UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

College of Education

I. Descriptive Information

Course Title: Guidance and Counseling of Gifted and Talented Students

Course Number: SDS 6426

Course Credit: 3 hours

Semester:

Instructor:

Email Address:

Office Hours:

Telephone:

II. Statement of Course Goals and Objectives

Course Description:

This course will develop skills and strategies to design and implement a referral and counseling program for the unique socio-emotional needs of the gifted/talented student. It will explore issues concerning the challenges and opportunities that gifted and talented students face at school, in the curriculum, peer groups, in the family and in the community in relation to attitudes and expectations. The role of the counselor as advocate, facilitator of supportive programs and mentor to the gifted student will be explored.

Specific Course Objectives:

·  Examine theories of socio-emotional development and theories of counseling as they apply to gifted/talented students (GT1K2; GT2K1)

·  Identify sources of stress for gifted/talented and develop appropriate counseling strategies (GT2K2; GT3K2)

·  Explore theories of self-actualization and the development of potential through creative productivity. (GT2K4)

·  Understand group dynamics and the development of social skills in gifted/talented students (GT2K5)

·  Examine critical incidents that stem from self or other interactions and appropriate intervention strategies (GT3K3; GT7S2)

·  Develop and implement strategies of time and study management; stress reduction, journal keeping (GT4S1; GT5S5)

·  Develop strategies for setting goals, developing motivation, monitoring self-progress and decision-making (GT4S3; GT9S1; GT9S2)

·  Design and implement a small group counseling program for a specific group of underachieving gifted students (GT3S1; GT5S2; GT5S3)

·  Develop appropriate strategies for career guidance for gifted and talented students (GT5S1; GT7S6)

·  Monitor parent conferences and communication with parents and agencies/associations for supportive services (GT2K3; GT10S1; GT10S2/4/5)

·  Explore the role of the counselor of the gifted/talented in the contemporary world (GT1K1; GT4K1; GT9S7)

(NAGC/CEC Standards 2007: GT=Gifted and Talented; K=Knowledge; S=Skill)

Means to Achieve Objectives (Competencies)

·  Online learning Modules.

·  Student online discussions.

·  Website review Assignments

·  Analysis of Text / Reading Assignments

·  Specific Individual Assignments: Critical incidents, issues paper, case study, counseling intervention

·  Field practice with counseling strategies

·  ePortfolio Development and Evaluation

III. Required Texts

Required Texts:

Silverman, L. (2000) Counseling the Gifted and Talented.

Denver, Co.: Love Publishing.

ISBN 0-89108-273-5

Delisle, J. & Galbraith, J. (2002) When Gifted Kids Don’t Have All The Answers. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing

ISBN 1=57542-107-0

Recommended:

Moon, S.M. (2004) Social/Emotional Issues, Underachievement, and Counseling of Gifted and Talented Students. Essential Readings in Gifted Education. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press and National Association for Gifted Children

IV. Academic Course Requirements

In this course, you contract to complete the required work stipulated above effectively: Modules – introduction, 10; 4 assignments, eportfolio. As this is evaluated through completion of required work, evaluation will be qualitative. Each module needs to be completed effectively. Students will read the module according to the schedule, complete the necessary reading of the texts and reference to the websites listed, download the key questions and complete a paragraph on each question, and then copy and paste their responses directly into the message on the discussions board under “module tasks”. Should the module tasks not be completed satisfactorily, then they will need to be redone and reposted. You will also be required to evaluate your own work.

Curriculum Extension Activities (CEA)

Curriculum extension activities are higher level thinking and research activities designed specifically to challenge gifted students as part of an appropriate curriculum. They serve two functions: extending the core content into creative or critical learning projects (“intellectual challenge”); or allowing students who have mastered core content already to focus on an extensive area of the content for more in-depth or relevant projects (“compacting”).

