1. Opening Up Gifted and Talented
Education to All
Through Online Learning with
Free Curriculum
Jane Funk
SchoolDistrictofCrandon,Wisconsin
GiftedandTalentedCoordinator
AlternativeEducationCoordinator

2. The Problem

3. Logistics
• GT is a state mandated program; but it is not awarded
extra funding.
• WI has 6.7% of students formally qualified with IQ scores
over 125.
• Many students are only talented. Talent pools average at
20% of students.
• Student choice in study is the biggest indicator for success.
• Students will choose to work above grade level if allowed to
work on something they personally want to learn.

4. How can we allow students to work above
their peers in grade leveled classes?
• Crediting a class in Chinese or HTML?
• All the curriculum and assessment for each class?
• Expert instructors in everything imaginable?

6. The Solution
• Develop a single course within the credit system for a
Differentiated Classroom for all highly motivated students.
• Must work above grade level in one thing—Math, Reading,
Writing, Science, Technology, Humanities, or Leadership.
• Students will work on self-designed but instructor monitored
PROJECTS.
• Students use the vast array of Internet resources to complete
projects.

7. RESOURCES!
• W3schools.com (html, ccs, XML, javascript…. Free stepped
tutorials for learning code)

8. IXL (interactive tutorials for each grade level in Math
and LanguageArts)

9. Squeak Etoys
• Scripting Code

10. Boulder Colorado University
• Agent cubes Hour of Code

11. Alice3
• Animated story builder especially created for girls.

12. • Exhaustive
list of online
simulations,
instructions,
interactive
applications,
and
resources
for learning
STEM.

13. PHET
• Math, science, physics, and technology simulations
Energy Skate Park

14. Crowdrise
Charity needs in
your community
and around the world.

15. Coursera
• Free online courses in hundreds of subjects anywhere from
learning Chinese to Calculus.

16. Harvard University
• Free online courses in specific topics or subjects

17. Art, humanities, & museum
studies—just 1 of many categories.
• African and African American studies
• Celtic languages and literatures
• Classics
• Digital media
• Dramatic arts
• History of art and architecture
• Humanities
• Museum studies
• Music
• Philosophy
• Religion
• Studio arts and film

18. Preplanning
http://www.washingtontimes.com/cartoons/dana-summers/looks-high-level-meeting-white-house-involving-oba/

19. Step 1:
• Schedule class time:
• 3 HS and 3 MS
• or select an Independent Study Coordinator for work to be done
during study hall or after school for a fulltime instructor at a large
school.
• For a small school, the instructor will only need 2 class periods—1
for high school and 1 for middle school.

20. Step 2:
• Set entry requirements. For example:
• Must work above grade level in Math, Reading,
Writing, Science, Technology, Humanities, or
Leadership.
• Must produce 1 project per month.
• Must set a learning goal that is specific and
measurable (complete 8th grade Math,
complete HTML coding tutorial, write 1
animated story each week using a new
animation app each week, etc.)

21. Step 3:
• Schedule students with the requirements.
• For example:
• All qualified GT students receive 1 hour in room or
study hall.
• All other are students allowed to fill open seats.
• Require each student to read and sign grading policy
for independent study.
• Require each student to conference with
coordinator weekly.

22. Step 4:
• Decide how to give credits for work by naming
and impacting student transcripts. For example:
• Advanced Independent (Math, Technology, Writing,
or just Study, etc.) will appear on student records.
• Departments have set assessments for skipping core
classes (i.e. tests and cut scores for 8th grade Math).

23. Instruction
• Project based/
Internet based/
consumable free
curriculum.
• Instructor must be
comfortable with
trouble shooting
technology issues.
• Instructor must
continually help
students gather
resources.

24. Duties of Instructor
• Enter weekly formative grades.
• Help students problem solve.
• Keep students on task by visiting weekly.
• Require monthly project completion grades as summative.
• Call or send parents a progress report monthly.
• End with project presentations instead of finals.
• Schedule each presentation.
• Post final grade.

25. Management
• The instructor will
grade 2 basic
divisions of work
• weekly progress
(formative)
• and monthly
project goals
(summative).
www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2012/05/24

26. Instructional Timeline
The first week of instruction of each semester—project timeline
formation
1. End goal (examples: complete HTML coding to level 5,
Develop a video game, pass the final for Algebra 1 semester
1, learn Chinese, etc.)
2. Monthly goals and assessment rubrics (examples: 8 lessons
completed each month with a document displaying codes, a
different game each month completed, unit tests passed at
85% proficiency weekly, or greetings and common questions
followed by foods and restaurants…, for each student).
3. Weekly goals for grading (Friday assessments need to be set
by the student. These should be written by the student so that
he/she is deciding what will be graded each week.)

27. Promote the course
• Course handbooks should include a list of course credit options
with the agreements for accelerated class credits.
• Counselors should understand the advantages of adding
advanced study courses for students competing for college
admissions.
• Students need to be given these options: flyers, hall posters,
instructors, and the coordinator need to explain how students
can develop skills and knowledge independently.
• The school’s website should have an area displaying this
option. Schools are trying to draw families into districts.
Families often evaluate a school by visiting the websites.

28. School Website
• Students who excel at learning above grade-level need to be
celebrated. Photos or quick summaries of achievements in
learning will encourage others to compete for this attention and
will add to the school’s reputation.

29. School Board Meetings
• When students work independently on advanced study, they
should be formally recognized by the school. Board meetings
often recognize excellence in teaching, so recognizing
independent or self-teaching would follow.

30. Students in regular instruction
classrooms benefit from
presentations by student achievers.

31. Why we need to use the Web to
differentiate.
• Curriculum resources and subject matter experts are
expensive and extensive. The Internet offers these for free.
• Highly motivated and high-level learners need to be
allowed to work independently.
• Students and parents are customers who want the Walmart
experience with a Macy’s quality. This is possible and easy
to provide due to the abundance of free resources.
• State requirements for offerings to GT students is based in
need. Many students do not have the IQ to qualify, but
many are talented. By offering students independent study
based on the many resources available, both gifted and
talented students will excel.

32. Having a choice is very motivating.
Once a program is set-up and running, students will work
very hard to gain entry. Students want to study, but they
often do not have the freedom to choose what they study.

33. Contact
• Jane Funk
• 9750 Hwy 8 W, Crandon, WI 54542
• funkjane@sdofcrandon.com
• 715 478 6199