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.