What is talent development and creativity?

In addition to providing Gifted services to students identified as gifted, the Gifted and Talented teacher provides enrichment and creative thinking skills in the classroom. Talent groups are created to provide enrichment for students who show a need for more challenging work in their classroom. Creative and critical thinking skills are conducted as short activities in the classroom with the entire class

Gifted Identification Process

1. Teachers or parents contact the Guidance Counselor to recommend a student for gifted services.
2. The Guidance Counselor will send home a notice of intent to screen the student.
3. Screening will be completed by the Gifted teacher, usually within 30 days.
4. After the screening is completed, a notification will be sent home and shared with the classroom teacher. A score in the 90th percentile or higher is referred for further testing and a score under 90% requires no further testing. However, if requested, a child can be re-screened after one year.
5. If the student is recommended for further evaluation, a licensed school psychologist will conduct an intelligence test. Upon completion, parents and the school will receive the full report. This can take up to 90 school days.
6. After the folder is complete with paperwork demonstrating a need for additional services, completed checklist of characteristics of giftedness, along with high IQ, the Eligibility Determining Committee will make a 
   recommendation for placement.
7.  If a student is found eligible, the parent, classroom teacher, and gifted teacher will hold a conference (EP meeting) to establish learning goals, objectives, and complete the required processes for the student to begin the program.

Giftedness in the Classroom 

Make time for more intense and higher level  learning by: 

• Allowing accelerated pacing through material
• Pretesting or testing students out of units/topics
• Cluster group gifted/top students to enable them to do more complex work with their intellectual peers.
• Differentiate curriculum; use contracts and  allow students to select their topic, project, or assessment.
• Allow students to work in their area of expertise with a higher grade level, or online learning.
• Contact your Gifted Program teacher for ideas and classroom support, and to request screening for students who you suspect may be gifted.

Encouraging Giftedness at Home

Foster free play, exploration, creativity, and imagination

• Encourage entrepreneurship and independent thinking
• Allow your child to participate in real-life decisions
• Assign responsibilities and hold your child accountable
• Talk about current events and qualities of leaders
• Support your child’s interests with resources and a wide array of related experiences
• Enlist mentors willing to develop your child’s interest
• Expose your child to diverse forms of art and culture
• Show pride in your child’s efforts rather than abilities

Resources

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) 
www.nagc.org

Florida Association for the Gifted (FLAG) 
www.flagifted.org

CPALMS-Florida Gifted Standards 
www.cpalms.org/public/search/standard

National Society for the Gifted and Talented 
www.nsgt.org

Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) 
www.sengifted.org