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

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.

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.”

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

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)

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

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

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.

What Makes Giftedness? *Joseph Renzulli

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

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

Critical Thinking Creativity/Innovation Communication Collaboration

SEARCH SCHEDULE Westwood Bales Thursday 8:30-9:15 1st (Limmer) Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday 8:30–9:15 4th (Galli) 10:00-10:45 4th (Hoskins) 11:50–12:05 5th (Corley) 12:05-12:40 Lunch 12:40–1:10 5th (Corley) 2:15–3:00 5th (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)

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

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

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

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

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 www.tcea.org/robotics 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!

Helpful Websites / Books: www.txgifted.org www.hoagiesgifted.org www.sengifted.org www.nagc.org www.davidsongifted.org www.tip.duke.org 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

Thank you for coming tonight! Please remember to sign up for my Newsflash. Stacy Mueller smueller@fisdk12.net