GREAT THINKING THURSDAY
For Klein ISD Educators of Gifted
May 9, 2019
KAISER GT: THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX
Advanced Academics Program Coordinator
Gifted Learners at Kaiser Elementary have had the opportunity this year to participate in a weekly enrichment time. Twice a week, GT students were able to all gather together to collaborate, express creativity and sharpen critical thinking skills. During this time, students in grades 2-5 worked interdependently. When they showed mastery of standards the rest of the class was learning, they were able to meet with their gifted peers to challenge their creativity and follow threads of interest.
Besides using this time to complete a research pathway, one of their latest challenges, the Cardboard Challenge, had students working in a partnership to design an arcade game using only a few select materials. Partners had to problem solve as they worked together to experiment and create an engaging game. Two third grade GT learners dove head first into this challenge with great enthusiasm. When asked about the challenges of this activity one said that figuring out which materials would work best on certain parts of the game was difficult. The other said working cooperatively was a challenge because, “...that really wasn’t my thing, but I am better at it now.”
Sometimes, we get caught up in the intellectual needs of our gifted learners. We, as teachers, are worried about challenging them with our curriculum. But, as seen with this activity, maybe the learner’s greatest need is not intellectual, but rather a social emotional need. Collaborating is a real life skill that all kids need to learn. Because this student now realizes that is not his strong suit, he can focus on improving his skills in the future. Sometimes, letting the gifted learners build, create, and design can be more beneficial than curriculum extensions alone. This year, Kaiser GT students have really been given the opportunity to think outside of the (cardboard) box!
For the Cardboard Challenge and other divergent thinking challenges you can visit John Spencer’s YouTube channel here.
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK:
GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU!
Identifying the Gifts of the Gifted
By Ms. Shelley Wells-4th Grade Teacher-Kreinhop
with Imee Villarreal -Advanced Academics Program Coordinator
What amazing things can our GT and Advanced learners do? Do we assist them in lifting their standards to their maximum? Do we show them how high their imaginations can fly? Kreinhop’s fourth-grade ELA teacher and Journalism sponsor, Mrs. Shelley Wells, inspired one gifted learner in her classroom to do just that. Mrs. Wells is a great example of an educator who aids students to identify and recognize their academic gifts and empowers them. She writes about her experience with one of her gifted students Max.
“Max came to fourth grade with basically an empty writing portfolio. I found out very early in the year why that was. Max struggled greatly in the area of writing. His first writing assignment in my class did not go well, to say the least. The first thing I did was confer with his former teachers and then with his mom in order to try and get to the root of the problem. I truly believed Max was completely capable of writing based on interactions with him, so my goal was to help him overcome what stood between him and his first masterpiece. Max and I conferenced a great deal in the weeks following that first assignment. I discovered a huge part of Max’s problem was believing he had something worth writing about, the other part was his desire for perfection straight out of the gate. I knew if we could conquer the first hurdle, the other would come. Sometimes the hardest part is just starting, and often nothing is more intimidating than 26 blank lines.
After many conversations trying to uncover Max’s passions and encourage him to write about them, I discovered he had a dog named Blu that he loves deeply. He told me about how his mom surprised him with the dog he always wanted. I told him he had the perfect story and all that was left to do was put his spoken words in writing. When he began writing, I didn’t interfere or ask to read it. I just wanted him to experience the act and process of writing. When he asked if he could read it to the class, I knew he had to have something special. It was an amazing moment to hear him read his story. His peers clapped and cheered for him when he was done. It was quite magical to watch Max discover the writer within and open a world of possibilities for himself.”
Max writes about his newfound passion in “The Howler: The Student News site of Kreinhop Elementary.”
According to Ben Johnson, author of Teaching Students to Dig Deeper, educators ought to identify the gift, recognize it, accept it and utilize it. He states that identifying the student gift for what it is takes a teacher who is not concerned about controlling student behavior but instead channeling it. We are grateful to all GT teachers in Klein ISD who intentionally personalize learning and empower students making Promise to Purpose a reality!