Several modules include the option for compacting into higher level ascending work – entitled CEA – Curriculum Extension Activities. Compacting the whole module requires the completion of a CEA contract that calls for evidence that you are already knowledgeable or experienced in the objectives and content of the specific module. If all the module tasks and CEA’s in the course are completed competently, a grade of A+ will be assigned. If all the module tasks are completed excellently, with at least 3 CEA’s a grade of A will be assigned. If all the module tasks are completed competently, with at least one CEA, a grade of B will be assigned. If no CEA’s are completed, or one module not completed, a grade of C will be assigned. Failure to complete two or more modules without appropriate compacting to CEA’s will result in F. The grading rubric for the course completion, including module tasks, CEA’s and assignments is included below. A passing grade requires the development of an eportfolio.

Criteria / Excellent / Competent / Improve/Redo
Meets assigned objectives / ·  / ·  / · 
Language Usage / ·  / ·  / · 
Well structured / ·  / ·  / · 
Graphic Presentation / ·  / ·  / · 
Detail / ·  / ·  / · 
Depth of Understanding / ·  / ·  / · 
Research / ·  / ·  / · 
Creativity / ·  / ·  / · 
TOTAL / ·  / ·  / · 

ASSIGNMENTS

Note: Further instructions are contained within the modules and on the assignments tool.

1. Critical Incidents

In this assignment you will generate critical incidents that suggest a need for counseling that have occurred in your teaching experience or choose from predetermined incidents and then examine the scenario using appropriate counseling strategies of goal-setting, problem-solving and decision-making and present your findings.

2. Issue paper

Write an article for an educational journal about one of the issues covered in this

course: perfectionism; depression; peer relationships; parent relationships; career-choice; counseling special populations of gifted students; risk factors; resiliency; highly gifted.

3. Case Studies

In this field research you will profile two different types of gifted and talented

students. You will explore their assessment profile and their individual

education plan, and identify key challenges. You will then design, develop and

implement counseling strategies appropriate for these two students. Types may include: the highly gifted; twice-exceptional gifted; LGBT gifted; special populations. Note: those students who do not have access to gifted students may complete a case study on a gifted adult or honors student on campus. Contact the instructor for assistance.

4. Design a counseling program/intervention

In this assignment you will use the counseling principles and strategies explored

to design and implement a small group counseling program for a specific group of gifted students.

V. Schedule of Topics

SCHEDULE

Week/Module / Topic / Text and Task
Course Orientation / Review syllabus / Obtain Textbooks
1 Introduction / Course Introduction
Prerequisite: Review development of the gifted child (myths and characteristics) / Review requirements.
Arrange field research
Review Introduction to gifted education

Complete pretest

2 Complete Module 1 / Placement and referral decisions: Assessment issues in Identification / Silverman 1,2,8
Deslisle & Galbraith 1,2
3 Complete Module 2 / Personal and Social Issues of being gifted: emotional sensitivity of the gifted/talented / Silverman 2
Delisle & Galbraith 3,5
Moon 1,2,4,5,6,7
4 Complete Module 3 / Perfectionism and fear of failure
Developing resiliency / Silverman 3
Deslile & Galbraith 3,4
Assignment 1 due: critical incidents
Due date Feb. 8
5 Complete Module 4 / Underachievement and self-perception / Silverman 6,12
Moon 9-13
Deslile & Galbraith 6
6 Complete Module 5
Starting February 18 / Depression and suicide in gifted students / Moon 1:3
Assignment 2 due: journal article
Due date: Feb. 22
7 Complete Module 6 / Developing a counseling program:
1: Individual Counseling and Activities
2: Group dynamics and group counseling
3: Assessment tools / Silverman 4,5,11
Moon 14,15
Deslile & Galbraith 7,8
8 Complete Module 7 / Strategies for stress, time, study and
behavior management
Academic Counseling
March 10-15 / Spring Break
9 Complete Module 8 / Counseling diverse groups of gifted students: highly gifted; LGBT; twice exceptional. / Silverman 6,12,13
Assignment 3 due: case studies
Due date: March 21
10 Complete Module 9 / Support systems 1: Family dynamics and parenting the gifted child; 2: Community and advocacy groups / Silverman 7,8,9
Moon 16
11 Complete Module 10 / Specific strategies: Bibliotherapy
Career Counseling / Silverman 10
Assignment 4 due: Design a counseling program
Due date April 4
12 Complete Portfolio / Last date for modules submission April 18
13 Submit Portfolio / Submit by April 18 / Submit to the assignments tool
14 Assessment