San José Unified School District

Welcome to San Jose Unified Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program. The purpose of this booklet is to provide information about our GATE identification process and educational program.

History of GATE Legislation

The State of California first became committed to programs for the gifted with the passage of legislation defining a mentally gifted minor as a “minor” enrolled in a public primary or secondary school of this state who demonstrates such general intellectual capacity as to place him within the top 2 percent of all students having achieved his school grade throughout the state. Legislation affecting the gifted program, AB494, became effective in 1989. Among its provisions is the option for broadening identification criteria into areas of artistic talent, leadership skills, and creative thinking. It restructured the bases for distributing categorical funds to those California districts that maintain a program for gifted and talented students. New California legislation, AB2313, enacted in 2001, further defines the GATE program in San Jose Unified. See the State GATE Standards summarized on page 7 of this handbook.

Who are the Gifted?

A gifted person is someone who shows, or has the potential for showing, an exceptional level of performance in one or more areas of expression. Some of these abilities are very general and can affect a broad spectrum of the person’s life, such as leadership skills or the ability to think creatively. Some are very specific talents and are only evident in particular circumstances, such as a special aptitude for mathematics, science or music. It is generally recognized that approximately five percent of the student population in the United States are considered gifted. These children and youth exhibit high performance capability in intellectual, creative and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity, or excel in specific academic fields. Outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.

What Characteristics Distinguish Gifted Children From Others?

- Asks lots of questions. Wants to know how or why something is so. Not satisfied with simple answers to questions.
- Has lots of information on many things. May show more interest in ‘big ideas’ than in basic skills knowledge.
- Remembers things that have only been heard or seen once. Seems to understand easily.
- Becomes unusually upset at injustices. Interested in adult concerns.
- Has high expectations of self and others.
- Seems restless if given unchallenging tasks.
- Likes solving puzzles and problems.
- Reads books that are normally read by older children.
- Enjoys meeting or talking with older children or adults.
- Tries to do things in different, unusual, imaginative ways.
- Has an unusual or quirky sense of humor
- Likes variety and novelty, unusual questions; has a vivid imagination.
- Responds emotionally to stories or events.
- Invents new ways of doing things, e.g. new rules for games.

Identification

All SJUSD students have one or more opportunities to be tested for GATE. All second grade students are given the Raven’s Progressive Matrices Plus (RPM+) test in the spring. Students in third, fourth or fifth grade that are new to the district are tested in the fall along with all fifth grade students who scored in the sixth stanine or above on previous testing. Students new to the district in middle school can be referred to the District GATE Office for testing by teachers or administrators.
Students scoring at or above the 98th percentile (equivalent to 131 IQ) are referred for a Case Study and possible certification to the GATE program. The parent is notified and requested to complete a parent survey and sign a permission form to build the Case Study. If permission is given, a Case Study is built to include the following:

- scores on the Raven’s progressive Matrices (RPM+)
- parent questionnaire
- teacher¹s list of observed behaviors
- list of health and risk factors

School sites have the option of requesting an appeal of the GATE certification process for students who scored in the 95th percentile or above. The process is the same as above with the addition of the following requirements for consideration:

- scores on recently administered achievement tests
- portfolio of work (Performance Based Assessments in mathematics and writing, student work that demonstrates critical and creative thinking, original art)
- information concerning students’ linguistic, cultural and ethnic background
- previous participation in GATE programs from other school districts

Certification

The GATE Certification Committee,

- site principal
- district Categorical/GATE manager
- district GATE resource teacher
- other personnel, as appropriate,
reviews the data to determine a student¹s qualification for GATE services. If the GATE Certification Committee determines the student to be eligible, their certification form is approved. Once certified, the student¹s parents and school are notified and the student¹s status as GATE identified is included on the district¹s electronic database. All Case Study forms are retained in the District¹s GATE electronic office files until students reach 21 years of age. A blue folder sent to the school for identified students should be placed in their cumulative records and follow them throughout their education, but parents may also request that identification information from the District Gate office be provided to another district. Glossary of Terms Acceleration A strategy used when a student demonstrates competencies, knowledge, abilities, and/or skills which exceed that which is outlined in the planned course or grade placement level. This can be determined by advanced work demonstrated in the classroom as well as diagnostic tests or pretests in the skill area. Advanced Placement Program (AP) A College Board program of college level courses taught by high school teachers in grades 11 and 12; some colleges give credit for these courses upon successful completion of the AP exam. At Risk A student who is (a) unable to handle the emotional, social, intellectual, or physical demands of life or school, (b) in physical or emotional danger, or (c) in danger of dropping out of school.

