Full course description
Course Description
Gifted students come with many affective needs: perfectionism, inner locus of control, overexcitabilities, etc. This course introduces these topics so that teachers can apply best practices to the unique needs of their students. This is the fourth foundational course of the 30-Hour Gifted and Talented Training.
Participants
This course is designed for any K-12 educator or mentor who serves in roles as teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, or other professional positions working with students or potentially working with students who receive Gifted and Talented services.
Course Objectives
Upon completing this course, you will meet Domain I: Competency 002 & Domain II: Competency 005 of the TExES Gifted and Talented Supplemental state certification exam components —
- Recognize characteristics of gifted and talented students (e.g., social, emotional, cognitive) and demonstrates knowledge of definitions, types, and manifestations of giftedness (e.g., visual and performing arts, creative, intellectual, academic, leadership) and criteria for identifying gifted students.
- Demonstrate knowledge of theories and models of educational psychology (e.g., Bruner, Vygotsky) and analyzes their implications for gifted and talented students.
- Understand and analyzes issues related to the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of gifted and talented students (e.g., asynchrony, degree of giftedness, general intellectual abilities, specific aptitudes, creativity, identity, self-concept, self-efficacy, self-esteem, locus of control, motivation, self-reflection, character development, lifetime decision making, leadership, perfectionism, loneliness, depression); knows how to provide instruction that meets the needs of gifted and talented students (e.g., support groups, discussion groups, bibliotherapy, referral to school guidance and counseling services, mentorships); and applies procedures for creating a learning environment that supports the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of gifted and talented students.
- Demonstrate knowledge of internal and external conflicts that may arise from various manifestations of asynchronous development and knows how cognitive characteristics of gifted and talented students (e.g., creativity, superior intellectuality, leadership qualities, specific content strengths, excellence in the visual and performing arts) may be evidenced and perceived both positively and negatively.
- Apply knowledge of issues and factors that may affect gifted and talented students (e.g., disabilities, multiple exceptionalities, cultural or linguistic differences, socioeconomic disadvantages, gender) and understands environmental factors that may affect the social, emotional, and cognitive development of gifted and talented students (e.g., responses to giftedness by family and age-mates, level of support received from the school and community, geographic isolation from other gifted students, pressure to conform).
- Demonstrate an understanding of current research relevant to gifted education (e.g., ability and achievement grouping, acceleration, curriculum compacting, talent development, creativity) and knows how to apply research-based instructional principles and practices (e.g., opportunities for acceleration, flexible pacing, minimal drill and practice, long-term projects, differentiated instruction, problem finding, problem solving, enrichment instruction) for gifted and talented students.
Scope and Sequence
- Introduction to GTC 004: Social & Emotional Needs
- Unit 1: Intensity
- Unit 2: Stress Behaviors & Strategies
- Unit 3: Perfectionism
- Unit 4: Development & Needs
- Unit 5: Learner Traits
- Unit 6: Social & Emotional ApplicationUnit 6: Social & Emotional Application
Required Course Materials
Please visit the Computer Requirements page to view minimum device, internet, and application requirements for all UT High School courses. Generally, a desktop or laptop device five (5) years or newer with access to an office suite, such as Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, will be adequate to participate in most UTHS courses.
Course Structure
The course consists of 6 modules/units:
- A good way to help break up the course and to manage your time is to set aside 1 hour for each module totaling 6 hours of work per course.
- Each module includes 2-6 lessons, 1 major graded assignment, and 1 or more minor assignments (self-assessments/discussions).
- You MUST complete all assignments before moving on to the next assignment. Assignments can take many forms. Assignments can be in the form of a quiz, a text entry, a discussion, or a file upload.
- The course has an interactive notebook for you to process your knowledge. The completion of the interactive notebook is OPTIONAL and for your use only.
Course Grade
For successful completion of the course:
- You MUST complete all lessons including surveys, quizzes, and graded-assignments and successfully pass 5 of 6 graded assignments to earn your certificate of completion for the course.
- Graded assignments begin with a number (01 to 06) and are followed by the phrase —Graded Quiz or Graded Assignment.
- Graded assignments will specify a maximum number of attempts (between 1-3).
- Re-dos may be required to earn your certificate of completion.