Problems With NYC’s Gifted and Talented Program Shared Across the Country – Along With Fears for Gifted Ed’s Future
October 25, 2021
By Jo Napolitano
New York City’s elementary school gifted and talented program, long criticized for its stark failure to include Black, Hispanic and other students, might win a reprieve from the likely incoming mayor. Sandra Kaplan, professor of clinical education at the University of Southern California, bristles at the notion of dismantling gifted education in younger grades, saying some children are simply more capable than others and should have their interests recognized…. Read More
Collaborative USC project connects kids with world-class educators
August 30, 2021
By Eric Ruble
What started as a way for local kids to learn from USC professors has evolved into a chance for students around the country to gain access to extraordinary academic opportunities. It’s called The Discovery Project, and Elizabeth Currid-Halkett from the USC Price School of Public Policy, Sandra Kaplan from the USC Rossier School of Education and Leana Golubchik from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering founded the program together in 2019, with instrumental program support from Alyssa Lopez of USC Rossier and funding from the Provost’s Office…. Read More
Five Ways to Differentiate Instruction in an Online Environment
May 4, 2020
By Larry Ferlazzo
What are the best ways to differentiate online instruction? Learning online has multiple and relevant opportunities for both the teacher and the learner… Read More
Singapore Educators Learn from LBUSD
December 12, 2019
What do Long Beach and Singapore have in common? Both have been ranked among the world’s top five school systems in recent years. Singapore educators have taken note, visiting local schools to learn more about meeting the needs of advanced learners… Read More
2nd Graders From 1959 Inglewood Class Reunite to Honor Their Teacher
September 13, 2019
By Nerissa Knight, KTLA5
Before she became one of the country’s leading voices on gifted and talented education, USC Rossier Professor Sandra Kaplan taught second grade in Inglewood. The students from her first-ever class are all grown up now, and this past weekend, threw a celebration in her honor at University of Southern California.
Looking back on summer “Discoveries” at USC
September 12, 2019
For two weeks, Mirman partnered with USC and its Neighborhood Academic Initiative to create Project Discovery, a multidisciplinary lecture/project hybrid style course for 25 middle-schoolers. Mirman had a slate of Upper Schoolers who participated in the project, spending two weeks of their summer ensconced in a college classroom where they played community-building games, took in presentations on everything from computer science to modern art to philosophy, and worked on the critical and creative skills necessary to embark on independent study projects… Read More
For gifted students, USC initiative fosters summer learning
August 8, 2019
By Diane Krieger
Take 25 bright middle schoolers. Blitz them with fact-filled presentations by USC professors in computer science, medicine, economics, urban planning, political science, philosophy and neuroscience. Engage them in Socratic back-and-forth. Give the kids laptops and coach them in concept-rich coding tasks.. Read More
GATE or gatekeeper? The argument that academic tracking creates racial segregation in schools
May 2, 2019
Hosted by Larry Mantle
“All students should be given the ability to express their abilities… We need curriculum that allows students of all ages, of all groups, to show their ability. Curriculum that allows for the challenge of potential and the recognition of ability. We secondly need teachers who understand how to differentiate the curriculum.” – Sandra Kaplan
April 5, 2018
By Susan L. Wampler
A latina Kindergartener from the Ontario-Montclair Unified School District sits in the back of her classroom, responding one-on-one to questions designed to probe her problem-solving ability and gauge her curiosity.. Read More pp 20-21
June 25, 2015
“On the day before she presided over her 30th Annual Summer Gifted Institute for 350 teachers in mid-June, Professor of Clinical Education Sandra Kaplan and two Rossier colleagues attended a ballet performance of Boris Eifman’s “Rodin” at the Los Angeles Music Center.”… Read More
New issue of ‘Reach’ features faculty roundtable on education politics
January 21, 2015
“NPR recently aired a program regarding access to college. It appeared that some of the students who were interviewed wanted to go to college but did not understand the purpose of going. It reminded me of my visit to a preschool when I heard a teacher jokingly telling a four-year-old practicing writing his name,…” Read More
Shanghai Normal University’s Teacher Training Institute
November 12, 2014
“USC Rossier’s Global Professional Development program is hosting the Teacher Training Institute from Shanghai Normal University, with 10 delegates who have been engaged in two months of intensive guided learning.” … Read More
Dr. Sandra Kaplan Receives NAGC Legacy Award
December 5, 2012
“USC Rossier Professor Sandra Kaplan was honored on November 16 with the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Legacy Award, making her the sixth winner in the history of the organization. Kaplan, a renowned expert in gifted education, was selected for her professional talents and contributions to enhancing the lives of our nation’s most able learners” … Read More
Office of Professional Development Programs hosted South Korean educators
January 19, 2012
“Dr. Sandra Kaplan taught components of gifted education such as: Depth and Complexity, Thinking Like a Disciplinarian, Critical & Creative Thinking Skills, Differentiated Instruction and Independent Study. In addition, two USC doctoral candidates presented workshops to the group: “… Read More