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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 471 216 EC 309 321 AUTHOR Cannon, Michael, Ed. Tempo, 2000. TITLE INSTITUTION Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented, Austin. PUB DATE 2000-00-00 NOTE 142p.; Published four times per year. For Volume 19, see ED 437 786. AVAILABLE FROM Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT), 406 East 11th St., Suite 310, Austin, TX 78701-2617 (available to TAGT members only). Tel: 512-499-8248; Fax: 512-499-8264; e- mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.txgifted.org/ . PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT Tempo; v20 n1-4 Win-Fall 2000 EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PC06 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Academic Standards; *Accountability; Computer Uses in Education; *Curriculum Development; Educational Assessment; Educational Principles; Educational Technology; Elementary Secondary Education; *Gifted; *Leadership; Program Evaluation; *Student Evaluation ABSTRACT Each of the four issues of the newsletter of the Texas Association for the Gifted focuses on a theme: leadership, evaluation and assessment, curriculum issues, and accountability issues. Issues usually contain theme-related major articles, columns by the Association's president and executive director, a column examining related research, answers to questions, and book reviews. Major articles include: "Leadership and the Gifted in the 21st Century" (Frances Karnes and Jane Chauvin); "Teaching Children To Lead" (Mary Seay); "Understanding and Encouraging Leadership Giftedness" (Dorothy Sisk); "First Steps: Creating a Quality Leadership Program" (Laura Phillips Mackay); "Gifted Hispanic Girls: Education, Support, and Encouragement" (Cynthia Shade); "The Rationale and Validation of the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking" (E. Paul Torrance); "Gifted Program Evaluation" (Ernesto Bernal); "Parent Assessment of Giftedness: Using Portfolios" (Bertie Kingore); "Educating with the Harkness Table" (Tyleer C. Tingley); "Using Testing and Public Information To Make the Case for Gifted and Talented Students" (Chrys Dougherty); "Appropriate Identification Criteria: A Self Study" (Bertie Kingore); "Clues from Brain Research for Challenging Gifted Learners" (Barbara Clark); "Teaching beyond the Average ". (Robert Schultz and Margaret Price); "Science, Service and the Gifted Learner" (Mary Nied Phillips); "Future Problem Solving: Improving Skills" (Kent Hutton); "Gifted Instruction Goes Dot-Com" (Helen Teague); "Internet Resources" (Helen Teague); "Performance Standards for Gifted Students" (Evelyn Hiatt and Linda Phemister); "Accountability for Gifted Students: Burden or Opportunity?" (Tonya Moon and Carolyn Callahan); "Standards of Learning and Gifted Education: Goodness of Fit" (Joyce VanTassel-Baska); and "Emerging Giftedness for the LEP Student" (Pamela M Cooper). (Individual articles contain references.) (DB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Tempo Edited By Michael Cannon Volume 20, Issues 1-4, Winter-Fall 2000 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION HAS DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization J. }Ad n-h. ce,_ originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this RESOURCES TO THE EDUCATIONAL document do not necessarily represent INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) official OERI position or policy. 1 AVAILABLE BEST COPY , pSSOc1 6 m O 1111100 Volume XX Issue 1 TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED Member, National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Leadership and the Gifted Winter 2000 Issue in the 21st Century LEADERSHIP Leadership and the Gifted Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D. in the 21st Century The University of Southern Mississippi Frances Karnes & Jane Chauvin 1 Jane C. Chauvin, Ph.D. Loyola University From the President Karen Fitzgerald Anew century beckons; a new millennium ap- 2 who will fashion the dreams proaches Executive Director's Update the dreams that will become the vision for this new age? Amanda Batson 3 Who will possess the ability to empower others with this vision; and who will have the strength to help others turn Teaching Children to Lead this new vision into a reality? Would it not make sense Mary Seay 4 to turn to our most able in our quest for guidance in this new beginning? The gifted child of today is the hope of Understanding and Encouraging tomorrow. From these ranks should come the leaders of Leadership Giftedness the 21st century. Dorothy Sisk 6 RESEARCH FINDINGS Stodgill (1974) in his Handbook of Leadership con- First Steps: Creating a Quality ducted extensive analysis of the available research in the Leadership Program area of leadership and came up with a list of characteris- Laura Phillips Mackay 8 tics that most leaders from all ages seemed to possess. These characteristics were based on the assumption that Gifted G-lispanic Girls: leaders were "born" and not "made." As such, these char- Education, Support, and Encouragement acteristics were considered to be inborn, fixed, and had Cynthia Shade 10 applications across all situations (Karnes & Bean, 1996). While many of these traits are still highly prized in a leader, What the Research Says About Leadership more current research (Bennis & Nance, 1985; Hollander Susan Johnsen 24 & Offerman, 1999; Yammarino & Bass, 1990) has fo- cused on "transactional and transformative leadership Q & A: Answers to Your Questions theories." In this model the transactional leader is thought Donna Corley 29 to motivate the followers through contingency rewards and negative feedback. On the other hand the transfor- Book Reviews mative leader models-and-inspires the actions of his fol- Tracy Weinberg 30 lowers beyond their expectations as together they develop Michael Cannon a sense of mission and seek to reward new ways of think- Call for Articles (see KARNES and CHAUVIN, page 12) 31 3 REST COPY AVAILABTI IF Leadership FROM THE PRESIDENT On Leadership Volume XX Issue 1 Winter 2000 PUBLICATIONS EDITOR Michael Cannon Karen Fitzgerald PRESIDENT Karen Fitzgerald What an exciting time for us to be alive! PRESIDENT-ELECT Krys Goree With the beginning of the new millen- nium comes a chance at new beginnings for all of us in our FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Debra Midkiff personal and professional lives. When we look back over the last decade we see what great gains we have made in SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT Tillie Hickman the state of Texas in gifted education. And TAGT, our state THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT gifted organization, has strongly advocated for appropriate Raymond F. (Rick) Peters education of all gifted and talented youngsters across the SECRETARY/TREASURER state. In just ten years the Texas Association for the Gifted James (Jim) Collett and Talented has grown from 4,000 members to a IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT Colleen Elam membership approaching 9,000 educators, parents, students, and community members. Our annual professional development conference has grown from 2,300 attendees EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ten years ago to an average of 6,000 people over the past Amanda D. Batson, Ph.D. five years. Our TAGT budget has grown from less than ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Ann Wink $300,000 to over $1 million and financial accountability has been the key component of our association's risk ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR Beth Tracy management policy during the past decade. COORDINATOR OF MEMBERSHIP SERVICES Because of TAGT's strong advocacy, we have a funded Joie Borland state mandate with laws, rules, and a state plan which guide OPERATIONS MANAGER us in making good decisions to create top quality gifted Laurie Walter and talented programs. TAGT is a stronger organization ASSOCIATION SECRETARY Christina Saucedo today than it has ever been! However, there is still much exciting work to be done by all of us. The Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) is a nonprofit organization of As I begin my year as your president for the year 2000, parents and professionals promoting appropriate education for gifted and talented students in the state of Texas. I accept the responsibility for leading TAGT into the next TAGT Tempo is the official journal of the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented. millennium. With a new president and our new Executive It is published four times a year in January, April, July, and October. The subscription is a benefit for TAGT members. Annual individual and family dues are $35. Director, Dr. Amanda Batson, you will see some changes Tempo Material appearing in may be reprinted unless otherwise noted. When copying an at TAGT. Several ideas will be the focus of our discussions and TAGT as the source. We appreciate copies of publications article please cite Tempo containing Tempo reprints. on the Executive Board in the coming months. TAGT does not sell its membership list to advertisers or other parties. However, membership names and addresses are made available for approved research requests. If you do not wish First, our web site will get a new look and will include your name to be made available for G/T-related research, please write to TAGT at the address additional helpful information for our members. below. Address correspondence concerning the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented Second, we will continue to increase communication (including subscription questions) to TAGT, 406 East I I th Street, Suite 310, Austin, Texas, with you this year through numerous publications, 78701-2617. Call TAGT at 512/ 499-8248, FAX 512/499-8264 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Michael Cannon, TACT Editorial Tempo content to: Address correspondence concerning meetings, and electronic means. Office, 5521 Martin Lane, El Paso, 7X 79903. Call the editorial office at 915/ 778-3988, FAX 915/ 779-2625 or 915/ 565-3245, or e-mail: [email protected]. Third, we will continue to advocate for accountability standards for gifted and talented programs at the state ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED: Please notify TAGT if you are moving or if not your mailing address has changed. TAGT publications are sent