Orchard Farm Gifted Program

Teaching and Learning

When it's time to consider instruction for gifted students, the lesson plan is never an easy one to write. By definition, gifted students fall outside of the typical "bell curve" where most students fall. They are the exceptional students whose skills are often far beyond those of same-aged peers. When you further consider the "asynchronous" characteristic of CATS kids, you realize that there is no such thing as a "perfect placement." Truly, the best placements often require a lot of flexibility in thinking, planning, and delivery of instruction for these intelligent children, and require input from everyone-parents, teachers, and the CATS student.

There are two highly regarded methods for gifted instruction that Orchard Farm utilizes. They have been extensively researched, and numerous case studies and group studies support positive learning and emotional outcomes for each. These methods are used in both the gifted classroom and regular classroom settings. The "least imperfect" gifted learning environment incorporates a combination of both.

Acceleration

Acceleration refers to the advancement of learners by permitting them to work ahead to content that is academically at their level. This can occur in the regular classroom, a gifted room, or an advanced grade classroom. Consider these examples:
  • a first grader visits a second grade classroom for reading
  • a fifth grader receives an alternate assignment of algebra problems while her peers complete the standard assignment.
  • An eighth grade student reads a novel in CATS class that is typically read in high school
Each example represents a child who is being challenged with accelerated content, though the acceleration is presented in different ways.

Enrichment

Enrichment is grade-level content that is repackaged, put to a new purpose, or is in some way "jazzed up". Enrichment allows for grade level standards to be learned with more complexity and creativity. It also allows for must more cross-curricular activities (incorporating multiple subjects) This may be best illustrated by the following examples:
  • First graders are learning about plants, and Jack has already mastered the basics. His teacher allows him to use his classtime to conduct research about a particular plant he is interested in, then conduct a plant experiment with light deprivation.
  • Jessica has already read Hatchet a few years ago, so as the rest of the class reads Hatchet, she will read an alternate survival book of her own choosing, and will prepare a persuasive argument for why her selection was better (or worse) than Hatchet.
  • The middle school math class is learning about basic procedures to find percentages of numbers. A group of gifted children within the class who have already mastered the concept are instead playing the "Stock Market Simulation Game", analyzing figures and applying percentages to assess which stocks are showing significant growth
  • While the anatomy class studies how the brain works, Josh researches and prepares a presentation about abnormal brain function, and case studies and disabilities associated with brain dysfunction.

Enrichment can involve an independent study type of project, an exploration (including some form of research) that addresses a particular interest that students have, a career exploration, or a creative expression. Students also have a chance to explore fields within a discipline (Math= engineering, computer programming, baseball statistics, architecture; Science= Psychology, Dendrochronology) , and understand how disciplines relate to one another.