Talent Development at Olde Providence

Beth Wardy Principal

& Susie Miller

Talent Development Teacher

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION IS WHEN WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE

THEY BECOME EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN.

− CAROL ANN TOMLINSON

Common Understanding we will Practice tonight

•Follow agenda, come prepared and start on time•Help each other stay on current topic (use parking

lot diligently)•Mutual respect

•Always assume positive intent•Stay present- no cell phone or electronic devices

Our Meeting Norms

When it comes to our kids… we are their best advocates as parents… it is easy for our emotions to run the gamut…

Nathan, 10Nathan, 10

Noah, 8Noah, 8

Very different kids…. Same Home Family. Same Classroom Family.

How can we strive to be excellent for both children so they BOTH will be excellent?

On a Scale of One To Ten(Ten Being the Most satisfied)

How satisfied are you with the way your child has been challenged?

20 participants

2013-2014 5.7 (Only 57% of parents believe their child is being adequately challenged.

This means 43% of our parents of gifted students were not satisfied)

2014-2015 4.9(Only 49% of parents believe their child is being adequately challenged. This means 51% of our parents of gifted students were not satisfied.)

What does this mean?

Why Is it like THIS? Has Something Changed?

Well. 3 thoughts.

I am not sure we have ever asked.

I do not think we are communicating well what we ARE doing.

I think we have to be sure and treat gifted kids as they are- gifted ALL the time. Not just for patches of the day. Consistently gifted… all of the time.

•COMMUNICATION

•TD teacher will communicate a “blurb” with the grade level communication that goes out each week to explain what the grade level students have been working on and how the teachers have been supported.

•Principal will better communicate any/all changes and involve parents in key decisions regarding TD students.

How will we get better?

•TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

•Use of TD specialist to teach classroom teachers how to create lessons consistently for higher level students. (i.e. not more work but deeper, higher leveled work that is a challenge no matter what level they are on).

•Resources available for all teachers due to the high number of students that we do have.

How will we get better?

•OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE VOICE AND UNDERSTANDING

•Principal and TD teacher will work together to have regular conversations and/or inservices to provide opportunities for parents to be and active participant in changes and/or decisions involving gifted students.

How will we get better?

•OVERALL?

•Make sure that all the good we are doing is known and celebrated! There is a lot to celebrate but it is “no good” if it is a hidden secret!

How will we get better?

SCHOOL WIDE(WHICH ARE ALSO

INTEGRAL PARTS OF OURSCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN)

• Research based strategies for meeting learners of various needs, such as Balanced Literacy with Reader Workshop Approach.

• Personalized Learning Opportunities utilizing innovative ways to meet students needs that do not fit the “norm”… i.e. technology

• Creating a culture and professional learning community that is unafraid to celebrate students unique qualities (including being gifted) and having honest conversations how it is all of our responsibility to make sure all students are learning and growing.

•She does know every child by name and loves them for what he/she uniquely brings to the table to better find

resources and create strategies for them. •She does plan with every teacher 90 minutes every

week. Many teachers plan with her more than 90 minutes because she has so many great resources and

ideas.•She coteaches based on specialty events and learning

opportunities such as Paeideia seminars, debates, special projects, book clubs and more.

•4th and 5th graders are pulled out with her to participate in Math Olympiad National Competition weekly.

•She does all testing, reporting and upkeep of student TD records and portfolios.

•Her position is more of a facilitator of the learning as she would not be able to effectively meet the needs of all

students.

What does Susie Miller (the TD teacher) Do with my student?

It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. – Albert Einstein

MISSION:

To provide gifted students the opportunity to maximize their potential, demonstrate their motivation, and realize

their contributions to self and the global community.

GOAL:

To support the development of a content-rich educational experience for students from

all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds

throughout CMS.

Mission and Goal of Talent Development

• attain levels of academic achievement consistent with their

abilities• engage in abstract, creative, and affective reasoning• apply insightful questioning• develop a capacity to see interconnections among disciplines• practice self-directed learning and independent problem

solving• strive for self actualization• maximize their leadership potential• become active participants in the global community

THE TD PROGRAM PROVIDES RESOURCES AND

OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNERS TO …

“Gifted learners are gifted all the time” – Mary S. Landrum

Therefore, gifted education is not an add on for sixty to ninety minutes a week.

The focus of the Catalyst Model is to differentiate instruction for the gifted and

high performing students consistently.

The Catalyst Model

• The classroom teacher and TD/Catalyst teacher share

responsibility for the education of gifted students• The TD/Catalyst teacher provides lessons and activities

for

teachers to use in the heterogeneous classroom AND/OR

teaches students directly• The TD/Catalyst teacher provides enrichment and

acceleration for students being taught in the regular classroom through direct or indirect instruction

So how does the Catalyst Model work?

Direct services, or “face time,” are lessons that are created and taught by the TD/Catalyst Teacher

Direct services can be “pull out” (students pulled into TD/Catalyst classroom) or “push in” (students remain with classroom teacher when TD/Catalyst

teacher comes in to co-teach with classroom teacher)

This might look like: Paideia Seminars, conferring with students during literacy, Math Olympiad, special projects

What are Direct Services?

Indirect services are lessons and activities developed by the TD/Catalyst teacher and provided to the classroom teacher during

weekly team planning for him/her to use in his/her classroom

Examples are: centers, independent contracts, projects, alternative homework/classwork, lessons

What are Indirect Services?

What is the breakdown for direct and indirect services?

Services for TD Certified Students

Direct Indirect

Differentiation is required in the regular classroom to provide all students with the education they need and deserve.

Since the TD/Catalyst teacher cannot see all children, all day, every day, the classroom teacher requires activities and

lessons from the TD/Catalyst teacher for those students while they are in the regular classroom.

Without differentiation, everyone would move at the same pace, be evaluated in the same way, and complete the same

activities – regardless of their prior knowledge or individual needs.

Why the need for direct and indirect services?

• Focus on creative thinking, problem solving and

logic; real world, relevant problem solving• Ask higher level questions during novel studies,

rather than lower, “knowledge” level questions• Work in abstract thinking and concepts –

symbolism, themes, etc.• Increase awareness of the global community

through novel studies, discussion, seminars• Teach problem solving strategies in math

How do WE teach gifted and high ability learners?

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.

- Mark Twain

• Students will work on novel studies, identify figurative language, concepts/themes, and practice higher order thinking

• Students will focus on academic writing – responding to literary questions through essay writing

Literacy

The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple.

– S. Gudder

•Problem Solver series (problem solving strategies)•Math Superstars (problem solving – often given as homework)•Number Systems study (different base systems, additives, place value)•March Madness (decimals, fractions, probability, graphing, data, measurement conversion)•Hands On Equations (algebra)•K’Nex math using manipulatives to understand different math concepts•Projects

Mathematics

You may contact me at school: (980) 343-3755

Or via email (fastest): susan.henry@cms.k12.nc.us

Questions/contact