Philosophy Essay, District/Building Philosophy Statement, Mission Statement, and District Goals
The text book used for the class, "Education of the Gifted & Talented" by Sylvia B. Rimm, Del Seigle, and Gary A. Davis
Philosophy Essay, District/Building Philosophy Statement, Mission Statement, District Goals:
Using the chapter readings, previous assignments and feedback, and research, you will develop a formal philosophy essay. (See resources in this week’s folder for ideas on how to develop a formal philosophy essay and examples.)
You will then establish a district/building philosophy statement, mission statement and goals for a quality gifted program which offers best practices and ideologies for meeting the needs of the gifted learner. (Note this is NOT a regurgitation of a program you currently work with via your employment - this is to demonstrate what SHOULD be happening within quality programming based on research and national standards.)
Each component below should take into consideration what you have learned about yourself as a professional preparing to work with gifted learners; the education of peers, parents, and students regarding gifted learners; and best practices for affective and academic needs of the gifted learner.
Philosophy Essay - this should address your insight into the understanding of the gifted learner; the reasons for gifted programming and services; best practices and approaches for serving gifted learners; responsibilities for educating peers, parents, community.
District/School Philosophy Statement: Should be a summary of philosophical ideas regarding gifted education and gifted learners. (You can google a number of schools and their gifted philosophy statements for guidance.) Consider your philosophy and what you have learned thus far about best practices for quality programming/services. This would be a piece a district/school would include on their website.
District/School Mission Statement - Establish a clear mission statement that can be used on a district/school gifted program/services website. (You can google a number of schools and their gifted mission statements for guidance.) Consider your philosophical ideals and what you have learned thus far about best practices for quality programming/services.
District/School Goals - with consideration of content covered this semester, your personal philosophy essay, as well as the philosophy and mission statements above, develop a list of goals to be addressed by the gifted program and services. (Again, this is NOT about your current employment, this is about establishing resources for a potential program redesign or new program that meets national standards.)
Philosophies, Mission, and Goals– 100 points
Personal Philosophy Essay – (refer to scoring rubric)
District/School Philosophy Statement – (15)
District/School Mission Statement – (15)
District/School Goals-Areas to be addressed by program services (20)
Note as you review these resources for generating your philosophy, please keet in mind that your philosophy is geared toward teaching and facilitating learning for gifted learners, colleagues, parents, and community.
Philosophy Essay Resources:
University of Minnesota - Writing Your Teaching Philosophy: This site includes an template that might be of use.
Beyer Teaching Philosophy Example
Jennifer McAuley Personal Philosophy
Colt Harper Philosophy Statement
YES - you can pull parts from your Why Gifted essay from earlier in the semester!
Philosophy Statement Resources:
Brunswick County
St Louis Public Schools
Mission Statement Resources:
Council Rock
ElliCott
Winterset Community Schools
Goals Resources:
PVS School
Effinham Schools
Calcasieu Parish
Title
Your Name
Subject and Section
Professor’s Name
Date
Philosophy Essay
Gifted learners have extraordinary talent or knowledge and abilities that need recognition, requiring educational adjustments to address their mental, emotional, and social necessities (Munro, 2019). The philosophy of gifted education should dissect the analysis of gifted learners, the creation of appropriate specialized programs for gifted education, and implicating the role of the parents, educators, and the community.
Wood & Laycraft (2020) described the characteristics of gifted learners. Specifically, highly gifted individuals have diverse qualities related to heightened intensity, sensitivity, awareness, advanced cognitive development, and the difference in their social, emotional, and cognitive experiences compared to their peers of chronological age. Often, even professionals misunderstand these people, placing them at risk for social isolation and neglect.
Profound understanding is vital in working with or understanding gifted learners due to their unique qualities. This is necessary to provide them with appropriate support to enable their full potential. To conquer the issue, specialized training for educators is designed to cater to these unique qualities to assist gifted learners (National Association for Gifted Children, n.d.).
Competent students require a holistic approach to gifted education, encompassing enrichment initiatives, facilitating in-depth exploration of curriculum areas with practical applications, and acceleration programs, allowing them to delve into subjects beyond their age group. The imperative for gifted education programs is accentuated by the fact that a substantial proportion of high-achieving students need to encounter sufficient challenges in conventional classroom settings, with over 70% of teachers acknowledging that their most talented students lack opportunities to flourish. Furthermore, the general educational framework often falls short in catering to the needs of gifted learners, primarily