From General Ed to Gifted Teacher

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From General Ed to Gifted Teacher

by GiftedGal

Apr 3, 2011

Dear Gifted Teachers, I am feeling nervous about changing from the general classroom to the gifted classroom. I keep putting off applying for the transfer within my district even though I have my certification. I think most of my nervousness is due to knowing that I will be completely on my own. In grade level teaching we always have a team to go to for help, support, etc. Do you feel very alone as a gifted teacher? Are you isolated? I'm looking forward to a decreased workload and increased concentration in one area. Do you find that to be true? Does anyone out there also work in a district that has gifted under the special education umbrella. I have never written an IEP or been in charge of an IEP meeting. That also makes me very nervous. I don't know how or if the district plans to train me on everything or will i just be thrown out in the water and forced to figure it out myself. I want to ask all these questions but no one seems to know the answers. And not even having the position...See More

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Jamie in MO Hi,

It's natural to have these questions, and smart to consider them first. I have been a specialist and a classroom teacher, as well as a gifted specialist. It is certainly true that you can feel isolated as the only gifted educator in your building (or even in your district). You can manage that by attending conferences and building a ne...See MoreHi,

It's natural to have these questions, and smart to consider them first. I have been a specialist and a classroom teacher, as well as a gifted specialist. It is certainly true that you can feel isolated as the only gifted educator in your building (or even in your district). You can manage that by attending conferences and building a network with nearby gifted teachers--they tend to be an interesting group of people who are full of ideas, and it can be a huge relief to talk to people who "get" what you're going through.

It can also be a huge relief to be that independent, because you don't have people breathing down your neck in quite the same way that you do when you're on a grade level team. Some people fear that independence, and others thrive on it. I love the flexibility to try new things with students--you don't get that with an established day-to-day curricular pacing guide. However, it can be overwhelming.

I would never say that teaching gifted students is a reduced workload. Just as it takes a special kind of energy to teach kindergarten students or seventh grade students all day, it's important to realize that gifted students can be invigorating and exhausting. They question everything and no matter how much you over-plan, they are always ready to go farther. Even if you get a handle on your own curricular planning, you will be looking for resources to support individual student projects about topic interests that pop up, or developing enrichment materials for a colleague, or providing resources to parents or trying to educate your school community about unique needs of gifted learners or trying to deal with identification paperwork or managing that before-school club you started because so many students were interested . . . and it goes on like that forever.

I also can't say that I find "increased concentration in one area," necessarily, since our content emphasis shifts with different groups of students. I will say that it is lovely to know all the students from year to year, and it becomes very personal because you work with them in small groups and can find all kinds of resources that are well-suited to particular students.

We are not under a special education label in my district, but gifted educators often find themselves walking a tightrope between not coming across as elitist and still trying to advocate for the needs of their student population. This can be a difficult dance, so it's good to know where your administration and larger school community stand. Do they see gifted education as a necessary support for identified students, or do they view it as an extra frill? How meaningful have the curricular activities been in the past?

I think gifted education is something you need to want to do. It's my favorite--I can't imagine wanting to change--but it's not for everyone. You are likely to have less plan time and more assigned duties just when you get a job that requires you to coordinate with multiple people and schedules. You are going to be working with some amazing and intense students and parents. It would be worth it to shadow a gifted teacher and call or meet with gifted teachers in your area so that you'll have a realistic idea about what to expect.

HTH

On 4/03/11, GiftedGal wrote: > Dear Gifted Teachers, I am feeling nervous about changing > from the general classroom to the gifted classroom. I keep > putting off applying for the transfer within my district > even though I have my certification. I think most of my > nervousness is due to knowing that I will be completely on > my own. In grade level teaching we always have a team to go > to for help, support, etc. Do you feel very alone as a > gifted teacher? Are you isolated? I'm looking forward to a > decreased workload and increased concentration in one area. > Do you find that to be true? Does anyone out there also > work in a district that has gifted under the special > education umbrella. I have never written an IEP or been in > charge of an IEP meeting. That also makes me very nervous. > I don't know how or if the district plans to train me on > everything or will i just be thrown out in the water and > forced to figure it out myself. I want to ask all these > questions but no one seems to know the answers. And not > even having the position, I don't know who to ask. I also > don't want all these questions to hurt my chances of > getting the position at all. Please send advice. Have you > felt this way also before entering an entirely new area of > teaching?

Apr 4, 2011

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el ed GiftedGal, Jamie in MO has given you valuable information and advice. I suggest you print the post out and reread it often and seriously consider her suggestions and insights.

For over 10 years, I was a general ed teacher. Then for the next 21 years, I taught IG(Intellectually Gifted)Enrichment to 2-8 graders at one school. I earned my mas...See More