Underidentification: Be on the Lookout for Talent
Written by 5th grade Teacher and Benignus GT Advocate, Janet Hogan
Usually, by the time a gifted student reaches 5th grade, they’ve already been identified, so I’m not sure if it was Kurt’s (student's name has been changed) excessively shy personality or hesitant parents, but somehow, this very special one slipped through the cracks. It didn’t take long to notice his immediate grasp of new math concepts and general number sense, but I noticed that Kurt was drawn to math work & problem solving even when he could chose from less rigorous options. By the time I realized he could work through much of a 6th grade book and had given him one to keep, he could be seen carrying it around, wrapped in his arms like a cherished teddy bear, with great affection and pride.
His personality is uniquely quiet & quirky, but his Advanced Math class adores him and have adopted him as somewhat of a class mascot that they would protect in a heartbeat should an outsider not understand him the way they do. They praise him when he has accomplishments like high scoring assessments and have, accordingly, socially familiarized him with high-fives and fist bumps. He has, since, created complex equations that take him a week to solve, to the amazement of all. He is content to wander the periphery of playground games and, though invited many times to join in, has professed his preference to just observe. At this point, we’ve been able to coax him into sharing math tips & knowledge and, when he does, his classmates sit on the edge of their seats in anticipation of the profundity that spills forth from Kurt. He is slowly breaking out of his life-long shell & the class is proud of him, much like big brothers & sisters. When he is about to respond to a question, they love his unfaltering lead-in: “Well, you know…” We all share a united smile, because we realize it truly is obvious to him.
Underidentification remains a target for improvement for the Klein GT Guiding Coalition and we never know when we may run into a student who can test for our gifted and talented program with flying colors as this young man finally has. Be on the lookout for your Kurt!
Teachers: Refer a Talented Student Today!
The Spring Teacher Referral process is a direct result of the work of the GT Guiding Coalition members who felt strongly about reaching out to teachers in the Spring with the goal of identifying students, particularly those in underrepresented populations. Please know that we value your input and look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions about the spring teacher referral process, please reach out to your campus GT Advocate, GT Administrator, or Advanced Academics Program Coordinator, or Carie Barber-Advanced Academics Program Coordinator-Identification Process Lead.
Krahn GT Advocate: Campus Teacher of the Year!
We're so proud of all of our Teachers of the Year-most especially are hard-working advocates who promote, serve, and support our GT Learners and their Teachers!
Visit Van Gogh Up Close: Museum of Fine Arts Houston
When you visit the exhibition Vincent van Gogh: His Life in Art, be sure to stop by the companion display!
Van Gogh Up Close offers visitors the opportunity to be enveloped in the world and practice of one of history’s most inspired artists through modern interactive technologies, art-making activities, and photo-ops.
This immersive, family-friendly experience developed by the Dolores Kohl Education Foundation is included with exhibition admission.
Learning Through Art Curriculum
Vincent van Gogh, Dutch, 1853–1890
Oil on canvas
SUMMER CAMP IINFORMATION!
AP and IB Exams: May 6-May 24, 2019
Summer GT Professional Learning:
REGISTRATION OPENS FRIDAY MAY 3RD AT 5:00 PM!
AP TEACHERS: YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THIS!!!
UPDATE: New Teachers to AP for the 2019-2020 School Year:
You will be able to order the Course and Exam Description Binder on May 20, 2019!
All admins, counselors and teachers will have full access to the Digital Binder on August 1, 2019!
These guides will be featured in AP Summer Institute. If you are teaching an AP Course in 2019-2020 and would like to attend AP Summer Institute please contact Imee Villarreal in the Advanced Academics Office!
35 AP subjects will receive Course and Exam Description (CED) binders this year. These binders refine and clarify the scope of content that can be assessed on the AP Exam for college credit, and provide teachers with a suggested topic and skill sequence they can adapt to their needs rather than having to build from scratch. Order your free copy at this link: FREE AP BINDER
AP teachers in the United States who have completed the AP Course Audit can request a free copy of the binder by January 31, 2020. New AP teachers should wait to request their binder until their Course Audit form for 2019-20 has been approved by their administrator. CED binders will be mailed beginning in June 2019.
Anyone, worldwide, can download these materials beginning late May 2019.
Note: CED binders aren’t available for AP Computer Science Principles, AP Seminar, and AP Research, because those subjects follow a different curricular model than the other AP subjects.