Bridging the Gap 10 Years Later

Abstract

The need for a shared vision concerning exemplary curricula for academically advanced learners must be a priority in the field of education. With the advent of the Common Core State Standards adoption in many states, a new conversation has been ignited over meeting the needs of students with gifts and talents for whom the “standard” curriculum is not a good fit. The purpose for this article is to highlight the current need for high-quality curriculum, discuss how the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Curriculum Awards rubric has been updated to reflect the research in the field, and look at additional ways to use the NAGC Curriculum rubric as a tool to support the development of quality curriculum and to select and award exemplary curricula for addressing advanced academic needs of students with gifts and talents.

Reconceptualizing Professional Learning Within the Gifted Field: Exploring the Instruct to Innovate Model

“…Then, the teachers were able to provide analogous experiences to their students. This pilot demonstrated how teachers may orchestrate collaborations with experts to provide authentic learning experiences for their students, which represents the discipline (Beasley et al, 2017). This fits with the talent development model, which posits the need for expert modeling through support from "significant individuals" for students to grow from a state of potential to one of eminence in a chosen domain (Subotnik et al, 2011).…”

“…When different PL models are piloted, their efficacy is often determined using student achievement scores (Yoon et al, 2007); however, gifted education standards delineate many other important learning outcomes. For example, NAGC (2019) has promoted specific values through an award-recognizing high-quality gifted curriculum, based on the extent to which curriculum (a) supports the development of complex cognitive and affective skills, (b) emphasizes differentiation (e.g., content, process, and product based on readiness, interest, and learning profile), and (c) provides opportunities for talent development such as connecting students to community professionals, aligning activities with the strengths and interests of students, and exposure to solving real-world problems (Beasley et al, 2017).…”

Consideration of Dynamic Assessment to Identify Gifted, Emerging Bilingual Latinx Students: Lessons for School Leaders

“…A common trend in recent research on gifted education and the strategies to meet the needs of learners is the concept and practice of differentiating instruction for all learners (Beasley et al, 2017;VanTassel-Baska, 2020). Studies have found that teachers who studied and practiced differentiation techniques within their professional learning communities and classrooms gained confidence and practice, thus raising teacher collective efficacy (Voelkel, 2022: DeNeve et al, 2015.…”