Gifted and Talented

The Texas State Plan for the Education of GT Students

This document is used to provide guidance to campuses and districts on how to implement gifted services in Texas. It states that gifted services provide "self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication" and that the students identified for these services are "advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, and environment." Students must qualify for services based on quantitative data such as test scores as well as qualitative data such as referral information.

ABILITY vs ACHIEVEMENT

Michael Phelps won 28 medals at the Olympics and 23 of them were gold. He has set record upon record for swimming and awards. Many attribute his success to four characteristics: exceptional lung capacity, relatively short legs, relatively large wingspan, and a relatively long torso. However, he also had great coaching and he worked to his capacity. That's like our students. They can have the ability to learn faster or deeper, but they still need a 'coach' and they must work hard.

Now, for just a moment ask yourself this. What if you had his coach? Would you have Olympic gold medals? Maybe, but if you didn't have his capacity or his unique abilities a coach would not be needed. You would never be an Olympic swimmer. We can apply this to some of the high achieving students that are in our schools who do not qualify for gifted services. They do not demonstrate a specific need for the specialized programming.

CHARACTERISTICS of a GIFTED LEARNER

This list of characteristics may guide you in determining if you have a student that exhibits skills related to a gifted learner. Most importantly, sharing specific examples of the observed characteristics is helpful in the collection of data for the placement committee in determining if a student has an instructional need for gifted services.


Thinking Give specific details that demonstrate different levels or forms of thinking. combining ideas adapting to new ideas maximizing on ideas putting ideas to another use eliminating ideas rearranging or reversing ideas abstractly form ideas	Creativity Give specific and concrete situations on how the child exhibits creativity. motivation curiosity risk taking experimenting/endless possibilities heightened capacity for abstract thinking independence/individualism	Emotion Give specific situations that apply to the child's emotional well being. increased curiosity immersed areas of interest concerns of fairness and equity globally highly self-critical keen sense of humor/class clown keen affective memory

Thinking

Give specific details that demonstrate different levels or forms of thinking.

combining ideas

adapting to new ideas

maximizing on ideas

putting ideas to another use

eliminating ideas

rearranging or reversing ideas

abstractly form ideas

Creativity

Give specific and concrete situations on how the child exhibits creativity.

motivation

curiosity

risk taking

experimenting/endless possibilities

heightened capacity for abstract thinking

independence/individualism

Emotion

Give specific situations that apply to the child's emotional well being.

increased curiosity

immersed areas of interest

concerns of fairness and equity globally

highly self-critical

keen sense of humor/class clown

keen affective memory


Canadian Elementary WIN Time At CES students enjoy special projects during WIN time. Snapology Students learn about math and science concepts with the use of lego sets and hands-on learning.	Baker Elementary Wildcat Time: Students enjoy projects based on their interests surveys and have the opportunity to enjoy our new chess club. Snapology: Students learn about math and science concepts with the use of lego sets and hands-on learning	Canadian Middle School Snapology: Students learn about math and science concepts with the use of lego sets and hands-on learning.

Canadian Elementary

WIN Time

At CES students enjoy special projects during WIN time.

Snapology

Students learn about math and science concepts with the use of lego sets and hands-on learning.

Baker Elementary

Wildcat Time:

Students enjoy projects based on their interests surveys and have the opportunity to enjoy our new chess club.

Snapology:

Students learn about math and science concepts with the use of lego sets and hands-on learning

Canadian Middle School

Snapology:

Students learn about math and science concepts with the use of lego sets and hands-on learning.

Canadian High School

Students participate in accelerated learning opportunities each semester.

Accessibility

Krista Daniel

Gifted and Talented

Canadian ISD

Gifted and Talented

Canadian ISD