1. Westwood - Bales Gifted and Talented Program Friendswood ISD
Stacy Mueller
GT Specialist

2. The FISD Gifted and Talented Program offers special services to students who perform at or show the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment.

3. State Goal For Services For Gifted Students:
“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. High school graduates who have participated in services for gifted students will have produced products and performances of professional quality as part of their program services.”

4. Identification and Placement
Fall screening- new students transferring to FISD
Spring screening- teacher / parent nomination
Data reviewed by committee
Students meeting criteria are selected for the program ( 2 Quantitative / 2 Qualitative )
Parent contacted
Participation is voluntary

5. GT Services in FISD SEARCH (K-5th) Grouped with other gifted students
Differentiated Instruction
Pre-Advanced Placement classes- Jr. High
Advanced Placement classes - High School
Also…
Destination Imagination (2nd -5th grade)
Robotics (4th & 5th grade)
Mathletes (2nd & 3rd grade)
Young Inventor’s Showcase (4th grade GT)
Mars Rover (5th grade GT )
Spelling Bee (3rd -5th grade)

6. Characteristics Compared to other children your child’s age, your child may show many of these characteristics:
Reasons well
Learns rapidly
Has extensive vocabulary
Sensitive
Perfectionist
Intense
Has strong curiosity
Has a high degree of energy
Prefers older companions or adults
Has a wide range of interests
Has a great sense of humor
Concerned with justice, fairness
Is a keen observer
Has a vivid imagination
Tends to question authority

7. Kinds of Gifted Learners:
Studious High Achievers
Social Leaders
Creative Intellectuals
Gifted Underachievers

8. High Achiever Gifted Learner Creative Thinker Remembers the answers.
Poses unforeseen questions.
Sees exceptions.
Is interested.
Is curious.
Wonders
Is attentive.
Is selectively mentally engaged.
Daydreams.
Works hard to achieve.
Knows without working hard.
Plays with ideas and concepts.
At the top of the group.
Beyond the group.
In own group.
Learns with ease.
Already knows.
Questions: What if…
Enjoys school often.
Enjoys self-directed learning.
Enjoys creating.
Absorbs information.
Manipulates information.
Improvises.
Completes assignments on time.
Initiates projects and extensions of assignments.
Initiates more projects than will ever be completed.

9. What Makes Giftedness?
*Joseph Renzulli

10. 8 Gripes of Gifted Kids:
No one explains what being gifted is all about.
School is too easy or boring.
Parents, teachers and friends expect us to be perfect all the time.
Friends who really understand us are few and far between.
Kids often tease us about being smart.
We feel overwhelmed by the number of things we can do in life.
We feel different and alienated.
We worry about world problems and feel helpless to do anything about them.
From When Gifted Kids Don’t Have All the Answers: How to Meet Their Social and Emotional Needs by Jim Delisle

11. SEARCH (SEEK, EXPERIMENT, ANALYZE, RESEARCH, CREATE, HYPOTHESIZE)
Provides GT services in the four core areas and in areas such as productive thinking, problem solving, logic and leadership as identified by the state plan
Curriculum of greater depth & complexity
Challenges students in pull-out lessons with increased student responsibility
GOALS
Develop problem solving and communication skills necessary for success in life
Become independent, life-long learners
Become producers and contributing members of society
Develop a healthy self-concept enabling teamwork and collaboration

12. Critical Thinking
Creativity/Innovation
Communication
Collaboration

13. SEARCH SCHEDULE Westwood Bales Thursday 8:30-9:15 1st (Limmer)
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday
8:30–9: th (Galli)
10:00-10: th (Hoskins)
11:50–12: th (Corley)
12:05-12: Lunch
12:40–1: th (Corley)
2:15–3: th (Lusk)
Thursday
8:30-9:15 1st (Limmer)
9:45-11:45 3rd (Defibaugh)
12:30-2:30 2nd (German)
Friday
8:30-9:30 1st (Limmer)
11:50-12:20 3rd (Rogers)
12:20-1:00 Lunch
1:00-2:30 3rd (Rogers)

14. Units of Study: 1st Grade: 2nd Grade: 3rd Grade: Productive Thinking
Scientific Method Color Wheel & Symmetry
Cereal
2nd Grade:
Portfolios
SCAMPER
Cards
Codes & Ciphers
3rd Grade:
Personal Artifacts Archaeology Mysteries Great American Campout

15. Units of Study 4th Grade: Perspective This I Believe Galimoto Innovation Artists 5th Grade: Leadership The Brain Mars Rover Middle Ages

16. Progress Reports Critical Thinking Creative Thinking Communication
Collaboration
Self-Directed Learning
Behavior

17. Destination Imagination
Creative Problem Solving Competition
Builds creativity, problem solving, team work
5-7 students on a team
Challenges / Rising Stars
Information Meeting September 19th
in Bales Library 5:30.

18. Robotics Rubble Trouble! We participate in the
TCEA LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Challenge.
This year’s challenge is
Rubble Trouble!
For more information on the challenge,
visit
Robotics team members should have the following qualities:
Team player
Interest in engineering, programming , math
Highly self-motivated
Willing to learn
Able to handle constructive criticism
Willing to commit an extensive amount of time
Applications due to Mrs. Mueller
September 13th!

19. Helpful Websites / Books:
Growing Up Gifted by: Barbara Clark
When Gifted Kids Don’t Have All the Answers by: Judith Galbraith
You Know Your Child is Gifted… by: Judith Galbraith
Guiding the Gifted Child by: James Webb

20. Thank you for coming tonight!
Please remember to sign up for my Newsflash.
Stacy Mueller