(170 Contact Hours, 17 PLUs, Certification Add-on)
Middle Georgia RESA offers a PSC approved Gifted In-Field Endorsement and is designed to train local candidates to identify and teach gifted students from a variety of cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds. This program ensures that its graduates have in-dept knowledge of teaching the gifted and talented students. The assignments, performance tasks, and assessment for each course will serve as the basis for ensuring that candidates have this knowledge. Program candidates will complete 170 hours of coursework and applied field experiences; content knowledge will be integrated across courses to help ensure mastery and coverage. This program endeavors to abide by and provide expertise in accordance with PSC rule 505-3-.90 GIFTED IN-FIELD EDUCATION ENDORSEMENT PROGRAM .
 
Candidate admission to the MGRESA Endorsement Program requires the following:
    • A valid, level 4 or higher Induction or Professional teaching certificate in any teaching field is required for program admission. 
 
Candidates must register online under Online Registration for each course of the Gifted Endorsement and follow the link to print the application for system approval.  

Course Descriptions

The Endorsement is divided into three courses consisting of two 5 PLU classes and one 7 plu class and must be taken in sequence.  Completion of the three courses is required in order to add the Gifted endorsement to an existing level 4 professional teaching certificate or higher.
 

This is a job-embedded program. Candidates must practice skills with students.  

 

Course 1: Characteristics of the Gifted

Characteristics of the Gifted, provides an overview of gifted learners and special populations. Cognitive, social-emotional, and behavioral characteristics of gifted children necessitate different instructional design. This course will address methods by which the unique characteristics can be addressed in instruction and learning environment. This course also addresses the instruments used in the process of identifying and serving gifted students.
 

Course 2: Curriculum and Instruction for Gifted

Instruction will be targeted to the needs of teachers who will be expected to plan, design, and implement appropriately differentiated instruction for gifted students. Candidates will be expected to relate the characteristics and learning needs of the diverse population of gifted students to appropriate instructional methods and materials that are needed to implement effective educational programs for all gifted and talented students. Candidates will be expected to assess learners and develop and modify instructional content and methodology to meet the learning needs of gifted students and demonstrate this knowledge by creating and implementing an instructional unit of study in their content area.

Course 3: Assessment and Program Implementation

Assessment & Program Implementation for the Gifted provides an overview of the various assessment tools used to identify the gifted learner, as well as an overview of program models utilized to create enriching environments for gifted students. The course also prepares participants to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately to meet the needs of gifted students.