Jennifer Serafin Gifted Endorsement Portfolio, May 2013

Reflection Part 4: Based upon your observations and experiences, describe the impact of acceleration, enrichment, grouping, and advisement on the achievement of gifted students.
This endorsement experience has allowed me to truly explore options for my students. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the various theoretical models to enrich, accelerate and group gifted students. Based on my experience as an elementary school teacher and what I know are viable options, I would love to see more of what is implemented within our county at the elementary level. I appreciate that Fulton County is now allowing double-acceleration, a recent change to board policy which will benefit some of our gifted population. I have mixed feelings for the upcoming transition from continuous achievement grouping but see great benefits for feasible flexible grouping. Another positive aspect is the ability to begin students a half year ahead (or progress through a year and a half in a years time) offers the ability for gifted students to move at a pace that is more relevant to their needs than before. This affords teachers the opportunity utilize curriculum compacting, pretesting, and learning contracts to help students progress at a pace that works for them and allows them to work without grade level bounds. I was impressed when reading about various case studies and examples within our texts, especially Karen Rogers book based on Reforming Gifted Education. When teachers can finally offer individualized educational plans for students based on needs and strengths, we will finally achieve meaningful learning that meets the students where they are. Our county and teachers are going to need to truly embrace a curriculum that is not one size fits all, which will be difficult beyond the differentiation we are used to. I am excited to look forward to provide students a curriculum that will truly match their abilities and meet their pacing needs. My experience has been one that is marked with frustration in the general education setting. One assessment will not meet the needs of all students, nor will one curriculum-pacing guide. Id love to see

learning contracts and acceleration/enrichment based on pretests within the classroom. I plan to personally incorporate pretesting and accelerating on a unit by unit basis within the classroom to support my students. The advisement piece has also been influential as Ive realized the necessity to advocate for gifted students and guide them as best as I can in the elementary years. That need only grows as the students have more options in middle and high schools. Being well-versed in the law, board policy, TAG options for acceleration, enrichment, and grouping, and obviously the curriculum standards will make the best possible advocate, guide, and advisor for our students to best reach their potential. One of things that scared me the most came from studying a theoretical model for extra-curricular enrichment. It was based on the fact that students needs would not be met during the school day, and that outside classes and programs were necessary. While I believe we will always have (and honestly need) enrichment across interests, the fact that gifted students needs were not being met at all throughout the school day was horrifying. What potential is stifled while students sit through another boring class! Disengagement and not performing well are likely consequences for students not involved in appropriate learning in school. Along the same topic, I did appreciate learning about available enrichment options for students. I plan to share my homework assignment with my principal during my final evaluation as a part of our school improvement plan to offer more options to help parents meet the needs of their children beyond what the state, county, and school can provide. I look forward to learning more this summer through Characteristics as well!