Enhanced Talent DevelopmentGifted and Thriving 

Southlake Association for Gifted and TalentedNovember 20, 2014Dr. Micheal Sayler

Some Gifted I have Known

Kenny

Laurie

Celeste

3

Which Ones Lived Up to Our Expectations of the Gifted?

Which Ones are Talented?

Leading Our Children: An Analogy

What’s Next? And Then What?

Knowing the Goal

Talent DevelopmentGifts

High Levels

of Potential,

Aptitude,

Natural

Ability, etc…

TalentsHigh Levels of

Performance

in School or

Even Adult

DomainsEnvironmental Catalysts

Surroundings, People, Events

Training and Development

Intra-personal CatalystsMotivational Temperament/

Personality

Why provide special programming options for the gifted?

To address the unmet academic and social needs of the gifted today – best reason now

To lead a life of talent, friendships and character, with a unity of purpose – the necessary long term vision

Achieving Talent Development1. Daily challenge in their talent area(s)

2. Regular independent work & study

3. Subject and grade-level acceleration

4. Socializing and learning with ability peers

5. Specific content domain strategies

Gifted and Talented: 1D

Deeply Developing Their Talents

Minimally developed

Highly developed

Top Athlete: Domestic Violence

Childhood Star: Drugs and alcohol

Investment Banker: Ponzi Scheme

Multinational Corp: Cooked the books

All Are Talented but also Unhappy & Harmful

Respected Coach: Molested boys

Congressman: Convicted on 17 of 35

counts

So Then is Talent Development All We Should Consider?It is not enough

In addition to talent development how about the happiness of my child?

How is Happiness Encouraged?

GiftsHigh Levels

of Potential,

Aptitude,

Natural

Ability, etc…

TrainingTalents

CharacterFriendships

????

Talent and Character: 2D

Developing Talents

Deve

lopi

ng C

hara

cter

A life with breadth and length

Philosophers: Friendship’s Role in HappinessSocrates Aristotle

CiceroPlutarch

Teachers, coaches, adults

Friends for the Gifted

Spouses and life-long friends

Parents, siblings, immediate family

Friends who share interests and are excited about learning

Developing More Than Talents

GiftsHigh Levels

of Potential,

Aptitude,

Natural

Ability, etc…

TrainingTalents

CharacterFriendships

Unity of Life or Integrity

Search for Meaning

Developing Character

Talent and Character: 2D

Developing Talents

Deve

lopi

ng C

hara

cter

Developing Character

Talent and Character: 3D

Developing Talents

Deve

lopi

ng In

tegr

ity A life with breadth, length, and depth

Unity of Life / IntegrityInteger, one, single,…

Not “schizophrenic”

And then what…

Clear vision and determination for your purpose in life, where you are going, and the kind of person you are

Gifted and ThrivingGifts

High Levels

of Potential,

Aptitude,

Natural

Ability, etc…

TrainingTalents

CharacterFriendships

Unity of Life or Integrity

FLOURISHING

WASTING

Intra-Personal Catalysts

Environmental Catalysts

Enhanced Talent DevelopmentGifted and Thriving 

Dr. Micheal Sayler