via third-class mail and are level. forwarded by the Post Office. Also, note the date at the top right of your mailing label. This is the date your membership in TAGT expires. Be sure to renew your membership. You will not And fourth, TAGT will continue to work with SBEC receive TAGT publications or mailings after your membership expiration date. (State Board of Educator Certification) to promote teacher certification in the area of gifted and talented OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS DO NOT education. NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL POSITIONS OF TAGT. 4 (see FITZGERALD, page 15) EST COPY 2000 2 AVAILAIBILIE TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED TEMPO WINTER in EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S UPDATE The Journey of Leadership Amanda D. Batson, Ph.D. Just as my predecessor struggled with nities, and have emotionally as well as physically safe en- her first communication, so have I. vironments in which to lead. Such an environment is invit- The struggle is not so much what to say but how to initiate ing and includes adult role models and mentors. The young the conversation, how to entice you to continue the jour- gifted leader can take risks, succeed or fail, then try again ney, how to find my official voice for TAGT . again. in search for her or his leadership style. Mentor young gifted . . More than ten years ago, I began my service for TAGT as leaders in your community or school and support the devel- a volunteer on the Executive Board. I was the Regional opment of programs for gifted student leaders. Working Representative from Region III. Eventually I was elected side by side, leaders can span age, space, and time in ser- an officer and served as President in 1992. Recognizing vice to others. Leadership fostered over time becomes a the need to map out the journey for the association, the valuable resource to a community, state, and nation. 1992 Executive Board, Executive Director, and I devel- oped the TAGT strategic plan which included the change INDIVIDUAL LEADERSHIP from Regional Representative to Regional Director plus In your role, whatever that role or roles may be, you are a other revisions which now are part of the TAGT Bylaws leader. Whether teacher, principal, coordinator, parent, uni- To become Executive Director is a rare opportunity. I versity professor, community member, or student, you are a am grateful to the Executive Board for extending this op- leader. Thus as you and those in your world come together, portunity to me. The rich legacy of my predecessors, Laura a community of leaders and learners can be established. As Allard and Connie McLendon, provides a deep foundation an individual leader, your work is dynamic and changes, as for the association and a future bright with promise. Ac- needs change. Your leadership on behalf of gifted and tal- complishments by the executive boards and Connie ented students is an important service arena. McLendon over the last decade have set the stage for new In 1995, L. Bolman and T. Deal wrote in Leading with levels of excellence. Running this race for gifted children Soul (102), "Leading is giving. The essence of leadership . . takes teamwork, persistence, and commitment. To win the is not giving things or even providing visions. It is offering race, leadership is required on at least three levels. oneself and one's spirit." As you offer your_time, energy, ideas, and spirit to support quality services for gifted stu- DEVELOPMENTAL LEADERSHIP dents, you increase the chances that this special population The leaders of tomorrow are enrolled in the schools of to- will develop to its potential. I encourage you to search for day. Students who are gifted in leadership are in develop- meaningful, positive ways of giving yourself and your spirit mental modes as are leaders of all ages. However, the young to gifted education in your community and state. Work with gifted leader is especially vulnerable and capable. As a your school principal and teachers to build an exemplary student who is gifted in leadership, the capability is present. leadership program for gifted students. Recognize and cel- The vulnerability exists because of the likelihood that the ebrate young gifted leaders, their principals, teachers, and gifted student leader will not have access to appropriate parents. Offer leadership opportunities to these students education. Such education would develop his leadership not only in the school setting but also in the community. As skills and thus expand his capacity for service. individual leaders serve in their respective towns, cities, Unusual capacity of leadership is recognized in the state school districts, universities, and families, strong ties are definition of gifted and talented students as (Texas Educa- formed. These ties can create associations, which impact tion Code, §29.121). This unusual capacity of leadership, programs and initiatives for the gifted across the state and as all areas of potential, must be developed in order to flour- nation. ish. Gifted leaders need opportunities to build relationships ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP and find settings which offer meaningful service opportu- Volunteers are a bedrock in American life. Such leadership (see BATSON, page 18) 2000 WINTER 3 TEMPO TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENVD Leadership Teaching Children to Lead Mary Seay "Great necessities call forth great leaders." sounds as if it could be something that The Young Scholars Conference and is held the last Saturday That in February of each year. The Board of Directors chooses Abigail Adams might have written about to hold the conference at the local university campus which the need for leadership to deal with the problems facing has a very nice facility for the general sessions, the break- gifted education today. But, she actually wrote it to Thomas out sessions and, provides the lunch which the Board Jefferson (Bennis 1990). About the middle of this century, , members devise. we were hunting for young leaders in science and math to The logistics of the planning for the conference begin defuse the Soviet's embarrassing bellwether lead into space. with the most time consuming job of the conference: the Today, with an apparent dearth of bright young political decision of who will be their leaders, it seems imperative that keynote speaker. They scour the education establishment o6t newspapers, magazines, listen work at developing the positive to TV news and kid news side of the young people with most important element in he shows, alert relatives in other budding leadership charact- the kaleidoscope of power is the states, and try to find a student Leadership programs eristics. ability to be a catalyst for other somewhere in the United States may be as important to the future people's dreams and hopes. who has done something that of our country as the humanities they think will inspire our group and math programs which we of West Texas youngsters. work so hard at fostering. Speakers they have found Two of the things which include the girl from New Jersey who had sold the most schools do not teach are an understanding of how to make Girl Scout cookies in the world, and who had also written a money work for you and an understanding of the power of book about selling yourself; a thirteen year-old girl who leadership. I still don't know how to make money work for radio and TV disc jockey and news anchor from was a me; therefore, pray explore here with me an effort at Minnesota; a twelve year-old young man who was a pilot, associating students with the art of leading. and at nine had circumnavigated the globe, first obtaining For quite a few years, we have identified a group of permission to land in Soviet airspace from the Soviet Prime students who have exhibited leadership characteristics to a Minister, thus becoming the ONLY private pilot to ever marked degree and placed them on a Young Scholars Board of Directors. These students have been selected by a land in Soviet airspace, a record which will stand, I presume, forever since there is no longer a Soviet Union or any Soviet committee of the individual secondary school's counselors, airspace. He was from California. The Board has also principal, assistant principal, and members of the present invited a Russian exchange student; the author, at thirteen, Board of Directors, often on the recommendation of one of of a children's book published by the Written and Illustrated the Young Scholars Board members. The District has four By Publishers; the winner of the USA Pentathlon who was junior highs and four high schools. Two of the high schools a cadet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado; and a fifth are of an alternative nature, so we draw students primarily grader from Abilene, Texas, who had written a book about from six schools. Our Board typically numbers ten to fifteen video games and had a syndicated newspaper column in members, of which two students serve as Co-Chairs, two seventeen newspapers about new video games at that time. as Vice-Chairs, and two as Business Managers. Two of the best received speakers the Board ever invited The chief job of the Board is to develop, organize, and were a young man from Chicago and a young woman from execute a conference which is designed to round up young Tennessee. The eleven year old boy had been one of the leaders from all grade levels and to provide them with a speakers at the Million-Man March in Washington a few forum to talk to each other about subjects which are of years ago. Some of the Board members saw him on TV interest to them. This conference is called, not surprisingly, 6 2000 4 TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED WINTER TEMPO Leadership and were finally able to negotiate for him to come to the Somehow, the weirder they are, the more collections. conference. The young woman was the Cambodian girl in interested the students are in them. There was once a hot- The Girl Who Spelled Freedom. While she herself was a glued giraffe made of aluminum root beer cans (brown and yellow) created by a nine-year old. college student and had been played by an actress, her story It was not quite life of the flight of her family from Cambodia still brings us sized, but it made an impact on the students. chills. That movie incidentally, can be rented and is worth Third, we hunt down entertainers. Entertainers are all