ERIC EJ794620: Teach to the Top: How to Keep High Achievers Engaged and Motivated

2008·0.09 MB·English

by  ERIC

cover story�

teaCH toP
report, making a movie, giving a speech,
or doing original research. One size
TO
does not fit all.
THE
4lET ThEM PuRSuE
INDEPENDENT PROjEcTS
Give interested students the chance to
pursue independent study or project
How to Keep High Achievers Engaged and Motivated
work. One way to keep them engaged
By Joseph Renzulli, Ph.D. is to pose a few questions and let them
choose one to solve. To add even more
value to the project, consider ways that
incredibly beneficial for all students. their work might help the school or the
Projects that draw on a broad range of wider community. A student could, for
higher-level thinking and provide oppor­ instance, organize a food drive or look
tunities for real-life learning experiences for ways to improve cafeteria recycling.
lead to more enjoyment in learning for
all students. And I believe that should 5fIND ThE RIGhT bOOkS
always be our first goal. Look for beyond-grade-level content
for your advanced learners. Allow them
2cREATE OPPORTuNITIES to read appropriately challenging fiction
fOR cOllAbORATION and nonfiction books that relate to their
Consider cluster-grouping high- interests. Your most advanced students
achieving and gifted students for more should have the chance to encounter
in-depth group assignments. This will words and ideas that are new to them.
enable you to more easily provide dif­ Collaborate with your librarian or teach­
ferent assignments and content. If there ers in higher grades to help you find the
are not enough students in your class­ right books.
“You can challenge your academi­ room to create a group, work coopera­
cally talented, advanced students to tively with other teachers in your grade 6cONSIDER AN AccElERATED
keep them both engaged and moti­ level to try to accommodate the needs of PROGRAM
vated within the regular classroom,” your most advanced students. It makes Certain extremely advanced students
says Joseph Renzulli, director of the more sense for one teacher to spend the may need or prefer an accelerated pro­
National Research Center on the Gifted time looking for advanced options for gram. There are many forms of accelera­
and Talented at the University of four or five students than it does for four tion such as grade skipping or content
Connecticut and cofounder of Renzulli or five teachers to do this level of work acceleration to challenge your gifted and
Learning. The key is to spend time each for one student in each classroom. (For talented students. Research on accelera­
day focusing on students’ strengths and more on cluster-grouping in the class­ tion suggests that it benefits gifted and
interests, and to remember that your room and across grade level, see www talented students in many ways. (For
classroom is a place for developing all .gifted.uconn.edu/nrcgt/gentry.html.) more on acceleration, you may want to
sorts of talents in all students. Here, read more at www.nationdeceived.org.)
Renzulli shares seven strategies to help 3uSE TIERED ASSIGNMENTS
you provide opportunities for all stu­ All your students will benefit from 7AIM fOR SchOOl-WIDE
dents to continue growing and learning tiered assignments with shared con­ ENRIchMENT
in the areas where they have the great­ tent and themes. It gives all students a The same learning opportunities that
est strengths. chance to share knowledge and ideas engage and motivate advanced students
yet, at the same time, work at a level work with all students. We all want PHo
1PROVIDE OPEN-ENDED that is both academically challenging authentic learning experiences that are to: ©
ASSIGNMENTS and comfortable. It also gives you the exciting and challenging. Work with ad­ lw
The more you can offer open-ended chance to teach more flexibly and to ministrators and other teachers to imple­ a-sH
ar
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this allows high-achieving students to let students choose the way they pres­ school-wide enrichment clusters at www y/C
o
take their work to a deeper level, it is ent their learning: writing a traditional .gifted.uconn.edu/sem/semart01.html.) rb
is
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inStructor march/april 2008