Sage Advice: Challenging and Motivating Gifted Students

I design assignments that allow students to utilize a variety of skills, intelligences, and hobbies.This puts some responsibility on those gifted students to choose something that will challenge them; it also increases motivation. More importantly, such assignments broaden the concept of giftedness itself. Assignments that allow students to choose how they demonstrate understanding help both students and teachers break away from the idea that the only useful intelligences are rooted in ELA or math abilities.

Jeff Campbell

Special Educator, South High School

Worchester, Massachusetts

By having them help us teach.

Dan Condon

Acting Director

Professional Development Center

Eagle Rock School

Estes Park, Colorado

I have honors students read an article that would confound a graduate student, and write a "difficulty report" that explores the challenges the reading assignment posed. I also say, "Good job" when students say, "I don't understand" in class, instead of pretending they already know it all. This rewards honesty, encourages further research and selfdirected learning, and discourages passive overconfidence.

Dr. Michael Arnzen

Assistant Professor of English

Seton Hill University

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Practice good classroom-management techniques. The most motivating concern is to give interested students the time and space to create their projects. Keeping a talent-varied classroom under control is one of the most important concerns a teacher should have. Silence for uninterrupted brainstorming sessions or reading or tasking is of utmost significance. Quiet time and creative, motivating pursuits are the best gifts a good instructor can give a gifted student.

Robert Miller

Certified K-12 Teacher

Marin School of Arts and Technology

Marin County, California

I find these students to be generally disillusioned with the rigid, controlling conformity of school, since their own mental capabilities prevent them from becoming another cookie that's been cut. They need choice and real-world applications, and they thrive on real-life situations in which creativity and innovation are truly welcome.

Oh, wait, my mistake: All kids need this. Maybe then we'd see that they all have gifts.

Melissa Sgroi

Educator/Journalist

King's College

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

Allow students to identify and implement an individual education plan. My son and I worked together to identify his areas of interest as well as areas he needed to develop. We then identified opportunities available during and outside school (for example, distance education courses from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth). He is more motivated because he helped develop his own education plan.

Donna Wells

Newbury Park, California

To motivate my gifted students in communications class, I have them enter writing contests from magazines published by Scholastic and Teen Ink. In addition, I publish their writing online at Iuniverse.com.

Patricia Fuhrman

Communications Teacher

John F. Kennedy High School

Mt. Angel, Oregon

1. Give them a meaningful problem to solve.
2. Make problem-solving tools available.
3. Stay in the room but out of their way.

Step 1 is the most important, step 2 is easy, and step 3 is the hardest.

Bob Marner

Technical Training Coordinator

National University

San Diego, California

I incorporate Robolab software and Lego Mindstorms into the curriculum. Students choose or are given a challenge, plan and build a robotic solution, write and download a computer program, and test their robot. The fifth-grade level is often the first time they experience trial and error. They learn to discuss the situation with other students and work together in groups to solve problems, finding that they can benefit and learn from working with other students, even if those students are not gifted, too.

Kathleen Crowe

Integration Lead Teacher (STEM)

Pflugerville Independent School District

Pflugerville, Texas

Intrinsic motivation is a much greater tool than any extrinsic motivator. Find out what students are passionate about and tie compulsory components to it in some way. The students will enjoy the learning process and astound you with what they can do.

Mechel Wall

President

Benton County Charter School Organization, Inc.

Rogers, Arkansas

I created a Web site (myschoolonline.com/nh/mrs5st) with interactive activities for my students to use when they finished their classwork. For example, I had an interactive link about types of machines in which they clicked on items in a room, such as a doorknob, and described what type of machine it is. At home, they made compound machines out of two or more simple machines, then demonstrated to the class which simple machines were used.

Wendy Tetrault

Certified K-8 Teacher/Substitute Teacher, Shaker Regional School District

Belmont, New Hampshire

In our school's Independent Study Mentorship program, selected students are allowed to study, in depth, any topic of their choosing for one semester. They work closely and frequently with a mentor from the community.

By the end of the semester, students are expected to have created a college- or professional-level product and to present it to a real-world audience.

Kathleen Gandin

ISM Teacher-Facilitator

Clear Creek High School

League City, Texas

I am challenging my higher-level eighth-grade science students to choose a topic we have not studied that they would like to teach their classmates about.Their presentations must be eight to ten minutes long and must include either videotape or digital pictures.They must also interview a professional about their topic. So far, subjects have ranged from horse breeding to diabetes. I get to see what they like and learn something, too!

Kristi Van Hoveln

Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Science Teacher

Milford Grade School

Milford, Illinois