Goals for today: Social emotional support in Florida schools - - PDF document

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March Gifted Coordinators Meeting Gifted Assessment

Kathleen Casper, Gifted Education Specialist Bureau of Standards and Instructional Support March 8, 2016

Goals for today:

• Social emotional support in Florida schools
• Introducing guest speaker,

Tiombe Kendrick-Dunn

• Gifted assessment from the perspective
• f a school psychologist,

by Tiombe Kendrick-Dunn

Gifted students and gifted coordinator, Eileen Lerner from FSUS in Leon County, meeting with speaker/author Pieter Kohnstam, who grew up with Anne Frank and spoke at their school.

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Examples of amazing social emotional support in Florida schools

Sarasota Escambia Sarasota

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Pasco Escambia Santa Rosa Brevard Broward Marion Miami-Dade

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Monroe Palm Beach Seminole

• St. Johns

Introducing guest speaker Tiombe Kendrick-Dunn

Tiombe Kendrick-Dunn, SSP, NCSP, is a nationally certified school psychologist and is licensed to practice school psychology in the state of Florida. She has been employed with the Miami-Dade County Public School District as a school psychologist since 2005. She is also a clinical supervisor for Barry University’s School Psychology Program.

• Ms. Kendrick-Dunn is the past president of Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) and

is active with many gifted organizations and parent groups. She has a very strong passion for addressing the needs of gifted students from culturally and linguistically diverse populations. In 2006, Ms. Kendrick-Dunn was a member of Miami-Dade Public Schools Gifted Task Force Committee and was also awarded the Mary Frasier Scholarship sponsored by the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC). In 2007, she was both appointed to the NAGC Diversity/Equity Committee and was awarded a grant by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Children Fund Inc. to establish a resource center specifically designed for gifted students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

• Ms. Kendrick-Dunn completed her undergraduate work at Miami Dade College and Florida State

University and her graduate work at Barry University. Ms. Kendrick-Dunn has presented at numerous professional conventions on the topic of gifted children.

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S

Gifted Assessment From the Perspective of a School Psychologist

Tiombe Bisa Kendrick-Dunn, SSP, NCSP Florida Department of Education Webinar March 8, 2016

Objectives

S Increase awareness of the various needs of gifted

children and how to provide comprehensive assessments to assist with determining these needs

S Increase awareness of the various methods utilized by

psychologists to assess gifted children

S Examine challenges psychologists may face when

assessing gifted children from diverse backgrounds

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Gifted Students are Underserved

S Societal anti-intellectualism S Giftedness is a complex construct S Lack of awareness and understanding of giftedness in

children and youth

S Lack of appropriate training of mental health care

providers

S Lack of training pertaining to the assessment of the gifted

MYSTERY??????????

S Many parents and educators seek assistance for “complex

children” and often make the following statements………..

S “Not working to their potential” S “Bored in school” S “Sensitive”, “Meltdown” S The school says one thing but my clinical judgment says

another

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Ongoing Concerns

S Addressing the academic and social-emotional needs of

gifted students is an area of concern for many researchers, educators, parents, and select mental health practitioners

S Psychological evaluations are often requested by parents

and educators to assist with future academic planning of potentially gifted students, but often lack assessment of their social and emotional development and subsequent needs (including needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds)

Ongoing Concerns

S Clinical psychologists often work in private clinical

settings while school psychologists often work in educational settings

S Although many gifted children are formally assessed

by school and clinical psychologists, a vast number of these professionals fail to conduct comprehensive evaluations of gifted children, often only taking a measure of intellectual ability (IQ test)

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Concerning Research

S Robertson, S, Pfeiffer S, and Taylor, N (2011) determined the

following:

S 66% of school psychologists never or rarely evaluated gifted

students

S 46% of school psychologists never or rarely consulted with

classroom teachers about the needs of gifted students

S

95% of school psychologists received little or no training in screening/assessment for giftedness in graduate school

Concerning Research

S More than 6% of the student population in the USA were

classified as gifted

S 3.6% to 4.9% of the student population is classified as SLD S Students from culturally and linguistically diverse

backgrounds continue to be underserved and underrepresented in gifted programs on a national level

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The Gifted: Historically Low Priority

 1972 Marland Report. Poor and minorities underserved  1983 A Nation at Risk – no systemic change  1993 National Excellence  A Nation Deceived volumes 1 and 2

• - The gifted have mastered 35-50% of curriculum at start of school

year. – Only 2 cents of every $100 spent on K-12 education support the gifted.

