GREAT THINKING THURSDAY
For Klein ISD Educators of Gifted Learners
September 26, 2019
GT Summit: September 28, 2019
#KleinFamily Welcomes Author and Gifted Educator to GT Summit!
Keynote Speaker: Nathan Levy, Author Stories with Holes
Leadership Academy
Common Lit Hispanic Heritage month
GT Guiding Coalition Kicks Off a New Year!
By Carie Barber
Program Coordinator
GT Guiding Coalition Leader
Advanced Academics
The first meeting of the GT Guiding Coalition for the 2019-2020 school year was an exciting start to another innovative year! Advanced Academics was pleased to welcome many new faces to the coalition this fall well as celebrate the award-winning progress the coalition has achieved to date.
The cohort of forever learners began by exploring best practices in GT program evaluation with an extensive research article published in the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) magazine, Tempo. This exercise helped to frame the upcoming task of creating of new evaluation process for Gifted and Talented services in Klein ISD.
The group also focused brainstorming and learning around four goal areas identified in the spring based upon changes to the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students. Those areas included: Profile of an Exceptional Gifted Teacher, Social/Emotional Curriculum, Family and Community Engagement, and Curriculum and Instruction.
With the goals of providing a spectrum of GT services in Klein ISD and of preparing teachers for the expansion of programming, the coalition reviewed our High Quality Teaching document along with articles and walkthrough evaluation checklists for GT classrooms. This group will work toward creating a profile of an exceptional gifted teacher.
The next group worked on exploring topics and resources for a social/emotional learning curriculum which is now required by the Texas State Plan. Counselors, administrators, and teachers were very valuable contributors to help reimagine learning for the affective development of our gifted learners.
The family and community engagement group reviewed previous community calendars and made suggestions for possible events that would help Advanced Academics to build community.
Finally, the curriculum and instruction team dug into possible curricula for creativity, leadership, and CTE. Additionally they were tasked with reviewing our newly refreshed curriculum to look for opportunities to add resources for our GT learners.
Advanced Academics is looking forward to working with the student-centered leaders of the GT Guiding Coalition whose grasp of the golden thread of innovation will help reimagine learning for our most able students and help ensure that EVERY student exits with a purpose in Klein ISD.
PSAT/SAT Prep for Teachers/Students on Schoology
This course was speficially designed to integrate components of the PSAT and college readiness skills with daily instruction or during scheduled intervention periods!
POWER UP FOR THE PSAT Resources
UPDATE: SAT/PSAT Boot Camps FALL 2019
LAUNCH Cycle Framwork: Look, Listen, Learn!
By John Spencer
Professor, Author, Maker
Source: http://www.spencerauthor.com/design-start/In the LAUNCH Cycle, we begin with awareness. We define this as “Look, listen, and learn.” The process of establishing awareness will vary from project to project. It will look different depending upon the subject you are teaching, the mix of students that comprise the class, their age, and the final product you want them to create. It’s important to realize that you can’t make someone aware. It’s something you have to inspire but it’s ultimately very internal.
Awareness isn’t something you create in another person. It’s an experience you have to tap into as a teacher. However, you can construct scenarios to expand your students’ awareness and increase their curiosity.
READ MORE ABOUT:
The Six Starting Places for Awareness
Spencer, J. (2019, April 8). Great Design Can Begin Anywhere (6 Starting Places for Design Thinking). Retrieved from http://www.spencerauthor.com/design-start/
Cultivate Talent: Fall GT Professional Learning Playlist
Featuring: How to Prepare for the GT Supplemental Exam Certification Test
Advanced Placement Instruction: AP Course Exam and Description
Additionally, students and educators will have access to AP Classroom, which includes new instructional resources that provide daily support for the 2019-20 school year. Sign in at My AP, where you’ll find a personalized timeline, course information, and all the tools you need throughout the school year.
AP Teacher Access Tutorial Video
AP Student Access Video Tutorial
Innovation Challenge: Operation Lifeline!
DAY OF DESIGN: October 2, 2019
College Readiness: Vistas High School Dual Credit
GT Referral Window Open until September 27!
For more information about the characteristics of Gifted and Talented Students or the GT assessment process, please visit the Advanced Academics website at kisd.us/AdvancedAcademics.