Gift Ideas for Teachers and Administrators

How about a gift membership to the TAGT (Texas Association of Gifted and Talented)?  www.txgifted.org.

Books are always a great idea and there are many available from Prufrock Press  (www.prufrock.com):

20 Ideas for Teaching Gifted Kids in the Middle School and High School Grades 5-12
Editor: Joel E. McIntosh
Price: $19.95
Enliven your classroom with motivating and innovative activities that encourage critical and creative thinking skills. These exciting and diverse lessons developed by master teachers of gifted children across the nation have been proven to work with gifted and talented students in secondary school.

20 More Ideas for Teaching Gifted Kids in the Middle School and High School Grades 5-12
Editor: Joel E. McIntosh
Price: $19.95
This companion to the original 20 Ideas offers additional innovative activities and lessons for teaching gifted students at the secondary level. This book is packed with great, engaging ideas for the gifted and talented classroom, sure to excite and challenge your students.

Acceleration Strategies for Teaching Gifted Learners
Author: Joyce VanTassel-Baska, Ed.D.   Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
Gifted students should be able to move more quickly through a subject area than average students. This book focuses on multiple strategies for accelerating gifted students through the content of any school subject. These specific strategies are an asset to any classroom setting.

Assessment in the Classroom: The Key to Good Instruction
Author: Carolyn M. Callahan, Ph.D.   Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
This book provides an overview of the most common and successful assessment methods, including formal and informal assessments, student self-assessments, and pre-assessment strategies for planning instruction.

Curriculum Compacting: An Easy Start to Differentiating for High-Potential Students
Authors: Sally M. Reis, Ph.D., Joseph S. Renzulli, Ph.D.   Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
Curriculum compacting allows learners to move successfully through the curriculum at their own pace. This book focuses on the nuts and bolts of this effective method for differentiating classroom content, process skills, and creative products of gifted learners.

Developing Mentorship Programs for Gifted Students
Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.   Author: Del Siegle, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
As gifted students develop their interests and talents in a chosen area of study, it is often necessary to structure learning experiences with out-of-school mentors. This guide offers practical strategies for starting and developing a mentoring program. From structuring a program, selecting a mentor, and monitoring progress, to ensuring success, this book provides an excellent introduction to the topic.

Enrichment Opportunities for Gifted Learners
Author: Julia L. Roberts, Ed.D.   Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
From a mentorship with a local archaeologist, to attending a medieval festival, the opportunities for gifted learners to explore a topic in depth are too numerous to mention. This book offers an introduction to structuring enrichment activities that add depth and complexity to a gifted child’s learning experience.

Fostering Creativity in Gifted Students
Author: Bonnie Cramond, Ph.D.   Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
Encouraging creative thinking in the classroom is an exciting component of any effective gifted education program. This guide offers basic foundations required for supporting creativity. From establishing the right classroom environment, to using creative teaching strategies, to assessing student outcomes, this book is filled with practical information.

Identifying Gifted Students: A Step-by-Step Guide
Author: Susan K. Johnsen, Ph.D.   Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
This book is designed to offer administrators, teachers, and parents an overview of the critical issues in building effective identification procedures. This book overviews definitions and characteristics of gifted students, qualitative and quantitative assessment, using multiple assessments, identification procedures, and decision making about placement.

Independent Study for Gifted Learners
Authors: Susan K. Johnsen, Ph.D., Krystal Goree   Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
Gifted students like instructional strategies that emphasize independence such as independent study and discussion. From selecting a topic, to using innovative research strategies, to reporting results in an interesting way, this book shows you how to help your students succeed.

Inventions and Inventing for Gifted Students
Author: Thomas P. Hebert, Ph.D.   Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
This guide offers a practical introduction to the inventing process: getting students interesting in inventing, teaching the inventing process, patenting new product ideas, participating in inventions conventions and competitions, and an extensive listing of print and Web-based resources.

Menu of Options for Grouping Gifted Students
Author: Karen B. Rogers, Ph.D.   Editors: Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D., Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.
Price: $12.95
This book gives teachers tips for grouping gifted students in and out of the classroom and provides a menu of options for serving gifted students.