How does your DCPS help advanced students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the elementary grades, for example, DCPS provides schools with the resources and training for Junior Great Books for students who need additional academic challenge as well as a math program from the University of Connecticut's gifted center called M-Squared and M-Cubed. There is also an advanced reading program at some DCPS elementary schools called the DCPS Advanced Readers Extensions units. All of these are meant to provide teachers with the resources to make differentiating their instruction for high performing or highly capable students as easy as possible. (Which of course isn't easy....)

It does seem to be easier in schools where the teachers teach one subject each. That gives them the ability to make differentiated lesson plans on one subject instead of trying to do so for four subjects. It also ensures that a kid who is strong in one subject and not in another will be taught on level in each class, since each teacher is focusing on the child's ability in only their target subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What commonly occurs with advanced learners these days takes place in the classroom through differentiation and it is often far more beneficial than a traditional G.T. Program. However, if it is not called "Gifted and Talented" and is not occurring in a separate space with a different instructor, parents assume it is not a legitimate way to accommodate their child's perceived advanced academic abilities.

Nope. Most classrooms don't actually do differentiation and very few teachers can do differentiated teaching in an effective manner. They claim to be doing differentiation but aren't.

Which DCPS schools do differentiated instruction well? Which give teachers PD on differentiated instruction?

Murch does in-class differentiated instruction well. My kids are both advanced learners, and we've been very pleased.

And I agree with PP that good, in-class differentiation is preferable to pull-out/G&T. It keeps classrooms heterogeneous and ensures fluidity; teachers can adjust groups based on observation over the course of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What commonly occurs with advanced learners these days takes place in the classroom through differentiation and it is often far more beneficial than a traditional G.T. Program. However, if it is not called "Gifted and Talented" and is not occurring in a separate space with a different instructor, parents assume it is not a legitimate way to accommodate their child's perceived advanced academic abilities.

Nope. Most classrooms don't actually do differentiation and very few teachers can do differentiated teaching in an effective manner. They claim to be doing differentiation but aren't.

Which DCPS schools do differentiated instruction well? Which give teachers PD on differentiated instruction?

Murch does in-class differentiated instruction well. My kids are both advanced learners, and we've been very pleased.

And I agree with PP that good, in-class differentiation is preferable to pull-out/G&T. It keeps classrooms heterogeneous and ensures fluidity; teachers can adjust groups based on observation over the course of the year.

Agree. I thought Murch did it well nine years ago, and it is even better now. And they keep making adjustments and improvements. I like the daily I/E period.

[Anonymous]

Murch has a new (hopefully this time permanent) SEM (Schoolwide Enrichment Model, for those not in the know) teacher who has taught SEM previously at Hardy. Ms. Bentley is a great addition to the Murch faculty. I hope your kids get to work with her too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Brent, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders can loop up one, or even two grades for math instruction. The excellent science teacher teaches 6th and 7th grade math pullouts for 4th and 5th graders. This year, a couple of 5th graders were taught 7th grade math (pre-algebra). Not bad at all.

The entire school had 15 total students testing advanced in math last year.

Ha ha ha.