Westwood - Bales Gifted and Talented Program Friendswood ISD

1. Westwood - BalesGifted and Talented ProgramFriendswood 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. CharacteristicsCompared 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

9. *Joseph Renzulli What Makes Giftedness?

10. 8 Gripes of Gifted Kids: • No oneexplains 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 Bales Westwood 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) 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)

14. Units of Study: 1st Grade: Productive Thinking Scientific MethodColor Wheel & Symmetry Cereal 2nd Grade: Portfolios SCAMPER Cards Codes & Ciphers 3rd Grade: Personal ArtifactsArchaeologyMysteriesGreat American Campout

15. Units of Study4th Grade:Perspective This I Believe Galimoto InnovationArtists5th Grade:Leadership The BrainMars RoverMiddle 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 • www.idodi.org • www.texasdi.org • Information Meeting September 19th in Bales Library 5:30.

18. Robotics 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!

19. 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

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