EDSE 691 Contract
Learner Based Curriculum Plan
Type inside the boxes; the boxes will expand as you type.
Name, School, Cell Phone & Email:
Heidi Huey, Stargate School (after school), 720-313-4091, haustin_73@yahoo.com
Give an overall description of your Learner Developed Curriculum Plan. (What are you
going to do to facilitate your children to develop, complete and evaluate their own
individualized in-depth studies?)
Resources: The Journey of Lifelong Learning (Betts), online ALM resource for
UNCO, EDSE 690 (Betts), the Autonomous Learner Model: Optimizing Ability
(Betts & Kercher, 1999), and other ALM online resources (bibliography to be given
at end of teaching term). Using the above mentioned resources, I will develop a
plan to guide my students on a learning path that goes through the 5 tiers of the
ALM. Along the path, more emphasis will be spent on the ‘Orientation’, ‘Individual
Development’ and ‘In-Depth Study’ tiers of the ALM. Each class we will start off
with a inter/intra development activity to learn more about ourselves and others.
Each class will also include individual work time on student’s in-depth project as
well as individual meeting time with me to check in on how they are doing with their
project. We will also spend this individual meeting time to address/develop
social/emotional needs as well. We will end each class going over what they did
and learned for that class period, and what they will each be working on for the next
class. I will provide a classroom environment that is open, supportive and safe to
further their growth academically as well as socially/emotionally as gifted learners.
Describe what you want to accomplish (Specific Objectives) within this project.
Students will:
-develop inter/intra personal skills
-discover more of who they are as gifted learners
-work effectively, supportively and be open with group members
-be the leader of their learning journey
-become aware of individual strengths and weaknesses
-pick a specific topic of interest and research said topic to really ‘know’ it
-share what they learned in a format that they choose
Describe what you will be doing (Activities with the children) during this project.
-inter/intra personal skill activities
-technology development
-identifying what it means to be gifted and learn the different traits they exhibit
-create a welcoming environment
-personal development activities
Complete a brief profile of each child and a brief coverage of his/her in-depth study.
Cian-I’ve known Cian since he was in first grade. He was in my homeroom for
first and second grade, as well as in my Literacy class in second grade. He is what I
can an ‘eccentrically’ gifted student, where his speech and interactions with peers
usually deter many interactions with him due to his eccentric speech. He speaks
very precisely and has many interests that he would love to share with you. He
speaks very close and wants your whole attention, often. He is a very sweet boy, but
very misunderstood and not very well liked due to his awkwardness. His main
trouble academically is his handwriting. Cian’s In-Depth Study is on gemstones.
Blake-I had Blake in my second grade Literacy class many years ago, and quite
basically, if he’s not interested, you won’t get much from him. He is a big kid and
due to his outward appearance is perceived as lazy. He has an ‘I don’t care’
attitude, but when you get him interested in something he beams! If you take the
time to talk with him and understand him, you will see that he is gifted, but only the
lucky will get to see his true potential. He has handwriting issues, he says, but I’ve
seen huge improvement since I taught him. Blake loves sports (plays hockey) and is
an only child. He is doing an in-depth study with Sarah on Greeks.
Sarah-Sarah is very shy and timid. I had her also in my homeroom and Literacy
class many years ago. Her struggles are with spelling. I think she struggles in this
area due to being very visual. An interesting fact about Sarah is that she doesn’t
dream, or so she says so. At least all she remembers is blankness. Sarah too is
very smart, but not highly gifted like her brother Cian (mentioned above). She
struggles in school (at a gifted school), but gets by. She has many friends. She is
doing an in-depth study with Blake on Greeks.
Colin-Colin is very near and dear to my heart. I had him in my homeroom for two
years as a first and second grader. He is twice exceptional with bi-polar disorder
and ADHD. He takes medication for both to help him stay more even keeled. He
has a sweet heart and loves, loves, loves LEGOS. He is very obsessed about his
interests, and loves sharing with you about his latest interests. He wants to be
loved, but can be short tempered with others methods. Thus, only the tried and true
stick by him, the ones who truly understand him. I’ve seen huge growth in him and
he has matured greatly in this area. Did I mention he loves, loves, loves LEGOS : )
His In-Depth Study is on LEGOS.
Ryland-I’ve known Ryland since he was in first grade, again, many years ago.
Ryland can be seen as shy and reserved, but he has a very funny out going side as
well. He too just wants to be loved and accepted, but tends to click with the geeks: )
He is involved in many things from singing in the Children’s Chorale, to being on
the LEGO robotics team at Stargate for two years (which I taught). His latest craves
are fedora hats. Each week it’s a new one donned on his head. When Ryland
speaks, he speaks very softly and sometimes mumbles. He usually doesn’t initiate
conversation, unless you are part of his close group of friends-the geek squad (which
I call so, lovingly : ). He, I believe, is highly gifted. Ryland’s In-Depth Study will
be on Power Plants.
Sean-I met Sean a couple years ago when he was a first grader in the classroom next
to mine. He is twice exceptional and loves to be the class clown for attention, but
usually not in ways that are acceptable by his peers or the teachers. He is very
verbal and will blurt out whatever he has running through his head. He is very
fidgety and has trouble sitting still for long periods of time. I do not believe he is
taking any meds (or their not working : ). He has impulse control issues in not only
what he says, but what he does. I think inside he really, really wants to be accepted,
but has trouble controlling himself. He can get very angry at himself when he gets
fed up. He does really well with positive reinforcement and gets worse with
negative reinforcement. He is an only child. His passion project is on The History
of LEGOS and wants to create a Power Point demonstrating what he learns. My
goal is to help him realize he can stay on task and be accepted and welcomed by the
group.
Develop a basic rubric for you and George Betts to use to assess your completion of the
Learner Based Curriculum Project.
Can we use the SOAR Rubric that Stuart’s using? I’d like that if we could please : )
Please sign below:
____________Heidi Huey_________________
(Teacher/Facilitator)
___________
(UNC Mentor)
2/7/11
(Date)
_______________
(George Betts)