Gifted and Talented Parent Meeting

Krahn Elementary

Enhancing Gifted Students’

Learning Opportunities

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

The Texas State Plan

“Students who participate in services designed for gifted students will demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, or environment.” The Texas State Plan

Motivation

Interests

Communication skills

Problem-solving abilities

Memory

Inquiry/curiosity

Insight

Reasoning

Imagination/creativity

Humor

Intensity (overexciteabilities)

Sensitivity

12 Traits of Giftedness

Response to Intelligence Independent study

Self-instructional materials

Self-structured projects

Using a faster pace

Increased complexity and depth

Supportive learning environment

Discussion

Beyond grade-level standards

Hands on “new” learning

A Balanced GT Curriculum

depth & complexity

pre-assessments

differentiation

•compacting

•tiered assignments

•grouping

choices

in-depth studies

•Independent study

•TPSP

social & emotional well-being

Texas Performance Standard Projects

The TPSP is a classroom learning experience in which students will have the opportunity to explore, through research, an area of interest in depth.

If a student is interested in science, he will conduct studies much as a laboratory scientist would do. If a student would like to be a published poet, they might like to focus on taking a poem from conception to publication.

What is it?

Research units/tasks designed by the state to capture high levels of academic performance from GT students

TPSP tasks help students engage in self directed learning, thinking, research and communication in order to develop innovative products and performances that reflect their individuality and creativity

What is it?

1. How can you use this task to make

a difference in your community?

2. How can you apply the task to a real-world situation?

3. How will this task have a personal impact on you?

To Think About . . .

Grade Level Tasks

Kindergarten– Do Your Part for Art, Weather to the Extreme 1st grade—It’s a Family Affair: A Study of Culture and Traditions, Animal Nation 2nd grade—Who’s Who: A Study of Biography, The Ripple Effect: A Study of Water 3rd grade– Building a Business: Games and Toys, Mathematics in Nature 4th grade– Enigmas, The Gift of Age, Innovation Celebration, Math Around Town 5th grade– Story Quilt, Collectibles: Fad or Fortune All grades—Pursuit for Passion

September “Explore with an Open Mind”

Students can integrate new information and ideas to existing knowledge and ideas.

•Student Task Exploration within Grade Band •Availability of resources •Interest and Passion Development

Student Outcomes: Choose a task/project and identify its components

Use concept webbing, KWL, or Interest Inventory to narrow down interest Begin running record of tentative sources

October “Build the Foundation” Preliminary Questions

Timeline of activities and tentative checkpoints

Organizational Tools October District Checkpoint

Campus and District TPSP Spreadsheet

Student Outcomes •Mark teacher appointments and personal checkpoints on calendar. •Develop questions that explore depth. •Use note-taking strategies to answer questions.

November “Develop a Plan of Action”

Questions that Compel •THE Research Question •Research Proposal •Electronic/Paper Research Proposal

Create a Research Proposal using frameworks Include: Topic Primary research question Sources of information Methods of data collection Product Impact* Communication

January “Gather Data”

Students choose 2-3 methods and collect information:

•Observations •Surveys •Interviews •Document Analysis •Use of scholarly secondary sources

February “Organize, Analyze, and Synthesize”

Students will sort data and make connections across time, location, culture, and subject areas to create new thinking. •Personal Conclusions and Connections •Represent Different Perspectives •Big Ideas/Trends

Product Development Identify and represent patterns and trends from collected data Create visual representations which communicate the Big Ideas, Conclusions, and Different Perspectives Determine if more data collection is needed based on conflicting or ambiguous data

April “Share Findings”

Students will effectively communicate the results of their research. •Relevant Visuals •Innovative Product •Language of the Discipline

Create a 10-minute presentation that communicates THE research question, sources of information, data collection & analysis, product, and conclusions. Refine presentation to include language of the discipline. Practice, practice, practice presentation on different audiences.

Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted

and Talented

Compliance

-- “development of

products and/or performance such as those

provided through the TPSP” (3.2C)

Recommended

-- “participation in the TPSP, or

other experiences that result in the development of sophisticated products and/or performances that

are targeted to an audience outside the

classroom..” (3.2R)

Exemplary

-- “develop sophisticated

products..assessed by external evaluators

who are knowledgeable in the field that is the focus

of the product..” (3.2E)

Support

Classroom Teacher

Librarian Campus

Administrators

Professional Mentors from

outside of school

District Advanced Academics Specialist

4 Core Subject Area Teachers

Benefits

Student appreciates the opportunity to relay their passions and intellectual curiosities to an outside panel of professionals

and others in the community

Student investigates the relationship

between personal interests and future

opportunities.

Student becomes aware of the concept of

sophisticated products and performances connected to their

interests.

Teacher ability to differentiate curriculum for gifted/talented students

Impacts of Participation

Heightened critical and problem-solving skills needed for district, state, and national exams

Teacher professional growth and comfort in working with gifted/talented students

Sophistication of products and/or performances developed by gifted/talented students in response to the TPSP tasks

Personality Traits Needed for

Successful Completion

Perseverance

Creative problem solving skills

Risk-taking

The TPSP is based on 11 research-based scoring dimensions: •Development of questions •Research methodology •Sources of information •Collection of data •Analysis & interpretation of data •Multiple perspectives •Organization •Depth of understanding •Impact •Delivery •Vocabulary of the discipline

Development of Questions/ Data

Analysis

Presentation of Learning: Product

and Communication

Scoring Dimensions

District TPSP Implementation

Campus Showcase May All GT students are paneled. All GT students will present in front of an audience. Parents are invited to see presentations. Two students from grades 1, 2, 3, and 5 are randomly selected to participate in district TPSP Showcase.

District TPSP Showcase May 20, 2014 Grades 1 – 5 Every GT student participates in a TPSP task, (All 4th grade goes to district)

Intelligence is

not how much you know

or how fast you learn,

but how you behave

when you don’t know

the answer.

Questions