Gifted Resource Council
Gifted Resource Council
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Gifted GRC Teachers Recognized

Great teachers have long been an important reason that courses offered by Gifted Resource Council have proven so attractive to students. GRC hires experienced teachers who have demonstrated their ability to reach gifted students in other venues. "Finding the best teachers is the first thing I do when building a curriculum. They always come up with creative ideas for courses and, even more important, have the experience and skills to get the children involved in the hands-on, cooperative learning which has become a hallmark of GRC," said Executive Director Susan Flesch.

Gifted Association of Missouri Recognizes Marla Dell

GRC teacher and parent Marla Dell was awarded the Gifted Association of Missouri (GAM) 2001 Parent Award at a recent ceremony at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Dell, who was recognized for her outstanding contributions to gifted education in Missouri, was introduced to the conference by Susan Flesch, Executive Director of Gifted Resource Council, who had previously nominated her.

Since 1995, Dell has served as GRC’s part-time bookkeeper. She has also shared her artistic talents by teaching enriching art courses at the Learning Labs sponsored by Gifted Resource Council.

"Marla is the epitome of the parent of a gifted child who uses her knowledge about the importance of specialized opportunities for talented young people to benefit an entire community. She believes strongly that we all need to identify and expand upon the strengths that each child possesses. She recognizes the importance of teachers and parents setting boundaries for talented children, while also serving as "encouragers," said Flesch.

Because her son was too young for the district’s gifted program, Marla and her husband Gregory began to learn all they could about gifted children and used this to help their precocious child. When Pat was accepted into the fledgling PEGS (Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students) as one of only six students, volunteers were needed to assist with the math program. Dell stepped forward to begin her career as a teacher of gifted children.

Marla served as director of Advent Pre-School for seven years. For the past eight years she has been deeply involved in supporting gifted education in the Lindbergh School District. She has served on the district’s school board since 1997 and is currently its president.

Dell’s experience with educational endeavors has convinced her that teachers must help children "be comfortable with who they are, as well as enjoy what they are learning."

"It’s so easy for parents to get caught up in the academic achievements of a child who is a voracious learner. They need to encourage their child’s involvement in social activities, sports, the arts, community service and other activities that help children develop into healthy, well-rounded human beings. Don’t let them narrow down. Balance is key," Dell insists.

Marla reflects that, "It’s a joy to teach the kids at GRC because they want to be there. They soak up everything you have to offer. They’re fun, can do so much and learn so fast."
Missouri Teacher of the Year Finalist

GRC teacher Judy Joerding was selected as first runner-up for the 2001 Missouri Teacher of the Year.

For the past two years, Joerding has taught science and math to gifted students in grades 4-6 at the PROBE Center in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. She has worked for the district for 28 years.

Joerding switched to teaching gifted students at the encouragement of her colleagues who felt her approach to teaching math and science would be perfect for gifted children.

Judy uses "scenario teaching" to help children feel part of a total experience which helps them learn skills within a context while stressing their usefulness. For example, she has gotten thousands of dollars worth of equipment donated by area hospitals so that her classroom at PROBE resembles a fully equipped emergency room. Students learn math and science while undergoing "training" to be physicians.

She develops all her own curriculum, and expects it to be "rigorous as well as interesting." In fact, her gifted middle-school students utilize texts and written materials actually used by Washington University Medical School students!

Joerding uses the same scenario approach for the math and science courses for students in GRC’s Learning Labs. "Judy uses ’real world’ experience to make her courses come alive for her students. Each time her approach is totally different. For instance, her kids dressed in hospital scrubs and turned their classroom into an emergency room last year, and this fall her students have become forensic scientists learning science by serving as crime scene investigators in a mystery drama!" Flesch said.

Joerding describes teaching gifted students at GRC as "a wonderful challenge. They are self-motivated learners who really demonstrate higher level thinking skills. It’s great to see them truly experience the joy of science and math!"
Teacher Generates Award-Winning Book

Hameeda Qadafi guided her gifted students at Pershing Accelerated School in University City to write and illustrate an award winning book, "We Dream of a World . . ."

The book was selected for the 2001 Grand Prize for Nonfiction from among 2,000 entries to the "Kids Are Authors" contest sponsored annually by Scholastic Book Fairs.

Qadafi and the students were recognized at a special assembly on November 2, 2001. The book is available through Scholastic Books.

Hameeda worked with fifteen gifted second, third, fourth and fifth grade students to write an inspiring and practical book about how children and families can help make the world a better place. According to Scholastic, it’s a book "for dreamers and doers."

According to Flesch, this is typical of Qadafi’s creative approach to teaching gifted children. "Hameeda has lived in many parts of the world and uses her broad cultural background and sensitivity to design a wide range of interesting courses involving creative expression, the arts and team-building. She works equally well with preschoolers and middle schoolers, something not all teachers can do," Flesch said.

Qadafi has taught gifted students in the School District of University City for ten years and gifted students for GRC in both Summer Academies and Saturday Learning Labs for the past four years. She teaches gifted students at Delmar Harvard Elementary in University City as well as Pershing Accelerated School.

"I love teaching gifted children," Hameeda said. "They work well together and are so responsive to a challenge!"
For more information regarding Gifted Resource Council, please call the GRC office at 314-962-5920.