and teachers make this decision? How do I advocate for accelerated learning opportunities? This parent seminar will address these questions and more. High ability students have unique academic, cognitive and social needs. In addition to learning with other gifted students, many of these students need academic challenges that go beyond grade level curriculum. In PVSchools we consider content acceleration as a critical aspect of gifted students’ education. We recognize that it is one of the most effective and research-based interventions for the academic growth of gifted children. Join us for a discussion with Dr. Kimberly Lansdown from Arizona State University who is an expert in this area.
Bio
Dr. Kimberly Lansdowne, Executive Director-
Formally the Director of Gifted Education for Scottsdale Unified School District, Kim has thirty years working in the field of gifted education as a classroom teacher, gifted teacher, gifted program director, and university professor. She received a Master's degree in Gifted Education from the University of South Florida and a Ph.D. from Arizona State University. Kim served as a long time board member of Arizona Association for the Gifted and Talented (AAGT). She also consults with school districts developing and supporting gifted education programs.
Information about future seminars will be forthcoming.
We look forward to continuing providing these parent seminars this year. We strongly encourage you to attend! Parents who would like to join the UPC Gifted Parent Committee are invited to contact the UPC Gifted Parent Liaison, Marisha Geraghty at marishageraghty@gmail.com.