From Rebecca.Blocher at ode.state.or.us Wed Mar 17 09:11:10 2010 From: Rebecca.Blocher at ode.state.or.us (BLOCHER Rebecca) Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:11:10 -0700 Subject: [Tag-Info] OREGON TAG TEACHER UPDATE, March 2010, Issue # 12 Message-ID: Oregon Talented and Gifted Teacher Update - March 2010 Please forward this issue of the update to interested professionals. Contents: 1. Welcome to the TAG Teacher Update Newsletter 2. Welcome New TAG Specialist - Rebecca Blocher 3. Building Capacity to Support TAG Learners a. Professional TAG Library b. Tomlinson ASCD Video 4. Timely Topics for Today's TAG Students a. Transition b. Summer Programs for TAG Students 5. National TAG Topics a. NAGC Mile Marker Series b. The State of the States in Gifted Education 6. 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 that they can subscribe to this and other content areas newsletters by visiting http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1843 Questions regarding the newsletter, TAG in general, or the transition process, please contact Rebecca Blocher at 503-947-5931, or via email at: rebecca.blocher at state.or.us 2. NEW TAG SPECIALIST, REBECCA BLOCHER, JOINS ODE Talented and Gifted Education in Oregon welcomes Rebecca Blocher, the new Talented and Gifted Education Specialist, in the Office of Educational Improvement and Innovation at the Oregon Department of Education. Rebecca comes to us from Denver Public Schools where she was the Director of Gifted and Talented Education for a district of 74,000 students. While creating a life-long passion for high ability learners, she has served gifted learners as an Honors English teacher, building level facilitator, district gifted education coordinator, and director of gifted (TAG) programs during the last seventeen years. She has provided gifted education services in the Academy District in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as well as Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kansas. She has also served as an Academic Program Coordinator for the Duke Talent Identification Program, a student summer program at the University of Kansas. Rebecca holds a Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts Education and a Master's Degree in Gifted and Talented Education from the University of Kansas. She also has completed advanced certifications as a Special Education Coordinator and as a building administrator. Rebecca's personal passion for gifted learners rises from growing up in a small town in Kansas where limited services were available to gifted learners. She is the parent of a gifted daughter, Erin, who teaches at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Within gifted education, Rebecca's sub-specialty areas include the differentiation of instruction for all learners, twice-exceptional gifted learners, gifted students with Asperger's Syndrome, the transition for gifted students at critical junctures, and the development of models to identify gifted students who are culturally and linguistically diverse. She has been active in Colorado gifted education for the last four years, serving as the co-editor of the Colorado Association for Gifted on-line publication, Kaleidoscope. Rebecca has presented at the State Gifted Conferences in Colorado and Kansas, the National Association for the Gifted Conference (NAGC), and the National Social Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) Conference. In leaving Colorado, she believes that she has exchanged one beautiful place for another to join us in Oregon! Rebecca looks forward to working with our gifted professionals who work so diligently on behalf of our high ability, gifted learners. "Parenting a gifted child myself and growing up gifted in a rural setting, gives me a unique perspective on the needs of gifted learners. I became gifted children's advocate because of my own experiences as a parent and teacher." We have work to do in TAG Education in Oregon that is important to the children of Oregon. Through our efforts, TAG children may begin to realize their lives of great promise!" Contact Information: Rebecca L. Blocher Talented and Gifted Education Specialist Office of Educational Improvement and Innovation Oregon Department of Education 255 Capitol Street NE Salem, Oregon 97310 Phone: 503-947-5931 rebecca.blocher at ode.state.or.us 3. BUILDING CAPACITY TO SUPPORT TAG LEARNERS: A. Professional TAG Library: One way to assist teachers and to build their capacity to address identified TAG students' rate and level of learning is to have some TAG publications available in the school's professional library. Suggestions include the following: Book Recommendation 1: Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom by Susan Winebrenner. This book is available through Free Spirit Press for $39.99. The publication includes a CD Rom. Susan Winebrenner was a gifted education teacher herself and as a practitioner, her ideas for keeping gifted learners challenged are extremely valuable. She provides options for the depth and complexity of learning and teacher-friendly options for higher order thinking. Book Recommendation 2: How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed Ability Classrooms, 2nd Edition, by