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AP/GATE Teachers Chatboard

afterschool enrichment

by cherya

Aug 16, 2009

I have been trying to think of an after school gate enrichment course to teach this year, grades 4-6. Last year, another teacher and I taught art/art history. The sixth graders left, but the other kids are still here and I would like to offer them something different. Past classes at our school have also included the stock market and movie making. ...See More

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kevin On 8/16/09, cherya wrote: > I have been trying to think of an after school gate > enrichment course to teach this year, grades 4-6. Last > year, another teacher and I taught art/art history. The > sixth graders left, but the other kids are still here and I > would like to offer them something different. Past classes > at our schoo...See More

Aug 21, 2009

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Aug 21, 2009

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Anyone who is the TAG and ESL teacher?

by Lara

Aug 18, 2009

I am the only TAG and ESL "person" for our district. While not a large district, it involves many different responsibilities and requires going to 3 buildings every day. It feels as though the administration thought "Let's just throw these 2 jobs together". In addition, both areas are low priority until the department of ed is coming for a site vis...See More

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Using Scott Foresman Reading with Gifted Students

by Cyna

Aug 20, 2009

I'm the gifted specialist at my school and usually only teach a pull-out enrichment program. However, this year I've been asked to teach a 45 minute reading block with a small group of students who demonstrated mastery of all grade level skills during the baseline assessments. These children definitely do NOT need to be in the general reading class...See More

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Janette Well, if you don't have the materials, there's no way you can use the basal! I'd get with the school librarian before school starts on Monday and choose an appropriate novelette with enough copies for everyone. Then teach as if it were a literature circle.

If the materials come in while your group is reading your book-- well, the basal wil...See More

Aug 22, 2009

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My project idea for next week just fell apart--advice?

by Victoria

Aug 21, 2009

First, thanks for all the help and advice that I get from this board! I appreciate every bit of it.

I work at two schools--middle and elementary, serving 2nd through 8th. At the middle school, I see a mix of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in the first 2 periods of the day.

I have a problem with a project I was going to start my...See MoreFirst, thanks for all the help and advice that I get from this board! I appreciate every bit of it.

I work at two schools--middle and elementary, serving 2nd through 8th. At the middle school, I see a mix of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in the first 2 periods of the day.

I have a problem with a project I was going to start my students on next week.

This project was to create an autobiographical PowerPoint. The majority of the students have never worked with PowerPoint before so it is a chance for them to learn it while also tying it in to communication skills and socio/emotional development (they would be learning about giftedness and identifying their strengths and learning styles). I have already given the students the guidelines and the rubric and it was going to be pretty in-depth.

I only have one computer in my classroom, but in the past, we've been able to travel to the computer lab and work there on projects.

I just found out today that the principal has changed the way the computer lab is used and it will most likely be booked for the majority of the day every day. :( When I emailed her to find out if there were any other options, she suggested using the library, which has 4 computers. Between my one computer in the classroom, and those 4, that takes care of about half of the class. Besides that, I would not be able to guide the students as they are creating them due to the class being split between activities.

Originally I wanted to use the Promethean board (in the lab) to guide them through creating a PowerPoint. Then bring them back two or three times each week for about 3 weeks to work on their PP's. The remaining time would be used to work on preparing for the presentation they would give when the PP was completed.

Now I don't know what to do. With the computer lab not available, I'm not sure if I can still have this work out. Is there some way to salvage this idea? I don't even know if the computers in the library have PP and if they do, what would I do with the other students not working on them?

Thanks for any suggestions...I would love to still make this happen if possible.

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lbp Sorry about your plans. I know this feeling. I used to get pretty free access to our computer lab, but since they doubled the number of computer classes, its been pretty difficult to get in. It is especially difficult since I was trying to have both class do the same thing, but nope the computer lab was booked for one of the classes.

I did...See More

Aug 21, 2009

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Kevin On 8/21/09, lbp wrote: > One thing > I found out was that I really pushed their comfort levels by > requiring them to actually use a paper encyclopedia. Many of them > had never used one before.

I applaud the use of paper sources, but they shouldn't really be paper encyclopedias. Get them to start seeing sources *other* than e...See More

Aug 22, 2009

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For Victoria

by Janine

Aug 23, 2009

Victoria, can you share any notes, rubrics, or attachments you have for your autobiography project. It sounds interesting.