Questions

Why is SJUSD using the Raven¹s Progressive Matrices (RPM) for preliminary screening for GATE identification?
The GATE program conducted a search for the fairest measure available in order to seek out giftedness among all ethnic groups and learning styles. The RPM was determined to be the best available measure of general intelligence for all populations. It was reviewed and accepted by the GATE Advisory Committee.

Does the RPM only test visual skills? What about the child with excellent verbal skills?
All intelligence tests require some measure of visual and verbal skill. The RPM, despite being a non-reading test, contains many elements necessary in word usage, decoding (reading), abstract reasoning and language acquisition. Results have shown that with the Raven¹s, gifted traits are being recognized in students with strong verbal skills as well as the nonverbal child. Both sides of the brain are used so that neither a verbal nor visual child will be penalized.

Will my elementary school child need to be retested upon entering middle school?
No, once a child is identified the designation remains in SJUSD until graduation.

Is private intelligence testing accepted for GATE identification?
The GATE Department is unable to accept private testing because some students would be denied equal access to services based on ability to pay.

If my child was identified in another school district, will he be automatically identified in this district?
Assessment material must be submitted to the GATE office. The parent/guardian would then be notified as to whether or not the assessment meets SJUSD criteria and the student has been identified.

What happens if my child has a learning disability?
It has been found that most children with learning disabilities perform quite well on the Raven¹s, even if there is a visual processing problem. This is because the child is able to attack the test using their strengths; be they verbal or visual. Also, the test is administered with no time limit in order to give the child time to think through the progressively more complex tasks. We don¹t test students who would have already received an IQ test for designation. It has been requested that our Special Education department report results over 130 to the District GATE office for identification purposes.

What can I do as a parent to ensure my child is challenged in school?
It has always been important for parents to be involved in a child¹s education. Much of the educational experience will occur in school, but it is also up to parents to offer their own moments of enlightenment. Parents can introduce children to experiences outside the realm of school. This can come in many forms; walks in natural habitats, watching and discussing news programs on television, mentoring or providing a mentor to develop passions in the child, or empowering the child to sharpen his/her decision-making skills. It does not have to come in the form of expensive lessons or heavy team sport schedules.

If possible, volunteer at the child¹s school. There is always a need for an extra pair of hands in the classroom or around the school. Develop a bond with the teacher(s) and discuss problems or questions when they arise. Form a partnership that includes parent, school and child, and it will serve as a strong support system throughout the educational experience. This is good advice all the way through to graduation.

State GATE Standards

Program Design: Districts provide a comprehensive continuum of services and program options responsive to the needs, interests and abilities of gifted students and based on philosophical, theoretical and empirical support.
Identification: The district¹s identification procedures are equitable, comprehensive and ongoing. They reflect the district¹s definition of giftedness and its relationship to current state criteria.
Curriculum and Instruction: Districts develop differentiated curriculum, instructional models and strategies that are aligned with and extend the state academic content standards and curriculum frameworks.
Differentiated curriculum (see page 12) is related to theories, models and practices from recognized literature in the field.
Social and Emotional Development: Districts establish and implement plans to support the social and emotional development of gifted learners to increase responsibility, self-awareness and other issues of affective development.
Professional Development: Districts provide professional development opportunities related to gifted education to administrators, teachers and staff to support and improve educational opportunities of gifted students.
Parent and Community Involvement: Districts provide procedures to ensure consistent participation of parents and community members in the planning and evaluation of programs for gifted students.
Program Assessment: Districts establish formal and informal evaluation methods and instruments that assess the gifted program and the performance of gifted students to ensure that they meet or exceed state content standards. Results of data collected, including state standardized tests, are used to study the value and impact of the services provided and to improve the gifted program and gifted student performance.
Budgets: District budgets for gifted programs support and provide for all components of the district¹s GATE program and meeting the related standards.

AB2313 dismisses the 200-minute per week requirement for services to gifted students. The recently enacted California Gate Program Standards have established requirements to implement the law. Programs must now be an integral part of the school day and include modification and extensions of core curriculum appropriate for gifted learners. This means that a greater emphasis must be placed on professional development. No longer can we justify providing training only for assigned afterschool or GATE pull-out teachers. Regular teachers must be professionally trained to meet the needs of gifted students. No longer can we offer pull-out programs unrelated to the core curriculum. See page 12 for information on differentiated instruction.