Dr. Carol Ann Tomlinson. This book is available through ASCD for $ 20.95 and at a reduced rate for ASCD members. This publication addresses the issue of "What's a teacher to do?" It provides classroom management methods for differentiation for all learners with an emphasis on the mixed level of students, including TAG students who are in today's classroom. A teacher study guide is available on-line for assistance to individual readers and for those who would like to form a professional learning community or teacher study group. In the gifted education community, this publication is commonly called the "leaf" book. Book Recommendation 3: The Differentiated Classroom by Dr. Carol Ann Tomlinson. This book provides an approach to working with all learners in the classroom and specific management techniques to differentiate within the classroom for all learners. It is available through ASCD for $21.95 and at a reduced rate for members of ASCD. A teacher study guide is available on-line for assistance to individual teachers and for those who would like to form a professional learning community or a teacher study group. In the gifted education community, this publication is commonly called the "purple" book. Book Recommendation 4: The Differentiated School by Tomlinson, Brimijoin and Narvaez. This is available through ASCD for $29.95 and at a reduced rate for ASCD members. In the development of Tomlinson's work, she developed a pattern of differentiation techniques for mixed ability classrooms, the differentiated classroom, and then the total school concept. This publication deals with differentiation concepts as they relate to an entirely differentiated school. In the gifted education community, this publication is commonly called the "apple slices" book. B. Professional Viewing: Dr. Carol Ann Tomlinson has created a video about her book, The Differentiated School. The video is available for viewing on the ASCD website link below: http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Authors/Carol_Tomlinson.aspx?id=29764641001&nvid=a6b1 4. TIMELY TOPICS FOR TODAY'S TAG STUDENTS A. TRANSITION What is "transition" in Gifted Education? Transition is planned management as students move from one school of instruction to another. For example, when a student moves from elementary school to middle school or as a student moves from middle school to high school, educators in gifted education consider these to be transition phases. For TAG students, these are quite often critical junctures. The question becomes, how do we maximize the importance of change and minimize the emotional effect for our sensitive, TAG students? Transition planning helps all students adjust to big changes in their academic and social/emotional environments. Transition is clearly outlined in the TAG Administrator's Handbook as an opportune time to talk with parents about programming effectiveness. This resource is available on page 21. TIPS for TRANSITION: Here are some planning questions to help guide the transition process for students who are entering the transition phases: * Does the TAG learning plan follow the TAG student to the next school to help inform instruction at the next educational level? * Are there critical courses in which the learner should be enrolled? Also, are there testing requirements for placement into the next level of instruction such as math or foreign language? Has this already been addressed through teacher records concerning the rate and level of learning? * Does the school provide a transition day for the new students who are coming to their school? Can the students go to middle school to shadow or to have lunch? Do TAG students have a chance to understand how TAG services will follow them to their next learning location? * For students who are transitioning to high school, the concept of a transcript on which everything counts, is an important concept to understand as the student enters high school. Beginning in the first semester of the freshman year, the transcript is important. * Finally, transition implies change. With the right approach, change can be positive. Helping our high potential, yet sensitive TAG students with change is always a challenge, but with planning, care, and concern, it can be very successful. And, our students can be successful in transitioning to the next instructional change in their lives. B. SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR TAG STUDENTS Summer Programs - As summer approaches, TAG students nation-wide are quite often interested in a very specific enrichment or academic opportunities which occur during the summer months. The following is some background information about selecting a summer program that is appropriate for the TAG learner: 1. Quite often, there is a fixed deadline to apply for summer programs. Applying early is to the student's advantage. 