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3.4.4 They’re Gifted ALL the Time: Teaching Non-Academic Subjects to Gifted Children
Many characteristics accompany gifted students’ intellectual asynchrony, including intensity, advanced reasoning, and an innate sense of justice — but they can also include rigidity, risk-averseness, and low frustration tolerance. Heretofore, attention to these characteristics has focused on nurturing academic development. However, those traits are part of gifted students all the time and in every school setting, including those considered non-academic such as art, physical education, and music. How are these characteristics both burdens and assets in non-academic school environments? How can teachers of those subjects use an understanding of these characteristics to instruct, engage, and challenge their students?
Author(s):
Jill Wurman
JWW@TheGraysonSchool.org
The Grayson School
United States
Jill Williford Wurman is Director of Research at The Grayson School, a position demanding familiarity with the most current understanding on gifted education topics, including academic performance, pedagogy, social-emotional development, longitudinal outcomes, and best practices in gifted education. She has presented on gifted children both internationally and nationwide, at the World’s conference in Sydney; at NAGC’s annual conference; at SENG’s annual convention; at MIT; and at the American Psychological Association’s national convention. Her particular areas of interest include gifted girls, the profoundly gifted, and the importance of academic struggle and failure for gifted students.
Jessica Curtiss
JCurtiss@TheGraysonSchool.org
The Grayson School
United States
Jessica Curtiss is the Director of The Enrichment Center and a Physical Education Instructor at The Grayson School. Her experience as part of Grayson’s founding team has included a complete reimagining of the way Physical Education and giftedness intersect in elementary and middle-school students, which experience has been both a terrific opportunity and an exciting challenge to tackle. For the Enrichment Center, she works with teachers and families to create innovative, challenging programming specifically designed for and reflective of gifted children’s talents and interests, both for weekend workshops during the school year and for Grayson’s summer program.
Alexa Fusselbaugh
AFusselbaugh@TheGraysonSchool.org
The Grayson School
United States
Alexa Fusselbaugh is a Physical Education Instructor at The Grayson School because she simply loves spending time with children. She has worked for several years as a companion for young adults with special needs, including providing instruction in behavioral and life skills — experience she has put to use in developing new Physical Education programming for gifted students. She is an active athlete and dedicated runner, having completed over a dozen races from 5Ks to marathons. She loves spending time outdoors as much as possible, and her “happy place” is swimming in the ocean.
Stacey Angelillo
AAngelillo@TheGraysonSchool.org
The Grayson School
United States
Stacey Angelillo is an Art Instructor at The Grayson School, where she combines 21st-century techniques with fine arts instruction to cultivate creativity in each student. She has substantial experience in teaching art history and differentiating for students with multiple learning styles, including developing innovative curriculum for students with a wide range of skills, from absolute beginners through advanced artists. She holds a BFA in Art Education from Moore College of Art and Design, where she was the winner of the Deborah Deery Memorial Award given annually to the most outstanding student in Art Education.
Jared Scheetz
JScheetz@TheGraysonSchool.org
The Grayson School
United States
Jared Scheetz is a Music Instructor at The Grayson School. Trained in both the Kodály and Orff-Schülwerk teaching methodologies, he plays piano and violin in addition to the guitar and double bass. An enthusiastic instructor focused on finding and developing intrinsic motivation in his students, Mr. Scheetz believes that each student can find a desire to learn music, which can be boosted and nurtured into a life-long love. He has taught classes on African drumming, blues composition, and analyzing Beethoven symphonies, to name a few; his own compositions range from classical to rock and from country to jazz.