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program In San Jose Unified School District

San Jose Unified submits a written plan to the California Department of Education based on the most current GATE standards. The Department of Education evaluates the plan and provides funding for between one and three years depending on the quantity and quality of standards met in the plan.

All schools in SJUSD receive state funds for Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) services. Each school prepares a GATE plan outlining services and the expenditure of funds using guidelines provided by the District GATE Office as part of the school plan. The guidelines are based on the State GATE Standards, student assessment needs and current research on the needs of gifted students. The school plan must be approved by the School Site Council and submitted to the SJUSD School Board through the District Office. Each school should include a parent of a GATE student on the School Site Council.

The District GATE Office staff is composed of an administrator, resource teacher and secretary assigned to provide coordination, staff development, identification services and assistance to schools. The resource teacher works with other curriculum resource teachers under the direction of the Director of Curriculum.

The District GATE Advisory Committee (DGAC) meets monthly between September and May according to the committee¹s by-laws. It is responsible for overseeing district wide informational parent nights, revising the district GATE plan, revising the GATE identification process, and serving as a sounding board for GATE issues. Meetings are held at the district office and are open to all district parents. A Site GATE Advisory Committee (SGAC) is optional but encouraged. The SGAC may be a separate committee or a subgroup of the School Site Council and must report information regularly to that group.

Information about gifted students, programs and parent meetings are provided to parents and staff in The GATE Way, a trimester newsletter written by the District GATE Office and distributed to the schools to be sent home to all GATE families. The GATE Way is distributed in English and Spanish. The District GATE Office also writes a column for Curriculum Matters, a quarterly staff newsletter that addresses ways to meet the needs of students in the classroom. School sites are encouraged to include noteworthy GATE news in school newsletters.

Meeting the Needs of Gifted and Talented Students
Since it is likely that all teachers will have GATE students in their classrooms, it is essential to continue to develop the SJUSD staff¹s knowledge and skills in implementing differentiation strategies and instruction to meet the needs of the gifted. Workshops led by the District GATE resource teacher and guest experts address a wide variety of instructional strategies and tools to differentiate the curriculum for GATE students. Staff development occurs in the following ways:

- school site afterschool training
- staff development days
- GATE liaison (teacher representative from each school site) meetings
- Instructional Coach trainings at the secondary level
- Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) trainings
- modeling differentiation strategies in classrooms
- release days for teachers to write differentiated curriculum
- open workshops during the school year as well as the summer

Resource books that facilitate differentiated instruction have been purchased for each school site. The District Office has an extensive library of video tapes for teachers and principals to check out that address; differentiating instruction, social and emotional needs and brain and learning implications for the classroom.

Meeting the social and emotional needs of the GATE students is also part of staff development. GATE liaisons attending the district meetings focus on the social and emotional needs of gifted students. Guest speakers provide information on topics such as underachieving gifted, perfectionism, and counseling. Resource books focusing the social and emotional needs of gifted have been purchased for each school site professional resource library.

State GATE Standards require teachers working with GATE students to have GATE Certification. GATE Certification classes are offered through Santa Clara University and the California Association of the Gifted. SJUSD is planning a district GATE certification process. Teachers are also encouraged to attend the California Association of the Gifted Institutes and Conferences.

How Is Curriculum Differentiated To Address The Diverse Learners In The Classroom?

Differentiating instruction can occur in a variety of ways. There are three student characteristics that may indicate a need for modifications in curriculum and instruction. These characteristics are readiness, interest and learning profile. The content, activities and products can be adjusted in response to learners¹ needs.

What to Look For:
Essential question: What does the student already know?

Pre-assessment determines how to plan lessons to meet the needs of students approaching standards, at standard and those that exceed standard

Essential question: How does the student learn best?

Learning Profile
Learning Modalities (auditory, visual, kinesthetic)
Multiple Intelligences (verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, rhythm/musical, bodily-kinesthetic, naturalist, interpersonal, intrapersonal)

Essential question: What is it I want students to know, use and learn?

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Development (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation)

Essential question: What strategies will differentiate the curriculum?

