Gifted &Talented Newsletter

Caroline Hill 4th and 5th Grades

caroline.hill@fwisd.org

Maggi Stanley 2nd & 3rd Grades

taina.stanley@fwisd.org

STEM education is important for students because it can help them develop skills that are relevant to many areas of life:

• Critical Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Scientific Literacy
• Real World Applications

STEM education can also help students develop other skills, such as creativity, collaboration, and confidence. It can also prepare students for careers in STEM fields, which are some of the fastest growing job sectors.

Fifth Grade Glen Park Elementary Gifted & Talented students worked through the engineering process to design, construct, and test the tallest free-standing structure that would hold a table tennis ball securely within a limited time period and with limited supplies.

Fourth Grade GT students had to think through how they could build 3-D geometrical shapes using limited materials and within the time constraint. Students were introduced to the Engineering process.

The Depth and Complexity framework, which uses icons to help students think critically and go beyond surface-level understanding, can be beneficial for kids in several ways:

• Develop critical thinking skills

  Students can learn to ask broad, deep questions that may have multiple solutions or none at all. They can also learn to understand concepts with greater complexity by considering details, rules, patterns, and different perspectives.

• Develop creative and abstract thinking skills

  Students can learn to think more independently and creatively.

• Challenge learners

  The icons can be used across multiple subjects and are applicable to learners of all ages. They can be used to differentiate learning objectives and increase the challenge of a lesson.

Fifth grade GT learners spent time dissecting what interests them. They thought about the language of the disciplne with their interests, the [atterns that are evident within their interest, and the benefits of learning more about their interest area.

Fouth grade GT students pondered what is a scholar. The examined traits that are often exhibited in scholarly people, rules that scholars might follow, and thought about why it may be important to become a scholar.

Learning about leadership can help GT students develop skills that can benefit them in many ways, including:

• Self-esteem

  Leadership skills can boost students' self-esteem and motivation to work hard and try new things.

• Social-emotional skills

  Students can develop valuable interpersonal skills, such as communication and delegation, by taking on leadership roles.

• Independence and responsibility

  Leadership skills can help students gain the confidence to take on challenges and shape their futures.

• Goal setting

  Students can learn how to set goals and achieve them, which can help them in both their personal and professional lives.

• Learning by doing

  Students can apply leadership theories and styles to real-world situations, which can help them learn how to make bigger decisions and navigate complex challenges.

• Self-awareness

  Students can learn about their leadership style, which can help them identify areas for improvement and growth.

Leadership skills can also help students prepare for university and careers, and can foster strong teams and organizational success.

Take a look at the definition of a G/T student provided by the Texas Education Agency below. Then, take a look at our 4-step process for G/T screening.

A gifted/talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows 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 §29.121)

G/T Screening Steps

• Refer
• Assess
• Select
• Notify

First, students must have a referral for consideration. We will be bring the referral forms to your campus very soon. In the meantime, please email caroline.hill@fwisd.org the name and grade of students you are considering as potential candidates for GT identification.

Michael.flushe@fwisd.org

Address:

215 NE 14th street

Fort Worth, Tx, 76164

Phone number:

817.814.2580

Fwisd Home page

https://www.fwisd.org/Page/24116