September 16, 20157-8pm
Ruthanne Bexton, Director(Elementary)Julia Kempkey, Director (Secondary)
Novato Unified School District
GATE Parent Meeting
Objective of Tonight’s Meeting
To update parents about the informational meetings and the GATE leadership team
To provide information about the cluster model at middle and elementary school
To provide information about the training that the GATE cluster teachers will receive and the instructional strategies that will be implemented as a result of this training
GATE Parent MeetingGATE Parent Meeting Objective of GATE Parent MeetingObjective of GATE Parent Meeting
September 16th, 2015 (Tonight’s meeting)
Tuesday, April 19th at 6:00 pm
General update about the GATE program
Review aggregate data for our gifted students’ academic progress
Update parents on the instructional strategies being implemented in the classroom based on teacher training and coaching
Parent Communication
GATE Leadership Team ObjectiveGATE Leadership Team Objective
Thursday, October 29th,
Thursday, January 21st
Thursday, March 17th
Thursday, May 26th,
Bring a collaborative group of teachers, parents and administrators together to improve communication, elicit feedback, review data, discuss instructional strategies and further understand the student experience in the GATE program
Parent Communication
All cluster teachers and administrators will receive two trainings with Dr. Dina Brulles and her consulting partner, Karen Brown.
This training will consist of specific instructional strategies in order to appropriately differentiate instruction for our gifted and talented students.
Teacher Training
With the support of our instructional coaches, all cluster teachers will come together district-wide several times this year.
The collaborative team will share instructional strategies, build lessons and generate ideas on how best to support our gifted students
Collaborative Training
Addressing the Advanced Learning Needs of Gifted and High Ability Students
Novato USDParent Meeting
September 16th, 2015
Dina Brulles, Ph.D.www.giftededucationconsultants.com
Relevant Disclosures
I am coauthor of:
- Helping All Gifted Children Learn: A Teacher’s Guide to Using the Results of a nonverbal ability test (Naglieri, Brulles, & Lansdowne)
- The Cluster Grouping Handbook: How to challenge gifted students and improve achievement for all (Winebrenner & Brulles)
- Teaching Gifted Kids in Today’s Classrooms (Winebrenner & Brulles) Book and Multimedia Training Kit
All Gifted is Local
“Without a national strategy or federal mandate (or funding), gifted education depends on decisions made at state and local levels. Leading to a bewildering system of services.”
“State of the States Report”, NAGC 2009
A cluster grouping model allows schools to employ…
Critical elements of effective gifted programs:
Flexible grouping
Differentiation
Continuous progress
Intellectual peer interaction
Continuity
Teachers with specialized education
Cluster grouping enfranchises all gifted students…
Creatively gifted people
Gifted Perfectionists
Culturally and linguistically diverse gifted students
Twice-exceptional gifted students
Non-productive gifted students
Effective Gifted Cluster Teachers…
• Understand, respect, and enjoy teaching gifted students • Strongly support inclusion• Decrease use of whole group instruction• Encourage student-centered approach to learning• Participate in professional development
When designating cluster teachers, we seek teachers who:
• Understand, respect, and enjoy teaching gifted students
• Strongly support inclusion• Decrease use of whole group instruction• Encourage student-centered approach to learning• Participate in professional development
Gifted cluster teacher meetings
Each school’s Gifted Mentor leads monthly meetings.
Suggested meeting components:
• Discussion of specific strategies • Sharing resources: lessons, materials, etc.• Nomination and testing issues• Problem solving regarding classroom or site concerns• Planning for growth- scheduling students and incoming
gifted cluster teachers
Some Strategies
AccelerationFlexible GroupingAbility GroupingCurriculum CompactingDifferentiated InstructionEnrichment
Matching characteristics to teaching strategies
Characteristics:• Unusual alertness • Rapid learner; puts thoughts together quickly• Excellent memory
Teaching strategy:
Curriculum compacting
Matching characteristics to teaching strategies
Characteristics:•Enjoys solving problems, enjoy numbers & puzzles
•Thinking is abstract, complex, logical & insightful
•Advanced comprehension of word nuances and abstract ideas
•Ask probing questions
Teaching strategy:
Problem solving and Project Based Learning
Matching characteristics to teaching strategies
Characteristics:•Deep, intense feelings and reactions
•Highly sensitive
•Idealism and sense of justice
•Concern w/social & political issues and injustices
Teaching strategy:
Attention to S/E needs that impact learning.
Matching characteristics to teaching strategies
Characteristics:
•Learn basic skills quickly and with little practice
•Longer attention span and intense concentration
•Often self-taught reading and writing as a preschooler
•Unusually large vocabulary and complex sentence structure for age
Teaching strategy:
Acceleration
Matching characteristics to teaching strategies
Characteristics:
•Wide range of interests (or extreme focus in one area)
•Highly developed curiosity
•Interest in experimenting and doing things differently
•Puts ideas or things together that are not typical
Teaching strategy:
Self-directed learning opportunities
Matching characteristics to teaching strategies
Characteristics:Deep, intense feelings and reactionsHighly sensitiveIdealism and sense of justiceConcern w/social & political issues and injustices
Teaching strategy:Attention to social and emotional needs.
Extension menus and other DI lesson plans posted by grade level and content area
Cluster Teacher training topics:
• Understand and know how to implement the SCGM• Recognize gifted potential in all populations• Pay attention to students’ social/emotional needs• Identify students who need learning accommodations• Compact and differentiate• Form flexible learning groups• Integrate basic skills and higher order thinking skills• Create and use learning extensions and tiered lessons• Use appropriate assessments and grading practices• Develop student’s abilities to self-direct• Build effective parent/teacher partnerships
What are some advantages of cluster grouping?
• Grouping all gifted children in a regular classroom provides social, emotional, and academic
advantages to students
• Teachers can focus instruction to better meet all students academic needs
• Schools provide full-time gifted services with few additional costs
Achievement levels increase
Cluster Grouping: Achievement Implications
- Narrowed range of abilities allows for more focused instruction - Teachers learn strategies for advanced ability learners
they can use for all students, not just the gifted students - On-going assessment of students’ strengths and needs ensures continual progress - Gifted students are more likely to receive advanced instruction and extended learning opportunities - Not all student are working on the same material at the same time
•Higher expectations for all students!
Benefits of The SCGM include:
Challenging gifted students every day, all dayCreating learning and leadership opportunity for
all studentsEmpowering all teachers by expanding awareness
and providing preparationOn-going assessment of students’ strengths and needsAll students have opportunities for extended learningIncrease teacher training throughout districtIncrease gifted population
Parent Resources
www.pvschools.net/gifted
www.nagc.org
www.hoagiesgifted.org
www.sengifted.org
www.2enewsletter.org
GATE Leadership Team Drawing
We will draw for 8 parent participants in total with representatives from each of the following schools/programs: Elementary Cluster Program (2) Lynwood Self-Contained (2) Sinaloa (2) San Jose (2)
Open Forum- Questions?
Assume Positive Intent Respect the speaker and allow for a variety of
voicesRespect confidentiality with regard to
individual students and staff
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