Questioning Strategies (open-ended where possible, adjust complexity, abstractness, degree of mental leap required, connections required between topics, Socratic questioning)

Varied texts, media, software (multiple reading levels from basic to advanced, wide variety of subjects)

Tiered Assignments (modified in various ways such as: simple - complex, concrete - abstract, single facet - multiple facets, more structure - more open, less independent - more independent, slower - quicker)

Curriculum Compacting (plans for learning what is not known and excusing student from what is already known or mastered - time is spent in enriched or accelerated study)

Anchor Activities/Extension Menus/Independent Contracts/Centers (build on student interest, encourage independence, allow work with complex and abstract ideas, allow long-term and in-depth work on topics of interest, tap into high motivation)

What Can Parents Do At Home?

- Consider using ‘bibliotherapy’ as a way of addressing some of the things that worry children. This involves the use of suitable books to help children work through social-emotional problems, books where a main character exhibits the same problem(s) as the child. For some children the use of such a book allows them to confront and deal with an otherwise painful situation by looking at it through the eyes of the book character. It also may help for children to see that others, whether real people (as in biographies) or fictional characters, experience and cope with similar fears or pressures to theirs.

- If your child exhibits negative forms of perfectionism (e.g., fear of failure, not trying new or difficult tasks), examine your own behavior, for many perfectionist children have at least one perfectionist parent. Do you set unrealistic goals for yourself? Are you overly critical of your own achievements, including your performance as a parent? Do you do too much for your children, implying that they can’t do things well enough? Help children to see the difference between ‘the pursuit of excellence’ (which is achievable) and ‘the pursuit of perfection’ (which is not).

- Be aware of how you use praise. Too much praise may cause children to believe that they will only receive your love or acceptance if they earn it through their achievements. Praise effort as well as success, congratulate the child for handling failure positively, and give praise for actions unrelated to ability, such as sharing or being considerate.

- Allow your children to be children, rather than gifted children, for parts of their life. Allow them time to daydream or ‘just do nothing’.

Perhaps imagination is only intelligence having fun.
George Scialabba

- Teach your child to delay gratification (i.e., not to expect that goals or wants will be met straight away). Talented children often become accustomed to success and quick results. By learning to cope with difficult challenges, where success is not immediate, your child may develop enough persistence or ‘grim determination’ to handle the increasing demands of schooling and life in general. You can help by showing your child how to break seemingly unmanageable tasks into smaller steps where effort brings success. You can also help your child by teaching her/him time management skills.

- Be an active listener to your child, particularly when problems arise. That is, ensure that you understand the child’s concerns and point of view before trying to offer advice. Active listening may involve paraphrasing what you have heard, to ensure that you have understood the child’s intention ­ e.g., “Do you mean that...?” or “Are you saying that...?”

- Do not worry if you cannot always answer your child’s questions but do try to help him/her to find answers. Also, ask lots of questions yourself, including those where there are no clear cut answers. Creativity may be fostered by showing children that we value their ideas and questions, including their unusual ones. It has been suggested that it may be more important to learn what questions to ask than what the answers to questions are. € Similarly, encourage children to think of different ways to accomplish a goal and then choose the best method.

- Consider using ‘bibliotherapy’ as a way of addressing some of the things that worry children. This involves the use of suitable books to help children work through social-emotional problems, books where a main character exhibits the same problem(s) as the child. For some children the use of such a book allows them to confront and deal with an otherwise painful situation by looking at it through the eyes of the book character. It also may help for children to see that others, whether real people (as in biographies) or fictional characters, experience and cope with similar fears or pressures to theirs.

Parents sometimes contribute to these pressures, usually without realizing they are doing so. A few suggestions to support children in developing their talents are:

- Beware of re-living your own life through your talented child. Naturally you will want your child to share your vision of the ‘good life’, but not necessarily in every detail, nor only as defined by you.

- Do not do for children things that they can do (or can be helped to do) for themselves. Parents and teachers do children no favors by prolonging their dependence upon them. This is not a matter of ‘throwing children in at the deep end’, but of helping them acquire the skills and confidence necessary to take increasing responsibility for their own actions. For example, teach them how to find what they want in a library, rather than find things for them; help them with planning, instead of planning everything for them.

How Can Parents Help Their Children Make The Most of Schooling?