The Gifted: Historically Low Priority

 No Child Left Behind 2001

• - All students achieve at minimum standards. States free to

choose standardized tests- Teachers “teach to the test” to avoid punitive measures – No incentives for high achieving students to excel

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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 2015

S The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the name of the

2015 legislation that revised and reauthorized the federal K- 12 education law known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Prior to passage of ESSA, the law was referred to by the moniker No Child Left Behind.

S For the first time, Gifted and Talented students are

addressed and states are required to report data and perform particular tasks related to Gifted and Talented Students

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

S ESSA/ESEA is the source of most federal K-12 education

initiatives, such as Title I schools accountability for student achievement, programs for English language learners, math- science partnerships, and Title II professional development.

S Approximately $21 billion in federal funds under ESEA is

distributed to the states and school districts each year through complex formulas based on student population and poverty and through individual grant programs.

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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 2015

S

When applying for Title II funds, states must know show how they plan to improve skills of teachers & school leaders in identifying gifted students and meeting their instructional needs

S

Districts that receive Title II professional development funds must use the money to address the learning needs of all students. ESSA specifically says that “all students includes gifted and talented students.

S

States must include student achievement data at each achievement level that is disaggregated by student subgroup (e.g., low-income, race, English learners, gender, and students with disabilities) including achievement at advanced levels

S

Districts (“local education agencies” in ESSA) must collect, disaggregate, and report their student achievement data at each achievement level, as the states are required to do.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 2015

S The Javits program, which has been operating since 1988, was

retained in ESSA. The program focuses grant funds on identifying and serving students who are traditionally underrepresented in gifted and talented programs, particularly minority, economically disadvantaged, English language learners, and children with disabilities in order to help reduce gaps in achievement and to encourage the establishment of equal educational opportunities for all students. In addition, the Javits program funds a national research center on gifted education and when funding permits, also funds grants to states to improve the ability of elementary and secondary schools to meet the special educational needs of gifted and talented students. As with other grant programs, Congress must provide funding for the Javits program each year.

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Hallmark Characteristics

S Asynchrony S Intensity S High Intellectual Ability

Intellectual Characteristics of Gifted People

S

Exceptional reasoning ability

S

Intellectual curiosity

S

Rapid learning rate

S

Facility with abstraction

S

complex thought processes

S

Vivid imagination

S

Early moral concern

S

Passion for learning

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Personality Characteristics of Gifted People

S

Insightfulness

S

Need to understand

S

Need for mental stimulation

S

Perfectionism

S

Need for precision and/or logic

S

Excellent sense of humor

S

Sensitivity/empathy Intensity

Intensity

 Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration and Over Excitabilities  The higher the intellectual ability, the more unique traits are likely

to influence behaviors

 Gifted children perceive, think, feel and learn differently

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Asynchrony

S Asynchrony means being out-of-sync within oneself

(uneven development), out-of-sync with same age peers and the expectations of the classroom, having heightened emotions and awareness, and being vulnerable, due to all of these developmental and psychological differences from the norm.

Asynchrony

S Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced

cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching, and counseling in

• rder for them to develop optimally. (Digest of Gifted

Research)

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Hallmark Challenges

S Difficulty with social relationships S Hiding talents to fit with peers S Refusal to do routine, repetitive assignments S Nonconformity and resistance to authority S Inappropriate criticism of others S Lack of awareness of impact on others

Hallmark Challenges

S Lack of sufficient challenge in schoolwork S Difficulty in selecting among a diversity of interests S Depression (often manifested in boredom) S High levels of anxiety S Difficulty accepting criticism S Excessive competitiveness

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Psychological Evaluations

What is the main purpose of “comprehensive” psychological evaluations in school and clinical settings??????????

Comprehensive Psychological Evaluation

A psychological evaluation is a set of assessment procedures administered to

• btain information about

an individual’s unique intellectual, personality, and emotional functioning. A comprehensive psychological evaluation also acts as a screening measure to rule out impairments in areas closely related to the field

• f psychology such as

language, vision, motor skills, speech/articulation, medical, etc.

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Comprehensive Psychological Evaluation

S The majority of children suspected of disabling

conditions or disorders often receive “comprehensive psychological evaluations”

S The majority of children suspected of

intellectual giftedness often DO NOT receive comprehensive psychological evaluations.”

Psychological Evaluations for Children With Suspected Disabilities/Disorder

Typical Battery for

S

IQ test: Determines a child’s cognitive ability and processing skills (strengths & weaknesses)

S

Academic test: Determines academic achievement levels and academic needs

S

Administration of various assessments to rule out underlying learning disorders/disabilities

S

Interviews with parents and teachers

Struggling children

S

Personality tests: Gather information to determine social and emotional functioning & need for intervention

S

Specific process tests: (memory, visual-spacial, phonological awareness, decoding, language, attention, etc.)

