Opening Up Gifted and Talented Education to All Through Online Learning with Free Curriculum

Jane FunkSchool District of Crandon, WisconsinGifted and Talented CoordinatorAlternative Education Coordinator

The Problem

Logistics

• GT is a state mandated program; but it is not awarded extra funding.

• WI has 6.7% of students formally qualified with IQ scores over 125.

• Many students are only talented. Talent pools average at 20% of students.

• Student choice in study is the biggest indicator for success.• Students will choose to work above grade level if allowed to

work on something they personally want to learn.

How can we allow students to work above their peers in grade leveled classes?

• Crediting a class in Chinese or HTML?• All the curriculum and assessment for each class?• Expert instructors in everything imaginable?

The Solution• Develop a single course within the credit system for a

Differentiated Classroom for all highly motivated students.

• Must work above grade level in one thing—Math, Reading, Writing, Science, Technology, Humanities, or Leadership.

• Students will work on self-designed but instructor monitored PROJECTS.

• Students use the vast array of Internet resources to complete projects.

RESOURCES!

• W3schools.com (html, ccs, XML, javascript…. Free stepped tutorials for learning code)

IXL (interactive tutorials for each grade level in Math and Language Arts)

Squeak Etoys

• Scripting Code

Boulder Colorado University

• Agent cubes Hour of Code

Alice3

• Animated story builder especially created for girls.

• Exhaustive list of online simulations, instructions, interactive applications, and resources for learning STEM.

PHET

• Math, science, physics, and technology simulations

Energy Skate Park

Crowdrise

Charity needs in your community and around the world.

Coursera

• Free online courses in hundreds of subjects anywhere from learning Chinese to Calculus.

Harvard University

• Free online courses in specific topics or subjects

Art, humanities, & museum studies—just 1 of many categories.• African and African American studies• Celtic languages and literatures• Classics• Digital media• Dramatic arts• History of art and architecture• Humanities• Museum studies• Music• Philosophy• Religion• Studio arts and film

Preplanning

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Step 1:

• Schedule class time: • 3 HS and 3 MS • or select an Independent Study Coordinator for work to be done

during study hall or after school for a fulltime instructor at a large school.

• For a small school, the instructor will only need 2 class periods—1 for high school and 1 for middle school.

Step 2:

• Set entry requirements. For example:• Must work above grade level in Math, Reading,

Writing, Science, Technology, Humanities, or Leadership.• Must produce 1 project per month.• Must set a learning goal that is specific and

measurable (complete 8th grade Math, complete HTML coding tutorial, write 1 animated story each week using a new animation app each week, etc.)

Step 3: • Schedule students with the requirements. • For example:• All qualified GT students receive 1 hour in room or

study hall. • All other are students allowed to fill open seats.• Require each student to read and sign grading policy

for independent study.• Require each student to conference with

coordinator weekly.

Step 4:

• Decide how to give credits for work by naming and impacting student transcripts. For example:• Advanced Independent (Math, Technology, Writing,

or just Study, etc.) will appear on student records.• Departments have set assessments for skipping core

classes (i.e. tests and cut scores for 8th grade Math).

Instruction• Project based/

Internet based/ consumable free curriculum.• Instructor must be

comfortable with trouble shooting technology issues.• Instructor must

continually help students gather resources.

Duties of Instructor

• Enter weekly formative grades.• Help students problem solve.• Keep students on task by visiting weekly.• Require monthly project completion grades as summative.• Call or send parents a progress report monthly. • End with project presentations instead of finals. • Schedule each presentation. • Post final grade.

Management

• The instructor will grade 2 basic divisions of work• weekly progress

(formative) • and monthly

project goals (summative).

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Instructional Timeline

The first week of instruction of each semester—project timeline formation

1. End goal (examples: complete HTML coding to level 5, Develop a video game, pass the final for Algebra 1 semester 1, learn Chinese, etc.)

2. Monthly goals and assessment rubrics (examples: 8 lessons completed each month with a document displaying codes, a different game each month completed, unit tests passed at 85% proficiency weekly, or greetings and common questions followed by foods and restaurants…, for each student).

3. Weekly goals for grading (Friday assessments need to be set by the student. These should be written by the student so that he/she is deciding what will be graded each week.)

Promote the course

• Course handbooks should include a list of course credit options with the agreements for accelerated class credits.

• Counselors should understand the advantages of adding advanced study courses for students competing for college admissions.

• Students need to be given these options: flyers, hall posters, instructors, and the coordinator need to explain how students can develop skills and knowledge independently.

• The school’s website should have an area displaying this option. Schools are trying to draw families into districts. Families often evaluate a school by visiting the websites.

School Website

• Students who excel at learning above grade-level need to be celebrated. Photos or quick summaries of achievements in learning will encourage others to compete for this attention and will add to the school’s reputation.

School Board Meetings• When students work independently on advanced study, they

should be formally recognized by the school. Board meetings often recognize excellence in teaching, so recognizing independent or self-teaching would follow.

Students in regular instruction classrooms benefit from presentations by student achievers.

Why we need to use the Web to differentiate.• Curriculum resources and subject matter experts are

expensive and extensive. The Internet offers these for free.• Highly motivated and high-level learners need to be

allowed to work independently. • Students and parents are customers who want the Walmart

experience with a Macy’s quality. This is possible and easy to provide due to the abundance of free resources.

• State requirements for offerings to GT students is based in need. Many students do not have the IQ to qualify, but many are talented. By offering students independent study based on the many resources available, both gifted and talented students will excel.

Having a choice is very motivating.

Once a program is set-up and running, students will work very hard to gain entry. Students want to study, but they often do not have the freedom to choose what they study.

Contact• Jane Funk• 9750 Hwy 8 W, Crandon, WI 54542• funkjane@sdofcrandon.com• 715 478 6199