"At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done, then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago." -Frances Hodgson Burnett The primary purpose of the Gifted and Talented Program is to serve the academically gifted and talented students of our school district. Students are identified for this program by assessment on a standardized cognitive test, achievement tests, in combination with teacher recommendation scores. Identified elementary students receive pull out services in a resource room provided by the Gifted and Talented teacher. ISD 196 has selected the Otis-Lennon School Abilities Test to measure cognitive ability. This year at Red Pine the test is administered to all 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in October when they take the Standford Achievement Tests which are used to measure academic learning. If a child qualifies for gifted and talented services, a letter of notification and permission to participate is sent home to the child's parents. The G&T curriculum includes units in creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, invention, research, and selected special topics. The G&T curriculum may include some enrichment activities that relate to the classroom curriculum, but it is not designed to accelerate any academic areas taught in the classroom. Core curriculum enrichment is handled within the regular classroom and may include ability grouping for certain subject areas. Flexible grouping techniques are also used within the regular classroom to meet the needs of high ability students. Finally, our QUEST program also offers enrichment opportunities on a schoolwide level. Gifted and talented students meet with the G&T teacher for 30-100 minutes per week. ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES Prior to the third grade, students may be selected to participate in enrichment groups with other students of high ability (those performing above regular expectations) at their grade level. Teachers may select students for these groups based on test scores and /or classroom observation. Content covered in these groups may be subject-specific (i.e., math or reading), or in areas such as research or problem solving. These groups are flexible so that some students may be part of one or two during the year, while other students may be included in groups throughout the year. Enrichment groups usually meet once or twice per week for 25-30 minutes. Schoolwide enrichment is offered through our QUEST program. Do you know about the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented? It is a nonprofit organization of parents and professionals dedicated to promoting better understanding of, and curriculum for, gifted and talented children. The MCGT office is an important source of information on gifted and talented topics in Minnesota. In addition to providing support to local chapters and developing chapters, MCGT publishes a bimonthly newsletter; participates in a national network through its affiliation with the National Association for Gifted Children and other organizations; sponsors an annual state conference with a special children's program; offers information, literature and referral services; and is active in legislative efforts on the state level in collaboration with the Minnesota Educators of the Gifted and Talented (MEGT). You can receive information about membership to MCGT by writing to: Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented, Membership Chairman
Here are some links to websites that may be helpful to you!
Student Links: "There are one story intellects, two story intellects, and three story intellects with skylights. All fact collectors who have no aim beyond their facts are one story learners. Two story learners compare, reason, generalize, using the labor of fact collectors as their own. Three story learners idealize, imagine, predict, realizing their best illumination comes from above the skylight." ~Oliver Wendell Holmes |
Copyright Notice Privacy Statement EOE Statement
