Gifted and Talented Tidbits 6
By Lenora Barnes 10/14/16 (MIS)
UPCOMING
10/24/16 - No GT Class due to GT Coordinator Meeting at Region 6
Compacting One Week At A Time - Pretest For Volunteers
When covering curriculum that takes about a week, pretest for volunteers is the best compacting method to choose according to Winebrenner. To use this method, allow the volunteers to take the end of the week assessment before the material is taught. You do not have to create a whole new test to use as the pretest. Before giving the assessment, allow all students a few minutes to look over the upcoming content. Offer the pretest opportunity to any student that thinks they are already at mastery level. Be sure to remind them that scores on the pretest will only be entered in the grade book if they represent mastery, which is 90 percent or higher. The students should understand that the reason for the pretest is to determine how much they know about the content; so that you can decide together if compacting the weeks’ worth of work would be the best option for them. The students should be allowed to stop the pretest at any point where they think they will not be able to attain the required amount of questions correct. Should they decide to stop; they may simply place the unfinished test in a designated spot and return to the activity that the rest of the class is doing. The students demonstrating mastery will complete alternate activities during the week. The alternate activities will be completed instead of the regular instruction and activities, not in addition to them. The pretest grade will be recorded as the test grade for the students who compacted out of the lessons for the week.
Of course, this weekly compacting strategy will work better for some topics than others, but it can be used in every content area. Before beginning the pretest process, be sure to have alternate activities planned and available.
WInebrenner (2012)
DID YOU KNOW?
The Dualities of Giftedness Part 5
The child who observes keenly and is responsive to new ideas may also be the child who sees too much or becomes inpatient.
- The child who has a keen sense of humor may also be the child who uses humor inappropriately to gain attention or attack others; becomes the class clown; or is disruptive.
- The child who is sensitive, empathic, or emotional may also be the child who takes things personally; is easily hurt or upset; feels powerless to solve the world's problems, becomes anxious, fearful, and sad; or has trouble handling criticism or rejection
Galbraith & Delisle (2015)