Gifted and Talented Tidbits 23
By Lenora Barnes 3/4/16
THIS WEEK
This week the kindergarten students started class for the first time. We read the book "Going Places" and discussed thinking differently and respecting the ideas of others. We also talked about the class and class expectations. The students then completed rhyming word riddles and visual brainstorms. The students also completed a STEM challenge requiring them to build the tallest tower that they could using only ten sheets of paper.
Gifted students are often prone to perfectionism. I have noticed many of the students exhibiting this lately, so today we read the book "The Girl That Never Made Mistakes" and discussed perfectionism in some of the 1st-2nd grade classes and all of the 3rd-4th grade classes. Both of the classes continued with their read aloud books. The students spent part of the class time working on their TPSP projects. In addition, the students spent time practicing for the upcoming math contest by completing the contest practice problems and discussing them. The third and fourth grade students also completed several word plexars at the beginning of class to warm up their brains.
UPCOMING
Math Contest Permission Slips Due No Later Than 3/25/16
No GT Class (I will be attending the TAGT Leadership Conference.) - April 4-5, 2016 (Mon. & Tues.)
Noetic Math Challenge Contest - Week of April 11, 2016
Gifted Individuals And Procrastination
Many gifted individuals are great procrastinators. This is an informative post about the various reasons they procrastinate.
http://giftedchallenges.blogspot.com/2014/03/ten-reasons-your-gifted-child.html
DID YOU KNOW?
Who is required to have professional development in G/T education?
Teachers who provide instruction and services that are a part of the district’s defined G/T services are required to receive a minimum of 30 clock hours of professional development prior to their assignment to provide G/T services and instruction. This
30-hour training must include nature and needs of G/T students, identification and assessment of G/T students’ needs, and curriculum and instruction for G/T students. Teachers without required training must complete the 30-hour training within one semester of assignment to provide G/T services and instruction. Teachers must also receive a minimum of six hours annually of professional development in G/T education (TAC §89.2(1), (2) and (3); State Plan 4.1.1.C, 4.1.2.C and 4.2C).
Administrators and counselors who have authority for service decisions for G/T students are required to receive six hours of professional development that includes nature and needs of G/T students and service options for G/T students (TAC §89.2(4); State Plan 4.3C). Any campus or district-level administrator (including the superintendent) or counselor who has authority to make scheduling, hiring, or program decisions should have the six hours of training (TAC §89.2(4); State Plan 4.3C).
Is a teacher who has completed the 30-hour foundational G/T training considered G/T certified in Texas?
No. G/T certified refers to a teacher who has obtained the G/T Supplemental Certificate available through the State Board of Educator Certification after successfully challenging the G/T TExES. This certificate alone, however, does not qualify a teacher to teach gifted students in Texas. It must be accompanied by the 30-hour foundational G/T training required by TAC §89.2. A teacher with the appropriate 30-hour training, but without the supplemental certificate, is considered G/T trained (TAC §89.2 and State Plan 4.1.1C).