C. June Maker

Identification of Gifted Minority Students: A National Problem, Needed Changes and a Promising Solution

Changes in values, beliefs and the demographics of American society have not been accompanied by consistent changes in definitions and practices related to the education of the gifted. Although evidence can be presented to support the belief that a fundamental paradigm shift is occurring or has occurred, certain cultural, ethnic, and linguistic minority students continue to be underrepresented in special programs. Research and literature are reviewed to support the thesis that that new identification procedures, new curricular and instructional programs, appropriate criteria for evaluating identification procedures, and changes in beliefs and stereotypes are needed to resolve the problem of underrepresentation and to accomplish needed changes. A conceptual framework, definition of giftedness, and an identification process consistent with the definition are discussed A design for developing appropriate methods and critria to evaluate identification procedures and for monitoring and evaluating changes in beliefs and stereotypes are provided.

Creativity, Intelligence, and Problem Solving: a Definition and Design for Cross-Cultural Research and Measurement Related to Giftedness

A new definition of giftedness is proposed based on a review of the constructs of intelligence, creativity, and problem solving. A research design employed in a series of studies of giftedness in children and adults is presented, along with a summary of important results. Finally, implications of the design for both research and practice are outlined.

Giftedness, Diversity, and Problem-Solving

4 • THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Melissas test scores did not identify her as gifted; her writing did. Her poem shows an unusual sensitivity to the rhythm of language, a delicate imagery, sophisticated choices of descriptive words, and ideas that are unusually advanced for a 9-year-old child. Melissa likes to write, read, and listen to other children read. She and other children like her often are excluded from special programs that would benefit them greatly, because their scores on standardized intelligence and achievement tests are not high enough. A Need for Change

DISCOVER: Assessing and Developing Problem Solving.

Discovering Intellectual Strengths and Capabilities while Observing Varied Ethnic Responses (DISCOVER) is an on-going program of research and development that began in 1987. The primary goal of the project is to design better ways to assess and develop the problem solving abilities of children and youth. Stemming from my doctoral dissertation in which I identified problem solving as a key component in the achievements of successful scientists with disabilities, I (1993; 1978; 1981; Whitmore & Maker, 1985), have investigated problem solving in varied domains, with diverse populations in projects funded by the Javits Gifted and Talented Education Program and The Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs in the United States Department of Education. In this article, I will summarize the important ideas and the research completed, both published and unpublished.

Identification of Gifted Learners: A National Survey of Assessment Practices and Training Needs of School Psychologists

This study surveyed assessment practices and training needs of school psychologists involving gifted individuals. Using stratified random sampling procedure, a sample of practicing school psychologists was selected from the national register of the National Association of School Psychologists. A survey questionnaire containing 20 items relating to the uses of individual ability and achievement tests was mailed to the group. An analysis of responses indicated that the Wechsler Scales ranked first despite newly developed available tests. Results also indicated a number of training needs related to assessment the implications of which are discussed.

Quality Education for Gifted Minority Students

Most educators agree that gifted children can be found in all economic strata, and in all racial and ethnic groups. Some even hypothesize that the percentage of gifted individuals in these groups is the same as the percentage of gifted people from middle class, Caucasian, majority-culture families. However, in actual practice, very small percentages of children from low-income families or minority groups are found in programs for the gifted. Seldom does one find a program in which the percentage of minority students equals the percentage of children from that minority group in the general school population. In fact, there is usually an extremely large discrepancy between these percentages. For example, High and Udall(l983) report that the school district they studied has a total minority population of 42.6% (including Mexican-American, Black, Native American, and Asian), but only 11% of the students in the gifted program are from minority groups. Many factors contribute to the underrepresentation of minority groups and children from low-income families in programs for the gifted. These factors relate to all phases of program development, and include the following: (1) the definition of giftedness used in most programs reflects middle-class, majority culture values and perceptions; (2) tests used to identify the gifted are often standardized on populations that do not include a representative sample from all economic levels, racial groups, and cultural groups and thus are often biased against the underrepresented groups; (3) when standardized tests are translated into a different language, the items often do not make sense to the students taking the test due to inadequate translation or due to the fact that there is no comparable question or phrase in the language; (4) socioeconomic and geographic factors complicate the problem (i .e., many individuals from minority cultures are also from low-income families or geographically isolated areas) and it is impossible to determine whether the problems in identification are due to cultural, economic, or geographic differences; ( 5 ) procedures recommended as substitutes for the biased standardized tests often lack the validity and reliability data needed to justify their use in the selection process; and

Developing Real-Life Problem Solving

Try to imagine for a moment the following scenario: you come to your class one day at 7:45 am and your students are already there. They are very excited about a project they are developing in class so many of them decided to arrive at school early. Also, at recess and lunch time they do not want to leave the classroom because they are so involved in their group projects.

Developing Scope and Sequence in Curriculum

The purposes of this article are to (a) describe the elements needed in a curriculum scope and sequence for a program for gifted students, (b) suggest a general process for developing a scope and sequence, and (c) present some examples of different curriculum frameworks. In addition, the author describes assumptions underlying the ideas presented, a rationale for developing a curriculum framework, differences be- tween these frameworks and those developed in other deucational settings, and recommendations for de- veloping a curriculum scope and sequence that fits the needs of a barticular setting.

Excellence for the Future.

turn to the schools in a time of crisis, as bright young minds are one of our greatest resources, and schools have the unique opportunity of developing this resource. These minds with exceptional talents have alternately been ignored or focused upon, according to the degree of crisis the nation at large has felt at any given time. Now, as education in general is examined and means of improvement are sought, the gifted population should again be given special attention. However, this time the attention should be different than ever before; it should be attention which includes realization of the needs of the child, as well as those of the nation. It should be innovative and future-oriented, and it should endure, even beyond the passing of the crisis. Achieving national goals by providing special training and/or education for the ablest has historical precedent. Plato believed that the survival of ancient Greek democracy depended on an ability to educate superior citizens for leadership positions. By selecting children of a superior intellect at

Students’ perceptions of real engagement in active problem solving

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore 42 elementary students’ perceptions of their experiences while they were engaging in a class in which the Real Engagement in Active Problem Solving (REAPS) model was used. A qualitative study was conducted to analyze their responses. Individual interviews and artifacts were collected and analyzed. Themes were identified in students’ perceptions across interview questions: topic, process, activity, collaboration, support, intrapersonal skills, and emotions. Researchers recommend integrating REAPS in different contexts and collecting adequate background information as a way to understand the effectiveness of REAPS. Differentiation principles applied in REAPS were beneficial to students’ engagement, thereby helping them to achieve long-lasting learning.