Applying Gifted Education Standards: The What, The Who, and The How

You’ve probably heard of Common Core or, more recently, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Standards like Common Core and NGSS are content area standards, and they focus on the “what” of student learning. They aim to identify what students should know, understand, and be able to do in various content areas at different grade levels. 

What about the other side of the classroom? We know Learning is more than just content. So, complementary to content standards are teacher preparation standards, best practice guidelines, and programming standards to guide educators and administrators in creating the best learning environments for students.

So while we have the what and the who, educators and administrators must consider how students learn. Standards and best practices are tools to help develop effective policies, procedures, and systematic programs and services, which meet the needs of students. This of course includes academically talented and gifted students.

Now where do we find these standards? The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) has published a set of Pre-K – Grade 12 Gifted Education Programming Standards, which provide “important direction and focus to designing and implementing options for gifted learners at the local level” - NAGC.

Effective instruction, gifted services, and specialized programs do not happen spontaneously. Educators and administrators need to become familiar with these standards and be able to apply them within their own classrooms and schools. To assist with this, NAGC provides a wealth of free, easily accessible information to educators, administrators, and parents. They include guiding questions for work groups, self-assessment guides, and the standards in their entirety.

Knowledge of standards can deepen discourse about best practices and improve teaching and learning.

CTD also offers a variety of online modules, based both on the Standards and best practices, to enable educators and administrators to continuously improve their day-to-day, and long-term practice. These short courses are a great way to engage in readings, podcasts, webinars, and discussions with others who may be teaching in your building, or halfway around the world.

This summer, Dr. Susan Corwith, CTD Associate Director and Northwestern University Professor, will be facilitating a three-week online module focusing on the NAGC Standards and their application in schools and classrooms.  The session, titled Standards & Best Practices in Gifted Education: Using the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Programming Standards to Design Effective Programs, runs July 17 – August 6. Registration is now open. Professional development credit hours (CPDUs) are awarded.