Children whose needs are not being met at school may vent their anger and frustration at home. Parents who see their child distressed by inappropriate provision at school may understandably begin to develop a negative attitude toward that school, or even toward schooling as a whole. However, there is considerable evidence that home-school cooperation is the best way forward, if a means of achieving this can be negotiated. Advice on how to promote home-school cooperation, and make your child’s schooling as positive an experience as possible, often includes the following:

- Learn as much as you can about talented children and how to care for them. Perhaps subscribe to periodicals about gifted/talented children and their education and pass these on to interested teachers.

- Where possible, offer concrete, practical suggestions to the school, including advice about the types of learning experiences that seem to benefit your child and those that seem unsuccessful.

- Share with the school information about special interests or hobbies displayed at home or in other nonschool settings. Having specific examples of your child’s advanced abilities will be more convincing than just stating that she/he seems gifted, or is ‘bored’ at school.

- Establish a positive relationship with the school by letting teachers know when your child is feeling positive about school and specific activities, as well as when you are concerned about something.

- Encourage your children to attempt and persevere with things they do not do especially well. This may help them accept that they need not always perform at a very high level, while also developing empathy for others who find it difficult to excel, and appreciation for those whose talents are different from their own.

- Help your child to see the link between effort and success. Underachievement can become chronic if children attribute their successes to outside factors (e.g., luck, easy work, the teacher liking them), but their failures to lack of ability. Encourage children to take (reasonable) responsibility for both their successes and their failures.

- Avoid overreacting either to the child’s successes or to her/his failures. Gifted children should not be given the impression that they are only valued for their high achievements.

- Gifted children are more likely to live up to their potential if parents give clear, consistent and positive messages about school effort and expectations.

- Become knowledgeable about matters of state and school policy regarding provision for gifted children, so that you are well informed when acting as an advocate for your child.

We all have the ability.
The difference is how we use it.
Stevie Wonder

Recommended Books

California Association for the Gifted, The Challenge of Raising Your Gifted Child, 2nd edition, 2003. A guidebook to answer parents¹ most frequently asked questions concerning gifted children, plus resources, both traditional and electronic, to make parenting easier.

California Association for the Gifted, Advocacy in Action, second edition, 2002, A step-by-step guide to effective advocacy on behalf of gifted and talented children and their appropriate education.

Campbell, J., Raising Your Child To Be Gifted: Successful Parents Speak, Brookline Books, 1995. Based on research with parents of more than 10,000 gifted children around the world, this book provides easy-to-follow recipes for working with your child; it contains specific, concrete recommendations and suggestions.

Clark, Barbara, Growing Up Gifted: Developing the Potential of Children at Home and at School, Prentice Hall 1997.

Delisle, Jim and Galbraith, Judy, When Gifted Kids Don¹t Have All the Answers - How to meet Their Social and Emotional Needs, freespirit publishing, 2002. Based on classroom experience, survey data, current research and contributions from colleagues and students. It takes a close-up look at gifted kids from the inside (their self-image, and self-esteem) and outside (9 challenges to their well-being from their families, schools, peers and society in general). It presents ways to help gifted underachievers, perfectionists and those who are bored in school, ways to advocate for gifted education, and ways to create a supportive environment for all gifted students.

Galbraith, Judy, The Gifted Kid Survival Guide, for ages 10 and under, freespirit Publishing Inc., Answers readers¹ questions about why they think and learn the way they do, what “giftedness” and IQ really mean, different types of intelligence, how to handle high expectations, how to make school more challenging, how to cope with teasing, how to make friends, and much more.

Galbraith, Judy, The Gifted Kids Survival Guide, for ages 11-18, freespirit Publishing Inc., A must for gifted teens, their parents, teachers, counselors, and anyone who cares about smart, creative, curious kids. The ultimate guide to surviving and thriving in a world that doesn¹t always value, support, or understand high ability.

Greenson, Thomas S., Freeing Our Families from Perfectionism, freespirit, 2002. Greenson explains perfectionism, where it comes from (including influences outside the family) and what to do about it. He describes a healing process for transforming perfectionism into healthy living practices and self-acceptance.

Isaacson, Karen L. J., Raisin¹ Brains - Surviving My Smart Family, Great Potential Press, Inc. 2002. A humorous book of Karen Isaacson¹s real life anecdotes that will keep you chuckling.

Kerr, Barbara, Smart Boys: Talent, Masculinity, and the Search for Meaning, Offers practical suggestions for parents and teachers with thought provoking insights about gifted men. Includes current research regarding gifted boys and men, milestones and danger zones, guiding minority gifted boys, patterns in parenting talented boys, gifted male types, and interviews with gifted men.