2. In this time of limited disposable income, many parents may struggle with the price of residential programs. In answer to this, many camps have been limited to a day camp or shortened to a week-long experience. Additionally, many summer programs provide a limited number of scholarships for those students who demonstrate keen interest and well-defined need. 3. When a TAG student has the opportunity to participate in a summer program, students routinely report that studying a "passion" area was a wonderful experience. Equally enchanting for the TAG student is the opportunity to be grouped with similar ability and like minded learners who share their interests and intensities. Summer experiences can be an opportunity for discovery, for early career exploration, and for development of talents in leadership, creativity, and visual and performing arts. The following is a list of summer opportunities in Oregon from the Hoagies Gifted website. http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/parent.htm C. OREGON-BASED SUMMER PROGRAMS: Academy Southern Oregon University (grade 5 to 8) Adventures in Learning (AIL) Oregon State University (grade (completed) 5 to 7) Adventure Treks California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Alaska, Canadian Rockies (ages 13-18) Education Soaring Margaret Scott Elementary School, Portland (grade K to 8) Not Back to School Camp OR, VT A Glance Within (unschoolers age 13 to 18) OMSI Science Camps Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Redmond (grade 3 to 12) Camp Invention various locations (grade 1 to 6) Saturday Academy Portland State University (grade 2 to 12) True Colors Wings Seminars, Eugene (teens 13-18) Youth Enrichment/TAG University of Oregon, Eugene (grade K to 10) D. NATIONALLY-BASED SUMMER PROGRAMS: Other more nationally-based programs which usually include programs in residence are listed with an annotated explanation on the National Association for Gifted (NAGC) website. The pathway to summer programs is the NAGC website, "Parenting for High Potential," then to "parents", then to "summer opportunities." The quick link is: http://www.nagc.org/index.asp.x?=1180 The NAGC website is a combination of advertisers who support gifted education initiatives, summer camps, publishers, and university summer programs. It offers strong information concerning parenting high potential learners. 5. NATIONAL TAG NEWS: A. NAGC Mile Marker Series: The National Association for Gifted Children just completed in November 2009, the Mile Marker Series which is an advocacy publication for parents and teachers. The series is designed to help parents of high-ability children find useful, up-to-date practical information and resources. What is The NAGC Mile Marker Series? (Adapted from the NAGC website) For many years, the National Association for Gifted Children has served as a resource for parents and caregivers seeking a wide range of advice. These information seekers-(hundreds each month) have needs all over the map-from the most basic question about giftedness in their young child to tips for effective advocacy in their state houses. So when a proactive group of NAGC parent volunteers came together to identify ways to better serve parents and caregivers, it was just a short leap to reach the concept of The Mile Marker Series. Why? Because the Mile Marker Series not only organizes information, but it also takes parents on a journey - a journey of ever broadening support for a single gifted child to gifted children in a school building and even support for gifted services across a whole state. NAGC understands the power and influence of a well-educated parent. That's why the Mile Marker Series offers many access points to informative resources exactly where the parent or caregiver is on their "road map" to understanding. Welcome to the journey. The NAGC Mile-Marker Series is described on the NAGC website as: The NAGC Mile Marker Series: Your Road Map to Successfully Support Gifted Children Think of it as your GPS for the world of gifted and talented education. More than a map or one-dimensional tour book, the NAGC Mile Marker series is a multi-dimensional navigational toolbox that you'll need to traverse the vast landscape of gifted education. The series on CD-ROM is designed as a map around five "Mile Markers," that represent different aspects of nurturing gifted children, each serving as an indicator of "learning places" one might experience during the developmental stages of a gifted child's life. Hop on. Hop off. You're the driver and can take whatever path best meets your needs. [cid:image002.png at 01CAC5B1.C8DDC1E0]Non-member Price: $ 24.95 [cid:image002.png at 01CAC5B1.C8DDC1E0] Member Price: $ 24.95 [cid:image002.png at 01CAC5B1.C8DDC1E0] B. State of the States: The National Association for Gifted Children published a State of the States in Gifted Education report during NAGC's most recent convention in St. Louis, Missouri, November, 2009. While the State of the States does not portray a glowing report for all current practices in gifted education, it does define our future work and the focuses attention on program improvement. The State of the States in Gifted Education is organized into ten key areas 1. State of Education Agencies 2. Funding for Gifted and Talented Education 3. Mandates to Identify and Serve Gifted Students 4. Accountability 5. Definition of Giftedness 6. Identification of Gifted and Talented Students 7. Programs and Services for Gifted Students 8. Personnel Preparation 9. Related Policies and Practices 10. Concerns and Directions for the Future These topics are a key to analyzing the State of Oregon's TAG Programming and will be featured in further discussions about TAG Education. 