sizes and shapes; the time for your own students to view. Her they present plays, name is Lin Yan . do karate and gym- Leadership Characteristics We will embark nastic demonstra- Encourage students to: very shortly on the tions, dance, sing, grow in information search for this year's play the piano, and dream big dreams Once this speaker. various other instru- set goals in motion to accomplish the dream effort has come to ments, and once we develop action plans fruition, the next step even had a yodeler. for the Board We have choirs, acquire as many new skills as possible is ensembles, poetry members to visit each learn to evaluate their own abilities campus to advertize reciters. Along with value the contributions of others the next conference. our local Mariachi Unfortunately, the Band from one of the junior highs, we Board members have to be out of school for always get to enjoy about two days during this cheerleading phase of their work. the Ballet Azetca Dancers who range from very tiny to very They develop speeches and go in pairs to the campuses to tall, and they perform traditional Mexican dances. In November we solicit poetry and art from all talk to groups of students about becoming speakers for our break-out sessions: not an easy job because we need ninety secondary English and art teachers. The Board members to one hundred break-out speakers. This stage is what I meet in January to decide what art and poetry will go into think Tom Peters calls "selling it to the sales force." If the the program. It is a significant honor to have one's art on the cover of the Young Scholars conference program. Board Members can excite young children who will become presenters, the conference will be a real barn burner. This Student art and poetry is liberally sprinkled throughout the is the point where elementary leadership arises and where program. we look for future Board of Directors members. By December the Board has to agree on a menu and napkin and table cloth colors. This sounds easy; they The conference requires three categories of leaders. First, we look for presenters who will talk for ten to fifteen agonize over the decisions. They have to use buffet service, but they insist on a very nice luncheon menu and all the minutes about any subject in which they are interested. We later group these speakers into sessions which are about trappings of an event which is both serious and fun. The an hour and fifteen minutes in length, and we group them Board wears sport coats, ties, and going-to-church dresses, by grade level (first and second, second and third or third and as they speak to the students at the campuses, they and fourth, for example). This means that students who emphasize the importance of being dressed up for the are just attending the conference as participants may choose conference. Some of the Board members go with me to to go to listen to students in their own grade level or they negotiate with the university food service representative. can choose that of their little sister, who is presenting in the Price is important to them, but so is decorum. room next door. In January the Board scouts the community for door Second, we seek displayers These are students who This is great publicity for the conference, and a prizes. . have visual arts to display, science fair exhibits, collections, terrific opportunity to use their persuasive instincts. They artifacts, or anything which will lie on the tables or hang always have forty or fifty door prizes to give away. on the walls. Some of the exhibits have been impressive. In February, I have to take them out of classes again We once we had a display composed of 76 pictures of Elvis the week before the conference. We write what each Board Presley and another of 301 dolls. There have also been coins, member will say or do, because, as they like to remind me, baseball and football cards, rocks, and other indescribable "NO adult speaks at this conference." And, indeed they do page 14) ST COPY AVAIIABLAF 7 WINTER 2000 5 TEMPO TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED Leadership Understanding and Encouraging Leadership Giftedness Dorothy Sisk Leadership calls for interpersonal, psycho- RELATIONSHIPS OF INTELLECTUAL, PERSONALITY AND social and human relation abilities. LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS Gardner's (1983) theory of interpersonal intelligences has helped to motivate educators to include leadership as a type As these two lists illustrate, there is tremendous relation- of giftedness and provide programming to develop leader- ship between intellectual and personality characteristics. In- ship. Ramos-Ford & Gardner (1991) define interpersonal tellectual characteristics, keen sense of justice, and early intelligence as the ability to understand other individuals, moral concern, are components of leadership characteris- their actions, and their motivation and to act productively tics, (Catton, 1953, Eisenhower 1967, Bennis & Nanus, on this knowledge. Leadership was in- cluded in the defini- INTERRELATED CHARACTERISTICS OF GIFTED LEARNERS tion of gifted submit- ted by the U.S. Com- PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS INTELLIGENCE CHARACTERISTICS missioner of