I work with cluster teachers to help build critical and creative thinking and problem solving skills in kindergarten and first grade classes and 2 – 5 grade cluster classes. The Gifted Program in Virginia Beach actively seeks to identify students by screening all first and 5th graders in Virginia Beach. This includes students with learning disabilities who may also be gifted.
We also encourage referrals from parents, teachers, gifted resource teachers, and anyone else who sees evidence that a child may be gifted. Students may even refer themselves or peers, though we rarely see this in elementary school.
The VBCPS Gifted Program uses a portfolio to identify students needing gifted services. Based on report cards, standardized testing, gifted test scores, classwork, and parent and teacher referrals, students are either found eligible for gifted services, not eligible, or are placed on hold. Additional information is collected for students on hold to determine whether or not gifted services are required to help them reach their full potential.
Identified gifted students are clustered in classes with other gifted students to form peer groups who share many of the same academic, social, and emotional needs. Teachers of these cluster classes work with the GRT to provide specialized curriculum, instruction, and pacing. GRTs work weekly with cluster teachers to share teaching strategies, gifted materials, and plan lessons to the meet needs of all learners. We also work directly with children.
Based on a variety of pre-assessments, students are grouped according to their strengths and weaknesses, not gifted label. This way, students needing more challenge are placed in more advanced groups and given more challenge than students showing they are on or below grade level in a particular area. These groups are flexible and pre-assessments are ongoing, so children are likely to move from group to group throughout the year and across subjects.
In addition to the testing for intellectual giftedness, we also test for students with exceptional potential in art and dance. Any child in grades 2-12 may be referred for these two programs and we’d dearly love to see more students applying to the art and dance programs. Boys are also encouraged to apply for dance and, if identified, will be scheduled to attend ODC one day a week with other male dancers. Both art and dance students attend ODC one day a week, space permitting. Referrals for these two programs are always due shortly after the Christmas break.
Once a child is identified at intellectually gifted or talented in art or dance, that child will always be considered gifted by Virginia Beach schools, even if he or she child leaves the system for a time and reenters at another time. Entering other school systems may require additional testing as their programs and requirements may be very different than ours. It is for this reason that our gifted program does its own testing. Our identification process and our gifted program are closely linked to best provide for the needs of gifted and talented students.
As mentioned earlier, gifted students are clustered together in cluster classes to provide peer groups. Art and dance students may, or may not, be in cluster classes, based on a variety of factors including student academic achievements and needs. Unless a child is identified as gifted, parents can expect that their child may move in and out of cluster classes through their time here at Kingston.
Within the classroom, students will be grouped based on a variety of pre-assessments. These pre-assessments include class performance, spot checks for understanding (often tickets into or out of the room), special activities (like mind mapping or word splashes for example), and performance tasks. These types of measures show a child’s readiness for more challenge.
Other assessments are based on student interest or learning style. Student interest is often measured by ranking people, places, or ideas and then students are grouped accordingly. Grouping by interest is often very motivational for students. They enjoy making choices.
Howard Gardner has done a great deal of study on learning styles. You can read more about his work at: http://iss.gstboces.org/ctice/trainings/di/strategies/MI.htm . Understanding a child’s learning style helps teachers prepare lessons that will help their students learn more efficiently. Much of school is often auditory, but children are often visual or kinesthetic learners.
Helpful visual strategies include color coding, pictures and illustrations, drawing and labeling, mind-mapping, and a variety of graphic organizers. Kinesthetic learners learn best through doing and movement. Teachers select from these strategies and more to help each student reach his or her potential.
The gifted label is another piece of information teachers use when considering student needs, but just using that label is a disservice to students who have strengths and weaknesses across disciplines. Sometimes it is appropriate for the student to be working at a higher level and other times they may need skill development in another area.
Please contact me if you have any questions,
Sandy Whitney
[email protected]