What is Gifted?
Gifted and Talented students are those students between the ages of four and twenty-one whose abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs. Gifted students include students with disabilities (i.e. twice exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic and ethnic, cultural populations. Gifted students are capable of high performance, exceptional production, or exceptional learning behavior by virtue of any or a combination of these areas:
Mathematics
Reading
Science
Social Studies
World Languages
Writing
Dance
Leadership
Music
Performing Arts (theater, speech and debate)
Visual Arts
Psychomotor
What is an ALP?
An ALP is an Advanced Learning Plan. All students who are identified as GT have an ALP, whether they go to their neighborhood school (MHE) or a Discovery School. The decision to create an ALP comes from an identification process that looks at a body of evidence that includes many data points, including CogAT, classroom work/assessments, other standardized measures, input from the classroom teacher, parent(s), and student.
What does GT look like at Mammoth Heights?
At Mammoth Heights, we create ALP plans for students who have gone through a GT identification process and qualify. The ALP is written by the GT Facilitator in collaboration with classroom teachers, students, and parents. The ALP formalizes the differentiation that the classroom teacher does for the students in their identified area(s) as well as affective needs. At Mammoth Heights, we value and support the depth and complexity of knowledge, not just what grade level a concept may be. All students in our building read and write at their highest independent level. Students may work in small groups outside the classroom with the GT Facilitator or may continue to work in the classroom with support and differentiation.
What is the GT Facilitator’s role at Mammoth Heights?
My role as the GT Facilitator is to organize and administer CogAT testing, coordinate the identification process as well as facilitate writing the ALP. If a parent is interested in applying for the Discovery Program, I can help with that process as well. I also collaborate with teachers in writing the goals, gathering support materials, analyzing data, and adjusting plans as needed. Mammoth Heights has a long history of highly capable students, and our teachers are well-versed in differentiation for all students.