From Stacey.Figgins at ode.state.or.us Mon Apr 6 12:20:19 2009 From: Stacey.Figgins at ode.state.or.us (FIGGINS Stacey) Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2009 12:20:19 -0700 Subject: [Tag-Info] April TAG Teacher Update Message-ID: A PDF version is attached and may be more reader-friendly, depending on your computer. You can also access the updates online at http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1843. Please forward this issue of the update to interested professionals! Teachers may sign up for this or other newsletters at: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1843 Past issues are also available at this website. 1. Welcome to the TAG Teacher Update 2. Legal Reminder of the Month 3. TAG Service Centers Updates 4. Identifying and Serving Underrepresented TAG Students 5. Parents and Teachers Working Together to Address Stress 6. Apprentice Program for Highly Capable Students 7. Publication for Advanced High School Students in The Concord Review 8. Music for Vocabulary Study 9. Saturday Academy at Reed College in Portland 10. Online Learning Resource 11. Residential TAG Camp at Southern Oregon University 12. Differentiation-Challenges, Research, and Materials 13. Gifted Education in Pennsylvania 14. Gifted Education in Congress 15. Charter Schools and Gifted Education 16. Legislative Advocacy from Gifted Youth 17. Middle School Scrabble Tournament at Southern Oregon University 18. Powerful Partnerships-Ashland School District and Southern Oregon University 19. OASL Battle of the Books 20. Torrance Legacy Creative Writing Contest 21. Joyce VanTassel-Baska Retirement Celebration 22. Accurate Identification of Underrepresented Groups 23. Are You a Teacher in Need of Funding for a Learning Project or a Community Member Looking to Support Specific Education Projects? 24. Fifth Annual Celebrating Student Success Banquet 25. Check Out Teacher Updates in Other Content Areas 26. How to Submit Articles 27. In Every Issue-Internet Resources 1. Welcome to the TAG Teacher Update This newsletter is designed to provide current information concerning teachers of TAG students, guidance counselors, administrators, and coordinators of TAG programs. Please let your colleagues know they can subscribe to this and other ODE content area newsletters by visiting: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1843 2. Legal Reminder of the Month OAR 581-022-1310-5: "Despite a student's failure to qualify under subsections (4)(a) and (b) of this rule, districts, by local policies and procedures, shall identify students who demonstrate the potential to perform at the 97th percentile." This OAR is designed to allow districts flexibility in identifying students who display characteristics of giftedness, but for whatever reason, do not demonstrate this by their scores on standardized tests. The exact procedures for this are left up to local district control, but each district needs to make sure they are identifying students in this category whenever necessary. 3. TAG Service Centers Updates The work at the TAG Service Centers at SOESD and WOU is continuing with very positive results. SOESD has pulled together a cadre of over twenty professionals from all over Oregon who have been inundated with training on differentiated instruction. They began in December with an on-site two-day training with Marcia Imbeau from ACSD. This winter and spring, the cadre has been working on completing online courses from the ASCD titled Differentiated Instruction, Success with Differentiated Instruction, and Using Assessment in the Differentiated Classroom. Each class takes approximately twenty hours to complete. The training will conclude in April when the cadre attends the COSA Differentiation workshop with Carol Ann Tomlinson. SOESD also supplied each cadre member with materials to use when they go back to their home regions and facilitate trainings with teachers in their area. The requirement was that each cadre member would hold at least one training session in their area before the end of June, but three of the cadre members in Klamath County, Ashland, and Sandy had actually started providing professional development in their home regions as early as February! The TAG Service Center at WOU completed an online needs assessment and formed an advisory committee in the fall that helped inform their next steps. The highlight of their work thus far has been a two-day workshop in February that was co-sponsored with the Business Education Compact. The focus of this workshop was on Credit for Proficiency models for TAG students. Diane Smith, Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Albany schools, also participated and co-presented with WOU and BEC. The grant paid for fifty teachers, TAG coordinators, and administrators to come from all over the state. There were representatives from all corners of Oregon including North Bend and La Grande. The workshop was so popular that a waitlist of over seventy people was started. This summer they are hoping to bring back teachers to work with content area experts to design proficiency-based teaching units with an emphasis on TAG learners. These units will then be available for teachers all over the state on the ODE and/or WOU website. 4. Identifying and Serving Underrepresented TAG Students Districts all over Oregon are trying to do a better job of identifying and serving students from underrepresented populations. Do you have a success story in this area? Have you found a particular assessment instrument to be especially useful? Is there a form you've developed that has helped you to organize your evidence easily? I would love you to share your best practices with me, and I will then include them in future newsletter articles. There are great things happening in education all over Oregon, and the more we can support each other in our efforts, the better our state will be. Please contact me at stacey.figgins at state.or.us if you have an idea or a resource you'd be willing to share. 