GATE Students and the New State Standards By Susan Whittington BOMUSD Student Services Coordinator American River Charter Director April 2016

 Differentiated Instruction allows for variety in: Content: concepts, principles and skills that teachers want students to learn Process: activities that help students make sense of and come to own the ideas and skills being taught Products: culminating projects that allow students to demonstrate and extend what they have learned Learning environment: creating a learning environment which encourages students to engage their abilities Assessment: methods of documenting mastery of curriculum These are the Five Elements of Differentiation

 Academic Vocabulary  Close Reading  Critical Thinking  Problem Solving  More Technology  Writing Across the Curriculum  Higher Level Questioning Strategies  Depth and Complexity (example of difference in D and C and rote learning)  Name the fifty states in order from least to greatest based on the number of letters in the name of their capital. (memorization)  What are the important elements a state might consider in selecting which city would be the best capital?(critical thinking)

 Requires Rigor, researching, synthesizing and reasoning with evidence  Requires Grit or the ability to not give up, perseverance  Requires more Writing, typing, and explaining their thinking  Requires teaching Academic English, including vocabulary, syntax, and grammar  Requires Cooperative social interactions  Requires Differentiation and offers Universal Supports

 Academic English is not a natural language, it must be taught systematically and explicitly. It is not just “caught” through listening and social interaction.  Targeted Vocabulary instruction as designed in new state standards: improves reading ability, test scores and student engagement.  Academic discussions are instrumental in direct instruction including guided questioning strategies  Focused instruction utilizing informational texts and accountability of every student creates consistent instructional routines  Scaffolding the lesson using writing frames is a universal tool that teaches and assists all students

To prepare for the future and be successful with the new assessments and online testing EAP- College Placement Assessments embedded in SBAC Students must learn how to:  Synthesize information from a variety of sources  Answer the “Why” Questions  Explain examples and cite evidence to support their opinion  Use academic vocabulary to articulate their thinking  Type their thinking as they think or multi-task

 Emotional regulation- the ability to stay calm under pressure by modeling  Impulse control- the ability to delay gratification  Empathy and the ability to read nonverbal cues of others  Optimism- though not false  Normal situations that might cause stress  Self-efficacy- our belief that we can successfully solve problems  Reaching out- taking risks to solve problems or have relationships From Nurturing the Seven Components of Resiliency (Webb)

 Encourage a child to take art or music at school, learn to play an instrument, or sign them up for art, music, dance or theater classes at a young age.  Help children blend science and art projects, art and research projects, and music and technology projects for core school assignments.  Encourage brainstorming ideas, develop flexible thinking, and help develop empathetic capacity.  Develop good questioning skills and cultivate divergent thinking. Fluency – How many ways…. Flexibility -- What other……. Originality – What is the most unique …. Elaboration – What else…. “The more arts and crafts that scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs engage in across their lifetimes, the greater their likelihood of achieving important results in the workplace.” Robert and Michele Root-Bernstein, 2008

Use Lifelong Guidelines and LIFESKILLS Use Lifelong Guidelines and LIFESKILLS Develop written procedures Create daily agendas Create daily agendas Designing Designing a brain compatible (enriched) classroom Build a sense of belonging Allow for Individuality in Choice Use Love and Logic strategies Implement Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports(PBIS)

INTEGRITY: To act according to what’s right and wrong INITIATIVE: To do something because it needs to be done FLEXIBILITY: The ability to alter plans when necessary PERSEVERANCE: To keep at it ORGANIZATION: To work in an orderly way SENSE OF HUMOR: To laugh and be playful without hurting others EFFORT: To do your best COMMON SENSE: To think it through PROBLEM SOLVING: To seek solutions RESPONSIBILITY: To do what’s right PATIENCE: To wait calmly FRIENDSHIP: To make and keep a friend through mutual trust and caring CURIOSITY: To investigate and seek understanding COOPERATION: To work together toward a common goal (purpose) CARING: To show/feel concern COURAGE: To act according to one’s beliefs PRIDE: Satisfaction from doing your personal best RESOURCEFULNESS: To respond to challenges in creative ways CREATIVITY…  © Exceeding Expectations by Susan Kovalik & Karen D. Olsen

Trustworthiness: To act in a manner that makes one worthy of confidence Truthfulness: To act with personal responsibility and mental accountability Active Listening: To listen with attention and intention No Put-Downs: To never use words, actions and/or body language that degrade, humiliate, or dishonor others Personal Best: To do one’s best given the circumstances and available resources Lifelong Guidelines (good for home and school)

 National Association for Gifted Children: Common Core Standards and Gifted Education  Kate Kinsella, Ed D, San Francisco State University  Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Susan Winebrenner. Free Spirit Publishing  Highly Effective Teaching, by TJ Mears and Adam Drummond  Exceeding Expectations by Susan Kovalik & Karen D. Olsen