S

Full developmental history including if applicable, school history

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Psychological Evaluations for Children Suspected of Intellectual Giftedness

Typical Battery for Gifted

S

IQ test: Determines a child’s cognitive ability and processing skills (strengths & weaknesses)

S

Sometimes: Academic tests are administered to determine academic achievement levels and academic needs (not always administered in school or private settings)

Children

S

Brief interview with parents (often does not take place in school settings)

Gifted Children From Diverse Backgrounds

Challenges

S

Psychologists should consider using cognitive assessments designed for cultural fairness

S

Have an understanding of the culture and background of the child being evaluated in order to aid them in choosing the most appropriate battery of assessments

S

May lack exposure to rigorous academic curriculum

S

Must know if the child’s native language is not English

S

Must know if the child is considered low SES

S

Must complete an extensive interview of child’s parents and teachers

S

Should include multiple measures (portfolios)

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Qualitative Assessment

WHY

S

Sometimes “numbers” underestimate a child’s intellectual potential (clinical judgment)

S

Sometimes a child’s strengths may be masked or hidden by comorbid disorders/disabilities

S

Gifted children from certain backgrounds may benefit (low SES, CLD, non-native English speakers, lack of exposure)

EXAMPLES

S

Review work samples

S

Extensive review of academic records

S

Student observation

S

Suggest creation of portfolio

S

Parent/Teacher/Student interviews

S

Gifted rating scales

Why the Difference

S Most psychologists lack training in the assessment of gifted

children including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

S Many private psychologists conduct assessments that mirror

that of applicable school districts so that it’s in line with what the school district uses to determine eligibility for gifted programming; in other words their psychological assessments are not unique to the child

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Intellectual & Academic Testing

S Intellectual and academic assessments only measure and

determine intellectual and academic needs of gifted

• children. These assessments DO NOT, however, assess the

social and emotional development of gifted children

S It is critical for school and clinical psychologists to assess

the social and emotional functioning of gifted children and to screen for concerns and/or impairments in this area

Intellectual Testing

S There are many intellectual assessments on the market such

as: WISC-V , SB-V , KABC-II, RIAS-2, DAS-II, WPPSI-IV , etc.

S There are also nonverbal IQ tests such as the Leiter-3,

UNIT-2, WNV , etc.

S When using tests to make important decisions, more than

• ne assessment should be used and the most appropriate IQ

test (based on background of student)

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Rating Scales for Gifted Children

S Most rating scales and formal assessments pertaining to

gifted students mostly measure cognitive and academic variables

S Specific rating scales and formal assessments needed to

assess the social and emotional development of gifted children are rare, but some do exist and should be utilized if possible

Comprehensive Psychological Evaluations of the Gifted: What Should it Look Like????

S

Strength based & therapeutic

S

IQ test (best assessment)

S

Academic achievement testing

S

Extensive developmental history

S

Interview with teachers & parents

S

Interview with student

S

Extensive review of academic and school history

S

Personality screening

S

Personality assessment (if concerns arise from personality screening)

S

Vocational assessment and/or talent assessment

S

Assessment should be ongoing

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Twice-Exceptional (2e)

S

As giftedness and disabilities mask each other, individual assessment

• f twice exceptional children is

strongly recommended.

S

To locate twice exceptional children, it is necessary to examine intrapersonal variables rather than comparing the child to the norms for average children: “To what extent does the discrepancy between this child’s strengths and weaknesses cause frustration and interfere with the full development

• f the child’s abilities?” (Silverman,

2009c).

S

Psychologists must advocate for the complex needs of 2e children

S Without a comprehensive psychological

evaluation (to include qualitative assessments for CLD students), parents, students, and educators may not be able to appropriately and effectively plan for the needs of gifted students in all areas of their development

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Social and Emotional Interventions

S

Individual counseling

S

Psychiatric referral

S

Group counseling

S

Referral for parenting classes

S

Referral to mentorship programs

S

Referral for family counseling

S

Referrals to academic tutors

S

Referral for special education

S

Referral to outside programs and resources related to needs

S

Referral to special schools and programs

S

Career counseling

Questions & Answers

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Thank You Resources

 Jack Kent Cooke Foundation (Young Scholars Program)

www.jckf.org

 Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)

www.sengifted.org

 World Council for Gifted & Talented Children www.world-

gifted.org

 Hoagies Gifted Education Page www.hoagiesgifted.org  Great Potential Press www.greatpotentialpress.com  Prufrock Press www.prufrockpress.com

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Resources

S Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY) S Duke University Talent Identification Program (DUKE

TIP)

S National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC)