Course Overview
73% of teachers agree that the brightest students are too often bored and under-challenged in school. This course confronts that problem head-on. Winebrenner and Brulles define what mastery actually looks like, then make the case that once a student has demonstrated it, sitting through the same lessons and completing the same homework isn’t just unnecessary — it’s a disservice.
You’ll learn practical strategies for differentiating curriculum to meet the needs of gifted and high-achieving students within your existing classroom structure. The course pushes you to evaluate your current teaching methods and implement adjustments that give these students a real chance to thrive rather than coast.
GT Specialist Designation Track
This is the designation version of this course. You complete the same coursework as the standard TPAI course, plus the directed work that builds toward the GT Specialist Designation:
This track requires the program companion text, Fundamentals of Gifted Education (Callahan & Hertberg-Davis), used across all five courses. Each additional piece in this course is aimed at a specific national standard for gifted educators, so your work here becomes part of a portfolio that documents your expertise across all seven national standards. You also receive the Candidate Handbook, which lays out your work across all five courses and the capstone. Three graduate credits through CSU Pueblo, the same as the standard version.
Looking for this course outside the GT Designation? The standard version is here.
About the Authors
This is a graduate-level course intended for K–12 educators who have completed a bachelor’s degree. It is recommended that you receive board or district approval before registering with TPAI.
