Talent Development in Grades 2 and 3 By Trinette Atri Talent Development Teacher

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 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 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 who have shown mastery (at least 90%) of objectives being taught through classroom work and assessments/pre-assessments 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) 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?

Often there are too many students for one person to reach alone. 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 Ask higher level questions during novel studies, rather than lower, knowledge level questions (Blooms Taxonomy) Work in abstract thinking and concepts – symbolism, themes, etc. Increase awareness of the global community through novel studies and discussion Teach problem solving strategies in math HOW DO I TEACH GIFTED AND HIGH ABILITY LEARNERS?

Depends on pre-assessments – math and reading, classroom work and observations, grades, behavior (ability to work independently) Groups are flexible and can change from unit to unit and/or quarter to quarter or more frequently See both TD certified and catalyst students (non certified students who are working at higher level) Direct – 40%, Indirect – 60% services Students can be seen for both or just reading or math, depending on their individual needs HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHO RECEIVES DIRECT SERVICES IN MATH AND READING?

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

Students are pre-assessed for reading levels and comprehension using CMS and teacher-created assessments and benchmarks Students showing mastery on 90% of the objectives pre-tested are placed into DWT group – up to the number of students allowed in a classroom according to NC Wise Students will work on novel studies, figurative language and higher order thinking 2 nd grade services start later in the school year than other grades due to the time it takes to identify students 2 ND GRADE DWT

William and Mary Beyond Words (teaching figurative language) Analogies – word relationships SEM-R (School-wide Enrichment Model for Reading) – students self-select challenging texts at the top of their reading level Frindle by Andrew Clements The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base Punished! By David Lubar An Angel for Solomon Singer by Cynthia Rylant (picture book) The Hundred Penny Box by Sharon Bell Mathis Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry EXAMPLES OF 2 ND GRADE LITERATURE UNITS & NOVELS

Students are pre-assessed for reading levels and comprehension using CMS and teacher-created assessments and benchmarks Students showing mastery on 90% of the objectives pre-tested are placed into DWT group – up to the number allowed in a classroom according to NC Wise Students will work on novel studies, figurative language, concepts/themes, and higher order thinking 3 RD GRADE DWT

William and Mary Journeys and Destinations (exploring concepts, especially change) Fantasy Worlds Unit: The Magicians Nephew by C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis & 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Poetry analysis African-American History picture books SEM-R (School-wide Enrichment Model for Reading) – students self-select appropriately challenging novels EXAMPLES OF 3 RD GRADE LITERATURE UNITS & NOVELS

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

Primarily Math Problem Solving Pebble Math (algebra and spatial relations) Singapore Math (problem solving using a scripted method that is used in Singapore) Math Superstars (problem solving – often given as homework) Problem Solver (problem solving strategies) KNex math using manipulatives – fractions and geometry Coin Clues – using logic and problem solving 2 ND GRADE MATHEMATICS ENRICHMENT/ACCELERATION

Math Superstars (problem solving - usually given as homework) Athenian Secret (problem solving, logic – cooperative learning, Ancient Greek culture) Problem Solver – introducing them to Math Olympiad-type problems Hands-On Equations (algebra – hands on) Fibonacci (patterns in nature) Geometric concepts (projects, class activities – creating cities on grids) 3 RD GRADE MATHEMATICS ENRICHMENT & ACCELERATION

At the end of each year, each TD certified student in grades 2- 5 receives a TD student performance rating, in addition to their regular report card. Each of the 4 sections are scored from 1-4, as follows: 1 – Needs immediate improvement 2 – Needs some improvement 3 – Meets expectations 4 – Exceeds expectations STUDENT PERFORMANCE RATINGS

You may contact me at school: (980) Or via (fastest): Homework, projects and newsletters or updates will be posted on my website: CONTACT