Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs of the Gifted and Talented

by Susan Winebrenner, Pamela Espeland (Editor)

With 150,000 copies in print, the original TEACHING GIFTED KIDS is a perennial best-seller. Teachers everywhere call it, "the orange Bible" and turn to it daily to make sure their gifted students are getting the learning opportunities they need and deserve. Since the first edition was published, author Susan Winebrenner has spent eight years using it with school districts, teachers, parents, and kids across the U.S. and the U.K. this revised, expanded, updated edition reflects her personal experiences and the changes that have taken place in education over the years. Her basic philosophy hasn't changed, and all of the proven, practical, classroom-tested strategies teachers love are still here. But there's now an entire chapter on identifying gifted students. The step-by-step how-tos for using the strategies are more detailed and user-friendly. There's a new chapter especially for parents. And all of the forms in the book are also on CD-ROM (sold separately) so you can print them out and customize them for your classroom. Since 1992, TEACHING GIFTED KIDS has been the definitive guide to meeting the learning needs of gifted students in the mixed-abilities classroom–without losing control, causing resentment, or spending hours preparing extra materials. This new edition is even better.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development, School

168 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1992

Reviews

[Becca Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I particularly liked about this book was the ideas for challenging the student with minimal extra work for the teacher. Additionally the author talks of using some of the ideas with more typical students which I found helpful.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadly, the students who will make the least progress during the school year are our gifted students. With all the energy that teachers spend trying to help our low-achieving students pass the ever more stressful mandated state tests, our high-achieving students can get left behind.

Winebrenner's wonderful resource can help teachers manage the wide range of ability levels in our classrooms, without spending every waking moment designing different lessons.

This should be in every teacher's classroom library. The strategies work with ALL students.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

One teacher calls it the 'orange bible'. School districts like it because it hold out the promise that they can provide 'a free and appropriate' education without spending one extra cent. This book is not the answer. You cannot expect a teacher with 34 students in the classroom to perform this miracle without extensive support.

[Alyson Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book: Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom
Author: Susan Winebrenner
Rating: 3 Out of 5 Stars

This one is a very tricky one to rate. This is kind of an older book and I feel that a lot of the practices haven’t aged very well. That’s one of the things about education: it’s always changing. I do think that once upon a time these practices would have worked very well, but as we have come to know more about gifted education, things have changed and just don’t work the best anymore.

I do like the idea of giving gifted students the chance to become a resident educator on a subject. This allows for them to work independently on a topic of interest. This idea gives them a chance to actually work on something that allows them to learn. If a gifted student has already mastered the content, then they are not really learning anything. Giving them the chance to actually expand on their knowledge or learn about something new is actually allowing them to make that year’s growth, which is what we are all after. I had never thought that if students have already mastered the content that they were not learning anything. It seems like common sense, but I think it’s just one of those things that we have to almost have said to us.

The use of allowing students to work on their own work without being in class did not set well with me. I think that they still need that structure that the classroom has to offer. They are still kids and without guidance, they may stray off. Having a gifted classroom or grouping kids based on ability should allow for these students to succeed and still have that structured environment.

Involving multiple teachers across grade levels is key. If you are going to advance a student one year, this will have an effect on that student in later grades. I like that we bring in other grades and other teachers to have some kind of input in what is happening. It allows everyone to come together and work together to help the student. It also shows that educators are a united front and are going to do whatever it takes to help all students succeed.

I think that this book was worth the read, but I honestly don’t see myself reaching for it again. A lot of it has to with the fact that many of the points brought up in this book just haven’t aged well. It has nothing to do with the actual book or author, but I just believe that we have actually improved our gifted practices and, hopefully, will keep doing so.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some great ideas for working with gifted students that are included in the regular education classroom. I've used some menu ideas that have worked well. Definitely a good resource to pull off the shelf when you need something a little more challenging.

[Meggityb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource

[jmjester · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend recommended that I read this book, and I'm glad that I did. It has some interesting ideas, like the Most Difficult Question, which I plan on using.

[Shelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outdated. I suppose if you have never employed some of the methods like a choice menu and other options that allow for student agency and differentiation, then this could be a beneficial resource. I do agree with the author where she states that teaching all students like gifted students will benefit students. When teachers target the highest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy when designing lessons, most students will be learning in the right direction.

[Erin H · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most education texts this will need an update, as well as a critical look at how larger systems affect how this can be implemented in any classroom, but especially the high school one. I appreciate it as a text for brainstorming, but I can’t say how much I can really take away for the 2020 context of my environment.

[Melvin Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is specifically for gifted students, many of the techniques can be easily used for any classroom or for home school either as "alternative activities" for the gifted as the book intends or to replace more traditional methods for students of any ability. I would encourage any teacher to read this book.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent resource.

[Aimee Beisner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource!

[Michael Leerssen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan has pulled together an amazing set of resources for working with the gifted child. My only drawback is that is almost too full. It become wordy and a haphazard at times. Mainly it is an editing issue. Some strategies deserved more time, but the author has tried to really pack a lot into one book. Conducted a book study on the text and general feedback was good. The resources she provides are what most took away. Few books come with as many applicable strategies and resources.

Definitely belongs in every teacher's professional library.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful resource for teachers. Clear research and philosophy, but at a minimum. A plethora of examples and usable ideas to choose from. This read will significantly alter the way I address the wide range of needs and abilities and interests in my classroom. And best of all, it seems very straightforward and quite manageable... and that's empowering.

[Danette · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a new teacher, I am always looking for ways to differentiate and challenge the gifted kids while still offering support to the kids who are struggling and making sure my class is on track for our state standards.

This book offered some strategies to make sure my gifted children are being challenged and that require less supervision from me. I will definately use some of these strategies.

[Steve Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource to differentiate for any student in the classroom, but valuable ideas to meet the need of the Gifted learner.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great balance of philosophy and reason for differentiated curriculum, student profiles and useful strategies that will be easy to implement in the classroom.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best teaching books I've read! So many ready to go ideas for a differentiated classroom. I will definitely be implementing some of her strategies this school year.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the resource on gifted students I go back to most often- it's filled with useful rubrics; graphic organizers and ideas.

[Marissa Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading for every teacher. I really wish I'd been familiar with these methods at the start of my teaching career.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource

[Budd Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mandatory reading in an implied mandatory Professional Development class to make our school more attractive.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great how-to book for teachers of the gifted in public schools!

[Cheron · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book to for the regular teacher with suggestions and examples for teaching gifted kids