Thanks.

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For Victoria

by Janine

Aug 23, 2009

Victoria, can you share any notes, rubrics, or attachments you have for your autobiography project. It sounds interesting.

Thanks.

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Gifted journals/magazines

by Curious

Aug 24, 2009

Do you subscribe to any gifted journals or magazines as a professional?

Also, are there any publications that you recommend for students? Something that could be used in the classroom?

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Cyna I have subscribed to a few, but they were more academic than practical.

I've really enjoyed Edutopia, which isn't a gifted journal, per say, but it has had lots of practical ideas that I have used in my gifted classroom.

On 8/24/09, Curious wrote: > Do you subscribe to any gifted journals or magazines as a > professional? ...See More

Aug 29, 2009

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Reading for Gifted in grades K/1

by Lara

Aug 24, 2009

I would appreciate ideas for reading activities for gifted kindergartners and first graders (separate groups). Thanks!

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Firstie On 8/27/09, Michelle wrote: > Check out College of William and Mary units for the gifted > through Kendal Hunt. I used Journeys and Destinations. > [link removed]

I also need activities to challenge my first grader. Are there any ideas on the web that I can use?

Sep 4, 2009

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michelb366 I don't work a lot with the younger kiddos, so I don't have any web resources.

On 9/04/09, Firstie wrote: > On 8/27/09, Michelle wrote: >> Check out College of William and Mary units for the gifted >> through Kendal Hunt. I used Journeys and Destinations. >> [link removed]?

Sep 4, 2009

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Language arts activities for second graders

by gph

Aug 26, 2009

I would appreciate any advice on how to challenge them in this area - can anyone recommend writing books or other activities for this age group? I have them for an hour, and I am required to teach the ELA curriculum.

Thanks

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GT students -- project based schools

by parent trying to decide by tomorrow

Aug 27, 2009

My husband and I find ourselves faced with a unexpected decision, whether to send our daughter to a charter school or to the local junior high. Today I was driving I n a part of town I normally am not in. I saw one of the old Catholic schools with huge banners waving announcing school tours, grades 6-12, free tuition. Thinking it was a new school i...See MoreMy husband and I find ourselves faced with a unexpected decision, whether to send our daughter to a charter school or to the local junior high. Today I was driving I n a part of town I normally am not in. I saw one of the old Catholic schools with huge banners waving announcing school tours, grades 6-12, free tuition. Thinking it was a new school in town, I went in to check it out. It turns out it was charter school that I thought was located way outside of town, not only has its location changed it now has busing, suddenly making it a viable option for us. We now have to make a quick decision because school starts Monday.

First size. Class sizes will be held to 17 kids per teacher. The class that they would put her in will have only 10 (6-8th gr) total. She is coming from a very small school with only 20 per grade, the public school, also 7- 12, will have 350 per grade. This is all good, but because of its size, it doesn’t offer any extracurricular activities. Right now my daughter is really excited about tennis which she signed up for, and is really upset about giving it up, BUT she is very tiny and unathletic and hates to exercise and we had already made the decision not to spend any really money on supplies till she made it past the first week. So in other words, I don’t want to base the decision on sports which may last only a week or year. She will however truly miss being in the theater and speech clubs.

PROJECT BASED—The school is project based. This idea intrigues my husband and I and makes us nervous. DD is gifted; she has been accelerated three years in math and one year in everything else. The public school says they do acceleration by the teachers giving some type of packet to the GT kids who want it. So far they have not let us see any of these. Nor are the GT kids grouped together in anyway. We are not sure if the project based theme will be good for her. She gets really good grades, but except for in math, DD tends to putz in school, she never gets in any real trouble but doesn’t have a good attitude and is constantly daydreaming, reading or scribbling in a notebook. In 5th and 6th grade, she found out what the minimum was expected for a half way decent grade and did that. This was a drastic achievement over 4th where, trying to pretend she wasn’t smart, she did the bare minimum to pass. My husband and I are worried whether or not she is a good candidate for project based schooling. He is worried because ever since 3rd grade, she has not been self directed at all and that is what this school aims for.

