RENAISSANCE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Reaching Individual Potential through Academic and Social Development and Effective Communication

Gifted Standards: Communication Social Growth Academic Growth Gifted learning environments foster personal and social responsibility, multicultural competence, and interpersonal and technical communication skills for leadership in the 21st century to ensure specific student outcomes.

Academic Growth -Personal Competence Standard 4.1. Students with gifts and talents demonstrate growth in personal competence and dispositions for exceptional academic and creative productivity. These include self-awareness, self- advocacy, self-efficacy, confidence, motivation, resilience, independence, curiosity, and risk taking

Grit -- the combination of perseverance, resilience, and determination Growth in the Brain Challenging Tasks …. Productive Struggle Grit -- the combination of perseverance, resilience, and determination

GV. VS I can learn anything I want to. I’m either good at it, or I’m not. When I’m frustrated, I persevere. When I’m frustrated I give up. I want to challenge myself. I don’t like to be challenged. When I fail, I learn. When I fail, I’m no good. Tell me I try hard. Tell me I’m smart. If you succeed, I’m inspired. If you succeed, I feel threatened. My effort and attitude determine everything. My abilities determine everything.

Growth Mind-Set Fixed Mind-Set ...embraces ...avoidance Challenges ...embraces ...avoidance Obstacles ...persists in the face of setbacks ...giving up Effort ...see effort as the path to mastery ...see effort as fruitless or worthless Criticism ...learn from criticism ...ignore useful critiques Success of Others ...find lessons and inspiration in the success of others …feel threatened by the success of others

Classroom Applications of Growth Mind-set Expect -- students will set achievable goals students will learn to look forward to the next challenge, and have long range plans for new ones students will be praised by efforts and strategies instead of intelligence students will focus on value and process of learning and not just the grade students will be encouraged to view mistakes as temporary setbacks- something to be overcome students will learn to be motivated by feedback and criticism, and apply new strategies as a result of feedback students enjoy practicing and view it as part of the process of getting good at something, students may also develop their own study plan, and ask others about their strategies for practicing. students will persevere through a difficult task, it is okay to struggle, but continue to confidently work through the task until it is complete students will be encouraged to ask questions- about their own thinking, challenging the text, the task and the teacher students are encouraged to take risks and openly share the work you produce

Social Growth --Social Competence and Leadership Standard 4.2. Students with gifts and talents develop social competence manifested in positive peer relationships and social interactions. Standard 4.3. Students with gifts and talents demonstrate personal and social responsibility and leadership skills.

and behaving mindfully. Mind-Up Children will learn practical strategies to prime their brains for learning and behaving mindfully. Sensory Awareness and Control Developing Healthy Attitude Positive Community Contributions Listening Perspective Taking Expressing Gratitude Seeing Choosing Optimism Performing Acts of Kindness Smelling and Tasting Appreciating Happy Experiences Collaborative Group Work Body Movement Assuming Positive Intentions of Others

Communication Competence Standard 4.5. Students with gifts and talents develop competence in interpersonal and technical communication skills. They demonstrate advanced oral and written skills, balanced biliteracy or multiliteracy, and creative expression. They display fluency with technologies that support effective communication

Written Communication Hand Writing Typing - Home-Row Method 1st-2nd Developing Hand strength is a must-- cutting, tracing, finger pushups, finger exercises. Proper pencil grip. Top to bottom letter formation. Handwriting Without Tears curriculum 1st-2nd Typing Speed -- 15/20 3rd-4th Cursive Handwriting -- Handwriting Without Tears 3rd Typing Speed -- 25 5th-6th Apply Written and Typed communication 4th Typing Speed -- 30 Dance Mat Typing Test and Practice on-line-- Please practice typing at home. 5th-6th Typing Speed -- 30+

Introducing Foreign Language Instruction - Weekly Spanish Instruction for Grades 1-6

Communication Social Growth Academic Growth