Kerr, Barbara, Smart Girls: A New Psychology of Girls, Women and Giftedness. Offers practical advice to parents, teachers, and policymakers about ways to help gifted girls continue to grow and succeed. Contains current research on gifted girls, biographies about eminent women, their lives and achievements, and examines the current educational and family.

Strip, Carol A., Helping Gifted Children Soar - A Practical Guide for Parents and Teachers, Gifted psychology Press, Inc. 2000 (also in Spanish) This user-friendly guidebook educates parents and teachers about important gifted issues such as working together, evaluating classroom programs, forming parent support groups, choosing appropriate curriculum, meeting social and emotional needs, surviving the ups and downs and more.

It is only by introducing the young to great literature, drama and music,and to the excitement of great science that we open to them the possibilities that lie within the human spirit ­ enable them to see visions and dream dreams.

Eric Anderson

Resources and Websites

The Council for Exceptional Children - An advocacy group which focuses on the needs of gifted children within the broader range of diverse special needs children. 1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201 http://www.cec.sped.org

Lyceum of Santa Clara Valley ­ A non-profit organization for gifted children in grades 2 through 8 and their families. Lyceum provides enrichment opportunities through interaction, discovery and challenge. PO Box 41099, San Jose, CA 95160 http://www.lyceum-scv.org

SENG - Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted ­ Provides information, research, and support. PO Box 6074, Scottsdale, AZ 85261 http://www.SENGifted.org

NEAG Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development - Extensive research and publications. 2131 Hillside Road, Unit 3007, Storrs, CT 06269-3007 http://www.gifted.uconn.edu

Center for Talented Youth (CTY)
Offers education opportunities that nurture intellectual abilities, advance academic achievement and enhance personal dignity. Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218 http://www.jhu.edu/~gifted

California Department of Education ­ Gifted and Talented Education www..cde.ca.gov/cilbranch/gate

Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page - Questions and answers, research, articles of interest, curriculum ideas, enrichment suggestions and much more. http://www.hoagiesgifted.org

ERIC - Digest of publications on gifted issues. http://www.eric.ed.gov

Davidson Institute for Talent Development - This institute seeks out profoundly gifted young people and supports their educational and developmental needs. http://www.ditd.org

KidSource Online - These articles and digests provide ideas, guidance and activities for parents and educators of gifted students. http://www.KIDSOURCE.COM/kidsource/pages/ed.gifted.html

California Association for the Gifted http://www.CAGifted.org

American Association for Gifted Children http://www.aagc.org

National Association for Gifted Children http://www.nagc.org

World Council for Gifted and Talented Children http://www.worldgifted.org

Glossary of Terms

Acceleration
A strategy used when a student demonstrates competencies, knowledge, abilities, and/or skills which exceed that which is outlined in the planned course or grade placement level. This can be determined by advanced work demonstrated in the classroom as well as diagnostic tests or pretests in the skill area.

Advanced Placement Program (AP)
A College Board program of college level courses taught by high school teachers in grades 11 and 12; some colleges give credit for these courses upon successful completion of the AP exam.

At Risk
A student who is (a) unable to handle the emotional, social, intellectual, or physical demands of life or school, (b) in physical or emotional danger, or (c) in danger of dropping out of school.

Bloom’s Taxonomy
Provides a model for developing curriculum for gifted children. It involves planning activities and instruction in the following cognitive domains: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Gifted students should work at the higher levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
Cluster Grouping Assigning several identified gifted students to the same classroom. Clustering gifted students in the regular classroom allows the teacher to differentiate learning activities for a group of GATE identified students rather than only one or two.

Compacting
A three step process that (1) assesses what a student knows about content to be studied and what the student still needs to master, (2) plans for learning what is not known, and (3) plans for time to be spent in enriched or accelerated study.

Concurrent or Dual Enrollment
Students at any grade level may take classes at the next school level. For example, elementary school students take classes at middle school; middle school students take high school classes.

Contracts
An agreement in which the teacher grants certain freedoms and choices of how the student will complete tasks, and the student agrees to use the freedoms appropriately in designing and completing work.

Convergent Thinking
Focusing on one particular answer. Convergent thinking focuses on a single answer. Most intelligence tests require convergent thinking.

