Fremont Unified School District
GATE Parent Night
FUSD Attendance Areas
November – December 2011
Presenter: John Schroeder, GATE Program Specialist
Who Are The Gifted?
According to the National Association of Gifted
Children: Gifted individuals are those who
demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude or
competence in one or more domains.
Who Are The Gifted?
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Levels of giftedness:
Moderately Gifted full scale IQ of 130 is the cut off
Highly Gifted IQ above 140
Profoundly Gifted IQ above 170
Less than 5% of the population are gifted
May be gifted in one area only
No one child exhibits all of the characteristics
“Gifted” does not guarantee academic success
Characteristics of the Gifted
Intellectual
Personality
Research ability
Insightful
Academic acceleration I-N-T-E-N-S-E
Intellectual curiosity
Need to understand
Rapid learning rate
Need for mental articulation
Abstract reasoning
Perfectionism
Vivid imagination
Keen sense of humor
Passion for learning Perseverance
Moral concerns
Empathy and sensitivity
Concentration
Active self-awareness
Keen sense of justice Question rules/authority
Analytical thinking
Non-conformity
Identification Categories
• Intellectual
– Cognitive ability testing
• Specific Academic
– CST scores
• Professional Judgment
– Multiple criteria
• Leadership
• Out of District
GATE Testing
• 3rd grade testing January 30 – March 16
• 4th and 5th grade testing on March 17 or 24
at the District office
• Cognitive Abilities Test
– Test measures a student’s potential to learn
– Tested in January through March at the school site
– Tutoring is not recommended
– Results are mailed home in June
My Child Qualified: What Now?
Elementary School
Happens during the school day!
• Placed in a GATE cluster
• GATE Certified teacher
• Offered differentiated curriculum
Differentiation
• Providing learning opportunities that are
compatible with each student’s needs.
• Primary purpose of GATE differentiated
instruction: CHALLENGE and
INTELLECTUAL STIMULATION
Differentiated Instruction
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Student Centered
Best Practices
Different approach: NOT MORE OR LESS
A way of thinking and planning
A blend of whole-class, small group, and
individual instruction
Dimensions of Differentiation
• Acceleration/Pacing
• Depth
• Complexity
• Novelty
Acceleration of Pacing
Moving students faster through the
curriculum and not expecting them to
do what they already know what to do
Depth
Having students become true experts in
a given area; giving them an
opportunity to find out about certain
subjects in great detail.
Complexity
Exploring the connections and
relationships between things,
comparing and contrasting.
Novelty
Allowing students to exhibit their
creativity in the creation of original
projects that challenge their thinking
in new and unusual ways.
Ways to Differentiate
• Process/Activities
– Scholarly Habits
– High Order Thinking Skills
– Open-ended Questioning
– Extension Menus
– Tiered Activities
– Projects
Ways to Differentiate
• Product
- Write and illustrate own books
- Socratic Seminars and Debates
- Presentations, Videos, and Speeches
- Posters
- Projects: Models, Dioramas, Portfolios
- Possibilities are limitless! Subject to teacher
approval.
Ways to Differentiate
• Assessment
- Rubrics
- Observation
- Conferencing
- Projects- Choices
This is NOT Differentiation
• Student receives additional work of
same difficulty
• Student taught what he already knows
• Student assigned work that demands
only lower level thinking skills
• Student spends much time assisting less
able peers
• Student’s assignments designed for
older children
What if My Child Does Not Qualify…..
• Specific Academic
- 2 out of the last three years scores
- English language Arts and Math Only
• Professional Judgment
- Two year waiting period
- Multiple Criteria
- Committee decision
Performance Level Ranges
Advanced
Proficient
Basic
Below Basic/
Far Below Basic
7th grade
600
Math
414
413
350 349
300
299
150
Algebra
600
428
427
350 349
300
299
150
7th grade
600
English
401
400
350 349
300
299
150
8th grade
600
English
395
394
350 349
300
299
150
Recommendations
History/Social Science
• No changes to the current program
• Continue to focus on implementation of
rigorous and differentiated units of study
Science
Two Pathways to qualify as a 7th grade student:
Pathway 1:
Advanced CST scores in ELA and Math in
5th or 6th grade
AND
A or B grade in 6th grade Science
Pathway 2:
GATE
identified
Two Pathways to qualify as an 8th grade student:
Pathway 1:
Pathway 2:
To continue as an 8th
grade student:
Advanced CST scores in English and Math in 7th GATE
grade AND
identified
A or B grade in 7th grade Science
A, B, or C grade in 7th
grade Honors Science
Two Pathways to qualify as a 9th grade student:
Pathway 1:
Pathway 2:
To continue as a 9th
grade student:
GATE
identified
A, B, or C grade in 8th
grade Honors Science
Advanced CST scores in English and Math in
8th grade AND
A or B grade in 8th grade Science
OR
A grades in 7th and 8th grade Science
English
Two Pathways to qualify as a 7th grade student:
Pathway 1:
Advanced CST scores in ELA in 5th or 6th grade
AND
A or B grade in 6th grade Reading and Writing
Pathway 2:
GATE
identified
Two Pathways to qualify as an 8th grade student:
Pathway 1:
Pathway 2:
To continue as an 8th
grade student:
Advanced CST scores in English in 7th grade
AND
A or B grade in 7th grade English
GATE
identified
A, B, or C grade in 7th
grade Honors English
Pathway 2:
To continue as a 9th
grade student:
GATE
identified
A, B, or C grade in 8th
grade Honors English
Two Pathways to qualify as a 9th grade student:
Pathway 1:
Advanced CST scores in English in 8th grade
AND
A or B grade in 8th grade English
OR
A grades in 7th and 8th grade English
Math
Two Pathways to qualify as a 7th grade student:
Pathway 1:
Pathway 2:
Advanced CST scores in Math in 5th or 6th grade
AND
A or B grade in 6th grade Math
GATE
identified
Two Pathways to qualify as an 8th grade student:
Pathway 1:
To continue as an 8th
Pathway 2: grade student:
Advanced CST scores in Math in 7th grade
AND
A or B grade in 7th grade Pre Algebra
GATE
identified
Two Pathways to qualify as a 9th grade student:
Pathway 1:
To continue as a 9th
Pathway 2: grade student:
Advanced CST scores in Math in 8th grade
AND
A or B grade in 8th grade Algebra
OR
A grades in 7th and 8th grade Math courses
GATE
identified
A, B, or C grade in 7th
grade Honors
Pre Algebra or
Honors Algebra
A, B, or C grade in 8th
grade Honors Algebra or
Honors Geometry
Honors Classes
• Junior/Senior High Level
- Placement in Pre-Algebra or Algebra I
in 7th grade is determined by how well they
performed on the placement test as well as
on CST/grades
- Many and varied classes
- What is best for the child
Honors Curriculum
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Differentiated from the core curriculum
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Curriculum objectives reflect higher level
critical thinking and problem solving
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Lessons incorporate one or more of the following dimensions
- Depth
- Complexity
- Novelty
- Acceleration of pacing
Advanced Placement
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College curriculum
Much information to cover
Not differentiated
AP testing
College limits
make careful choices
Your Best Source of
Information:
• FUSD website:
http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/parentresources/GATE
• TGIF Parent Group:
Email: feedback@giftedinfremont.org
Website: http://www.giftedinfremont.org/
Other Resources
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CAG www.cagifted.org
NAGC: www.nagc.org
Gifted Communicator magazine
GATE library at the District Office
Johns Hopkins CTY Talent Search
EGPY at Stanford
Questions?
“Shoot for the moon.
Even if you miss you’ll
land among the stars.”
Les Brown