Marcia Dvorak, Ph.D., mjdvorak@ku.eduReva Friedman-NimzUniversity of Kansas

Great teachers make a profound difference in the lives of children.

National Council on Teacher Quality, Walsh and Tracy, 2003

It does not appear to be true that any ‘good’ teacher can effectively teach gifted children. In fact, ‘good’ teachers who are unprepared to teach gifted students may not only be ineffective with them but may also become primary contributors to the development of underachievement behavior and negative attitudes

Whitmore, 1980, p. 400

Dispositions in gifted education

A dive into the literature List, after list, after list – yes, a laundry list

(Renzulli)Resulted in approximately 140 separate qualities/characteristics/competencies

Knowledge and skills How can we organize into meaningful

categories?

What patterns of knowledge, skills, and dispositions characterize the actions and thoughts of gifted education teachers?

Are these patterns different for teachers with “reputational expertise?”

18 major references

55.5% of the references cited intellectual abilities of the teacher

45% spoke to the environment (safe, warm, permissive atmosphere; learner-centered)

30%--Knowledgeable/Subject matter knowledge

25%--Flexible/open

20%--Flexibility with curriculum

20%--Creativity/imaginative

15%--Problem solving

15%--Lifelong learner/intellectual growth

15%--Enthusiastic

15%--Prefer to teach G/T student

10%--Sense of humor

10%--Skills involving questioning

5%--Skills for working with G/T students

5%--Capacity for change

Superior intelligence

Knowledge

Skills

Dispositions

Costa and Kallick, Habits of Mind*Connecting Habits and dispositions

*(Costa A. & Kallick, B. 2001. Habits of Mind: A Developmental Series. Book 1: Discovering and Exploring Habits of Mind. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.)

Persisting; Managing Impulsivity; Listening;Thinking Flexibly; Metacognition;Striving for Accuracy and Precision; Questioning; Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations; Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision; Gathering Data through All Senses; Creating, Imagining, and Innovating; Responding with Wonderment and Awe; Taking Responsible Risks; Finding Humor; Thinking Interdependently; Remaining Open to Continuous Learning

“Explained” the literature

Fit to both state and federal standards

Surveys, checklists/opinions, training, creativity in teachers, secondary sources

Qualitative Coleman’s (1991) practitioner perspective

and the “invisible world” Story (1985) Gentry and Hu: The Gifted Teacher (2006)

Qualitative processGrand tour questionsCategoriesCritical incidents

Definition of reputational expertiseDisplaying qualities congruent with the

literature and the Habits

Habits that defined G/T teachers with “reputational expertise”

Lifelong learningArticulate beliefs well and with

confidenceWonderment and awe

Policy

The Laundry List: Can it be reduced?

Explicitly teach

Specialization implications Freehill, (1974); Hansford, (1985); Newland

(1962); Torrence and Myers (1973) Heath (1997)

Reputational Expertise

Display ed in observations of the

thoughts and actions of G/T

teachers

Defining qualities(knowledge, skills,and dispositions)

of G/T teachers described in professional litera ture,

categorized according to the Habits of Mind

Influencing teacher

endorsement and standards

(state and national)

Exem plified through

display s of enthusiasm and

insatible curiosity

Exem plified by acting as

continuous learners

Expressed firmness in their belief

sy stem

Display ed the Policy attribute:

Felt strongly enough about

these behaviors to prom ote and encourage them

with students

General education

Using emerging categories

Laundry List (Knowledge, Skills, Dispositions)

Real life connections

My sincere thanks is extended to Dr. RevaFriedman-Nimz and Dr. Earle Knowlton who aided me in this quest as well as all the other professors on my doctoral committee who played a significant part in its completion.

Dr. Marcia Dvorak, University of Kansasmjdvorak@ku.edu