SPED 5900 Practicum, Academically Gifted 1
Northwestern State University
College of Education & Human Development
Gifted Education Program
Practicum Handbook
SPED 5900
Practicum, Academically Gifted
In the following pages you will find information concerning application to SPED 5900 Practicum, Academically Gifted and additional forms and processes related to the practicum course. Please follow the instructions carefully. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Paula Christensen (318-357-5524, ).
Course Description:
SPED 5900 Practicum, Academically Gifted (3-0-6)
Catalog Description:
University-supervised participation in program designed to teach academically gifted students. May be repeated for a maximum of nine hours credit in order to obtain the student-contact hours required for state certification.
Class Type:
Candidates attend class online. Candidates are required to post reflective journals regarding their teaching experiences each week. Further, candidates are required to provide peer/mentor feedback to each other regarding teaching practices and experiences.
Practicum hours can be acquired through instruction of gifted students during a full-time internship in a State approved gifted program, in an extracurricular enrichment program, or under the direct supervision of a teacher certified in gifted education in accordance with Louisiana regulations within the general education classroom. However, each type of practicum must be university-supervised and includes regularly scheduled observations by and meetings with the supervising professor.
Prerequisites:
SPED 5840 and SPED 5860 or SPED 5890 or consent of instructor, application required.
Application:
The student is to complete the Application for SPED 5900 Practicum, Academically Gifted form that is included on the next page in this handbook.
(Application Form is to be typed)
Application for SPED 5900 Practicum, Academically Gifted
Faculty Supervisor: Paula Christensen, Ph.D.
Name: SID:
Telephone number(s): email address:
Rationale for SPED 5900
The mission of this course is to provide teachers with the skills necessary to develop and implement appropriate educational programs for identified gifted youngsters as mandated by State legislation. Specifically, this course is designed to enable students to acquire skill in developing curricula, designing and implementing educational programs, writing IEP's, teaching gifted students, and consultation skills for working with regular teachers, administrators, counselors, and parents of the gifted.
Goal Statement for SPED 5900
All candidates pursuing degrees in the College of Education and Human Development are expected to apply the principles of the conceptual framework, Models for Learning. Thus, objectives and learning activities in this course call upon candidates to take responsibility for their learning, to identify problems within specific areas, to arrive at solutions using creative/critical thinking, and to reflect upon and evaluate decisions made in the course of their learning. The goals of this course are to provide experiential activities, theoretical knowledge, and practical principles regarding the nature and needs of gifted and talented students, including intellectual, social/emotional, and special population needs. Candidates will be asked to apply theoretical knowledge in implementing gifted education programs within this University-supervised practicum.
School Name:
School Address:
Principal: email address:
Telephone number(s):
Gifted Coordinator or Supervisor:
email address: Telephone number(s):
Describe the classes, which grades, and the number of students you will be teaching for Practicum in as much detail as you know at this time:
Classes you have previously taken in Gifted Education:
SPED 5900 Practicum, Academically Gifted
The following instructions and forms are part of the requirements for SPED 5900 Practicum, Academically Gifted course. First, a reflective journal entry including insights or processes regarding the practicum experience following a specific format should be submitted weekly online. Second, a log is to be submitted at the end of the semester with the recorded practicum hours and schedule. A possible template for the practicum log is provided. Third, schedule of on-site observations or video submissions will be determined between the instructor and the student during the semester. A rubric for observations is included. Finally, assessment of the practicum experience based on student assessment by the candidate is delineated.
Instructions to candidates regarding reflective journal: The weekly journal postings should be explanations about WHAT you are teaching and reflections about HOW you are teaching. You want to share your activities and list your methods and how you are differentiating the curriculum for gifted instruction. Remember, both an Online Discussion Rubric and a Reflection Journal Rubric have been posted online in Moodle. Refer also to the Models for Learning conceptual framework posted online which should be incorporated in your discussion posts. Remember the rules for online discussion posts as stated in the Getting Acquainted Assignment. You will be sharing great things with each other but you may also be sharing those things that may have bombed. Therefore we must remember that the Discussion Forum should be a HAVEN for learning. We must all contribute to keeping this haven a dynamic process.
Rubric for Discussion Forum
Discussion Thread Posts and Response Posts / · minimal response to problem statement(s) and/or question(s) listed in the assignment
· restates central issues of awareness in relation to the content of the posting being responded to.
