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When one person just isn’t enough…. Expanding Gifted Services Through Community Involvement. Presented by Genevieve Jenkins KAGE Conference 2013. Common Topics Of Discussion: . Gifted kids are underserved. There are not enough gifted personnel.
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When one person just isn’t enough… Expanding Gifted Services Through Community Involvement Presented by Genevieve Jenkins KAGE Conference 2013
Common Topics Of Discussion: • Gifted kids are underserved. • There are not enough gifted personnel. • There needs to be more money for gifted. • The gifted budget is what?? • What do you mean there’s no federal money for gifted education???? • It sure would be nice if we could do more, but I’m only one person…
There are no answers to these concerns. The bulk of g/t services are provided in the regular classroom. REALITY
I am not willing to accept that the regular classroom is the only (or best) place for all gifted services.
Fact: I can’t do it all. Fact: This is difficult to admit!!
Fact: There are plenty Of people willing (eager, in fact) To work with Your students.
Where I started… I had a student in isolation. I heard an expert speak. I knew a parent…who was an expert at something. She knew some other colleagues… All you have to do is ask.
Initiative #1 Morehead State University Friday Class 4th and 5th grade General Intellectual students go to campus on selected Fridays and work with college professors. We work in a specific department each semester. We rotate through the Science, Art, Math, and English departments. I have a contact person in each department who gets their colleagues to sign up for sessions. Each professor is only responsible for one stand-alone session. This helps them say yes.
Initiative #1 Logistics: I have a bus that starts at one elementary school at 1:00 on Friday and then travels to each school to pick up the students at that school and then brings them to meet me on campus. The class meets from 2:00 to 4:30. The parents have to pick the kids up when the class is over. We usually have 9 or 10 sessions per semester. STUDENTS MAY OPT OUT!
Initiative #2 Thanksgiving Week Seminar: I actually got this idea from something Nathan Levy said in a presentation once… Students go to school and a bus picks them up starting at 8:15 and brings them to me at the board of education office. We then spend those two days doing various labs and other critical thinking/performance activities.
Initiative #2 Thanksgiving Week Seminar: Some of the activities I’ve done during this time: --Stories with Holes --CSI Lab activity (the central office staff posed as “suspects” for this) --Zendoodling --Math puzzle solving --Space Science Center labs --Found-Art Sculpture/Folk Art Center --Annual Holiday Radio Show
Initiative #3 Middle School “Top Ten” Speaker Series: Our middle school schedule contains a 7th Period study hall…lunch works also possibly. We’ve utilized this time to bring in speakers. People from the community volunteer to come in and present a session about their topic. The students help us come up with ideas of topics they’d like to have sessions about.
Initiative #3 • Middle School “Top Ten” Speaker Series: • Topics: • Space Science • Medical Careers • Relay For Life • Music History • Books • Environmental Issues • Law Careers • How to Handle Money • Volunteer Firefighters • Broadcasting/Sports • News Photography • Dramatic Arts • Distinguished Young Woman Program • How to prepare for High School/College • Music DeptProfessors • Investing money • Veterinary medicine • Art • Psychology • College Athletics • Physical Fitness • Importance of volunteering • FFA Program
Initiative #3 Logistics: The middle school counselor is the contact person for the speakers. We use the library for the sessions. I make a sign up sheet and the kids sign up for which sessions they’d like to attend. I then take those and make a roster for each session…I provide the middle school counselor with these. Sessions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I email the speakers for the next week on Friday each week. We usually aim for 10 to 12 sessions per semester.
Initiative #4 Annual Radio Holiday Program It’s called The Children’s Holiday Hour. We take the kids to the radio station and they record poetry that is topical (holidays, snow, winter, etc). I take that and program the songs. The radio station puts it together into a show. **We’ve also done PSA’s with leadership groups.
Where to start… Find a friend. Pay attention to logistics. Start small. Be willing to talk about the needs of your kids. (be a guest speaker)
Side note: I have created a couple of resource pages for the teachers in my district. You’re welcome to use them.
CONTACT INFORMATION genny.jenkins@rowan.kyschools.us Webpage: Go to www.rowan.kyschools.us Click on “Parents and Students” in the left hand column Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Elementary Gifted Education.”