Educa- (Marland, tion Exceptional reasoning ability Passion for learning 1972); however, in Powers of concentration Intellectual curiosity practice most pro- Analytic thinking Rapid learning rate grams for gifted stu- Divergent thinking/creativity Facility with abstraction dents have been lim- Keen sense of justice Complex thought processes ited to general intel- lectual aptitude or Vivid imagination Capacity for reflection specific aptitudes in Early moral concerns Intensity which students have Insightfulness Perseverance been identified with Need to understand Acute self awareness high scores on stan- Nonconformity Need for mental stimulation intelli- dardized Questioning of rules/authority Perfectionism and/or gence, Need for precision/logic Tendency toward introversion achievement tests. Excellent sense of humor Yet, in spite of this Sensitivity/empathy (Silverman, 1993) limited program of- fering for the gifted, many students gifted in leadership were identified because they were also high achievers and had 1985). The intellectual characteristic of power of concen- high ability. When lists of normative characteristics of gifted tration and the personality characteristic of intensity can be are matched with lists of leadership characteristics there is paired with the leadership characteristic, a sense of urgency considerable overlap and interaction. Lists of normative (Manske, 1987). Leaders tend to develop warm person-to- characteristics have been compiled by numerous research- person relationships and this characteristic correlates with ers (e.g., Terman & Oden, 1951, Renzulli, et.al, 1976, the personality characteristics of sensitivity/empathy, need Maker, 1982, Gallagher, 1985, Sisk, 1987, Silverman 1993). for understanding, and insightfulness. Leaders are deci- Silverman's (1993) list pairs intellegence characteristics of sive which relates to the intellectual characteristics of ana- gifted students with personality characteristics. lytic thinking, complex thought processes, and exceptional 8 ST COPY AVAILABLE 6 2000 TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED WINTER TEMPO Leadership players and motivating them. reasoning ability. Decision-making requires leaders to be rapid learning (intellectual characteristic) with a facility for abstraction (intellectual characteristic) to handle enormous Al Neuharth (founder of USA Today) said leaders create a Leaders have courage and this vision of the future and in other people to make the vision amounts of information. characteristic relates directly to the two personality char- a reality. acteristics, nonconformity and questioning of rule author- Researchers (Stogdill, 1974, Baldwin 1970; Foster, ity. Leaders insist on excellence which relates to the per- sonality characteristic of perfectionism. Leaders are intel- 1981, Manske, 1987) agree that outstanding leaders appeal to the hearts of their followers, not just their minds. Martin lectually curious and have a passion for learning, since lead- Luther King, Jr., who led the great crusade for civil rights ers are a vital part of the change process. One characteris- from 1955 to 1968, epitomized a leader with great vision tic that Silverman (1993) lists as a personality characteris- and the tenacity to move ahead at all costs. Despite being tic that seldom pairs with leadership is a tendency toward introversion. Leaders cannot hide in the crowd, because jailed several times, stabbed, and stoned, King persisted in his efforts to fulfill his dream of a world of racial equality they are responsible and accountable for the results of their and improved living conditions for the poor. Over and over followers (Bennis & Nanus, 1985). However, even though again, King repeated, "I have a dream. ." People became many leaders are extroverts, it is important not to overlook . introverted gifted students as potential leaders. With the electrified, screamed, cheered and cried, pushing him to ascending heights of revelations and discovering. (Bald- overlap among intellectual, personality, and leadership char- win, 1970) acteristics, it is clear why so many academically gifted stu- dents have potential to be gifted in leadership. DEBATE ON LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT The debate as to whether leaders are born or made is still DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP not settled (Stogdill, 1974, Baldwin, 1973, Foster, 1981). Leadership means different things to different people. Af- ter a comprehensive review of the literature, Sisk and However, Manske (1987) is emphatic that leaders are made, not born. Shallcross (1986) concluded that there were almost as many definitions of leadership as individuals trying to define the "The born leader school believes that a leader's style is determined by his or her genetic inheritance. The oppos- concept. Representative definitions according to Baldwin ing viewpoint, to which I subscribe, is that leadership style (1970) include: is acquired in the same manner as are sophistication and President Harry Truman said that a leader is a man who has the ability to get other people to do what they don't by study, emulation, and experience!" graciousness Research on characteristics of leadership indicate that want to do