· plainly states author's belief and practice of mutual respect among class members and respect for their written work
· is written with an apparent awareness of the principles of informal writing: complete sentences, correct spelling and punctuation. / Adequate response and
· articulates comprehension in response to problem statement(s) and/or question(s) listed in the assignment
· compares posting to other posted messages, text material, or class content. / Acceptable response and
· use of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation in response to problem statement(s) and/or question(s) listed in the assignment
· includes analysis of posting in relation to research literature, or theoretical framework, or
· concludes with application to situations outside scope of original examples. / Excellent response and
· generates alternative perspectives in response to problem statement(s) and/or question(s) listed in the assignment
· generates further analytical responses from class members and original author.
Important points to remember:
· Discussion restates central issues of question; provides response or elaboration based on personal experience.
· Discussion integrates general experience, research literature, or theoretical framework.
· Discussion creates an application to situations outside scope of original examples.
· Discussion generates analytical or disputative response from other class members.
SPED 5900 Practicum, Academically Gifted Rubric for Reflective Journal
Performance Indicators of Reflective Journal
(C/CT, PS, DM, RT) / attempts to articulate a philosophy of gifted education / articulates a philosophy of gifted education and includes how to plan, assess, and reflect on the differentiated needs of gifted students. / clearly articulates a philosophy of gifted education and includes how to plan, assess, and reflect on the differentiated needs of gifted students / includes the criteria for “excellent” as well as critiques self and initiates recommendations for improvement
attempts to distinguish between affective and cognitive needs of gifted students / distinguishes between affective and cognitive needs of gifted students / clearly distinguishes between affective and cognitive needs of gifted students / clearly distinguishes between affective and cognitive needs of gifted students; critiques the processes/procedures for identifying and planning programs for the gifted
demonstrates little or no knowledge of organizations, publications, current research relevant to the field of gifted education / refers to organizations, publications, current research relevant to the field of gifted education / applies information from organizations, publications, current research relevant to the field of gifted education in his/her practice / includes the criteria for “excellent” but also reflects on the information and its application in the classroom in order to improve his/her practice or seek further professional development
provides little textual evidence from the selected readings to support personal reflection / provides some textual evidence from the selected readings to support personal reflection / provides relevant textual evidence from the selected readings to support personal reflection / includes the criteria for “excellent” as well as personal insight and authentic classroom experiences to support personal reflection
no specific references to personal growth as a result of reflection / refers to one’s own personal growth and improvement of practice as a result of reflection / makes specific references to improvement of practice; continued personal/professional growth as result of reflection / includes the criteria for “excellent” as well as critiques self and initiates recommendations for improvement
Structure and Format of Reflective Journal
(C/CT, PS, DM, RT) / Lacks clarity and coherence; purpose clouded by stilted or redundant sentences; content seems random or incomplete / Writing is coherent and clear; it supports the purpose and structure of the assignment and demonstrates an acceptable level of audience awareness. / Writing is coherent and clear; it is highly developed and advances the paper’s purpose, demonstrating a high level of audience awareness and a depth of understanding for appropriate conventions of writing / In addition to excellence criteria, writing also generates alternative perspectives and/or applications to situations outside the scope of original examples
Editing is inconsistent and results in significant numbers of surface errors which interfere with message. / Successful editing with few surface errors. / Editing is consistently successful. There are few, if any, surface errors. / Self-editing directed by personal improvement goals in writing. No surface errors.
Template for SPED 5900 Practicum Log
SPED 5900 Rubric for Classroom Observations
Candidate does not indicate a clear sense of the cognitive and affective needs of gifted students. / Candidate plans for but demonstrates limited knowledge of the unique cognitive and affective needs of gifted students. / Candidate plans for and demonstrates knowledge of the unique cognitive and affective needs of gifted students. / Candidate’s decision-making and classroom applications demonstrate a clear understanding of both the cognitive and affective needs of gifted students
Candidate exhibits little or no concern/knowledge of students’ self-concept, motivation, or the effects of learning on peer relationships. / Candidate exhibits some concern/knowledge of students’ self-concept, motivation, or the effects of learning on peer relationships. / Candidate exhibits concern for students’ self-concept, motivation, and the effects of learning on peer relationships. / Candidate exhibits advocacy-level concern for students’ self-concept, motivation, and the effects of learning on peer relationships.