Cooperative Learning
An instructional method that allows students to work in small, mixed ability groups. The strategy is to prepare students to live in a democratic society; to help them understand group membership and group dynamics; and to allow them to practice leadership skills.

Core Curriculum
The common knowledge and skills to be learned by all students of a particular grade as determined and specified by a local school district. SJUSD identifies the core curriculum as reading, writing, mathematics, history-social science and science.

Creativity The ability to put together new, different, and unique ideas. It is found in all children to a certain degree. Create thinking can be used in all content areas, not just art.

Critical Thinking Skills and attitudes related to critical thinking include the development of analytical thinking for purposes of decision making, analyzing arguments carefully, seeing other points of view, and reaching sound conclusions.

Cross Grade Grouping
The assignment of students to instructional groups based upon their achievement in a particular subject rather than their grade level placement.

Divergent Thinking
Divergent thinking is the opposite of convergent thinking. This type of thinking focuses on many answers to a single question or problem.

Dual Identified
Students who have more than one educational label, such as gifted and learning disabled are dual identified.

Flexible Grouping
Students are part of many different groups and also work alone based on the match of the task to student readiness, interest, or learning style.

GATE Advisory Committee (GAC)
A committee that reviews GATE practices and procedures in SJUSD. Its elected and appointed members function under bylaws established by the committee. Each school site is expected to provide representation on the GAC through the appointment of a parent to attend the monthly meetings. School sites may also establish a GAC.

Heterogeneous Grouping
A combination of various ability or achievement levels in one group or class.

High Achieving
Students who consistently achieve at a high academic level. Not all gifted students are high achieving and not all high achieving students meet the criteria to be identified as GATE. Higher Level Thinking Includes tasks and activities that involve analysis, synthesis and evaluation from Bloom’s Taxonomy. It also includes creative thinking skills of fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration.

Homogeneous Grouping
A group or class of students at one ability or achievement level.

Inclusion
Creating a regular classroom environment that meets the needs of all levels of students.

Independent study
A self-directed style of learning.Independant study is usually done with the help of a teacher; however the role of the teacher is limited. Student and teacher identify problems or topics of interest to the student. They develop a plan for investigation and identify the type of product the project will produce.

International Baccalaureate (IB)
A rigorous international pre-university course of study that meets the needs of highly motivated and academically superior secondary school students. IB has a comprehensive curriculum that incorporates languages, sciences, mathematics, and allows its graduates to fulfill educational requirements of various nations through rigorous end of course examinations. SJUSD has a middle school IB program at Burnett Academy and a high school IB program at San Jose High Academy.

Instructional Level
Determined by diagnostic testing and full assessment of a child¹s rate of acquisition and rate of retention of skills. Diagnostic testing may include curriculum based assessment in reading and math and/or standardized normed tests.

Learning Styles
A term used to describe personality, psychological traits, social behaviors, developmental differences, communication styles and environmental preferences. There are several learning styles theories that try to match traits of the learner with teaching methods.

Mentorship
A program where students are teamed up with an expert who can help guide the student¹s growth in a particular area. The program concentrates on advanced projects and exploration of work settings. The ³expert² can be a teacher, media specialist, parent volunteer, older student, or community member.

Multiple Intelligences
The theory that intelligence can be expressed in a variety of ways. This theory, associated with Howard Gardner, identifies at least eight intelligences; verbal-linguistic, musical, visual-spatial, logicalmathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, naturalist, interpersonal and intrapersonal.

Open-ended Questioning
A strategy which allows opportunities for more than one ³right² solution or answer. It is appropriate for divergent thinkers, which is a trait gifted students often possess.

Rubric
A tool for assessment made by the teacher. This tool explains what is expected in the assignment and how each component of the assignment will be assessed or graded.

Site Based Management
A current school restructuring model by which local autonomy is given to schools for planning and decision making. A team of educators and community members, known as the School Site Council, assume responsibility and accountability for all education programs in the school. Under Site-Based Management all categorical funds must be used to supplement, not supplant, services to special needs students.

Socratic Seminar
A highly structured process in which students seek a more in-depth understanding of complex ideas through rigorously thoughtful dialogue instead of meeting arbitrary demands of simple ³coverage² of a topic.

Tiered Assignments
Varied levels of activities for the same lesson or unit that ensure students explore ideas at a level that builds on prior knowledge and promotes continued growth.