1. Elementary Talent Development (TD) Program
Highland Creek Elementary

2. What is the mission of CMS’s Elementary Talent Development Program?
To provide appropriate
intellectual opportunities that
Help gifted & high ability learners realize their potential and connect them with their complex world.

3. Our Meeting Goals
Explore how the needs of gifted and high-ability learners are met through the Catalyst Model.
Experience snapshots of gifted curriculum and resources and how we are integrating them into instruction at Highland Creek
Review the Differentiated Education Plan/End of Year Review for 2nd-5th graders.

4. What are the goals for the Talent Development Program/Teacher?
Providing professional development for staff on instructional best practices in gifted education
Modeling best teaching practices
Utilizing collaboration and consultation skills to implement the TD Catalyst Model
Provides assignments, activities, contracts, and other learning opportunities to assist teachers in differentiating curriculum

5. 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

6. What is the Catalyst Model?
Joint effort by TD Catalyst Teacher and Classroom Teacher(s)
Allows classroom and TD teacher to design & implement frequent enriching & differentiated educational experiences for gifted and high-ability students
Includes: co-teaching, whole group mini-lessons, small group lessons, individual conferring
Modeling of higher level strategies

7. Why the Catalyst Model?
Gifted education and general education are related, connected, and integrated.
The pace of learning is enhanced.
High achieving students receive more challenging tasks within the classroom.
Classroom and TD Teachers work together to maximize student learning.

8. Talent Development Department
Everyone works collaboratively to meet the needs of the gifted learners.
Classroom Teacher
District Support
TD Teacher
Catalyst Model
Talent Development Department

10. What types of teaching strategies will be used with gifted students?
Learning Centers
Integrated Research Projects
Technology Enhanced Lessons
Independent Studies
Curriculum Compacting
Tiered Lessons
Contracts
Novel Studies
Literature Circles
Socratic and Paidaea Seminars

11. What does the Catalyst Model look like at Highland Creek this year?
The TD teacher will collaborate, co-plan, and/or co-teach with general education teachers to effectively meet the needs of gifted and other high-ability learners.
Differentiated activities are integrated into the regular classroom to complement and supplement the standard curriculum.

12. What are DEPs? DEPs are Differentiated Education Plans.
Each gifted student has one that is updated annually.
The plan outlines how academic content, the learning environment and the learning process is differentiated to meet the individual needs of the learner.
It also lists special programs the learner will participate in this year, such as Mathapalooza, Math Olympiad, S.T.E.A.M team.

14. End Of Year Performance Review

15. Any questions?
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns related to your child.
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