Great Thinkers Club
@ CSMS
Frequently Asked Questions
Due to Covid-19, we will adhere to all AISD guidance regarding social distancing and safety which may mean that plans change at the last minute and without notice. My goal is to build a community, online or IRL, for Great Thinkers kiddos to enjoy.
What is Great Thinkers Club?
Who is invited to join Great Thinkers Club?
What do kids do during Great Thinkers Club?
Mostly we have fun and enjoy being in a non-judgemental space with like-minded peers. Kids in the Great Thinkers club have a place where they are not nerds, dweebs, dorks, or teacher's pets. They are recognized for their unique abilities, because of their unique abilities while using their unique abilities. We play lots of cooperative and competitive brainiac games, we learn new brainiac games, and we challenge our brains to solve complex puzzles and logic.
In the past we've played Racing Pictionary, (always a favorite) lots of table strategy games, Harry Potter / Hunger Games Trivia day, cooperative Logic Puzzles, the Annual Great Great Thinkers Scavenger Hunt, Panic Room field trip, geocaching......
When and Where do you meet?
Students meet once a week and enjoy the company of other students who have the "ability to solve complex problems in effective, efficient, elegant, and economical ways." 1
If in-person school is in session, we will meet on Thursday afternoons in Room 204 (Mrs. Manners' classroom). If we are virtual, we will have a Zoom meeting or a BLEND activity.
Why have a separate club for Great Thinkers?
Gifted students benefit greatly from socializing with like-minded peers. 2 More than any other group, gifted kids benefit from being around like-ability peers. However, most of our society is grouped by age. In sports teams, school grades, and extra-curricular activities, kids with an 11-year-old body and a 16-year-old brain are disconnected from their peers. They haven't found their place. They have a place in Great Thinkers.
What does it cost?
Great Thinkers has no dues. If your child participates in Great Thinkers, I do ask that one adult from the family commit at least one hour (or a contribution in the form of supplies) to our Root Beer Float carnival booth at Splashfest in the Spring.
In the past, we have had an end-of-year after-school field trip to the Panic Room. If we do that again this year, we will need to order a bus. If we choose to do that adventure again (the kids LOVE it) the cost of admission to the Panic Room and the bus will have to be covered. Details of that trip will come in January.
I know you were aching to ask....how can I volunteer to help the Great Thinkers?
- I would love a parent to take on the T-shirt project.
-If we are meeting in-person, I will need 3 or more parents to attend the "Annual Great Thinkers Scavenger Hunt Rally" (you'll be supervising teams as they roam the building solving clues and meeting challenges- this activity is hilariously fun to watch!)
-Help (or take over) the planning of the Root Beer Float booth for Splashfest.
Can parents attend the Great Thinkers Club?
What else does Great Thinkers do?
Whatever else the kiddos can think of! I'm open to suggestions!
Who sponsors the Great Thinkers Club?
That's me. I'm Christie Manners, the Advanced Academics Advocate here at Small. I also teach ELA 7, Creative Writing, and Mythology. I started the Great Thinkers club because of my own experiences as a middle schooler.
I attended a rural school that did not have any type of gifted or advanced academics program. Like many gifted kids in school, I was singled out, called names, and did not fit in with most of my age-mates because my 11-year-old body had a much older brain. I was told by the adults in my world, "Don't be too smart, boys won't like you." That did not sit well with me nor did it serve me well.
The Great Thinkers Club is my effort at being the change I wish to see in the world--I support gifted learners by providing a welcoming and fun place to be themselves, some accepting friends who share their interests and abilities, and another trusted adult who values them for their quirky uniqueness.
I'm lucky to teach in AISD where #allmeansall and at CSMS which recognizes the particular needs of students in the gifted population.
Great Thinkers; Where it's Safe to be Smart
Christie Manners, Advanced Academic Advocate
Email: christie.manners@austinisd.org
Website: smallmiddleschool.org
Location: 4807 Monterey Oaks Boulevard, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512.841.6700