6. Internet Resources (in every issue) 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 ****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.**** -30- REBECCA L. BLOCHER Talented and Gifted Education Specialist Office of Educational Improvement and Innovation Oregon Department of Education 255 Capitol Street NE Salem, Oregon 97310 Phone: 503-947-5931 Fax: 503-378-5156 Rebecca.Blocher at ode.state.or.us ********************************************************************** 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: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 171 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: From caoconno at pdx.edu Fri Mar 12 18:28:04 2010 From: caoconno at pdx.edu (Cailin O'Connor) Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:28:04 -0800 Subject: [Tag-Info] Online Professional Development Message-ID: <4B9AF834.4040304@pdx.edu> *Differentiated Instruction** Spring 2010 online course _Instructional Strategies and Assessment of Student Learning_ 3 credits Mar 29-Jun 12 Instructor: Erin Bernardi CRN 65130 $1102 Grad/$480 Noncredit *This publicly offered online certificate of completion will conclude with the spring course. However, if your district or school is interested, we can partner to provide training on-site at your location. *District-wide Professional Development* Partner with PSU to provide relevant training toward essential student learning. We will tailor courses to support your district's priorities and existing improvement plans. Meeting the Needs of All Students is an online series of 1 credit modules that equips all K--12 educators with the essential knowledge and skills to learn the widely respected, research-based instructional approach: differentiated instruction (DI). DI provides teachers with effective, manageable strategies for meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse student population within the context of today's standards-based curriculum. Add value to what you are already doing. Develop a highly interactive learning community using Oregon's leading experts to model the DI principles and processes throughout your school. www.ceed.pdx.edu/differentiate For program information, contact Cail?n O'Connor, 503-725-8234 or caoconno at pdx.edu -- -- PSU Cail?n O'Connor, MA Program Manager Continuing Education Graduate School of Education, 316 PO Box 751, Portland, Oregon 97207-0751 Tues - Fri 8am-6pm 503 725 8234 tele 503 725 5599 fax my program websites > _Service-Learning K-12_ (online courses) > Differentiated Instruction (online courses) > Part-time Graduate Teacher Education Program > Added Elementary Program Click here for listing of all distance education courses online -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: New PSU logo.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2847 bytes Desc: not available URL: From caoconno at pdx.edu Wed Mar 24 15:12:24 2010 From: caoconno at pdx.edu (Cailin O'Connor) Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:12:24 -0700 Subject: [Tag-Info] Online Professional Development Message-ID: <4BAA8E48.6010603@pdx.edu> It's not too late to register for spring. Registration (click) *Spring 2010 online course* Instructional Strategies and Assessment of Student Learning* CRN 65130 (Grad) Mar 29 - Jun 12 $1102 Grad/$480 Noncredit Learn various assessment techniques and instructional strategies to assist in designing respectful learning experiences for the range of students, including those in special populations such as ELL, gifted, and students with disabilities. Use knowledge of each student's learning characteristics, interests and needs to select, adapt and implement appropriate differentiated instructional strategies and motivate and challenge each student. Learn to apply assessment techniques to measure progress and determine rate and level of new learning. * About the instructor* Erin Bernardi, MS, has worked as an elementary educator specializing in the areas of assessment, talented and gifted education, and working with at-risk populations, since 1995. Ms. Bernardi has served on the board of OATAG and on Western Oregon University's TAG Regional Planning Group. She has been actively involved in curriculum and staff development at district, regional and state levels. She has presented at workshops focusing on assessment, differentiation, and behavior management. She received the National Science Foundation's Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 1999 and again in 2000. /* Last class; this series will conclude with this spring course./ -- -- PSU Cail?n O'Connor, MA Program Manager Continuing Education Graduate School of Education, 316 PO Box 751, Portland, Oregon 97207-0751 Tues - Fri 8am-6pm 503 725 8234 tele 503 725 5599 fax my program websites > _Service-Learning K-12_ (online courses) > Differentiated Instruction (online courses) > Part-time Graduate Teacher Education Program > Added Elementary Program Click here for listing of all distance education courses online -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: New PSU logo.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2847 bytes Desc: not available URL: