"all students can learn, albeit at different rates and in different ways. They know how (including when and how to engage others) to identify students’ different learning styles and ways students learn. They understand the need to respond to differences by creating multiple paths to learning for individuals and groups of students, including students with special learning needs; "
Challenging Gifted and Talented Learners
In my PS3, I have gained an interest in giving challenges to gifted and talented students. I have tried to have a classroom atmosphere that is trusting and safe so that students feel that making mistakes are part of the learning process and how we get better. The grade 4 students knew my philosophy that the more we "push ourselves" and go beyond our comfort zone, the more we get better. I have tried to notice different strengths and weaknesses that my students have and set different goals or challenges for them to either overcome it or strengthen their talents. I believe that we can become talented at anything (e.g. math, public speaking, sports, social skills) if we are willing to work for it.
This student was excited for our "Health and Wellness" unit. During library time she showed me the book she was taking out in library class called "The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition". Previously, I noticed that she had a talent for classroom presentations and leading class discussions. So I asked this student if she could find 3 foods in the book and present her findings. She gladly accepted the challenge and seemed to enjoy teaching the different vitamins and minerals in leeks, cherries and apples.
Providing Resources for Exceptional Learner's
I was given advice by my PS3 University Consultant to print out lesson plans and give them to the Educational Assistant's so that they could see the outcomes we are working on for that class. This advice was very helpful and motivation for me to write lesson plans with differentiation in mind. I prepared a binder for a student that had an I.P.P that had the daily lesson plans included at the back and some games and worksheets for the student to work on when he was working alone. The Education assistant and student knew that they could take the binder anytime even if it was not math class.
Our class had a "Passport to the Peaks" challenge that helped motivate them to practice memorizing their multiplication tables. My teacher mentor set up a bulletin board with multiplication tables that would move up a mountain. Students would come to me and ask to be tested on a particular multiplication table, example 3 x tables, and if they would pass the test,, they would move their paper icon up to the 3x table on the mountain. The student with an I.P.P in the class seemed to be very motivated and excited about this so I set up the binder with dividers and each divider had worksheets or games for that particular multiplication worksheet. I also drew the "Passport to the Peaks" that was on the bulletin for extra motivation and recommended to the EA that the student work on one divider at a time for better memorization.