Candidate demonstrates little or no understanding of the value of cultural and family differences students bring into the classroom. / Candidate indicates knowledge of the value of cultural and family differences students bring into the classroom. / Candidate demonstrates respect for the cultural and family differences students bring to the classroom. / Candidate’s decision-making and classroom applications are indicative of their respect for the cultural and family differences students bring to the classroom.
Candidate writes individual education plans that indicate knowledge of local and state standards but do not align with or indicate knowledge of differentiated instructional strategies. / Candidate writes satisfactory individual education plans that indicate knowledge of local and state standards and differentiated instructional strategies. / Candidate writes effective individual education plans that align local and state standards with differentiated instructional strategies. / Candidate writes effective individual education plans that align local and state standards with differentiated instructional strategies emphasizing cognitive, affective, aesthetic, and social domains.
Candidate’s courses of study and lesson plans reflect little or no understanding of enrichment and acceleration. / Candidate’s courses of study and lesson plans reflect understanding of and some implementation of enrichment and acceleration. / Candidate’s course s of study and lesson plans reflect appropriate implementation of enrichment and acceleration / Candidate’s courses of study and lesson plans reflect implementation of exceptional enrichment and acceleration strategies.
Candidate’s course of study and lesson plans reflect little or no understanding of the differentiation of content, process, product, or press. / Candidate’s course of study and lesson plans reflect understanding of and some differentiation of content, process, product, press. / Candidate’s course of study and lesson plans reflect appropriate differentiation of content, process, product, and press. / Candidate’s course of study and lesson plans reflect distinct and accomplished differentiation of content, process, product, and press.
Candidate’s course of study and lesson plans do not reflect multiple methods of student growth and understanding. / Candidate’s course of study and lesson plans reflect knowledge of and attempts at planning for multiple methods of measuring student growth and understanding. / Candidates’ course of study and lesson plans reflect appropriate performance-based assessment (uses multiple methods of measuring student growth and understanding). / Candidate’s course of study and lesson plans reflect authentic performance-based assessment that includes a variety of alternative assessments and technologies.
No evidence provided that the candidate consults with regular ed teachers, counselors, or parents in meeting the education/affective needs of the gifted. / Some evidence provided that the candidate consults with regular ed teachers, counselors, or parents in meeting the education/affective needs of the gifted. / Candidates provide evidence of consulting with regular ed teachers, counselors, and parents in meeting the educational/affective needs of the gifted. / Candidates provide evidence of on-going, two-way communication with regular ed teachers, counselors, and parents in meeting the education/affective needs of the gifted.
Candidate’s classroom practice reflects little or no understanding of diverse strategies and materials appropriate to the development of gifted students. / Candidate’s classroom practice reflects some understanding of diverse strategies and materials appropriate to the development of gifted students. / Candidate’s classroom practice reflects understanding of diverse strategies and materials appropriate to the development of gifted students. / Candidate’s decision-making and classroom practice emphasize the importance of diverse strategies and materials appropriate to the development of gifted students.
Candidate does not consistently apply higher-level thinking throughout planning and delivering lessons. / Candidate shows some evidence of applying higher-level thinking in lesson plans. / Candidate applies higher-level thinking throughout planning and delivering lessons. / Candidate applies higher-level thinking and meta-cognitive models of learning throughout planning and delivering lessons.
Candidate provides little or no opportunity for gifted learners to explore, develop, or research their areas of interest, talent, and/or cultural experiences. / Candidate indicates understanding of the importance of opportunities for gifted learners to explore, develop, or research their areas of interest, talent, and/or cultural experiences. / Candidate provides ample opportunities for gifted learners to explore, develop, or research their areas of interest, talent, and/or cultural experiences. / Candidate constantly stimulates gifted learners to explore, develop, and research their areas of interest, talent, and/or cultural experiences.
Candidate’s classroom practice reflects no knowledge of current research and instructional practices for the gifted. / Candidate’s classroom practice reflects some knowledge of current research and instructional practice for the gifted. / Candidates’ classroom practice reflects familiarity with current research and instructional practices for the gifted. / Candidate’s classroom practice makes application grounded in current research and instructional practices for the gifted.
Assessment of the Practicum Field Experiences