Future Problem Solving’s interdisciplinary program provides teachers with standards-based and skill-based resources to meaningfully engage students while building knowledge and skills.
The National Association for Gifted Children provides Pre-K-Grade 12 Gifted Education Programming Standards grounded in theory, research, and practice. These standards provide an important foundation for gifted learners at all stages of development. Gifted learners must have access to activities in and out of school that support their unique needs. Gifted educators need programs and curriculum designed to support those needs.
Alignment to NAGC Standards
Our programs support the student outcomes outlined in the NAGC Gifted Programming Standards. Within these standards, NAGC identifies student outcomes related to learning and development, assessment, curriculum planning and instruction, learning environments, programming, and professional learning. Future Problem Solving programs support educators in meeting the needs of gifted learners.
Learning and development
The standards in earning and development address self-understanding; awareness of needs; cognitive, psychosocial, and affective growth; and cognitive growth and career development.
- Educators adapt program content to fit the needs of their learners.
- Educators connect students with community resources and partners as they pursue community projects.
- Our programs are based on years of research from leaders in the field such as, Dr. Donald Treffinger, Dr. E. Paul Torrance, Dr. Ed Selby, and Dr. Marcia Delcourt
- Our program is designed for grades 4-12 and resources for early education are available to support gifted learners throughout their educational journey.
- Our feedback structure allows students to fail productively, reflect on their learning, and continue to progress.
Assessment
The assessment standard encompasses learning progress.
- Students self assess their learning progress through evaluator feedback and reflection on provided rubrics.
- Students demonstrate growth in multiple areas through continued participation in our programs.
Curriculum planning and instruction
The standards of curriculum planning and instruction include curriculum planning, talent development, responsiveness to diversity, and instructional strategies.
- Educators use our resources to adapt a standard curriculum to the needs of gifted learners.
- Students engaged in community projects develop their skills in goal settings, resiliency, self-management, self-advocacy, social awareness, and responsible decision making.
- Students have agency to decide which projects to pursue, which topics to deeply research,and which programs are right for them based on their interests and experiences.
- Coaches use a variety of tools to develop critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem solving.
- Students employ these tools in their research about global issues, as they plan community projects, and as they develop their creative stories.
Learning environments
The learning environments standards include personal competence, social competence, responsibility and leadership, cultural competence, and communication competence.
- Students experience learning and competition in a way that prompts perseverance and rewards effort as they strive to meet high standards.
- Students can choose to work individually or in a group; both options allow students to collaborate with peers, coaches, and their community.
- Students experience many opportunities for leadership as they develop their problem-solving skills.
- Students learn to listen to diverse perspectives inside and outside of their communities and classrooms.
- Students use a variety of tools and media to produce, edit, and publish their writing about real-world issues, creative stories, and community projects.
Programming
The programming standard addresses comprehensiveness.
- The flexibility of our programs allows educators to flexibility accelerate learning in and out of school settings.
- Students can pursue individual projects and interests, both as enrichment and as competition.
Professional learning
The professional learning standard includes lifelong learning.
- Educators participate in training and professional development in order to create a more positive impact on gifted learners.
This is a curated list of applicable standards and does not encompass standards related to identification, school-based services, or policy and procedures.
Program connections
Our program was originally developed to meet the needs of gifted learners and proudly celebrates 50 years of empowering diverse learners with dynamic, purposeful learning experiences.
Global Issues
Students, either in a group or individually, learn to apply the 6-step problem-solving process to real-world issues as they develop strong critical and creative thinking skills.
Community Projects
Students have the opportunity to pursue their own interests through identifying community issues important to them and develop an action plan to make their community a better place.
Creative Writing and Storytelling
Students can explore imagined futures based on real-world issues and allow their imagination to expand, something they may not experience in traditional literacy curricula.
