1. Gifted and Talented at Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet
Teia Hoover Baker
Gifted and Talented Coordinator

2. Defining Gifted and Talented
Texas defines the gifted and talented student as “a child or youth who performs at or show the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who:
Exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
Possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
Excels in a specific academic field.
(Texas Education Code )

3. Houston ISD GT Screening Process
Kindergarten (universal)
Cognitive test of abilities (CogAT)
Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)
Grade 1 through 4, 7 and 8
Application
CogAT
ITBS scores from testing within 12 months
Fifth Grade (universal)
Iowa Test of Basic Skills
Kindergarten and fifth grade screening takes place in early December
Grades 1 through 4, 7 and 8 screening takes place in September, December and May.

4. CoGAT
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) measures students’ learned reasoning abilities in the three areas most linked to academic success in school: Verbal, Quantitative and Nonverbal. 
HISD administers the Nonverbal battery only

5. Preparing your Scholar for CoGAT
Teachers at Garden Oaks are preparing scholars for the CoGAT by using a Critical Thinking Skills workbook.
Encourage your scholars to look for patterns, similarities and differences in everyday objects.
Play games and do puzzles that require them to think critically
Give them opportunities to solve problems and encourage them to “think outside the box”
Practice books and online practice tests are available from a variety of sources.

7. Look at the shapes on top
Look at the shapes on top. They are alike in some way and so they belong together. Choose one shape from the bottom row that belongs with the figures on top.

8. Iowa Test of Basic Skills
The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is a nationally normed achievement test. The ITBS measures basic skills that range from facts and conventions through higher-order skills, not just minimum skills. Since The Iowa Tests were conceived nearly sixty years ago, the authors have consistently defined "basic skills" as a wide range of skills including applying information, making inferences, evaluating, explaining, and other higher- order skills.

9. Iowa Test of Basic Skills
The best preparation for taking any achievement test is concentrated effort related to classroom activities, completion of homework, engaging in activities beyond assigned homework, and undertaking a wide variety of projects which will improve the depth and breadth of a student's knowledge.
As with the CoGAT, there are test prep books and online tools for preparing scholars for the ITBS.

10. Qualifying for GT
In HISD, GT education is referred to as Vanguard. The components required for qualification for GT include:
Score on CoGAT
Scores on ITBS
Grades
Teacher recommendation
Some scholars may also earn up to 8 points for obstacles which might put them at a disadvantage for qualifying.

11. Qualifying for GT
Scholars must requalify in fifth grade to continue to participate in middle school Vanguard Parents may request that their child be assessed for eligibility in grades one through four Once qualified, scholars must maintain passing grades, test scores and participate appropriately in the school community (on time arrival to school, attendance and behavior).

12. GT in the Montessori Classroom

13. GT and Montessori
Montessori environments are ideal for scholars with learning differences, especially gifted and talented scholars. Montessori supports GT scholars in the following ways:
Multi-age classrooms
Individual work plans
Flexible grouping
Accelerated work

14. GT and Montessori
Stable classroom assignments for the three-year cycle
Curriculum compacting
Supportive, nurturing classroom environments
Emphasis on research and inquiry based learning
Inter-disciplinary studies

15. GT and Montessori Cooperative learning
Independent studies and extensions
Heterogeneous groups in class to support real-world applications, social skills and various abilities
Inter-disciplinary studies
Independent studies
All classroom teachers are GT certified

16. Polaris Club
Polaris Club is an optional enrichment program designed to provide GT students the opportunity to work with scholars from other classes. During Polaris Club scholars
Work with Mrs. Baker (Kindergarten through third), Mr. Walters (fourth through sixth) weekly
Projects
GT Expo