What are the indicators of being gifted?

How do you know if your child may be gifted or not?  One of the first steps is to see if your child has the characteristics of a gifted child.  Every child is different and exhibits different characteristics.  If your child exhibits many of the below characteristics and finds school very easy; you may want to talk to your child’s teacher about whether there is a need for a more enriched program.

• Attention Span Related to Degree of Interest “Mental Stimulation”
• Own Perception of “Fairness”
• Many Solutions to Problems
• Not Concerned with Detail
• Exceptional Reasoning Ability
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Perfectionist or Underachiever More Characteristics
• Sense of Humor
• Sensitive and Empathetic
• Intense
• Acute Self Awareness
• Nonconformity
• Questions Authority
• Introversion OR Enjoys Sharing Verbally
• Learned to speak at an early age and uses complex sentences
• Has a large vocabulary
• Learned to read on their own at an early age
• Has a very good memory
• Long attention span
• Vivid imagination
• Sees connections that are unusual for their age
• Learns new things quickly
• Strong comprehension skills
• Daydreams
• Artistic
• Shows leadership abilities
• Independent
• Adaptable and adventurous
• High divergent thinking ability
• Good attention to detail
• Able to handle abstraction
• Have boundless energy
• Relate well to adults
• Often want to do things themselves

Three Criteria that needs to be met to determine

The need for gifted services

The State of Florida requires that three criteria be met in order to be considered for placement in the gifted program. 

1. The need for a special program – There must be the need for a special program, above and beyond what is provided in the regular classroom, to meet the learning needs of the student.
2. Majority of characteristics – A gifted characteristic check list is used and the student must exhibit the majority of the characteristics on the check list.
3. Intellectual development – A superior intellect, as measured by an IQ test that demonstrates the potential for learning.

How to find out if your child qualifies for gifted services.

If you feel your child has need of gifted services, you may meet with the school guidance counselor to discuss the matter.

There are four steps to identify potential gifted students and to determine eligibility for gifted services.  The steps of determination of eligibility are nomination, screening, referral, and evaluation. 

Step 1:  NOMINATION:  A nomination may be made by parent/guardian, a general education teacher, or other school personnel, community member, or self or peer nomination.  A nomination indicates a request that the student be considered as a potential candidate and initiates the process of compiling information about the student. 

Step 2: SCREENING:  A screening provides a measure to identify those students who might be referred for an individual evaluation.  Screening may be done with individual students or with groups of students.

Step 3:  Referral:  An official request for an individual evaluation of a student who shows indications of needing gifted education services must be made,

Step 4:  Intellectual evaluation:  An intellectual evaluation is required to determine eligibility for gifted services.  The evaluation must be done by a licensed/certified school psychologist.  The parent / guardian may request to have this done through the school system or may have a private licensed/certified psychologist do this at his/her own expense.  If private testing is done it must be done utilizing one of the district recognized assessments.

A determination may be made at any stage that there is not sufficient evidence of a need for service.  If this is the case the process stops.  If the process continues through all four stages a staffing will be convened.  At this time a team, consisting of regular education teacher, gifted teacher, guidance counselor, staffing specialist, and parent, meet to review the data and discuss the educational needs of the students.

Additionally, Marion County Public Schools has a State-approved district-wide plan to increase participation of under-represented groups in programs for gifted students. The State defines under-represented groups as groups who are limited English proficient, or who are from a low socio-economic status family.

Ways we serve the gifted

Gifted services are available to students that meet the Florida criteria for gifted and who have been staffed into a gifted program.  Students that come from another state and have been identified as gifted will be provided these services without further evaluation.  Gifted services provide opportunities for enrichment or acceleration as identified in the students Educational Plan (EP).  There are several ways that Marion County serves students with an active (EP).

FLAME –

Students are pulled out of the regular education classroom to receive gifted services for a designated period of time each week.  This may be one day a week for the bulk of the day or may be for one or more subjects for less time per class but more frequently.  In Marion County it is usually for one day a week.  Curriculum focuses on activities that relate to the EP.

Self-contained –

Full time classes where all the students are identified as gifted.  Students receive total instruction with their intellectual peers five days a week.  There is a need to go beyond the general curriculum to have a more challenging program.  The program is differentiated to allow for compacting or extending instruction to support a more complex and integrated curriculum.

Consultation –

The teacher provides services one-on-one, either with an individual or with a small group within a regular classroom.  The consulting teacher works with the regular education teacher to do individual education plans, modify the curriculum, or help planning lessons.  The consultant will help with personal goal setting, stress reduction, study habits time management test taking problem solving decision, and making interpersonal & intrapersonal skills

Advanced Content Class

This model is used in grades 6 – 12 and addresses the strengths of students by subject area.  The content is challenging and more in-depth in specific content areas.  The class may include non-gifted students that need the additional challenge in a particular subject. It provides advanced instruction by subject