5. Parents and Teachers Working Together to Address Stress This resource paper from the NAGC highlights how parents and teachers can work together to identify and help reduce gifted students' stress levels. 6. Apprentice Program for Highly Capable Students The Apprenticeship Program is a three- or four- week residential summer program in California that provides gifted high school students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working in professional environments with experienced and respected mentors in art, history, medicine, industrial design, science, law, and business. Placed either individually or in small groups, inquisitive and productive young people apply their talents to solve real-world problems and gain insight into a variety of career options while learning from professionals. Working as Apprentices, students reside on a college campus and experience dorm living and college life first-hand. For 2009, the three-week Apprenticeship Program dates are July 19th to August 8. The four-week program dates are July 12 to August 8. Applications and additional information about the program are available on their website at http://www.educationaladvancement.org/index.html. The final deadline is May 1st, 2009. 7. Publication for Advanced High School Students in The Concord Review The Concord Review, Inc., was founded in March 1987 to recognize and to publish exemplary history essays by high school students in the English-speaking world. With the 76th issue (Winter 2008), 835 research papers (average 5,500 words, with endnotes and bibliography) have been published from authors in forty-four states and thirty-five other countries. The Concord Review remains the only quarterly journal in the world to publish the academic work of secondary students. This would be a great opportunity for high school TAG students who have done exceptional work. For more information on submitting essays click here. 8. Music for Vocabulary Study Why is it that we can't get those commercial jingles out of our heads? The strong response of music on the brain has been researched for years. Teaching students chants, raps, and songs to remember content is an effective instructional practice. Are you skeptical? I got eighth graders to sing songs about content, and they came back years later and sang them to me. If that's not a plug, I don't know what is. Here is a great resource with one-minute songs and raps you can use to teach advanced vocabulary. Click here to access the Princeton Review Vocabulary Minute. 9. Saturday Academy at Reed College in Portland Saturday Academy provides open enrollment, enrichment classes year round for students in grades 2-12. Reed College also offers a one-week TAG camp for students entering grades 4 or 5 in fall 2009, on the Reed College Campus (Portland) June 22 - 26. For more information contact Gail Pyle at gail.pyle at saturdayacademy.org or 503) 200-5856. You can also visit their website at http://www.saturdayacademy.org. 10. Online Learning Resource Visit Funbrain.com to access learning games in subjects like math, geography, and grammar. 11. Residential TAG Camp at Southern Oregon University ACADEMY offers stimulating academic experiences and exciting social activities designed for talented and highly able elementary and middle school students. Bring your love of learning, your humor, and your unique talents to a community where intelligence and creativity are valued and supported! Students must be in grades 5-8 during the 2008-09 school year or at an equivalent home school level to apply. Pursue existing interests and discover new ones in four courses that you will choose from a list of twenty-four options! Academic classes are offered each weekday in science, mathematics, literature, writing, law, cultural studies, dance, theatre, media arts, and visual arts. Please visit the website for listings and descriptions of 2008 courses. 2009 courses will be posted online in late April as they become finalized. As a part of ACADEMY, get a taste of campus life at Southern Oregon University. Live in residence halls, learn in university classrooms, and eat in on-campus dining halls! Living groups are divided by age and gender, with two students sharing each room. Each day balances structured time with social and recreational activities, which include attending a play at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Sessions run June 14-20 or June 21-27. Tuition assistance is available for those who qualify. For more information, visit: www.sou.edu/youth or write us at jensen at sou.edu 12. Differentiation-Challenges, Research, and Materials Running an effectively differentiated classroom is challenging, but there are research studies and resource materials that can help make the job a little easier. Click here to read an article about how a Connecticut district is integrating leveled curricular materials to help engage students at their individual levels. 13. Gifted Education in Pennsylvania Click here to read an article about gifted education in Pennsylvania. Districts across the nation face many of the same challenges as Oregon districts. 14. Gifted Education in Congress You can access legislative updates about what is happening in gifted education at the federal level by accessing the National Association for Gifted Children's legislative update webpage. 15. Charter Schools and Gifted Education A charter school in Oregon is a public school operated by a group of parents, teachers and/or community members as a semi-autonomous school of choice within a school district. It is given the authority to operate under a contract or "charter" between the members of the charter school community and the local board of education (sponsor). Under Oregon law, a charter school is a separate legal entity operating under a binding agreement with a sponsor. A public charter school is subject to certain laws pertaining to school district public schools, is released from others, and must operate consistent with the charter agreement. Charter schools are not required to follow the state TAG mandate. However, many charter schools adopt curriculum and instructional strategies that may be particularly appropriate for TAG students. Local communities may want to consider whether or not a school of choice could help provide educational options for high-achieving students. Click here to visit the Oregon Department of Education's website about charter schools. A Houston, Texas school district has recently added a charter school program that may be advantageous for gifted students. There are already charter schools in Oregon like the Lewis and Clark Montessori Charter School and the Center for Advanced Learning that may be well-matched to some TAG students' needs. 16. Legislative Advocacy from Gifted Youth Click here to read an article about a gifted 18-year-old who went to Washington, D.C. to advocate for gifted students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 17. Middle School Scrabble Tournament at Southern Oregon University On April 30, SOU will host a middle school scrabble tournament. Middle School students enrolled in grades 6-8 may compete in this exciting one-day tournament. Each school may register up to five teams (two players per team). Using School Scrabble rules, the tourna?ment will consist of six games. For more information, visit the SOU Youth Outreach website. 18. Powerful Partnerships-Ashland School District and Southern Oregon University The Ashland School District and SOU recently announced a powerful partnership that will help more high-achieving high school students to take advantage of university courses. Click here to access the full article. 19. OASL Battle of the Books The Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) is a statewide program for reading motivation and comprehension sponsored by the Oregon Association of School Librarians in conjunction with a Library Services and Technology Act grant. Students are exposed to quality literature representing a variety of literary styles and viewpoints. The goals are to encourage reading for enjoyment, broaden reading interests, increase reading comprehension, and promote cooperative learning. Lists of books are chosen and questions are written for elementary and middle schools. Students read the books, discuss them, and quiz each other on the contents. Then students compete in teams of four to correctly answer questions based on the books in a "quiz show" format. Half of the questions begin with the words "In which book..." so that the answer will be a title and author. The other questions are based on content and require a specific answer from the book. Teams compete at local, district, regional, and state levels. New lists of recommended titles for each level are compiled each year by the OBOB selection committee, which is made up of library staff and teachers. Titles are varied according to genre and difficulty so that readers may encounter a broad range of books. For more information, click here to access the official website. 20. Torrance Legacy Creative Writing Contest NAGC, in conjunction with the Torrance Center, Scholastic Testing Service, and the Center for Gifted, is pleased to announce the Torrance Legacy Creative Writing Contest, for students in grades 4 through 12. Deadline for submissions is August 24. Click here for more information. 21. Joyce VanTassel-Baska Retirement Celebration One of the foremost experts in gifted education, Dr. Joyce VanTassel-Baska, was celebrated at a party in her honor at the College of William and Mary. Click here to read the full article. 22. Accurate Identification of Underrepresented Groups Districts all over the nation are seeking to improve their identification procedures, especially for identifying gifted students from underrepresented groups. Click here to read about how a Maryland school district is addressing this issue. 23. Are You a Teacher in Need of Funding for a Learning Project or a Community Member Looking to Support Specific Education Projects? Donors Choose is a neat website that allows teachers to post projects for which they need additional funding. Then, people can make a tax-deductible contribution to that teacher. Click here to visit the webpage and learn more. 24. Fifth Annual Celebrating Student Success Banquet The Celebrating Student Success banquet unites educators, business people, and community leaders in a forum aimed at rewarding schools within the K-12 school system that are meeting the challenge of closing the achievement gap in Oregon. These schools are focusing on how to increase success for all of their students, proving that there are strategies schools can implement that can, and do, meet the academic needs of all students. This awards ceremony has helped to increase our understanding of what it takes to close the achievement gap in our schools and is an inspirational and powerful experience for those who attend. Join us. Learn what schools around the state are doing to close the academic achievement gap. Help celebrate the successes of 19 dedicated Oregon schools and learn what you can do in your school and community to help all students prepare for educational success. What: Celebrating Student Success Awards Banquet When: Friday May 1st, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Where: Oregon Convention Center, Portland Cost: $40 a seat Registration is open through April 22nd. Contact Crystal Greene at 503-947-5650 or crystal.greene at state.or.us for more information or to register. Or visit www.ode.state.or.us/go/CTAG to learn more. 25. Check Out Teacher Updates in Other Content Areas There are fabulous Teacher Updates being published monthly in other content areas like foreign language, social studies, and mathematics. You can subscribe to them by visiting: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1843 26. How to Submit Articles If you would like to submit information for this newsletter, please email publication-ready short articles by the end of the month to stacey.figgins at state.or.us. Please include links and contact information but no attachments. 27. In Every Issue-Internet Resources Oregon Department of Education TAG http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=76 ERIC - Educational Resources Information Center http://www.eric.ed.gov/ Supporting Emotional Needs of Gifted (SENG) http://www.sengifted.org/ Council for Exceptional Children http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home National Association for Gifted Children www.nagc.org Oregon Association for Talented and Gifted www.oatag.org REAL - Resources for Educational Achievement and Leadership http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/real/ Get Ready Oregon web page: New Oregon Diploma information for the general public http://www.getreadyoregon.org Oregon Diploma web page: Resources and tools for educators http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=368 Contact the Education Specialist in TAG Stacey Figgins, stacey.figgins at state.or.us (503) 947-5701 ****Disclaimer--The materials contained in the Oregon Talented and Gifted Teacher Update produced by Oregon Department of Education are drawn from both internal and external sources and inclusion of external materials does not necessarily indicate Oregon Department of Education endorsement.**** ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the sender immediately and delete the communication and any attachments. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses. ********************************************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: ortagteacherupdate7.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 144194 bytes Desc: ortagteacherupdate7.pdf URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Picture (Metafile) 1.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 9992 bytes Desc: Picture (Metafile) 1.jpg URL: From Stacey.Figgins at ode.state.or.us Wed Apr 8 15:19:11 2009 From: Stacey.Figgins at ode.state.or.us (FIGGINS Stacey) Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 15:19:11 -0700 Subject: [Tag-Info] World Council for Gifted and Talented Children---Youth Summit Details Message-ID: Hello All- The World Council for Gifted and Talented Children is holding their biennial world conference this year in nearby Vancouver, B.C. You can find out more about the conference at: http://www.worldgifted2009.com/ Of particular interest in the Youth Summit. I am attaching a brochure that describes more about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for gifted youth. I have been in communication with Pegi Furanna, the chair of the committee that is organizing this event. She wanted me to share these details: 1. The early registration fee ends May 1 so get at least a $150 deposit in ASAP to hold your space. A district can hold spaces without all the information as long as we have all the particulars by the end of May. 2. There is a very convenient train that goes from Oregon to Vancouver. If there is a large enough group coming up on the train (12 or more) we can arrange a bus to pick them up on Monday (it arrives at about 11 am after travelling overnight) It is inexpensive and saves having to have a room on Sunday. The train leaves each evening at 6 pm. 3. There are plenty of spaces for US students available but if you end up with a large group coming let me know and we can borrow some from a location who is sending a smaller number. 4. We have students already registered from Nepal, Afghanistan, Singapore, China, Korea, Canada and Europe. Come join the fun. Registrations are coming more quickly lately. 5. Minimum age is 15 due to the university rules but they can have their birthday later in 2009. If the student is not formally identified but this program is right up their alley, a teacher or district can send them anyway if they think it would be appropriate. Please share this information with as many parents and students as possible. I think it would be wonderful to have solid representation from Oregon. Please let me know if I can provide more information or answer any questions. Stacey Stacey Figgins Education Specialist, Talented and Gifted Oregon Department of Education Public Services Building 255 Capitol Street NE Salem, Oregon 97310 stacey.figgins at state.or.us 503) 947-5701 ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the sender immediately and delete the communication and any attachments. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses. ********************************************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Youth_Summit_Brochure_(Feb _25th_2009)1.