This document provides an online module about creatively gifted students that covers their characteristics, identification, and support. It describes common traits like thinking differently, problem solving, and risk taking. The module recommends teachers use flexible rubrics and let students choose how to explore and present on assigned topics to best support creatively gifted learners.

1. Created By:
Maria Avery
February 2012

2.  This is an online module connected to the
research study Understanding Creatively Gifted
Students: Pre-Service Teachers’ Understandings
and Professors’ Practices.
 This module will cover characteristics of
creatively gifted students, identification of
creatively gifted students, and how to support
creatively gifted students.
 There will be a short scenario of a potential
student.
 A brief quiz will be given at the end of this
module in order for the participate to assess
their own learning.

3. Section 1:

4.  Remember: Not all students are alike. These
are just a few common characteristics of
creatively gifted students.
 Notall of the following characteristics will
be present in each child.
 Youmust observe each student with a new
view and understanding because of this.

5. Creatively gifted students . . .
 Think in different ways
 An example of this is thinking in terms of fantasy and
reality.
 Think about their work in more than one way
 This means that they are able to critique their own
work and defend it at the same time.
 Talented at solving problems with what is around
them
 If a student needs to fix a broken shelf they can find
a way to do so with the limited about of supplies in
the classroom.

6. Gifted students . . .
 Are very aware of events going on around them
 Enjoy observing their surroundings
 Can be perceived as inattentive
 They work better on their own schedule, when they
can focus and not be distracted by their surroundings.
 Are risk takers
 They like to push boundaries in order to create new
things.

7. Gifted students . . .
 Are not boastful about accomplishments
 Thrive on encouragement
 If too many rewards are used with these types of
students they will become disinterested in
school.
 Aremotivated to learn through own
accomplishments
 The knowledge that they can improve in an area
is what pushes them to learn more.

8. Section 2:

9.  Standardized test scores should not be the
only criteria used to identify these students.
 Teachersmust be able to observe a student’s
behavior, work ethic, outcomes of work, and
preferences. Analyzing these elements will
help a teacher recognize a creatively gifted
student.
 Teachers need to interact with students to
help in identifying creatively gifted students.

10.  When observing a student, a teacher must
complete more than one observation. Several
factors can affect a student’s work on any given
day.
 Environmental Factors (classmates, location, etc.)
 Student Health
 Student Attitude
 Assignments
 Teachers should be sure to refer to their
counties policies on identifying students for
more information.

11. Section 3:

12.  Justlike all student types, creatively gifted
students should be offered appropriate
support in the classroom.
 Creatively gifted students are not all alike.
One student may demonstrate creativity in
abstract problem solving, while another
students excels at artistic tasks.
 Itis important to note the differences
between the students so that they can
receive the appropriate support.

13.  The ways in which students are trained to
solve problems, even in elementary
classrooms, directly relate to how they will
solve them in adulthood.
 Thereforestarting today, creatively gifted
students must be prepared to be the creative
problem solvers the world needs. American
classrooms are not doing an effective job on
this.

14.  The “textbook” way of solving problems,
which American classrooms focus on, does
not leave room for discovering “new” ways
to solve the problems, look at situations, or
even find new problems.
 When creative assignments are assigned,
they are typically just extra activities and
often times they are not required.

15.  Slight adjustments to regular teaching
strategies, such as the ones listed below, can be
used with creatively gifted students.
 Teachers can use flexible rubrics.
 Rubric identifies the content to be covered
 Depth of information expected
 Other professional criteria (ex. neatness)
 Means of presenting the information is up to the
student!
 Teachers set the standards for classroom learning
 Teachers set the goal of WHAT to learn, students can
develop HOW to learn it

16. Poor Average Above Average
1-2 points 2.5-3.5 points 4-5 points
Spelling and Grammar There are more than 5 There are 3-5 spelling and There are less than 3 spelling
spelling and grammar errors grammar errors present. and/or grammar errors
present. present.
Neatness The project appears to be There are some stray marks, There are no stray marks,
unprofessional, handwriting handwriting has room for handwriting is neat, looks
is poor, there are stray marks improvement, organization is professional, and is well
visible, and the project lacks acceptable, and the project organized.
organization. looks semi-professional.
Accuracy There is inaccurate N/A The information presented is
information presented. accurate.
Appropriate Presentation The information is not N/A The information is presented
Method presented in a Power Point. in a Power Point.
Appropriate Topic The information does not There is some correlation The information strongly
support the topic (The between the information and supports the topic (The
History of Tryon Palace). the topic. History of Tryon Palace).