and like it! leaders demonstrate the personal power skills of creative Field Marshall Montgomery stated that leadership is the insight, sensitivity, vision, versatility, focus, patience, and conflict resolution skills (Sisk, 1999). Table I uses a Likert capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and character that implies confidence. scale (1 low and 10 high) to indicate how these characteris- tics of leadership can be used as an observational scale to Vince Lombardi defined leadership as getting inside the help identify or screen students gifted in leadership. TABLE 1. SEVEN PERSONAL POWER SKILLS Creative Insight 4 9 10 2 6 7 3 5 8 1 Sensitivity 4 9 6 2 10 7 5 8 3 1 Vision 4 9 10 6 2 7 5 8 3 1 Versatility 4 9 10 6 2 7 5 8 3 1 Focus 4 9 10 6 2 7 5 8 3 1 Patience 4 9 10 6 2 7 5 8 3 1 Conflict 4 9 10 6 2 7 5 8 3 1 (see SISK, page 19) 9 7 WINTER 2000 TEMPO TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED Leadership First Steps: Creating a Quality Leadership Program Laura Phillips Mackay eadership programs have many similari- tance of providing special programming for children of high ties to the latest fad diet. The program leadership ability in the 1996 Texas State Plan for Gifted Students. In section 2.1.1 E of this document, a district may work for a while, but the end results usually do not which wants to reach an "Exemplary" ranking must offer last. To avoid this pitfall, determine how we identify lead- services that "are comprehensive, structured, sequenced, ers before any program is created. Leaders and the elusive and appropriately challenging, including options in the four characteristics of leadership can be traced back to the be- (4) core academic areas, arts, leadership, and creativity." ginning of our history. Famous names like Alexander the Again, in section 3.1E, "Cur- Great, Hitler, Martin Luther riculum for the gifted/talented King, and Joan of Arc, all in- provides options in intellectual, spire a different definition of creative, or artistic areas; lead- leadership. Present day govern- roviding for the high ability lead- ership; and specific academic ments try to train their leaders ers of tomorrow is important both Obviously, providing fields." beginning in the classroom. on a federal and state level, but for the high ability leaders of to- This article will examine differ- morrow is important both on a defining what characterizes lead- ent methods used to identify federal and state level, but de- ership potential in young gifted leadership ability and the impli- fining what characterizes lead- cations for programming in a children is a difficult task. ership potential in young gifted school setting. children is a difficult task. In 1926 Lewis Terman The 1972 federal defini- questioned whether gifted stu- tion legitimized non-academic areas as worthy of federal dents had leadership capabilities. Through a survey com- funding, but as Huckaby(1981) noted, it may have caused paring the attitudes of gifted and non-gifted students, he a "classic case of horse and cart reversal" (p. 20). He pointed found that the group of gifted students slightly outperformed out the fact that since federal funding was now available the control group in having a preference for being a leader for leadership programs, many states rushed to create these of a club or team (Terman, 1926). While this does not mean new categories and did not research what was worth doing that all gifted students make great leaders, it does mean or the impact of their programs on students. Huckaby stated that schools should look at how they nurture potential lead- the result is that "We have a multitude of educators and ership ability. In 1972 the U.S. Office of Education under grant writers supporting leadership giftedness even though the leadership of Sidney Mar land, Jr. began to address this they have little or no empirical support for the programs area. Leadership ability was included as one of the areas in they propose" (p. 20). Based on this idea, any program which children can be identified as high performing and created for an elementary school needs to first focus on therefore requiring "differentiated educational programs pedagogy and research, and not be thrown together hap- and/or services beyond those normally provided by the regu- There are several questions that need to be an- hazardly. lar school program in order to realize their contribution to swered including: self and society." What is leadership? The inclusion of leadership in the definition of what it What are the characteristics of leadership? is considered gifted and talented changed the way services How can you identify leaders in an elementary were to be provided. No longer was it enough to differen- school? tiate for general intellectual ability, but now it was also What programs are already available to provide cur- important to consider creativity, leadership, and the visual riculum for young leaders? and performing arts, when developing curriculum offerings As Foster (1981) pointed out, "There is a great uncertainty for high ability children. Texas acknowledged the impor- 10 2000 8 TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED TEMPO WINTER

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