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 396791 bytes Desc: Youth_Summit_Brochure_(Feb _25th_2009)1.pdf URL: From Stacey.Figgins at ode.state.or.us Mon Apr 13 15:32:04 2009 From: Stacey.Figgins at ode.state.or.us (FIGGINS Stacey) Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:32:04 -0700 Subject: [Tag-Info] SENG Webinar Opportunity Message-ID: Living in the Gifted Family Tuesday, April 28 (Cost is $40) Please check your local time zone! 8:00 PM Eastern Time 7:00 PM Central 6:00 PM Mountain 5:00 PM Pacific Presenter: Arlene DeVries, MSE Parenting gifted children can be an overwhelming and lonely task. There are few places available for support and guidance. Just as students are often misunderstood, so are parents who earnestly seek to do what is best for their children. This webinar will address some of the issues experienced by families of gifted children. Specific tips will be shared to increase communication, address sibling relationships, assist students with interactions among peers, understand the dilemma of perfectionism and other stressors, and enhance parent relationships. Arlene DeVries, MSE, retired as the gifted/talented community resource consultant for the Des Moines Public Schools. She has been a SENG President, board member, and SENG Model Parent Group trainer and facilitator, conducting more than 70 ten-week guided discussion groups for parents. Ms. DeVries is completing her ninth year as a board member of the National Association for Gifted children where she was instrumental in launching their Parenting for High Potential magazine, and served on the first editorial board. She currently teaches an on-line class, "Social Emotional Needs of Gifted," for Drake University. Her publications include numerous articles and co-author of two 2007 books from Great Potential Press, Gifted Parent Groups, the SENG Model, 2nd Edition, and A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children. Registration Information: http://www.instantpresenter.com/AccountManager/Regev.aspx?PIID=E950DD8785 SENG Webinar FAQ: http://www.sengifted.org/webinar_faq.pdf Stacey Figgins Education Specialist, Talented and Gifted Oregon Department of Education Public Services Building 255 Capitol Street NE Salem, Oregon 97310 stacey.figgins at state.or.us 503) 947-5701 ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the sender immediately and delete the communication and any attachments. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses. ********************************************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Stacey.Figgins at ode.state.or.us Tue Apr 14 13:27:17 2009 From: Stacey.Figgins at ode.state.or.us (FIGGINS Stacey) Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:27:17 -0700 Subject: [Tag-Info] FW: Workshop - Advanced Proficiency Sessions for Math, Social Studies, Science & Language Arts Teachers Message-ID: ________________________________ From: Business Education Compact [mailto:jhays at becpdx.org] Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 10:36 AM To: FIGGINS Stacey Subject: Workshop - Advanced Proficiency Sessions for Math, Social Studies, Science & Language Arts Teachers [http://tyr.icebase.net/users/kkrieg/WorkshopAdvanced_April09Advanced$Proficiency_BannerOverride.jpg] Business Education Compact Advanced Proficiency Workshop "Shift your paradigm: What are you really assessing?" Description: BEC is offering Advanced Proficiency-based workshop sessions for high school Math, Social Studies, Science and Language Arts teachers. Participants will learn how to create their own model of proficiency for the subjects they teach. They will be guided in a hands-on workshop to: identify primary and secondary standards for assessments; create rubrics necessary for assessment purposes; identify modes of assessment; and align curriculum to be transparent for learning. Participants will leave the workshop with the following: * Templates for identifying and streamlining standards * Templates for creating rubrics that allow for differentiation * Templates that help educators identify authentic modes of assessment * "How to" outline for aligning curriculum * Resources for guiding educators on proficiency policy decisions * Sample communications explaining proficiency practices to parents Workshop Facilitators: Tamra Busch-Johnsen, Executive Director, Business Education Compact Workshop Presenters: Scappoose H.S. Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science teachers Who Should Attend: High school Math, Social Studies, Science and Language Arts teachers who: 1) previously attended a BEC Introductory Proficiency Workshop or 2) are practicing proficiency-based teaching strategies in their classrooms Dates and Location: Friday, May 15, 2009 (7:45 am to 3:00 pm) All sessions same day/place University of Phoenix, Salem Campus (670 Hawthorne Ave. SE) Price: $ 40 per attendee, includes breakfast, lunch and materials Workshop costs subsidized by the Oregon Education Association!!! Registration: Register online by selecting the appropriate workshop session: Math, Social Studies, Science or Language Arts. Space is limited so register early! . Questions? Contact Tamra Busch-Johnsen at 503-646-0242 x 24 or tbuschjo at becpdx.org with questions. With support from: Oregon Education Association and The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation [http://www.becpdx.org/images/company/OEA.jpg] [http://www.becpdx.org/images/company/MillerFoundatioLogo.jpg] jhays at becpdx.org * Business Education Compact [http://www.icebase.com/images/sendafriend.gif] This CoolerEmail was delivered to you by Business Education Compact. You can take your email address off Business Education Compact's email list, or update your preferences and/or send comments to Business Education Compact. If you request to be taken off Business Education Compact's email list, Business Education Compact will honor your request pursuant to CoolerEmail's permission-based email terms and conditions. Postal address: 12655 SW Center Street Suite 430, Beaverton, OR 97005 Powered by CoolerEmail ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. 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