17. Poor Average Above Average
1-2 points 2.5-3.5 points 4-5 points
Spelling and Grammar There are more than 5 There are 3-5 spelling and There are less than 3 spelling
spelling and grammar errors grammar errors present. and/or grammar errors
present. present.
Neatness The project appears to be There are some stray marks, When appropriate, there are
unprofessional, handwriting handwriting has room for no stray marks, handwriting
is poor, there are stray marks improvement, organization is is neat, looks professional,
visible, and the project lacks acceptable, and the project and is well organized.
organization. looks semi-professional.
Accuracy There is inaccurate N/A The information presented is
information presented. accurate.
Appropriate Presentation The presentation method The presentation method The presentation method
Method takes away from the offers some support to the used supports the
information being given and information being given. information being given.
causes confusion. There is room for
improvement.
Appropriate Topic The topic chosen by the There is some correlation The topic chosen by the
student does not relate to between the topic chosen and student strongly relates to
North Carolina History. North Carolina History. North Carolina History.

18. Non-Flexible Rubric Flexible Rubric
 The specific topic was  The students were given
given to the students. a general topic and
(History of the Tryon then allowed to choose
Palace) a more specific
concept. (NC History)
 The method of
presenting the  The students were
information was given allowed to pick a
to the students. (Power presentation method
Point) they felt was
appropriate for the
information.

19.  Theteacher determines what content needs
to be covered in the classroom
 Example- Cell Wall Permeability
 Theteacher develops a few ways to help
students explore the content
 Examples- An experiment with eggs, articles to
read, options to complete their own research
 The student gets to pick the path they feel
will be the most supportive of their learning
 Students can share their findings with their
classmates who completed different pathways.

20. Student Scenario:

21.  Emma is a student in a 7th grade classroom.
Her teacher has noticed that Emma is always
concerned about what is going on around her.
Emma likes to watch her classmates and seems
to have a hard time paying attention during
parts of the day. Emma noticed that her
schoolmates wasted large amounts of paper
each day. She developed the idea that each
classroom in the school could have a separate
container for paper waste. With the help of
the school art teacher, they collected the waste
and created new art paper that students made
flowers with. They then displayed the flowers
around the school in order to beautify the
school and raise awareness about recycling.
Upon reflection, Emma decided she should have
created a handout to give to the classrooms to
explain more about the project. When Emma
recognizes an area in which she needs
improvement, she is intrinsically motivated to
learn more. However, her test scores do not
qualify her for AIG support.

22.  Would you identify Emma as a creatively
student? Why or why not?
 If you would identify her as a creatively
gifted student, how would you help her
succeed in English? Math? Social Studies?
Science?
 Would you do anything to help address the
fact that she seems inattentive in class?
What would you do?
 Would you use these adjustments for all
students in your class or just Emma?

23. Please follow this link to take
the quiz associated with this
module.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?PREVIE
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LECTION&sm=JZmO88uCjdqHDtEMccGmc9lf
WgX%2f%2fCTE4PVE7hHL1lY%3d

24. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Creativity: Flow and
the psychology of discovery and invention. New
York, New York: Harper Perennial.
Davis, G. A. (2000). Creativity is forever (4th ed.).
Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishers.
Hennessey, B.A. (2004). Developing creativity in
gifted children: the central importance of
motivation and classroom climate. The National
Research Center on the Gifted and Talented
(RM04202).
Smutny, J. F., & von Fremd, S. E. (2009). Igniting
creativity in gifted learners, k-6. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

25.  Imageof “Emma” retrieved from
http://realdealphotography.smugmug.com/M
odels/Andrena-Hilstock/RDP5810-
01web/127435429_EeoSV-L.jpg

26. As the researcher, I would just like to thank
you for taking part in this study. I hope you
have learned something through your
participation and that you will take this new
found knowledge with you into your
classrooms. Good luck to you all!
Best wishes,
Maria Avery