By the way, she will know nobody at the charter school and know only 3 girls at the public. She is not really friends with any of them and didn’t even wave at them when we saw two of them in the mall. Yet one of the major reasons she says she wants to go to public is because she has friends there.

I am terrible confused and we have to make a decision basically by tomorrow, Monday at the absolute latest. There is one other option, the charter school starts Monday, but the public doesn’t start till the 10th. My husband and I thought a trial week might be a good idea.

Please any feedback would be appreciated. What do you know about project based schools? Can you think on any questions to ask tomorrow when I take my husband back to tour the school? And is a trial week a good idea? If so any ideas how I can get my daughter to see it as a unique opportunity rather than losing her last week of vacation.

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kevin On 8/29/09, Mrs. P wrote: > Let your child choose the school. It's her education, not > yours.

While a middle schooler should certainly have input into which school is chosen, it would be a very rare one indeed who would have the wisdom and maturity to choose well.

Parents have to make these decisions, not leave the raising...See More

Aug 30, 2009

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teacher-parent A trial week is an excellent idea. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. How to get your daughter to see that? How do you get her to do other things that are good for her that wouldn't be her first choice? Tell her a charter school is a rare opportunity and she might like it. If she hates it, she'll return to her normal public school but she Must give ...See MoreA trial week is an excellent idea. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. How to get your daughter to see that? How do you get her to do other things that are good for her that wouldn't be her first choice? Tell her a charter school is a rare opportunity and she might like it. If she hates it, she'll return to her normal public school but she Must give it a try because of its advantages.

> My husband and I find ourselves faced with a unexpected > decision, whether to send our daughter to a charter school > or to the local junior high. Today I was driving I n a > part of town I normally am not in. I saw one of the old > Catholic schools with huge banners waving announcing school > tours, grades 6-12, free tuition. Thinking it was a new > school in town, I went in to check it out. It turns out it > was charter school that I thought was located way outside > of town, not only has its location changed it now has > busing, suddenly making it a viable option for us. We now > have to make a quick decision because school starts Monday. > > First size. Class sizes will be held to 17 kids per > teacher. The class that they would put her in will have > only 10 (6-8th gr) total. She is coming from a very small > school with only 20 per grade, the public school, also 7- > 12, will have 350 per grade. This is all good, but because > of its size, it doesn’t offer any extracurricular > activities. Right now my daughter is really excited about > tennis which she signed up for, and is really upset about > giving it up, BUT she is very tiny and unathletic and hates > to exercise and we had already made the decision not to > spend any really money on supplies till she made it past > the first week. So in other words, I don’t want to base > the decision on sports which may last only a week or year. > She will however truly miss being in the theater and speech > clubs. > > PROJECT BASED—The school is project based. This idea > intrigues my husband and I and makes us nervous. DD is > gifted; she has been accelerated three years in math and > one year in everything else. The public school says they > do acceleration by the teachers giving some type of packet > to the GT kids who want it. So far they have not let us > see any of these. Nor are the GT kids grouped together in > anyway. We are not sure if the > project based theme will be good for her. She gets really > good grades, but except for in math, DD tends to putz in > school, she never gets in any real trouble but doesn’t have > a good attitude and is constantly daydreaming, reading or > scribbling in a notebook. In 5th and 6th grade, she found > out what the minimum was expected for a half way decent > grade and did that. This was a drastic achievement over > 4th where, trying to pretend she wasn’t smart, she did the > bare minimum to pass. My husband and I are > worried whether or not she is a good candidate for project > based schooling. He is worried because ever since 3rd > grade, she has not been self directed at all and that is > what this school aims for. > > By the way, she will know nobody at the charter school and > know only 3 girls at the public. She is not really friends > with any of them and didn’t even wave at them when we saw > two of them in the mall. Yet one of the major reasons she > says she wants to go to public is because she has friends > there. > > I am terrible confused and we have to make a decision > basically by tomorrow, Monday at the absolute latest. > There is one other option, the charter school starts > Monday, but the public doesn’t start till the 10th. My > husband and I thought a trial week might be a good idea. > > Please any feedback would be appreciated. What do you > know about project based schools? Can you think on any > questions to ask tomorrow when I take my husband back to > tour the school? And is a trial week a good idea? If so > any ideas how I can get my daughter to see it as a unique > opportunity rather than losing her last week of vacation.

Aug 31, 2009

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